This document provides information about stress management. It begins with an agenda that outlines discussing what stress is and symptoms of stress. It then includes a stress quiz where participants rate statements about lifestyle habits and stress levels. The document discusses interpreting stress quiz scores and areas of life that stress can impact like the mind, body, and behavior. Participants are prompted to identify their own stressors and how stress affects them. The goal is for readers to understand what stress is and how it can impact health in order to better manage stress.

1. Stress Management

2. Agenda for Stress Management 1
• What is stress?
• What are the symptoms of stress?
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3. Stress Quiz
Respond to the following statements
by rating them 1 to 5.
1 = most like you
2 = can often describe you
3 = can sometimes describe you
4 = rarely would describe you
5 = never would describe you
Adapted from 3
www.workingresources.com/stressmanagementsurvey/

4. Stress Quiz
1. I eat well-balanced, nutritious meals every day
2. I enjoy what I am doing whether is it school or working, etc…
3. I manage my time effectively and am organized
4. I like myself
5. I exercise regularly
6. I am an appropriate weight for my height and body-type
7. I have less than two alcoholic drinks per day
8. I do not smoke cigarettes
9. I drink less than three caffeinated drinks a day (coffee, tea, pop)
10. I get enough sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed
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5. Stress Quiz
11. I am flexible and able to maintain balance between work, school and family
12. I have adequate financial support or income
13. I have a good support system of friends, family, etc…
14. I feel in control of my life, take on new challenges and seek out solutions to
problems
15. I am able to discuss my feelings opening when I am angry or worried
16. I am able to say “no” without feeling guilty
17. I am free of physical symptoms of stress (headache, teeth grinding, etc)
18. I am free of emotional symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, fatigue, etc)
19. I feel my life has meaning an purpose
20. I am compassionate to others, able to relax and able to see humor in life 5

6. Scoring the quiz
Add up your responses to get a final score.
Your score should be somewhere between 20 and 100.
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7. What your score means
1-30 = Minimal stress – you are doing a great job
managing your stress!
31-50 = Moderate stress – you are managing your
stress for the most part but there is still room for some
learning and growth
51-100 = High stress – things may be very stressful for
you. You need to change some of your behaviors and
learn new skills to manage your level of stress.
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8. Activator
What stresses you out?
Take a moment to think about
the stress in your life.
Write down these stressors.
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9. What is stress?
“The inability to cope with a perceived, real, or imagined threat to
one’s mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing which
results in a series of physiological responses and adaptations.” (Brian
Seaward).
“A state of anxiety produced when events and responsibilities exceed
one’s coping abilities.” (Richard Lazarus).
“The non-specific response of the body to any demand placed upon it
to adapt.” (Hans Selye).
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10. What is stress?
“A condition or state of imbalance between the stressful situation and
our ability or capacity to cope with that situation.” (Andrew Goliszek).
“Stress is the physiological and emotional reaction to psychological
events. Stress is often experienced as a consistent, exaggerated, and
overwhelming sense of urgency, often couple with frustration.
Achievement stress, triggered by school tasks, is a learned,
inappropriate distress habit which impairs school performance.”
(Ronald Rubenzer).
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11. Areas Stress Affects
• Mind
• Body
• Behaviour
Work in pairs to develop a list of ways that stress
may affect your mind, body and behaviour
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12. How does stress affect your mind?
Problems with memory Inability to slow down
Difficulty making decisions Loss of objectivity
Trouble concentrating
Shortened attention span
Confusion
Repetitive thoughts
Misunderstanding information
Poor judgment
Thoughts of running away
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13. How does stress affect your body?
Headaches Skin problems
Digestive disorders Jaw pain
Muscle tension and pain Reproductive problems
Sleep disturbances Immune system suppression
sweatiness
Fatigue
Chest pain
High blood pressure
Weight gain or loss
Hair loss
Shortness of breath 13

14. How does stress affect you behaviour?
EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS BEHAVIOUR CHANGES
Less interest in hobbies Eat more or less
Sudden shift in mood Sleep too much or not enough
Restlessness/uneasiness Isolate yourself
Frustration Stay home or stay out a lot
Anger Increased use of dugs or alcohol
Quick irritability Engaging in nervous habits
Oversensitivity Grind your teeth
Overreaction Overdoing activities
Anxiety or depression Argue with people 14
Desire to cry Lose your temper

15. How does stress affect me?
Take a moment to fill out the
Symptoms of Stress Checklist
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16. Wrap up
What I hope you take away:
- What stress is
- How stress can affect our mind, body and behaviour
- Start thinking about the stress in your life and how it is
affecting you
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