2. The concept of Stress entered psychological &
medical vocabularies from engineering with Hans
Selye's work in 1950's
Stress is an environmental pressure, strain is its
effect on something or someone
“Stress is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made
upon it” — Hans Selye, MD
3. Stress is a fact of life, a universal condition, and
therefore unavoidable
If we cannot eliminate stress, how can we come to
terms with it?
4. No stress: promotes Stagnation — no challenge, no spur to
action, no adaptation
Prostress (or “eustress”): promotes Growth —
pleasant, challenging exciting conditions that offer fulfillment and
arousal without the harmful consequences of negative stress.
Distress: Negatively perceived event or trigger that promotes
upset, suffering, illness — at the extreme it can lead to psychosis,
even death
5. 1. Outpouring of adrenaline and other hormones
2. "Fight or flight" response
3. Impacts health by modulating rate of cellular aging
4. Increase in heart rate & blood pressure
5. Faster breathing
6. Muscle tension
7. Increased alertness and sensory sensitivity
8. Increased blood flow to brain, heart and muscles
9. Decreased blood flow to skin, digestive tract, kidneys and liver
10. Increase in blood sugar, fats and cholesterol
The Distress Reaction
6. Physical:
◦ Fatigue, headaches, insomnia, muscle aches/stiffness, heart
palpitations, chest pains, abdominal cramps, nausea, trembling,
flushing, sweating, frequent colds
Mental:
◦ Decreased concentration and memory, indecisiveness, racing
thoughts, confusion, loss of humor
eMotional:
◦ Anger (short temper, irritability, impatience), Anxiety (nervousness,
worry, fear), Sadness (grief, anguish, depression)
Behavioral:
◦ Pacing, fidgeting, nervous habits, increased eating, smoking, drinking
or drug abuse, crying, yelling, swearing, throwing things
Symptoms of Distress
8. FEARFULNESS
BREATHING DIFFICULTY
RACING HEART
SWEATING
TREMLOUSNESS
FEAR THAT SOMETHING MAY GO WRONG
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT
----------MANY MANY MORE
9. FAMILIAL PROBLEM
WORK RELATED STRESS
WORRIES OF VARIOUS THINGS
PERFORMANCE ANXIETY
COMORBID ILLNESS
--OR-----
10. WRITE DOWN
- ALL SITUATIONS / REASONS
WHICH PRODUCE ANXIETY
- YOUR OWN GOALS
ACKNOWLEDGE
IDENTIFY YOUR RESOURCES
PLAN YOUR STRATEGY
REALISTIC APPROACH
GOAL DIRECTED EFFORTS
13. 1. Time and money management
2. Practicing healthy assertiveness in social
relationships
3. Creative Problem-solving
4. Consider leaving a job or relationship that
has become unsustainable or destructive
Situational Changes
14. 1. See problems as opportunities
2. Refuse negative thoughts
3. Focus on the positives
4. Take the long-term view
Cognitive Changes
15. Avoiding ‘burnouts’
Introspection
Only work till you enjoy it
Avoid comparisons
Knowing ones own limitations
Avoid getting carried away
Whom are you trying to satisfy ?!
Understand that you and everybody around are
going to have your share of success and failure.
16. The other students around are there only for short
duration, so don’t worry much about them
Your competition is not with your classmates , but
with thousands of students appearing for the exam
from many institutions around
Having good students in the class is in-fact
beneficial
Aim at improving your own earlier performance
Study throughout the year, not only during exam
period