This document discusses stress, common reactions to stress, signs of too much stress, causes of stress, effects of stress on the body and feelings, and healthy ways to cope with stress. It notes that stress can cause worried or nervous feelings and impact sleep, appetite, and mood. The document recommends healthy coping strategies like eating well, exercising, talking to others, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and taking breaks from stressful activities.
2. What is stress?
• -- a worried or nervous feeling that stops
you relaxing, caused for example, by
pressure at work or financial or personal
problems. Feeling emotional and nervous or
having trouble sleeping and eating can all
be normal reactions to stress.
3. Common reactions to a stressful
event can include:
• Disbelief, Feeling sad, frustrated, and helpless
• Fear and anxiety about the future
• Feeling guilty
• Crying
• Reduced interest in usual activities
• Wanting to be alone
• Loss of appetite
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Nightmares or bad memories
• Headaches, back pains, and stomach problems
• Smoking or use of alcohol or drugs
4. Signs that stress is getting too
much
-You feel that stress is affecting your health.
-You feel so desperate that you think about
stopping school, running away or harming
yourself.
-You feel low, sad, tearful, or that life is not
worth living.
5. - You lose your appetite and find it difficult
to sleep.
- You have worries, feelings and thoughts
that are hard to talk about because you feel
people won’t understand you or will think
you are ‘weird’.
6. What causes stress?
• school work piling up
• preparing for exams
• being teased or bullied at school
• arguing with parents, brothers or sisters, or
friends.
7. What are the effects of stress?
Stress can affect different people
in different ways. Stress can
affect your body and your
feelings.
8. Effects on your body:
feeling tired
having difficulty sleeping
going off your food
stomach aches
headaches
aches and pains in your neck and
shoulders.
9. Effects on your feelings:
feeling sad
being irritable,
losing your temper easily
finding it hard to keep your mind
on school work.
10. Healthy Ways to Cope with
Stress
• 1. Take care of yourself.
–Eat healthy, well-balanced meals
–Exercise on a regular basis
–Get enough sleep
–Give yourself a break if you feel
stressed out
11. 2. Talk to others.
Don’t suffer in silence! Share
your problems and how you are
feeling and coping with a parent,
friend, counselor, or doctor.
12. 3. Avoid drugs and alcohol.
These may seem to help with the
stress. But in the long run, they
create additional problems and
increase the stress you are
already feeling.
13. 4. Take a break.
If something making you feel
stressed take a break such as
having a bath, listening to
music, watching comics or a
good film.
