I am SO stressed! What do you mean by this? How do you feel? Is it the same for everyone?

I am SO stressed!

What do you mean by this?

How do you feel?

Is it the same for everyone?

Stress Questionnaire

• Answer the questions honestly (Q20 will give you a giggle….)

• Add up your score.• Check your stress levels.

• Do you think your answers would be the same in the summer holidays? Why/Why not?

• Is this measure reliable/valid?

• Children don't need stress relief because their lives aren't stressful like adults' lives.– False

• Stress can make your hair fall out (It can cause your hair to stop growing)– True

• Stress can cause serious illness like diabetes and heart disease– True

• Parents naturally experience less stress than those without kids, as kids relieve stress with their love and support– False

• Stress can contribute to weight gain. (Production of cortisol can effect metabolism, cravings, blood sugar levels and fat storage)– True

• In terms of social support, it's better to have a greater number of friends, even if some of these friends are competitive with you or emotionally distant.– False

• Unless you really don't enjoy animals, pets can lower your blood pressure as effectively as medication. (Mood improvement, exercise, social support, loneliness)– True

• You actually can become 'worried sick’.– True

• Stress is linked with psychosomatic illness, which is when you think you're sick, but you really aren't.– False

• There is agreement among medical professionals that stress causes ulcers.– False

• If you get too stressed, you can catch a cold.– True

• As a rule, people in management positions experience more stress than those under them because they have more responsibility.– False

• Some types of stress are actually good for you. (eustress – not chronic stress)– True

• Those with more money are generally happier and experience less financial stress.– False

• Stress directly causes premature gray hair.– False

• Some people are more susceptible to stress than others.– True

• There is a link between stress and infertility. (sperm and dysf)– True

• Stress can lower your sex drive.– True

• Stress causes adult acne.– True

• Working long hours is the main cause of burnout. (other factors)– False

Is stress a problem?• The total number of cases of stress in 2010/11 was 400 000 out of

a total of 1 152 000 for all work-related illnesses. This is significantly lower than the number in 2001/02.

• The number of new cases of work-related stress has reduced to 211 000 from 233 000 in 2009/10 (change not statistically significant).

• The industries that reported the highest rates of work-related stress in the last three years were health, social work, education and public administration.

• The occupations that reported the highest rates of work-related stress in the last three years were health and social service managers, teachers and social welfare associate professionals.

• What conclusions can you come to from these statistics?

So What is Stress?• Occurs when the demands placed on the body

exceed its ability to cope– This becomes a threat to the person

• Is related to the fight flight system– When you perceive a threat adrenaline is release– This increase heart rate and blood flow to your

muscles – You can then run or fight

• Problem for us is that neither running or fighting can be done– So we are stressed because we cannot do what our

body wants us to do

• If this goes on for a long time we get exhausted