Group 4: Rachel Longfors, Group 4: Rachel Longfors, Patricia Prins, and Tiffany GarciaPatricia Prins, and Tiffany Garcia

March 30, 2004March 30, 2004

Background InformationBackground Information

Grade Level: Freshmen College Grade Level: Freshmen College Students Students

Age: 17-19Age: 17-19

Reason: To inform them about what Reason: To inform them about what stress is, how to recognize stressors stress is, how to recognize stressors in their life, and the importance of in their life, and the importance of implementing a stress relieving implementing a stress relieving activity that works for them into their activity that works for them into their life.life.

What Effects College What Effects College Students AcademicsStudents Academics

Part OnePart One

What Is Stress?What Is Stress?

StressStress

the body’s and the body’s and mind’s mind’s reaction to reaction to everyday everyday demands or demands or threatsthreats

Types of StressTypes of Stress

Distress-Distress- “ “Negative stressNegative stress””

Eustress-Eustress- “ “Positive stressPositive stress””

What causes Stress?What causes Stress?

Stressor-Stressor- any any stimulus that stimulus that produces a produces a stress stress responseresponse

Five general categoriesFive general categories

1)Biological stressors1)Biological stressors

2)Environmental stressors2)Environmental stressors

3)Cognitive or thinking stressors3)Cognitive or thinking stressors

4)Personal behavioral stressors4)Personal behavioral stressors

5)Life situations5)Life situations

Biological stressorsBiological stressors

biochemical imbalances, mental biochemical imbalances, mental or physical illnesses, disabilities, or physical illnesses, disabilities, or injury or injury

Environmental StressorsEnvironmental Stressors

Cognitive/thinking stressorsCognitive/thinking stressors

the way a person perceives a the way a person perceives a situation or what a person situation or what a person expects from a situation expects from a situation

Personal behavior Personal behavior stressorsstressors

Negative Negative reactions in a reactions in a person’s person’s body and body and mind caused mind caused by using…by using…

Life situationsLife situations

Body’s stress responseBody’s stress response

a series of events put into action as a series of events put into action as the body prepares itself for the body prepares itself for danger!danger!

  Nervous/endocrine system Nervous/endocrine system stages:stages:

1) Alarm1) Alarm2) Resistance2) Resistance3) Fatigue3) Fatigue

  

AlarmAlarm““Fight or flight response”Fight or flight response”  

ResistanceResistance

when the body tries to repair its when the body tries to repair its damage from the stressful event damage from the stressful event and return to its normal stateand return to its normal state

FatigueFatigue

Types:Types:

Physical Physical

PathologicalPathological

Psychological Psychological

Physical fatiguePhysical fatigue

Pathological fatiguePathological fatigue

tiredness brought on by tiredness brought on by overworking the body’s overworking the body’s defenses in fighting diseasedefenses in fighting disease

Ex. Anemia, flu, overweight, Ex. Anemia, flu, overweight, poor nutrition, also the use of poor nutrition, also the use of caffeine and alcoholcaffeine and alcohol

Psychological fatiguePsychological fatigue

results from constant worry, overwork, results from constant worry, overwork, depression, boredom, and isolation.depression, boredom, and isolation.

  

Part TwoPart Two

Stress in Your LifeStress in Your Life

Personality TypesPersonality Types

Type A PersonalityType A PersonalityType B PersonalityType B PersonalityHardy PersonalityHardy Personality

Type A PersonalityType A Personality

CompetitiveCompetitive High Achieving High Achieving Relieve Stress by WorkingRelieve Stress by Working

ProblemProblem Heart DiseaseHeart Disease

Type B PersonalityType B Personality

Laid backLaid back Non-competitiveNon-competitive

ProblemsProblems Holds onto stress causing more Holds onto stress causing more

stress to accumulatestress to accumulate More likely to develop stress More likely to develop stress

related disordersrelated disorders

Hardy PersonalityHardy Personality

ResilienceResilience

ChangeChange

CommitmentCommitment

ControlControl

What is stress tolerance?What is stress tolerance?

The amount of stress that you The amount of stress that you can handle before you reach a can handle before you reach a state of too much stressstate of too much stress

Stress and Physical HealthStress and Physical Health

High Blood PressureHigh Blood Pressure HeadacheHeadache AsthmaAsthma Immune Response Immune Response Psychosomatic ResponsePsychosomatic Response Premature DeathPremature Death

High blood pressureHigh blood pressure

Mental and emotional stress Mental and emotional stress raises cholesterol levels which raises cholesterol levels which causes blockage of arteries causes blockage of arteries resulting in high blood pressureresulting in high blood pressure

Results of high blood pressureResults of high blood pressure Heart Disease Heart Disease StrokeStroke

Stress and HeadachesStress and Headaches

Stress causes tension in the Stress causes tension in the head and neckhead and neck

MigrainesMigraines Severe throbbingSevere throbbing Loss of balance or coordinationLoss of balance or coordination Changes in moodChanges in mood

Stress and AsthmaStress and Asthma

An asthma attack can be An asthma attack can be triggered by high stresstriggered by high stress

Asthma attacks include:Asthma attacks include: Cough Cough WheezeWheeze Fight to get airFight to get air Can be life threateningCan be life threatening

Stress and your Immune Stress and your Immune SystemSystem

Body cannot fight diseases as well Body cannot fight diseases as well when stressedwhen stressed

Stress increases your chances of Stress increases your chances of diseases such as colds, flu, and diseases such as colds, flu, and cancerscancers

Smoking and drinking put your immune Smoking and drinking put your immune system under more stress and at risk system under more stress and at risk for more serious problemsfor more serious problems

Psychosomatic ResponsePsychosomatic Response

Psychosomatic response- a Psychosomatic response- a physical disorder that results physical disorder that results from stress rather than from an from stress rather than from an injury or illnessinjury or illness

Psycho- “Of the mind”Psycho- “Of the mind” Somatic- “Of the body”Somatic- “Of the body” Range from minor to severeRange from minor to severe

PsychosomaticPsychosomatic ResponseResponse

Skin DisordersSkin Disorders StomachachesStomachaches Digestive ProblemsDigestive Problems HeadachesHeadaches Sleep DisordersSleep Disorders

Signs of StressSigns of Stress

Physical SignsPhysical Signs

Emotional SignsEmotional Signs

Mental SignsMental Signs

Behavioral SignsBehavioral Signs

PhysicalPhysical

Headaches and/or MigrainesHeadaches and/or Migraines Trembling or twitchingTrembling or twitching Upset stomachUpset stomach Sweating Sweating Trouble SleepingTrouble Sleeping Grinding teethGrinding teeth Dry mouthDry mouth Ringing in the earsRinging in the ears

PhysicalPhysical

RashRash ConstipationConstipation DiarrheaDiarrhea Pounding HeartPounding Heart Muscle Aches and tightnessMuscle Aches and tightness DizzinessDizziness Back PainBack Pain Nervousness or TicsNervousness or Tics

EmotionalEmotional

FrustrationFrustration NervousnessNervousness BoredomBoredom EdginessEdginess Feeling powerlessFeeling powerless Being quick to angerBeing quick to anger CryingCrying

EmotionalEmotional

ImpatienceImpatience Mood swingsMood swings LonelinessLoneliness WorryingWorrying Low self-esteemLow self-esteem Becoming easily upset without Becoming easily upset without

causecause ConfusionConfusion

MentalMental

Trouble reading or thinking clearlyTrouble reading or thinking clearly Lack of creativity Lack of creativity Constant worryConstant worry Losing sense of humor and Losing sense of humor and

perspectiveperspective ForgettingForgetting Obsessive thoughtsObsessive thoughts Inability to make decisionsInability to make decisions

BehavioralBehavioral

Not eatingNot eating OvereatingOvereating Compulsive talkingCompulsive talking FidgetingFidgeting

Tapping feetTapping feet Drumming fingersDrumming fingers

BehavioralBehavioral

Using alcohol, caffeine, or other Using alcohol, caffeine, or other drugdrug

Verbal or physical outburstsVerbal or physical outbursts GamblingGambling Recklessness and high risk Recklessness and high risk

behaviorsbehaviors HurryingHurrying Forgetting one’s valuesForgetting one’s values

Part ThreePart Three

Managing StressManaging Stress

Managing StressManaging Stress

Must identify source of stressMust identify source of stress Can be obvious or a combination of Can be obvious or a combination of

thingsthings Two ways of dealing with stressTwo ways of dealing with stress

Eliminate stressor or reduce your Eliminate stressor or reduce your exposure to stressorexposure to stressor

Change the way you react to stressorChange the way you react to stressor

Techniques for Managing Techniques for Managing StressStress

There are several ways to There are several ways to manage stress:manage stress: Planning/Time ManagementPlanning/Time Management Rechannel EnergyRechannel Energy Relax and LaughRelax and Laugh SupportSupport

Class ActivitiesClass Activities

Mental Stress Management:Mental Stress Management: ImageryImagery

Physical Relaxation Techniques:Physical Relaxation Techniques: Deep BreathingDeep Breathing Progressive Muscular RelaxationProgressive Muscular Relaxation