by

Dr. Mohmed Amin Mir

Assistant Professor

Department of Commerce & Management Studies

Islamia College of Science & Commerce, Srinagar

Jammu & Kashmir

Contact No: +91-9797178402

Email ID: aamin.icsc@gmail.com

STRESS

What is Stress?The concept of stress was first introduced in the lifesciences by Dr. Hans Selye in 1936.

The word ‘stress’ in common English usage meansconditions causing hardship or times of trouble, dangerand tension.

According to Hans Selye (1956), the father of stressresearch “stress is any external life event or any internaldrive which threatens to upset the organismicequilibrium.

Or in other words, stress is something which isexperienced when the demands are beyond the copingcapacity of a person.

PERSON

CHARACTERISTICS

Physiological

Physical Health

Psychological

Mental Health

Temperament

Self-Concept

Cultural

Cultural Definitions

and Meanings

Expected Response

Style

RESOURCES

Physical

Money

Medical Care, etc.

Personal

Skills

Coping Style

Social

Support Networks

Professional Help

STRESSORS

Types

Environmental

Psychological

Social

Dimensions

Intensity

Duration

Predictability

STRESS APPRAISAL

Physiological

responseBehavioural

response

Emotional

response

Cognitive

response

A Theoretical Model of the Stress Process

STRESS

Identifying the Indicators of Positive Health

Which of the following should not be included in the definition of positive health?

• Good health is a matter of self-perception.

• Culture decides what we should call ‘good health’.

• Positive health is accompanied by a general feeling of wellness.

• A sound and logical mind is essential for positive health.

• The socially maladjusted can still have good health.

• People who are self-centred and egoist cannot have soundhealth status

• Those who have not visited a doctor can be considered ashaving sound health.

• Faith and trust are essential ingredients of positive health.

• People can depart from social norms and still be healthy.

• Ill health is a part of health.

Are you in Good Physical Health ?

A simple way to determine physical health is to find out the

Body/Mass /Index (BMI)

You can compute the BMI for yourself using the following

formula:

BMI = Body Weight (kg)

[Height (m)]2

You can interpret the score according to the following chart:

BMI RANGE Obesity/Health Risk

20 – 25 Not obese, no risk

25 – 30 Low risk

30 – 35 Moderate risk

35 – 40 High risk

Above 40 Very high risk

Normal and Abnormal Responses to Stress

Normal Responses

Feeling strong emotionssubsequent to the event (eg.Fear, sadness, rage)

Resistance to thinking aboutthe event; some use of denial.

Having unwanted, intrusivethoughts about the event.

Temporary physical symptoms(headaches, stomach distress)

Resuming one’s normal patternof life.

Abnormal Responses

Being overwhelmed by intense

emotions, experiencing panic or

exhaustion.

Extreme resistance to thinking

about the event (eg: through use of

drugs); massive denial.

Having disturbing, persistent

images and thoughts that interfere

with usual functioning.

Strong, persistent bodily reactions

(eg. Continuing headaches, chronic

stomach pains)

Long-term problems in ability to

love and work

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY

The Branch of Psychology that Studies the relation betweenpsychological variables and health, reflects the view that both mindand body are important determinants of health and illness. This isemerged as an independent branch of science during early 1970’s.

STRESS REACTION

Fight or Flight Reaction

Either facing the problem Avoiding the problem

Dr. Hans Selye (1956)

Stages of Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome

(GAS)

Stage Description

Alarm In response to a stressor, the body prepares for immediate physicalaction. The sympathetic nervous system is activated, and stresshormones (cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine) are released ingreater amounts.

Resistance If the stressor continues, the body maintains a moderate level ofphysiological arousal. The organism has increased its ability towithstand the original stressor, which brought about the alarmreaction.

Exhaustion With added stressors or depletion of the ability to continue resisting,

the body enters a stage in which a variety of illnesses or evendeath may occur.

STRESS AND CANCER

The Psycho- immune Theory Proposed by Wayner et al ( 1978) explains

that stress can effect the cancer process in 3 ways

1. Stress may have on the initiation of cancer through

a. increasing the person’s exposure to carcinogens

b. interacting with the effect of carcinogens and

c. allowing the expression of genetic potential by bringing a

change in the hormonal environment.

2. Stress has its influence in the promotion of Management

transformation and blockage of immune response and by blocking

of the immune surveillance.

3. Stress can act at the behavioural Level leading to the sufficient

copy devices or increasing the exposure to carcinogens.

eg: Excessive smoking, Excessive Drinking, etc.

COPING WITH STRESS

People use different techniques for coping with stress andbeing healthy: Active coping, suppression of competingactivities, planning, restraint, use of social support, positivereframing, religion like faith in God. Acceptance, Denial,Behavioural disengagement, Use of humour, and Self-distraction.

EXERCISETalk to two different persons, one whom you consider

stressful, and the other who is often relaxed. Find

out which of the two uses the above means of coping withstress.

STRESS AND COPING

Disorder manifested

Disorder not manifested

High

Low

Low Level of vulnerability High

Level

of

Stress

Stress and vulnerability influence whether or not maladaptive behaviour will occur. When

there are both a high level of stress and high vulnerability, maladaptive behaviour is most

likely. A highly vulnerable person, such as someone with schizophrenia, might show

significant behavioural deterioration with only a mild increase in challenge. A relatively

resilient person might show deterioration only if confronted with an extraordinary life reversal

or challenge.

TYPE A, TYPE B PERSONALITY

In an interesting research two American cardiologists,

Dr. Meyer Friedman and Dr. Ray Roseman (1979) identified

two types of personality traits.

Research findings

based on 8 ½ years

of follow up studies

among people.

Type – A people are more prone to CDH and

cancer (Coronary heart disease)

(1) Type A - Personality

(Health Risk is High)

High powered, ambitious, competitive,

workaholics, who seemed unable to slow

down and relax. (Achieve more and more in

less and less time).

(2) Type B

(Health Risk is low)

Those who are not having the Type A

personality Traits. Ie. Just the opposite of

Type A people.

Are you a Type A Person?

Answer the following questions yes or no.

Do you give yourself harder than most of the people you know?

Do you tend to complete sentences for people who speak too slowly?

Do you eat, speak and walk rapidly?

Do you overemphasis some of your words and add dramatic gestures whilespeaking?

Do you become very annoyed, when you have to wait in line?

Do you constantly schedule more activities than time allows?

Do you feel a sense of guilt if you try to relax?

Do you try to move the topic of conversation to your own interests?

Do you believe that your success is due to the fast pace that you maintain?

(Note: The more items answered yes, the higher your degree of Type A behaviour.)

YOUR STRESS – LEVEL CAN BE MEASURED

Any kind of change in our existing life- pattern can be considered the reason for stress. But theintensity of stress depends on how well the person responds to such changes.

This checklist will help you to determine whether you are a victim of stress. From thefive choices given, select the one that best suits your character. Points should be given asfollows :

a. Never – 1 point

b. Sometimes ( More than twice a year) – 2 points

c. Often ( more than once every month ) -3 points

d. Quite frequently - (more than once a week) - 4 points

e. Always – 5

EMOTIONAL TRAITS

1. Can you relax easily ?

2. Ae you quick – tempered?

3. Do you get bored – easily ?

4. Do you find it difficult to do something with concentration?

5. Do you experience anxiety ?

6. Is decision – making difficult for you?

7. Do you experience utter disappointment ?

8. Have you felt hatred towards others ?

9. Are you impatient by nature ?

10.Do you experience sleeplessness ?

11.Are you extremely competitive ?

PHYSICAL TRAITS

1. Are you a victim of frequent headaches ?

2. Do you experience a sharp pain in the chest ?

3. Are you a victim of any allergic conditions?

4. Does indigestion trouble you ?

5. Do you bite your teeth?

6. Do you get frequent neck pain ?

7. Do you get tired quickly?

8. Are you troubled by severe backache ?

9. Do the insides of your hands and feet perspire?

10. Do you have frequent stomach aches ?

11. Do you experience shivering of the body ?

12. Have you felt a weight in the chest ?

13. Is it difficult for you to control your emotions ?

SCORE STRESS LEVEL

A Total Score below 60 NO PROBLEM

B Total score between 61-80 MILD

C Total Score between 81-100 MODERATE

D Total Score above 100 SEVERE – MORE PRONE TO ILLNESS

Some Stress Management Techniques

Stress is called a silent killer. It has been

estimated that stress plays some role in 50 to 70

percent of the total of physical illness. Heart

disease, high blood pressure, ulcers, and diabetes

are closely related to stress. In view of increasing

incidence of stress, schools, offices, and

communities are taking interest in evolving stress

management techniques. Some of these

techniques are as follows:

Cognitive Behavioural Techniques: These

techniques try to inoculate people against stress.

Most of the programmes involving these

techniques have three stages, ie. education,

training and practice. In the education stage, the

participants come to know the nature and effects

of stress, and are helped in recognising stress –

symptoms. In training, they learn time

management, social skills, use of relaxation

techniques, positive self-talk, setting realistic

goals, and rewarding goal achievement. In the

practice stage, the participants rehearse the skills

learned in real life situation.

Biofeedback: It is a procedure to monitor and

control the physiological aspects of stress. By

providing feedback about body’s functioning, a

person is trained to recognise and control it. This

mechanism helps to reduce stress.

Relaxation Techniques:- The state of relaxation

is opposed to stress. Thus by reducing muscle

tension the feelings of stress and anxiety can be

reduced. Usually relaxation starts from the lower

body, and progresses up to the facial muscles and

the whole body is relaxed. Controlled breathing is

another technique in which deep long breaths are

used.

Exercise:- Aerobic, swimming, walking, running,

asanas, cycling, dancing, and skipping help to

reduce stress. One must practice these exercises

at least three times a week for at least fifteen

minutes at a time. Each session must have

warm-up, exercise, and cool-down phases,

exercise helps to improve endurance, flexibility,

cardiovascular fitness, and stress tolerance.

TRY RELAXATION• Sit quietly in a comfortable position

• Close your eyes.

• Deeply relax all your muscles. Start from your feet andprogress upto your face. Keep them relaxed.

• Breathe through the nose. Try to become aware of your

breath. As you breathe out, say the word “one*”. Breathe

easily and naturally.

• Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. When you finish therelaxation exercise, sit quietly for several minutes, at firstwith your eyes closed. Do not stand up for a few minutes.

• Maintain a passive attitude. Ignore the distracting thoughts.Do not practice this within two hours after any meal.

* You can change this catch word like………………….…..