Stress & Stress Management

Manoj D. shah

Stress

StressStress is the reaction people have to excessive

pressures or other types of demand placed upon them. It arises when they worry that they can’t cope.

...our body’s physical and emotional reaction to circumstances or events that frighten, irritate, confuse, endanger, or excite us.

Stress•Stress is a part of life•The good news is that stress can be self-controlled•Stress prepares a person to react to the causing event/stressor•Positive correlations have been found between physical fitness, social support, emotional well-being and health outcomes•Nurturance is another factor that affects the way people handle stress

Stressors Physical -- external factors.

Social -- caused by interactions between an individual and his/her environment.

Psychological -- strong emotions can be brought on by external or internal factors.

Major Life Events• Birth

• Death

• Lost job

• Promotion

• Marital status change

Internal Stressors• Lifestyle choices: Caffeine, Lack of sleep’

Overloaded schedule

• Negative self - Pessimistic thinking, Self criticism, Over analysing

• Mind traps: Unrealistic expectations, Taking things personally, All or nothing thinking, Exaggeration, Rigid thinking

• Personality traits: Perfectionists, Workaholics

Negative Stress It is a contributory factor in minor conditions,

such as headaches, digestive problems, skin complaints, insomnia and ulcers.

Excessive, prolonged and unrelieved stress can have a harmful effect on mental, physical and spiritual health.

Positive Stress

Stress can also have a positive effect, spurring motivation and awareness, providing the stimulation to cope with challenging situations.

Stress also provides the sense of urgency and alertness needed for survival when confronting threatening situations.

Irrational Beliefs Leading to Stress

• Demand from Self: I must/ Should be perfect complete & efficient in all things I do and others should appreciate or approve of me all the time.

• Demand from others: Others should behave, as I want them to behave. Otherwise they are worthless & should be punished.

• Demand from the world: All the conditions in the world should be arranged they are favorable to me.

The above beliefs play dominating role in our emotional disturbance

Self Generated Stress

• Most of the stress we experience is self-generated. How we perceive life - whether an event makes us feel threatened or stimulated, encouraged or discouraged, happy or sad - depends to a large extent on how we perceive ourselves.

• Self-generated stress is something of a paradox, because so many people think of external causes when they are upset.

• Recognising that we create most of our own upsets is an important first step towards coping with them.

Recognizing Distress

• Mood Signs (feeling jumpy, trouble sleeping, worrying, responding with anger, insecure)

• Internal Signs (hands moist, sweating profusely, heart pounds, stomach upset)

• Musculoskeletal Signs (jaw muscles tight, frequent headaches, muscles tense, neck stiff, twitches)

Stress Response: Fight or Flight

• Your heart rate becomes faster• Your blood pressure rises • Your breathing becomes rapid• Hormones such as adrenaline increase• Senses become more efficient• Muscles become tense to enhance movement• Blood flow increases to muscles and brain• Blood flow decreases to organs, hands and feet• Perspiration increases for improved cooling

How Do I Recognize When Someone Has a Problem?

• Changes in usual behavior

• Poor performance• Tiredness / Irritability• Increased sickness• Poor timekeeping• Tearfulness

• Increased use alcohol or drugs

• Difficult relationships• Headache / backache• Reduced social contact• Poor judgment /

indecision

Stress Related illness

Stress is not the same as ill-health, but has been related to such illnesses as;

• Cardiovascular disease• Immune system disease• Asthma• Diabetes• Digestive disorders• Ulcers• Skin complaints - psoriasis• Headaches and migraines• Pre-menstrual syndrome• Depression

Factors Influencing Work Stress

• The drive for success• Changing work patterns• Working conditions• Overwork• Under-work

• Uncertainty• Conflict• Responsibility• Relationships at work• Change work

Adaption Phase If the source persists, the body prepares for

long-term protection, secreting hormones to increase blood sugar levels. This phase is common and not necessarily harmful, but must include periods of relaxation and rest to counterbalance the stress response. Fatigue, concentration lapses, irritability and lethargy result as the stress turns negative.

ABC Strategy

A = AWARENESS: • What causes you stress How do you react?

B = BALANCE: • There is a fine line between positive /negative stress. • How much can you cope with before it becomes negative

C = CONTROL:• What can you do to help yourself combat the negative effects

of stress

Stress Management Techniques

• Change your thinking

• Change your behaviour

• Change your lifestyle

Change Your Thinking

• Re-framing

• Positive thinking

Re-framing Re-framing is a technique to change the way

you look at things in order to feel better about them. There are many ways to interpret the same situation so pick the one you like. Re-framing does not change the external reality, but helps you view things in a different light and less stressfully.

(Challenge your Beliefs & put it in right perspectives)

Positive Thinking

• Forget powerlessness, dejection, despair, failure

• Stress leaves us vulnerable to negative suggestion so focus on positives;

• Focus on your strengths

• Learn from the stress you are under

• Look for opportunities

• Seek out the positive - make a change.

Change Your Behaviour

• Be assertive

• Get organised

• Ventilation

• Humour

• Diversion and distraction

Change Your Lifestyle

• Diet : Light Diet

• Smoking & Alcohol: Reduce or quit

• Exercise: Do it regularly

• Sleep: Have enough sleep

• Leisure: Have time for yourself

• Relaxation: Daily for at least 5-10 Minutes self talk

Strategies To Reduce Stress

• Take control. Manage your time instead of letting it manage you. Use a to-do list, follow a written plan, set goals and follow through.

• Avoid procrastination: a major cause of stress. Make a realistic list of things you need to do each day. Do the most important things first. That way, even if you don’t finish the list, you get the most important things done.

• Take a break: Sometimes it is better to get away from the situation for a short time. Take a brisk walk, focus on pleasant thoughts. Then, go back to the task feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever it is you have to do.

Strategies To Reduce Stress

• Join the crowd: Even though you may think you are the only person in the world who is experiencing stress, the fact is that everyone experiences it sometime.

• Talk to someone: Find someone you trust, discuss the problems and look for solutions

• Put it in perspective: Chances are, this is only one small part of the rest of your life

Strategies To Reduce Stress

Visualize: Sit comfortably and think of a favorite place. Imagine yourself in a successful situation

Breathe: Sit quietly, and breathe deeply and slowly. Continue for five or six breaths. It is calming and the extra dose of oxygen increases the brain’s thinking ability.

Lighten up: Take responsibility for your feelings. When you get angry, take a break and cool down before you act.

Use it: A little stress is a good thing. Athletes use it to increase performance. If you are experiencing a small amount of anxiety, it can help to keep you active and alert. Use it to increase your performance.

What can you do?

• Deep breathing• Biofeedback• Progressive relaxation• Meditation• Self hypnosis• Sound/music• Exercise and massage• Diet and Nutrition• Autogenic Training

Live A Life That Matters • What will matter is not what you bought, but what

you built; not what you got, but what you gave.

• What will matter is not your success, but your significance.

 • What will matter is not what you learned, but what

you taught.  • What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion,

courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

Don’t compare yourself with any one in this world. If you do so, you are insulting your self – Alen Strike

(Every one is Unique – accept & respect their uniqueness)

You can not control what happens to youbut you can control your attitude towards what happens to you and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing

it to master you

Serenity PrayerGod, Grant me serenity to accept the things I can not

change, Give me the courage to

change to change the things that I can

And Wisdom to know the

difference.