Put Chapter 10:  Stress Assessment and Management Techniques

1. Introduction

   1. Stress-  The body's mental, emotional, and physiological response to any situation that is new.

   2. Stress can be self-controlled.

   3. A certain amount of stress is necessary for optimum health, performance, and wellbeing.

   4. Stress prepares the organism to react to the stress-causing event, also called the stressor (the problem is in the way we react to stress).

   5. An individual's reaction to a stress-causing agent determines whether that stress is positive (eustress) or negative (distress).

2. Stress Adaptation

   1. The body strives to maintain a state of physiological balance (known as homeostasis).

   2. General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)-  reaction to stressors that occurs in three stages:  alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion/recovery.

   • Alarm Reaction-  The immediate response to a stressor.

   • Resistance- If the stressor continues, the body copes effectively until it can be overcome.

   • Exhaustion/Recovery-  When stress becomes intolerable, the body loses its ability to cope.

3. Sources of Stress:  Behavior Patterns

   1. The two main types of behavior patterns are Type A and Type B

   2. Type A behavior characterizes a primarily hard-driving, over-ambitious, aggressive, hostile and overly competitive person.  This person sets his/her own goals, is self-motivated, and tries to accomplish many tasks at the same time, is achievement-oriented and has a high degree of time urgency.

   3. Type B behavior is characteristic of calm, casual, relaxed, easygoing individuals.  A type B person takes one thing at a time, does not feel pressured or hurried, usually doesn't set his/her own deadlines.

   4. Type C individuals are just as highly stressed as Type A's but don't seem to be at higher risk for disease than Type B's.  The key to successful Type C performance appears to be commitment, confidence, and control.

   5. Type A individuals who commonly express anger and hostility are at higher risk.

4. Vulnerability to Stress

   1. How people deal with stress affects their vulnerability to stress.

   2. Time Management

   • The present hurry-up style of American life is not conducive to wellness.

   • The hassles in getting through a routine day leads to stress-related illnesses.

   • Almost 80% of Americans reported that time moves too fast for them.

   • Healthy and successful people are good time managers, are able to a lifestyle pace within their comfort zone.

5. Five Steps to Time Management:

   • Find the time killers (some time killers are necessary for health and wellness).

   • Set long-range and short-range goals.

   • Identify your immediate goals and prioritize them for today and this week.

   • Use a daily planner to help you organize and simplify your day.

   • Conduct nightly audits.

6. Time-Management Skills:

   • Delegate

   • Say "no"

   • Protect against boredom

   • Plan ahead for disruptions

   • Get it done

   • Eliminate distractions

   • Set aside "overtimes"

   • Plan time for you

   • Reward yourself

Coping with Stress

1. The ways people perceive and cope with stress are more important in the development of disease than the amount and type of stress.

2. Stress management techniques can help them cope more effectively.

3. In many instances the stressor can be removed.

4. The body responds to stress by activating the fight-or-flight mechanism (physiological response to stress that prepares to take action by confronting or fleeing the stressor).

5.  Physical Activity

• Exercise is one of the simplest tools to control stress and decrease muscular tension.

• The evening hours are the most popular time for exercise for highly stressed people.

• Morphine-like substances referred to as endorphins are thought to be released in the brain.

• Cardiovascularly fit individuals can cope more effectively and are less affected by the stressors of daily living.

Relaxation Techniques:

• Biofeedback-  A stress-management technique in which a person learns to readily influence physiological responses of two kinds (1) responses not under voluntary control and (2) responses easily regulated but for which regulation has broken down.

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation-  Enables individuals to relearn the sensation of deep relaxation and involves progressively contracting and relaxing muscle groups throughout the body.

• Breathing Techniques for Relaxation-  A stress-management technique wherein the individual concentrates on "breathing away" the tension and inhaling fresh air to the entire body.

• Visual Imagery-  Visual imagery involves the creation of relaxing visual images and scenes in times of stress to elicit body and mind relaxation.

• Autogentic Training-  A form of self-suggestion in which people place themselves in an autohypnotic state by repeating and concentrating on feelings of heaviness and warmth in the extremities.

• Meditation- A mental exercise that can bring about psychological and physical benefits.  The objective is to gain control over one's attention by clearing the mind and blocking out the stressors.

• Yoga- A school of thought in the Hindu religion that seeks to help the individual attain a higher level of spirituality and peace of mind.  Yoga is based on the principles of self-care.

Conclusion:

• Each person reacts to stress differently

• The best coping strategy depends mostly on the individual

• People need to learn to relax and take time out for themselves.

• Stress is not what makes people ill; it's the way they react to the stress-causing agent.

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