Module 8: Stress and Coping Strategies in Middle and Late Adolescence

VOCABULARY:
Stress - a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.
Mental Health - refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It is all about how people think, feel, and
behave.
Psychological well-being - consists of positive relationships with others, personal mastery, autonomy, a feeling of purpose
and meaning in life, personal growth and development.

Mental Health
The very common definition of mental health is a state of well-being, it is an individual ability and how can
someone cope with the normal stresses of life where he/she can work productively. Everyone has some risk of developing a
mental health disorder no matter their age, gender, social status or nationality. There are some factors that contribute to
mental health issues these are; Social and financial status, biological factors, and lifestyle of a person. Mental health
conditions are affected also by how a person cope up with stress, depression, and anxiety.

To help you boost your mental health and stay in good shape you can do the following ways.
1. You take the first small step Do not be too in a hurry, make a plan that you can accomplish without you being pressured
to finish it.
2. Share the love Show love to your family and friends, do not hesitate to say it.
3. Take time to laugh Laughter is a best medicine, smile it will not cost you even a cent.
4. Something bothering you? Let it out Write it on a paper, make a poem or a novel or even a play script, it helps you to let
it out.
5. Practice forgiveness Forgive and forget it will give your peace of mind and a clear heart.
6. Exercise regularly or take a walk Exercising at least 30 minutes a day can help alleviate stress, tension, and boost
confidence Go with the nature, it will calm your mind
7. Get enough sleep You should at least sleep 7 to 8 hours a day to make it easier for you to cope with stressful situations
8. Have time to relax Everyone needs free time to do things that make them happy. Listen to music, dance or do your
hobby.
9. Strengthen your faith with God Make your relationship with God stronger than ever. Invite God into your life and
everything will be just fine

What is stress?
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension, it is your body's reaction to a challenge or demand. We all experience
stress and we all know that it is normal for us to have it. As an adolescent what stress, you? How do your body respond to
stress? So just keep on reading to widen your understanding about stress.

You can say that you are experiencing Stress if you have these signs:
• Low self-esteem • Low energy
• Frequent Headaches • Aches, pains, and tense muscles
• Chest pain and rapid heartbeat • Nervousness cold or sweaty hands and feet
• Forgetfulness and Inability to focus • Changes in appetite

Common cause of teen or adolescent stress

• Family problems • Beating the deadline for projects, assignments and other activities
• Schedule Examination • Failing Grades
• difficulty in organizing work • poor time management
• difficulties with personal relationships and peer pressure
• balancing the demands of a family with studying

How to cope up with stress

1. Eat a well-balanced diet eat healthy food, go for vegetables and
2. Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine limit your coffee, black/red tea and soft drinks.
3. Exercise every day at least 30 minutes it a day, it is one of the best ways to reduce stress
4. Go outdoors whenever possible say hello to sunshine stay a little while.
5. Think positive always think I can do it!
6. Set realistic goals for yourself
7. Learn to manage your time well
8. Make time for yourself have a “Me” day once in a while, love yourself
9. Adopt good sleep habits do it in daily routine, getting sleep 7 to 8 hours brings a lot of change to you.
10.Take a deep breath and count to ten or even more if you face a difficult situation especially with peers before arguing or
doing anything.
11.Learn to Meditate there are a lot of self-learning video on how to do it.
12.Laugh out load for it is true that laughter is the best medicine
13.Say a little prayer upon waking up or any time of the day, make it a habit to ask for guidance and protection and
everything will go well. 14.Talk to a friend or somebody you trust, let it out.
 Module 9: Causes and Effects of Stress

1. Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood
pressure. People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain
situations out of worry.
2. Chronic is continuing or occurring again and again for a long time.
3. Depression is a common mental disorder affecting more than 264 million people worldwide. It is characterized by
persistent sadness and a lack of interest or pleasure in previously rewarding or enjoyable activities. It can also disturb sleep
and appetite; tiredness and poor concentration are common.
4. The word endorphin comes from putting together the words “endogenous,” meaning from within the body, and
“morphine,” which is an opiate pain reliever. Since endorphins act on the opiate receptors in our brains, they reduce pain
and boost pleasure, resulting in a feeling of well-being.
5. Fatigue is a condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment, usually
accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness. Fatigue can be acute and come on suddenly or chronic and persist.
6. The term 'fight-or-flight' represents the choices that our ancient ancestors had when faced with danger in their
environment. They could either fight or flee. In either case, the physiological and psychological response to stress prepares
the body to react to the danger.
7. Nausea is a stomach distress with distaste for food and an urge to vomit

Identifying Stress
Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Stress is your
body's response to anything that requires attention or action. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way you
respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to your overall well-being.
In psychology, stress is defined as a feeling of emotional strain and pressure. Stress is a type of psychological pain.
Small amounts of stress may be desired, beneficial, and even healthy. Sometimes, the best way to manage your stress
involves changing your situation. At other times, the best strategy involves changing the way you respond to the situation.
Developing a clear understanding of how stress impacts your physical and mental health is important. It's also important to
recognize how your mental and physical health affects your stress level.
Stressed out?
Stress can be short-term or long-term. Both can lead to a variety of symptoms, but chronic stress can take a serious
toll on the body over time and have long-lasting health effects. Stress is not always easy to recognize, but there are some
ways to identify some signs that you might be experiencing too much pressure. Sometimes stress can come from an
obvious source, but sometimes even small daily stresses from school, family, and friends can take a toll on your mind and
body.

If you think stress might be affecting you, there are a few things you can watch for:
• Psychological signs such as difficulty concentrating, worrying, anxiety, and trouble remembering
• Emotional signs such as being angry, irritated, moody, or frustrated
• Physical signs such as high blood pressure, changes in weight, frequent colds or infections, and changes in the menstrual
cycle and libido
• Behavioral signs such as poor self-care, not having time for the things you enjoy, or relying on drugs and alcohol to cope

What Causes Stress? Stress is different for everyone. What stresses you out may not even bother your best friend
and vice versa. Still, your bodies react the same to stressors. That’s because the stress response is your body’s way of
dealing with tough or demanding situations. It causes hormonal, respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous system changes.
For example, stress can make your heart beat faster, make you breathe rapidly, sweat, and tense up. It can also give you a
burst of energy. This is known as the body’s “fight-or-flight response.” It’s this chemical reaction that prepares your body
for a physical reaction because it thinks it’s under attack. This type of stress helped our human ancestors survive in nature.
The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors.
We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting school schedule. However, anything that
puts high demands on you can be stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to
college, or receiving an obligation. Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be internal or self-
generated, when you worry excessively about something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic
thoughts about life. Finally, what causes stress depends, at least in part, on your perception of it. Something that’s stressful
to you may not faze someone else; they may even enjoy it. While some of us are terrified of getting up in front of people to
perform or speak, for example, others live for the spotlight. Where one person thrives under pressure and performs best in
the face of a tight deadline, another will shut down when school demands escalate.

7 Common external causes of stress include:

• Major life changes • Work or school • Relationship difficulties
• Financial problems • Being too busy
• Children and family
Common internal causes of stress include:
• Pessimism • Inability to accept uncertainty • Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility
• Negative self-talk • Unrealistic expectations / perfectionism • All-or-nothing attitude
Good Stress
Sometimes you can feel stressed for a short period of time. Usually it’s nothing to worry about. Like when you
need to hand in a project, or you have to talk in front of a group of people. Maybe you feel “butterflies” in your stomach
and the palms of your hands get sweaty. These types of positive stressors are short-lived, and your body’s way of helping
you get through what could be a tough situation.

Bad Stress
Sometimes, however, negative feelings can be very stressful. Maybe you’re worried, angry, scared, or frustrated.
This kind of stress isn’t good for you, and over the long-term can cause serious problems. Stress symptoms can affect your
body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Being able to recognize common stress symptoms can help you
manage them. Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems.

Effects of Stress
Stress symptoms may be affecting your health, even though you might not realize it. You may think illness is to
blame for that irritating headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased performance at school. But stress may actually
be the cause.
On your body On your mood On your behavior
Headache Anxiety Overeating or undereating
Overeating or undereating Restlessness Angry outbursts
Chest pain Lack of motivation or focus Drug or alcohol misuse
Fatigue Feeling overwhelmed Tobacco use
Stomach upset Irritability or anger Social withdrawal
Sleep problems Sadness or depression Exercising less often

Long-Term Stress
If you let your stress spiral on for too long, it can have damaging effects on your physical, mental, and emotional
health, especially if it becomes chronic. You need to be aware of the warning signs of chronic stress so you can take care of
it.
Physical effects of stress include:
• Headache • Trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much
• Muscle pain or tension • Digestive issues
• High blood pressure

Emotional effects of stress include:

• Feeling you can’t get things done • Moodiness • Anxiety
• Restlessness • Lack of motivation
• Irritability • Sadness or depression

Stress Overload
Sometimes you may feel like you have too much stress to handle. If you think you just can’t cope any longer, you
may want to seek help from a specialist. Talk to your primary care doctor to see if she can help you determine whether
what you’re experiencing is stress or an anxiety disorder.

Signs of stress overload include:

• Panic attacks • Worrying all the time
• Feeling you’re under constant pressure • Drinking or doing drugs to deal with your stress
• Overeating • Smoking
• Depression • Withdrawal from family and friends

MODULE 10. Coping-Up With Stress

Vocabulary List:

1. Counselor is a person trained to give guidance on personal, social, or psychological problems.

2. Humor is the quality of being amusing or comic, especially as expressed in literature or speech.

Deepening

How can an Adolescent like you deal with Stress? Although stress is inevitable, it can be manageable. When you
understand the toll it takes on you and the steps to combat stress, you can take charge of your health and reduce the
impact stress has on your life. Explore stress management strategies, such as:

• Getting regular physical activity. Exercise is also considered vital for maintaining mental fitness, and it can reduce
stress. Studies show that it is very effective at reducing fatigue, improving alertness and concentration, and at enhancing
overall cognitive function. This can be especially helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate.
• Practicing relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, tai chi or massage
• Keeping a sense of humor
• Spending time with family and friends
• Setting aside time for hobbies, such as reading a book or listening to music. Aim to find active ways to manage your
stress. Inactive ways to manage stress — such as watching television, surfing the internet or playing video games — may
seem relaxing, but they may increase your stress over the long term. And be sure to get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy,
balanced diet. Avoid tobacco use, excess caffeine and alcohol, and the use of illegal substances.

LAUGHTER: A good laugh can be a great stress reliever: it releases endorphins and other healthy hormones, takes your
mind off of stress, and can even provide a decent physical workout if you really get going. It also leaves you in a more
positive frame of mind and can help you bond with whom you share a good laugh. Because laughter can be such a great
stress reliever, it can be helpful to look for ways that you can incorporate more humor into your life.

GARDENING: Planting a garden (or even tending to a houseplant) can be a great way to reconnect with nature, beautify
your space, and enjoy other health benefits. Some of the key stress relief benefits of gardening include getting more
sunlight, the chance to be creative, and increased physical activity.

DRAWING: Rediscovering your artistic side with anything from doodling to serious sketching can be a good stress reliever
for several reasons: it's a good distraction, it helps you express and process emotions, and it leaves you with something
beautiful to enjoy when you're finished. Coloring is another artistic endeavor that has grown popular in recent years and
that can have stress relieving benefits. Learn more about the stress relief benefits of drawing and how to incorporate it
into your life.

MUSIC: Music is a great stress reliever for many reasons, and it can also improve health to the point that it's being used in
hospitals to promote good health! As a stress reliever, it provides distraction, inspiration, can speed you up or calm you
down, and more. And you can use it during your commute while exercising, or at any time as you go about your daily
activities. Learn more about the benefits of music, and find out how to incorporate it into your life to relieve stress.
Sports Enjoying sports (anything from karate to mountain biking to tennis) can be a fun way to get exercise and relieve
stress, providing endorphins, a social outlet, a way to release frustration, and more, and leave you healthier and happier
in the end. Find ideas on what types of fitness stress relieving activities work best for you.

Stress is a normal part of life and something you cannot control, however you can control your response to stress. Here
are seven ways to deal with stress:
1. Keep a positive attitude – sometimes the way you think about things can make all of the difference. Your attitude can
help offset difficult situations.
2. Accept that there are events you cannot control – when you know there are times when you have given all that you
can to a situation, it allows you to expend energy where it can be more effective.
3. Learn to relax – purposeful relaxation, such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation and meditation is essential in training
your body to relax. Relaxation should be a part of your daily regimen.
4. Be active regularly – being active also helps your body more easily fight stress because it is fit.
5. Eat well-balanced meals – staying on track with healthy eating habits is a great way to manage stress.
6. Rest and sleep - your body needs time to recover from stressful events, so sleep is an important part of caring for
yourself. 7. Find your stressors and effective ways to cope with them - remember that you can learn to control stress
because stress comes from how you respond to stressful events.