Allinone rsYCHOLOGY Class 1th

76
Stress
Cognitive Theory of byLararus nd his
stress propounded
o dearhe the evel ot was
This theory According
that
term us
th
he het h ahieving vak olleagues tothis,the pervepion of
th
uponresoures individual's cognitive appaiat
G N a r and managang minoM crisis ustres, dependent the
eventand avalable to deal with them. An
hWw har the rotental of rurning int tistress. individual's response to a stressful situation largely
re nhades all the envinnmental and personal
of a
threaten thé well being depends uponthe perceived events and howthey are
challenge
person. interpreted or appraised.
Strexaor sr vents that, caue our hate to givethe stres There are two types of appraisall according to Latarus
w Suh ents inshae noisc, cnwding, conflict. () Primary Appraisal It refers to the pereption of a
usttataan, a had arionship or the daily commuting
reaton to external
stressors is new or changing environment as positive. neutral
callad train or negative in its consequences. Negative events
Are
INTERNAL STATE
RESULT STRESS
REACTION appraised for their possible harm. threat or
CAUSE challenge.
B a and
Externa Challenge to
e overoame o Harm is the assessnment of thc damage that has
ontea
stressor
ns leadng
stress eNeriee liness/strain already been done by an event Threatis the
( defence) assessment of possible future damage that may he
Peychological Meaning af Stress brought about by the event. Challenge appraisals
are associated with more contident expectations. I;
has the ability to cope with the stresful event and
Nature, Typesand the potential to overcome and even profir from the
Sources of Stress event.

Nature of Stress (ii) Secondary Appraisal It is the assessment of one's

Hans Scly. che father of modern stress research, defined
Stress as the non-specific response of che body to any
demand.Despite the cause of the threat, the individual
will respond with the same physiological patern of
reactions.
Many rescarchers do not agree with chis definitions. They
chink hat the stress response is not nearly as general and
non-specific as Selye suggests. Different stressors
produce somewhat different patterns stress reaction! may
Different individuals may have different
modes of response.Each one of us see thecharacteristic
situation from
our own perspective and it is our ability to meet them
and this will determine whether we are feeling 'stressed'
or not.
Stress is not a factor that resides in the individual or the
environment. It is embedded (fixed) in an ongoing
process chat involves individuals transacting with their
social and cultural environments and attempting to cope
with the issues that arise, Stress isa dynamic
mental/cognitive state.
coping abilities and resources and assessing whethe
they will be suficient to neet the harm, threat or
challenge of the event. These resources may be
mental, physical, personal or social. If one thinks
that one has a positive attitude, health, skills and
social support to deal with he crises, she/he will
feel less stressed.
This two-level appraisal process determines not only ou
cognitive and behavioural responses but also our
emotional and physiological responses to external
events. These appraisals are very subjective and will
depend on many factors such as:
" Past Experience If one has handled similar siruations
very successfully in the past, they would be less
threatening for her/him.
Controllable It examines whether one has nmastery ot
control over a situation. A person who believes that
she/he can control the onset of a negative situation
its adverse consequences,will experience less
of stress than those who have no such amoum
personal control.
sense of
 Meting Lite Challenges

For eample. a sense of s

shether the peron s like tovelf-comfidence determine
handle the
can
Changes in Stress
bt o a chaliengr Ihe experience and situationaa
outcome of a The stresses
SN VAry from perTon to peron whch peogle
Thoe sressor can be etermal Le
environmental (noK.
i" ntensity (low
duratiotn intensitys sexpenence
hgh intensivarry in terms of
polution). social loneines, break-up with acose
fnend). prycholopal (confict. frustration) within the
" (short-term long term
ompleury less complex s more compler
"
ndidual.
Thepredicrabliy (uncrpected s predicrable
outcome of stress
Reactions to Stress narricular sressful expeidepends
ence
on the poston of a
roSOs resut in a variety of stress reactions, which individuals eperience of stressalongdependtheeondimtheensons A
maybe physiological, behavioural, emotional and physiologicalsrength of that person Ths
with poor physical indivduk
more vulnerable hanhealth and weak
chose who enjoyconstgoodituthealth
ion would be
Ayiological Reactions Ar the physiological level, Psychological and
characteristis like mental health.
Oal (physical activity) plays a key role in stress temperament selt-concept are redevant to che
eated behaviours. eperience of sress. The stress erperience
The bypothalamus (par of brain) initiates 2ction along determined by the resOurces of che person,willsuchbe2s
rwo pattway: mones, soxial sills, coping style, support
Stessor networks, etc.
GThe firs pathway involves the autonomic nervous Resources
Types
system. The 2drenal gand relezses large amount of Envronmenta Person Pysiczl
catecholamínes (epinephrine and norepinephrine) Pschoiogica Characteristics Money Cae t
Soca
Physiciogical Medca
into the blood stream. Physical Heath Persona!
Thás leads o physiological changes scen in Dimensicrs Constitutonel Slls
rensity Vunerabines Coping Sye
figt-or-Bight response. It is aphysiological Duraton
Compiexty Psychological
Mental Heath Social
reaction hat occurs in response to a harmtul event, Predicabity TemperaTent Sppor Netwons
attack or threat to survival. Sef-Concept Protessona Hep
i) The second pattway irvoBves the pituitary gland, Cutural
Cutural Defiritons
which secretes the corticosterojd (aortisol) that and Meanings
provides energy. Expected Response
Sye
Emotional Reactions The emotional reactions to
cxperience stress incdude negatíve emotions such 2s fear, Stress Appraisa!
aiery, ernbarrassment, anger, depression or even
denial Physiologcal Behavioural Emotona Cognitve
response response response
Behavioural Reactions The behavioural reactions are response

virusaly limitles, dependíng on the nature of the
tresful event. Confrontative action (opposition)
inst the stressor (fight) or withdrawalfrom the
threatening event (fligh1) are tWo genefal categories of
behzioural responses.
Cogpitive Reactions Cognitive reactions incude beliets
abour the harm or threat an event poses beiets
2bout its causes or controllability. These and
include
Fesponses such as inability to concentrate and intrusive,
epeútive or morbid thoughts.
AGeneraB Model of the Stress Process
Signs and Symptoms of Stress
Everyone has their on patern of stress respons.
Our response to stress varies depending upon our
personality, early upbringing and life experiences. The
symptoms of stress can be physical,emoional and
behavioural. Any symptom can indicate adegree of
stress which, if left unresolved, might have serious
implications.
 Allfnone PSYCHOLOGY
Clas 12h
neighbours are some examples of social
stresses.These
sOCialstresses vary widely from person to person.
Sources ofStress
Deof tress typesof
stresses. A/three
ypes of below: Stresscan be generated by events and conditions.
threv majotand
1he a smertelated aregiven Among the mostimportant of these are major stressful
ww at EnvironmentalStressstateof life events, such as death of aloved one or personal
hysical and that change
the ourselves injury,theannoying frequent hassles (problems) of
aredemands overexert everyday life, traumatic events that affect our lives.
Ihraaltrrsers hen we injury orfail
W frl traincd
diet, sufBer an
Life Events
N bh lakautritious surrounlings
phvalh,
seep our Major life events can be stressful, because they disturb
cmugh apcts of our routine and cause upheaval. If several of these life
oget
Iinnnental steCSare suchas air pollution. cold, etc.
unahDidable sunnncr, wintercatastrophic cvents that are planned (e.g moving into a new house)
oftcn
that are hcat ol he stesses are
floods, ctc. unpredicted (e.g. break-up of a long-term
Cmdng, oisc, evionmcntal carthquakc, orrelationship)
of occur within a short period of time, we
Anothergup
disascsshas
fire,
find it difficult to cope with them and will be more
vnN o
2 Pychological Stress generate stress.
of stressthat wc
unique prone to thesymptoms of
intcnal sounCs are personal and
7hew ar These important Events
uNhN in our
minds.
cpricncingthem. Some
of the C A Measureof Stressful Life
p n
o thc psvchalogicalstress are: measure of stress A
Holmes and Rahe developed a life event the above scale
wurs of che blocking ofneeds based on
It results from measure of stressful life events
()Frustration by something or someone
that
knownas the Presumptive
Stressful Life Events Scale
motives goal./There Indian population by Singh, Kaur
and achieving a desired
blocking us from of causes offrustration such as
has been developed for the questionnaire made up of fifty
and Kaur. It is a self-rating
person may have experienced
ould beanumber low grades
interpersonal hurt, one life changes, which a
events are takern, believing that
social discrimination, Both positive and negative stress. The respondent's stress
cause
in school, etc.
more both kinds of changes the items/life change events
It may occur between two or score is the weighted sum of all her/him. Some sample items
(ü) Conflicts whether to checked by
e.g. in the past one year
incompaible needs or morives, to of the measures are:
dance or psychology. You may wantmay be a
Mean Stress Score
study take up a job. There Life Events 66
studies or member
continue
values when you are pressurised to take Death of a close family
trauma
53
Conflict of values held by Unexpected accident or
action that may be against the member
52
any Illness of a family 47
vOu.
based Breack-up with friend
It occurs from beliefs
43
Appearing for examinations
(iüi) Internal Pressures Such
inside us to ourselves. 27
upon expectations from disappointment. Change in eating habits
stressful life events experienced over a
cxpectations can only lead toruthlessly towards The mean number of
without producing overt physical or mental
Many of us drive ourselves standards in achieving period of one year
approximately two. However, the
correlations
achieving unrealistically high illness is
between life eventsand susceptibility to any particular illnes
and
our goals. indicating a weak association between life events
brought about from
(iv)Social Pressures It may be demands
is low,
as to whether life
events have
stress. It has been argued illness or whether stress caused
on us. This
people who make excessive caused some stress-related
when we have to the life events and illness.
can cause even greater pressure people with whom person.
work with them. There are also events varies from person to
The impact of most life event was first experienced,
we face personality clash. Factors such as age at which the
duration of the stressful event and
Irequency of occurrence,
in evaluating the relationsh1p
3.Social Stress social support must be studied subsequent illness
from our between stressful life events and the
These are produced externally and result or episode.
interaction with other people. Social events like deachwich
iliness in che family, strained relationships, trouble
 79
Wetig
lito
(hallrngeg hormones produce marked changes in heart rate, blood
pressure levels, metabolismand physical activity.
experiencas This physical reaction will help us to function more
stresses wedailylifc,such effectively when we are under pressure forshort period
our
Hassles personalhappenings
the quarrelsomeneigh-
in
There
of time, but it can be cxtremely damaging to the body
the
are
Thse ducto commuting. traficsnarls.
indiduak,
suroundings shortage, frequent. the long-term
ineffects cffeqs. Examples of physiological,
Iwater very are relcase of epinephrine ndInorepinephrine,
and
cetriity are
hassles devastating slowingdown'of the digestive systerm, éxpansion of air
whichdaily
sometimeshave people
mejohsin stress
individual. The morewell-being
hassles may passagesinthe lungs, increased heart rate and
daily
Thexc forthe
psychological of blood vessels.
constriction
aonNquenes
theit
daih, thepooreris firc., train
CognitiveEffects
such as a from
Ifpressures due to stresg continue, one may suffer stres
fraumatic
far Events events
includeextreme tsunami, ctc. level of
cvents robbery,
carthquake,
some lapsc mental ovcrload. This suffering from highability to make
occurafter lose their
Thescaiden,
oad cvents may symptoms offanxiety, can rapidly cause individuals to at home, in career or at
softhesc persistas
a ctects Severe decisions. Faulty decisionsmade
etc.
The andsometimes
time intrusivechoughts,
and Professionalhelp workplace may lead toarguments, failure,arefinancial
loss.
p0or
fashbucks,dreams relationships.
loss of job etc. Cognitive effectsof stress
of
strain theypersistfor
macan also them if concentration andireducedshort-term memory capacity.
tocopewith over.
wlbeneededaftertheeventis Behavioural Effects
manymonths
form of cating less
CheckPoint01 word. Stress affects our behaviour in the of stimqlants such as
originatedfromntheLatin
damage that may nutritional food, increasing intake cigarettes,alcohol
stress'is
caffeine, excessive consumption of etc.
future
Thewond assessment of possible
and other drugs such as tranquillisers,
...
,isthe bytheevent. personalevents.
about environmentaland
hebrought
e.inchhdes all those ofaperson. and have side effects such
Tranquillisers can be addictivecoordination
or threaten the well-being
incompatible needs and
whichchallenge between bwoor more poor
mayoccur
as loss of concentration, behavioural effects of
persong dizziness. Some of the typical
ormotives. depending uponour increased
sleep patterns,
responseto stress varies (Truefalse) stress seen are disrupted
Our
& andlifeexperiences. absenteeism and reduced work
performance.
liny,earlyupbringing

Effects of Stress on C Examination Anxiety

Psychological Functioning common phenomenon that
Examination anxiety is a fairlyuneasiness that occur before,
involves feelings of tension or
and Health Many peopleexperienee
during or after an examination.
examinations and find it helpfut in
physiological in nature.
Many of the effects of stress arestress feelings of anxiety aroundmotivating and create the pressure
of associated withhthe some ways, as it can be
There are four major cfectsfollows: on one's performance.
stresed state. These are as that is needed to stay focu_edcharacterised as 'evaluative
Examination stress has been
Emotional Effects stress' and produces debilitatng
apprehension' or 'evaluativephysiological effects no different
Those who sufter from stress are likely toexperience behavioural, cognitive and stressor. High stress can
ofher
mood swings and show erratic behaviour that may fromthose produced by anypreparation, concentration and
lenate them from familyand friends In some cases, interfere with the student's cause test anxiety
performance. Examination stress can Persons whoare
this can lead decreasing confidence, leading to more performance.
which adversely affects test perceive evaluative situations as
stious emotional problems. For example, feeling of high in test anxiety tend4o
iety anddepression, increased physical tension, preparing for examinations,
personally threatening Whilefor study, overview and weight
laçtcased psychotogical tension and mood swings. must spend enough time
.one weaknesses, discuss dilficulties with
one's strengths and
Physiological Effects teachers and-classmates, plan a
revision timetable, condense
periods and most importantly
on th
When the human body is placed under physical or notes,space out revision calm.
Pychological stress, it increases the production of examination day concentrate on staying
Sain hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These
constitutions.
dependent the Selye' role s
toimpairs henStreHeal
ssandth
Exhaustion Stage(ii) According (GAS). He th variety Selye primarily plays
(i) him, to noticed wiinsulin
determination tobecomes (iü) 9phvsical
allergioevascul
psychosomat s ic ar
on
likely.
moreresistanceresources
Stress-related
psychologicalmodel physiological stressor
confrontation.throughorganism Resistance
for stage person
adrenal-pituitary-cortex
morebegins.
ready is of
hormones (deadly)Alarmn called
this
various studied
a
injections,
similarGeneral of
cardi Stress eto xha ustion
rhaustion rcexl1hangsustiocnhronifcricnds. dehigmh ands strexs
hanges
an This
statc has in
stressors important illness. and
The anpd sveholoagndical is
their has or Reaction for
become additional and stimulus of
makes
cautious pattern injuries
stress-related the been fati
the is ofguc,
helplesnesasppears physical lit le from the continucd,
Adaptation hcadachcs.
perceptions, of been diseases systems leads TheStageproducing pattern
factors
stress. GAS in disorders,
disorders
issue
phvsical.
d knownSixty
implicatimemune weakthneeins supporatt tiudinal
criticised ineffective efforts use
parasympathetic #g. fo-’
r such
to
Continued If or
Stage
involves the and the rolc
such involved stressors
the of stressor of as of per
How in tothe stress system. laboratory.
personalitiespeoplestress for as third yl copebody's is stress
the
The
illnesses
Generalbodily highstress
symptoms.Researchers
incuding cent fiftyin higheemot
m ional and and
systburnout
as
exhaustcionvironmefuntctioning. it
hopcles nes . availableproblems
form
high and
stagedrains with continued,
leads
presence
three
temperature, by in is afe cts
which susceptibilityalarm in
assigning exposure response
Adaptation Syndrome in of to
blood which the
response. This hospitals subjecting
He low is
tackle blood-pressure resources.
the
nervous to stages: medical
devel opment
seventy ulcers, and cnof ergy. sc n infrom and whePen oplphyse ical
psychologicailtritability, constraintesxperience
also
and the
are
ofthe
reaction body to threat,
exhaustion.
triggers
activation of in estimatepressure, results Stress
important very a the a observed
the system calls Now noxious Syndrome all X-rays
in animals
visits per can
biologicalstress (GAS) asthma,
produce anxiety, Thc sigthnsefamily strethes health
of
same
resistance
The the of
which
limited toand as in
them.
are cent that
its the,
release of as of
patients and to
is for The the
he a of
il ness.
stress well mental are ofand and
al as due
WRk
HostilityAnger
following
figure. anger, People
weakenaffectirrational
sometimes and individuals
behaviours,associated infectcellionsmajor both AIBDS. cellswhicahntibodiTes. suchsysas
StressResearchstressed.
highly of
Stress te m TSyhe stems.ystem. links the body theStreSts res
Fear
our
irritability aggression. is cytotoxicity canvirusesNatural cels arc cells whi te ber w e n bodya.giaminmust ne can
s importanad nceaffect kil ewhir ch increasewhich Sovimreulsdeents. ify blood studies
under Ht
immune our
immune fears, accompani
paniisbehaviours
ed whreveal
attacked cause and
Relation
Hormones

Stress
Stress

of
Hopelessness throwing
Feeling
tantrum
withdrawal
of
outburst
Angry
system.
system isThese
misunderstood
prolonged
etcmood
.
swings,stress
attacks
c

term like by
etc. negative
depression,
stress
o
Long receive that havecancer. natural and cells
immune Reduced
social
found
been thein which
dete nce
t
ki
u
l
mours.
er
ant
pr
ib
oduce
odi e s.
by
the
i
HI
des
n
V
tro
vader
y
s,
of also
Itand
immunological
the leadsdestroy effects
white to
the

the
Psy(clehuocnoecuytreosi)m unol gy
of immune
sys
cel s the minadt, ackets, il ness the
te
bo
m
th
.
The by
mmu
impairingne
How
negative
explainedthein phobias, are heart
as
Painful functioning support. le vels cell involves
yi rus bl o od fothreeign stressbrain from
System
with

liness
Immune
SystemWeakened
negative
emotions
more producesemotions
physicalhostility,
attack.
in
peoplcyte agaiotoofxinstcity in actwhiicvT-hithyel. ppreroductcellisonbodieswithin onatnódtcheuseswitshyinstem the
depression,prone Psychological is natural the the
PhysicalMentalor
illness
emotions
deeply to
obsessive and better who various against
sensation anger which
fight T- h
causes
are kil er
elp er are:
cells (antigens)
of
the
immune immune outside
immune on
and ds
guar workingsohec
the
in it
 81

MeetingLifeChallenges frustrationor deciding that nothing can be done to

change things. For example, tell myself that it is
about what I
not really happening to me or worry
health damaging am going to
do.
lifestyle or of decisions Avoidance--oriented Strategy This involves denying
Lifestyle unhealthy patternhealthand (üi) seriotusness of the situation,. Ít
leadto overallperson's or minimising the
morelikely
the to suPpression of stressfut
Strs LLifestyleis
can a 'also involves Conscious
determine be
hehaviour. that individuals may areagents
behavioursStressed thoughts and their replacement by
self-protective
whichstressedhave ate watching TV. phone
nd lite.
ot
pathogens, are choughts. Examples of this
with other people.
to
qualirytheemselves Ieoplewho are likely to
smoking uD a friend or try to be
illness. and
apose
physical sleep less
behaviours like
nutritional habits,risking
RUsing Strategies given by
otherhealth behaviourlike Lazarus and Folkman(2)
in
andalcoholabuse.
engage promoting play coping as a
health family supportetc regular Folkman has conceptualised
that exercise, Lazarus and individual trait.
Rocarchrevealsregular
diet,
Lowfat and dynamicprocess rather
than an
halanceddiet.roleingood hcalth.
enhane healthhealth. responses can divided
be
important thinking total According tothem, coping
responses:
an
and positive
style aftects our into ltwotypes
of
ceie Modern life () Problem-Focussed Strategies
longsiev.
with behaviours designed to
Coping With Stress Ir attacks the problem itself, alter belief
cognitiveand toalter fheevent and to
constantly changing tolerate the gain information, They increase the person's awareness
to
Copingreferseftorts reduce or commitments. behavioural and
behzvioural to master, that are created by the and
knowledge and range of act to reduce the
external demandsservesto allowthe level of They can
internal or Coping
problem and
regulate cognitive coping options. exanmpl 'I made a plan of
resful ransaction
manage oraltera of theevent.
|threat valuefollowed it'.
For
ndividual to response problem.
emotional to that reaction to action and
che situation-specific or (ii) Emotion-Focussed Strategies
is a dynamic stresstul situations
Coping of responses to problem and primarily to
changes designedcaused
SreSs. Ir is2 setintended to resolve the It catt for psychological by an
ens that are stress often depends
of emotional disruption
duce stres. The way
we cope with experience. limitthe degree
minimal effort to alter the
event itself.
beliefs, based on event, with of my
oe rigid deep-scated caught in a traffic jam we fell I did somethings to let it out more
we
For erample, whenbelieve should move For example, the former
that the traffic generally tend to use
gy, because we need to reassess the
way we system'. People
fzster To manage stress
we often than the latter.
strategies. There is variation
ink and learn coping strategies to handle Stress Management Techniques
mong individuals in coping role in
Zressful situations.
Stress is a silent killer which plays a significant
heart disease,
(clear) and covert disease. Hypertension,
Coping strategies include both overt physical illness and even cancer are linked to stress.
(private) aCivities.The three coping strategies given by ulcers, diabetes and
Ender and Parker are as follows: changing lifestyle. Therefore
Task-oriented Strategy This involves(obtaining Stress is increasing due to offices and communitiesare
information aboutthe stressful situation and about schools, other institutions, techniques to manage stress.
alernative courses of action and their probable concerned about knowing
LoutComs It also ipvolves deciding priorities and Some of these techniques are:
Aing so as to deal directly with the stressful Relaxation Techniques
sicuation) For example, schedule my time better or reduces symptoms of stress and
think about how Ihave solved similar problems.) It is an active skill that such as high blood
*) Emotion-oriented Strategy This involves efforts to decreases the incidence of illnesses
Relaxation starts from the
ainain hope and to control ones emotions. It pressure and heart disease. che facial
aiso involves releasing feclings of angerand lower part of the body and progresses up
82
musdes in such a way that the whole body is relaved.
Decp brethtng i rsed alongwith muscde relaxation to
calm the mind and relax the body
Meditation Procedures
The yogic methodof meditation conists of asequene
of learned tehniquès for refocusing of atention that
brings about an altered state of consciousnes.
It involves ha thorough concentration that the
meditato heomes unaware of any outside stimulation
and reaches a differeT state of consciousnes,
Biofeedback
I s a prooedure to monitor and reduce the
phrsiological aspects of stress by providing feedback
about current physiological activity and is often
accompanicd by relaxation training,
Biofeedback training involves three stages:
(i) Developing an awareness of the particular
physiological responsc, c-g. heart rate.
(i) lcarning ways of controlling physiological response
in quict conditions.
(ii) Transferring control into the conditions of
cveryday life.
Creative Visualisation
It is an cffective technique for dealing with stress. It is a
subjective cxperience that uses imagery and
imagination. Before visualising one must ser oneself a
realisticgoal, as it helps to build confidence.
It is casier tovisualise ifone's mind is quiet, body
relaxed and cyes are closed. This reduces the risk of
interference from unbidden thoughts and provides the
creative energy needed for turning aD imagined scene
into reality.
Cognitive Behavioural Techniques
Th¹se techniques aim to inoculate (treat) people against
SIres. Stress inoculaion training is an effecive method.
It is developed by Meichenbaum. The importance of
this approach is to replace negative and irrational
thoughtswith positiye and rational ones.
There are three main phases in this technique:
) Assessment It involves discussing the nature of the
problem and seing it from the viewpoint of the
person/client.
Alllnone PsYCHOLOGY CAass 1
) Stress Reduction It involves learning the
techniques of reducing tress such as
self-instruction. relaxation
Exercise
provide an active oulet for the
It can physioogjcal
arousal experienced in responseto stres. Regular
of the
xercise improves the efficiency
maintains heart,enhanes
he function of the lung, good
circulan4aticm,
lowers blood presure, reduces fat in the blood
system.
improves the bodys immune Swimming,
walking, running, cycling, skipping, ec help to reduA
stress.
Promoting Positive
Health and Well-Being
It is unlikely that we willgo through life without ore
cxperience of personal crises causing acute pressure fors
while. Many people sail through and rebuild their lruet
to have constructive
very positively. They are likely emotional
attitudes and also have lots of and ocial
support of various kinds available to them.
When we find ways of managing these pressures and ca
use the energy to create something positive ourof the
situation, then we will have learned to survive healthiy
and this will leave us more stress fit for future crises, It's
like being immunised against the dangers of unhealthy
stress.
Life Skills
These are abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour
that enable individuals to deal effectively with the
demands and challenges of everyday life.
Our ability to cope depends on how well we are
prepared todeal with and keep equilibrium in our
0ives. These life skills can be learned or improved upot
Some life skils that witt help to meet the challenges of
life are:
Assertiveness
It is a behaviour or skill that helps to communicate
clearly and confidendly, our feelings, needs, wants and
thoughts. It is the ability to say no to a request, to state
an opinion without being self-conscious or to express
emotions such as love, anger, etc openly.
 Meting Life Challenges

83
Time Management
The maj way to rrduNT time stress is to change ones Overeomi
Unhel n g Unhel p
pful habits etcsuchareasful Habi ts
short-term stres. stper ratefgiectesiothat
nism,helavoip todance.
penein of time. The entral principle of time procrastination,
management is to spend onc's time through doing the
things that one value or that hely one to achieve one's
Derfect ionists These are persons who
cope in the
pulk depends on being realistic and do aparticular evervthing just right.They have to get
wok withina certain time period. standards according to factorshavesuchdit iasculey in varying
Rational Thinking
Manv stresreatad problems occur as a result of
consequences time
cffort needed. not being able to stop workavailable.
of
and the
.
disorted thinking Thinking and feling ane closely Avoirefusc
and dance toIt accept
preventsor something bad from
connectod. When we ar stressed, we recall to negative
thoughts and images from the past, which affect our .
Procrast inatsomething,
ion
face it.
lt means the happeni n g
perception of the present and the future. postponing action of delaying or
Some of the principles of rational thinking are: deliberately Pcople who procrastinate,
avoid confronting their
" Challenging distorted thìnking and irrational rejection. fears of failure ot
beliefs
"Diving out potentially intrusive negative anxiety
and provoking choughts.
Development of
Health is a state of Positive Health
spiritual well-being complete physical, mental, social and
" Making positive statements.
or infirmity. Variousand not merely the absence of diseasc
Improving Relationships facilitate factors have been identified which
the development
The key to an effective relationship is of positive health.
communication Positive health
which consists of three essential skills i.e.: " a healthy body.comprises the following constructs:
Olistening to what the other person is " high quality of personal
saying, relationships.
()expressing how you feel and what you think " a sense of purpose in life.
(i) accepting the other person's opinions and " self-regard.
feelings, even if they are different from your own. " mastery of life's tasks.
Jealousy and sulking (bad mood) behaviour should be " resilience (the ability of
aoided to improve relationships. after something unpleasant)people to feel better quickly
to stress, trauna and
Self-care change.
The beter way to prepare Factors that act as stress buffers and facilitate
and to tackle the stresses ofphysically and emotionally health are: positive
everyday life is by keeping
ourselves healthy, fit and relaxed. Diet
paterns reflect our state of mind andOur breathing
When we are stressed or anxious, we emotions. Abalanced diet can lift one's
mood, give
more encrgy, feed
rapid and shallow breathing from hightend in
towards muscles, improve circulation,prevent illness, strengthen
with frequent sighs. the chest, the immune system and make one feel beter to
The most relaxed breathing is slow, stresses of life. The key to healthy living is to eat cope
three
with
main meals a day and eat a varied well-balanced diet.
breathing from the
berween the chest anddiaphragm, i.e. astomach-centred
dome like muscle Quantity of nutrition require for healthy living
on one's activity level, genetic make-up,climate depends
the abdominal cavity.
Envi ronment al stresses like
l1ght, colour, etc can all exertnoise, polluion, space,
and health
history. Some people are able to maintain a healthy diet
mood. an influence on our and weight, while others become obese. When we are
These have a
cope with stress and noticeable effect on our ability to stressed, we seek 'comfort foods' which are high in fats,
well-being. salt and sugar.
 84
Exercise
Itis the ifesve hange with the widlest opulat
afproval. Regular Cen ie plavs an impotant role in
managing weight and stres and it has a positive
effet on reduing tension, anxiety and depression,
Phvsical cxen ises that are essential for good healh
are stretching cxerises suh as yogic asanas and
acrobic exercises such as jogging, swimming, cycling.
ct. The stretching exercises have a calming cflect
and acrobic exercises increase the arousal level of the
bodv.
Studies suggest that fitness permits individuals to
maintain general mental and physical well-being even
in the face of negative life events.
9 Resilience and Health
In recent years, there has been a lot of research in
understandingresilience in children and adolescents.
Resilicnce is a dynamic developmnental process referring to
thc mainlenancc of positve àdjustment under
challenging life conditions. It has been described as the
capaciy to bounce back hthe face of stress and
adversity. Resilence has been conceptuatised as reflecting
feelings of self-worth and self-confidence, autonomy and
self-reliance.
Resilient individuals are able to overcome the effects of
trauma, stress and adversity and learn to live
psychologically healthy and meaningful lives.
Resilience has recently been defined in terms of three
resources: I HAVE (Social and interpersonal strengths),
i.e. 'people around me I trust and who love me no matter
what, I AM (inner strengths), i.e. 'respectful of myself
and others' and I CAN (interpersonal and problem solving
skills), i.e. find ways to solve problems I face'.
Positive Attitude
Positive health and well-being can be realised by
having a positive attitude. Some of the factors
leading to a positive attitude are:
" having a fairly accurate perception of reality.
" asense of purpose in life and responsibility.
acceptance and tolerance for different viewpoints
of others.
raking credit for success and accepting blame for
failure.
" being open to new ideas and having a sense of
humour with the ability to laugh at oneself which
help us to remain centred and see things in a
proper perspective.
Allfnone PsYCHOLOGY
Class 121
PositiveThinking
The power of positive thinking has been increasingly
recognised in reducing, and coping with stress.
bas been linked to psychological and physical we
Optbeiminigsm
I'eople differ in the manner in which they cope. For
example, optimists (positive thinker) tend to
assume
that adversity can be handled successfully, whereas
pessimists (person who expects bad outcome)
disasters.
Optimists use morc problen focused
anticipate
seek advice and help from others whilecoping strategjignore
es and
the problem or source of stress. pessinists
Social Support
Social support is defined as the existence and
people on whom we can rely upon and
value and love us. Someone who believespeople availability
who
that she/becare,
belongs to a social network of communication
obligation experiences social support. and mutua
Perceived support, i.e. the quality of social support is
positively related to health and well-being. Social
i.e. the quantity of social support is unrelated to network.
It is very time consuming and demanding to
large social network.
well-bing,
maintain a
Social support can help to provide protection against stes
People with high levels of social support from family and
friends may experience less stress when they confront a
stressful experience and they may cope with it more
successfully.
Social support may be in the form of tangible support o
assistance involving material aid, such as money, goods,
services, etc. For example, a child gives class notes to his
friend who was absent in the class due to sickness.
In stressful events informational support is provided by
family members and friends. For example, a student aced
a difficult board examination who was previously informe:
by his friend about the difficult nature of examination
could successfully pass the examination by adopting
necessary preparation and coping strategies.
Further supportive friends and family members provide
emotional support to the individual. Emotional suppor
and cared for.
asserts that the individual is loved, valued
Rescarch has suggested that social support effectively
as depression or anxic
reduces psychological distress such
growing evidence that so
during times of stress. There is psychological well-being o
to
support is positively related
health benefits for both the gvet
person. It gives mental
and the receiver.