STRESS AND HUMAN RESPONSE

In our daily lives, we are always experiencing stress.

STRESS is defined as the body’s nonspecific response to any demand or threat, whether it is caused by
or results in pleasant or unpleasant stimuli. When you sense danger whether it’s real or imagined- the
body’s defenses kick into a high gear in rapid, automatic process known as the flight-fight reaction or
“stress response”. Stress response is the body’s way of protecting you.

TYPES OF STRESS

 Eustress comes from the Greek root “eu” which means good as in
euphoria. Eustress is when a person perceives a stressor as positive.
Stress response put people in their mettle; it increases alertness,
improves sight, strengthens muscles and reduces reaction time.

 Distress stems from the Latin root “dis” as in dissonance or

disagreement. Distress is a threat to the quality of life. It is when a
demand vastly exceeds a person’s capabilities
 POSITIVE EFFECTS OF STRESS

 Adds zest to life by stimulating the senses and the passions

 Stress response increases our ability to stand and fight or turn and flee and to mobilize all our
resources to achieve whatever we decide to do.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF STRESS

 When pressure becomes unbearable, several negative reactions may flow out.
 The negative effects of stress is evident when stress remains in the body usually, when there is a
chance to take the necessary steps to release a stress response that is too strong or too long.

General Stress Syndrome

General Stress Syndrome (GSS) affects the whole body. Stress always manifests itself by a
syndrome, a sum of changes, and not by simply one change.

General Stress Syndrome three components:

1. The alarm stage – represents a mobilization of the body’s defensive forces.

2. The stage of resistance – the body becomes adaptive to the challenge and even begins to
resist it.

3. The exhaustion stage – the body dies because it has used up its resources of adaption
energy.
Stress Symptoms

 headaches
 asthma
 peptic ulcers
 chronic skin rashes
 hypertension
 palpitations
 chest pain
 lack of energy
 withdrawal from friends
 anxiety
 crying episodes
 poor concentration
 Forgetfulness

Cause of Stress

 Environmental Stressors

 Family-related stressors

 Workplace Stressors

 Physical Stressors

Effect of Stress

On your body On your mood On your behavior

Headache Anxiety Overeating or under eating
Muscle tension or pain Restlessness Angry outbursts
Chest pain Lack of motivation or focus Drug or alcohol abuse
Fatigue Irritability or anger Tobacco use
Change in sex drive Sadness or depression Social withdrawal
Stomach upset
Sleep problems
HOW DO WE COPE FROM STRESS?

A. Removing Stress
The effective way to control is to eliminate the stressors from your life.

B. Cognitive Coping
Refers to our ability to change how we think about or interpret the events that affects
our lives.

C. Managing Stress
Managing stress reactions through exercise, relaxation or join-management programs.

How to Manage Stress

Tip # 1: Recognize warning signs of excessive stress

 Self-awareness is the foundation of stress management

 Become aware of stress by observing your muscles, insides and your breath

Tip # 2: Reduce Stress through Self-Care

 Exercise
 Socialize and Connect with Others
 Take Breaks, Time away
 Make Healthy Food and Drink Choices
 Avoid Drinking, Smoking or Taking Pills or Drugs to Relax
 Practice Healthy Sleeping Habits
 Enjoy Cultural, Spiritual and Social Activities
 Look for humor
 Know your limits
 Create a balanced schedule

SELF COMPASSION THERAPY

 It entails being warm and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer , fail or feel
inadequate rather than flagellating ourselves with self- criticism.
 It recognizes that being imperfect and experiencing life difficulties is inevitable, so we
soothe and nurture ourselves when confronting our pain rather than getting angry when
life falls short of our ideas.
 Self- compassion Phrases

 This is a moment of suffering….

- First phrase helps us to be mindfully open to the sting of emotional pain

 Suffering is part of life

 - The second phrase reminds us that suffering unites all living beings and reduces the
tendency to feel ashamed and isolated when things go wrong in our lives.
 May I be kind to myself
-The third phrase begins the process of responding with self kindness rather than self
criticism

 May I give myself the compassion I need

- The final phrase reinforces the idea that you both need and deserve compassion in
difficult moment.

D. MANAGING STRESS
There are also ineffective coping techniques like the following:

1. Withdrawal
Isolating of one self from others (e.g. friends, classmates and family)
2. Aggression or Hostility
Becoming hostile to the source of stress or hostile to the source of stress
3. Use of Defense Mechanisms
a. Repression: The unconscious forgetting of certain painful or dangerous thoughts or feelings.
Example: A child’s occasional thought of killing her physically abusive father is denied access
to awareness.

b. Fantasy Escape from frustration by retreating into a world of make believe.

Example: A shy guy imagines himself to be the boyfriend of the most popular girl in the
campus.

c. Reaction- Formation: A tendency to conceal a motive from one’s self by giving strong
expression of the opposite motive. Reduces anxiety by taking up the opposite feeling,
impulse or behavior.
Example: treating someone you strongly dislike in an excessively friendly manner in order to
hide your true feelings.

d. Denial: Refusal to admit the existence of a reality too painful or unpleasant to face.
Example: A drinker concludes that the evidence that link alcohol use with health problem is
worthless.

a. Rationalization: Tendency to give plausible and acceptable reasons to

 one’s own failures.
Examples: Blaming the teaching style of teachers when a student fails a test and not lack of
real studying

Two Types:
Sour grapes(ing) – puts (putting) down something simply because they can’t have it
Sweet lemon – insisting that something unpleasant is in fact desirable especially if it was
actively sought for earlier

f. PROJECTION: Attributing one’s unacceptable motives or characteristics to others

Example: “Ma’am, my friend has a problem…” (when actually it is her own.)

g. Sublimation: Channeling frustrated urges into substitutive activities.

Example: Sports: Punching bag to channel angry impulses

h. Compensation: Endeavors to make up for some weakness in one area

by excelling in another

Example: A physically unattractive guy could be extremely charming.