AB PolSci-1C

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

• Explain the concept of stress;

• Discuss the concept of stress;
• Explain how stress affects health;
• Identify strategies to control stress; and
• Develop your own self-care plan.
 STRESS
• Refers to events that are perceived as challenging, damaging, or threatening to one’s physical or
psychological well-being. These events are referred to as ‘stressors’ and the way people respond to
them is called ‘stress response’ (Nolen-Hoeksema, Fredrickson, Loftus, & Wagenaar, 2009).
• One’s natural response to a challenge or demand.
• Every day, people encounter stressors: Eustress and Distress.
- Eustress occurs when people experience positive events but require them to adjust.
- Distress occurs when people experience negative events and make a great deal of demands on them.
 STRESSORS AND RESPONSES

• “Stress happens when life events require people to change, adapt, and adjust.” (Holmes & Rahe, 2016).
- Like, learning to adjust to the environment and system of your new school, or struggling to move on from a
fresh breakup.
• Factors that cause stress include: Weddings, having a baby, loss, catastrophes, disasters, frustration, hassles,
and conflict.
- Conflict occurs when a person needs to choose between two or many options.
4 Types of Conflict:
1. Approach-approach conflict – occurs when a person needs to choose between two options that are both
attractive.
2. Avoidance-avoidance conflict – occurs when a person needs to choose between options that he or she finds
both unpleasant.
3. Approach-avoidance conflict – occurs when a person needs to choose between options that have both
positive and negative consequences.
4. Multiple conflict – occurs when there are more than two options.
 DEFENSE MECHANISMS

In order to deal with frustrations, conflicts, and stress, people sometimes use unconscious strategies called
‘defense mechanisms’ to cope with the pain and deal with anxiety.

Kinds of Defense Mechanism:

Beatnik reaction – the person exhibits behaviors that stand apart from the standards of the society and
avoids most responsibilities of a good citizen.
Displacement – occurrence of aggressive or violent behavior due to frustration.
Compensation – a person makes up for or covers up his or her weak areas by being superior in other
areas.
Denial – occurs when a person refuses to accept a painful reality or truth.
Identification – imitating the characteristics of a person he or she admires to deal with his or her
insecurities.
Intellectualization – avoiding negative emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects of one’s life.
Projection – is attributing one’s weaknesses or shortcomings to someone else.
Rationalization – making up plausible explanations or excuses to cover up negative feelings such as
guilt.
Reaction formation – acting opposite to what the person truly feels.
Regression – a person reverts to an earlier psychosexual stage and begins to behave like a child.
Repression – pushing unacceptable impulses or urges into the unconscious.
Suicide – when one suffers from lots of frustration, they may resort to hurting himself or herself or
committing suicide.
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND
COGNITIVE FACTORS OF
STRESS
HANS SELYE
 A Psychologist who proposed the GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME.
He suggested that our body goes through three stages of psychological reactions
during stressful events.
 Alarm
 Resistance
 Exhaustion
 Alarm is the initial reaction to a stressful situation. In coping with initial effect of stress,
our nervous system is activated and releases hormones that fight off stress.

 Resistance, the body adapts to the stress but continues to release hormones that helps our
body to adapt and fight off harmful effects of stress.

 Exhaustion, which the body may suffer psychosomatic illness and irreversible damages to
one’s health.
RICHARD LAZARUS

 A Cognitive Psychologist ( Ciccarelli & White 2012) developed a cognitive view

of stress. He suggested that the way people think about and appraise a stressor is a
major factor how stressful that particular stressor becomes.
 Primary Appraisal
 Secondary Appraisal
 In primary appraisal, the individual appraises the severity of the stressor and classifies it
as a threat, a challenge, or a harm or loss.

 However, if the stressor is seen as threat, negative emotions ensue such as anxiety, anger,
aggression, apathy depression, and psychological impairment.
 STRESS AND THE
FILIPINO:
THE
SOCIOECONOMIC
AND
CULTURAL
FACTORS OF
STRESS
POVERTY REMAINS
A CRITICAL PROBLEM.
“Experiencing poverty or receiving
low compensation means higher stress
level.” (Crowder, 2013; Wadsworth,
2011; Kahn & Pearlin, 2006)

“As parents take on multiple

roles, achieving balance between
work and family becomes a source
of stress.” (Ortega & Hechanova,
2010)
15
 WORK
ENVIRONMENT
“Even if a person has a job
and is making an adequate
salary, there are stresses
associated with the
workplace that add to the
daily stressors such as work
overload, long hours, and
poor physical work
environment.”

(Ciccarelli & White, 2012)

16
 OVERCROWDING
AND
POOR HOUSING
CONDITION

Research indicates
that overcrowding
and living in poor
housing condition
can be a source of
stress.

(Ballesteros,
2010)

17
 TRAFFIC
Traffic and lack
of
transportation
can also be
enormously
stressful.
18
 In cultural perspective,
a person from one
culture who must live in
another culture may
experience a great deal
of stress. (Ciccarelli &
White, 2012)
e.g. One primary source of stress
imposed on immigrant Filipino
workers in other countries is the
need to adapt to a new culture. 19
19
ACCULTURATIO
N
The process of adaptation by
which immigrants, native
groups, and ethnic minority
groups adjust to the new
culture making behavioral
and attitudinal changes.
Acculturative stress refers to the feelings
of tension and anxiety that accompany
efforts to adapt to the orientation and
values of a dominant culture (Nevid &
Rathus, 2003)
Perhaps the greatest stress is when
migrant Filipino workers
experience discrimination,
stereotyping, and prejudice
because of racism and anti-
immigrant attitudes. 21
SOURCES OF
COPING
AND
STRENGTHS
22
One strategy used
by people to cope
with stress:
FOCUSING
ON THE
PROBLEM.
 Another
strategy used:

FOCUSING
ON THE
EMOTION.

24
BEHAVIORATECHNIQUE
L
Biofeedback S
Meditation

Relaxation Physical
Technique Exercise
25
 BIOFEEDBACK
technique from medical
devices and programs
that the individual can
use to recognize and
control the symptoms of
stress,
such as tension
headache. 26
 RELAXATI
ON
a state of being free
from tension and
anxiety.
It is all about resting your
mind and body.
(Deep breathing,
listening to music, etc.)
27
MEDITATION &
EXERCISE
These two can help individuals
cope with everyday stress and
control stress-related health
problems such as heart disease,
high blood
pressure and diabetes.

28
 Another strategy
used helping people
during a stressful
situation:

SOCIAL SUPPORT
SYSTEM
29
NETWORK OF FAMILY
MEMBERS AND
FRIENDS
Research has shown that social
support is considered one of the
most important ways of coping
with stress (Camara, Bacigalupe
& Padilla, 2017). It is likely that
lack
of social support can make the
individual more vulnerable
30
 The Need for
Self-Care and Compassion
People who are high in self compassion treat
themselves with kindness, care and
understanding when they experience stressful
evens or situations.

Self-compassion has shown to reduce anxiety,

exhaustion, and depression (Neff,2012).

Self-compassion has three elements:

1. Self-kindness
2. Sense of common humanity
3. Mindfulness
Stress Management
Is the ability to control stress and develop the
skills to prevent the harmful effect of stress.
Particularly students who are able to manage
stress successfully are more likely to develop
physical and emotional well-being.
They are also able to perform better in school.
Suggestions to Manage
Stress and Practice
Self-compassion
1. When you are stressed, find a quit place where you will not be
disturbed. Sit with your back straight, Close your eyes, begin the process
of calming yourself by paying attention to your breathing.
Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. As you inhale,
say to yourself-relax. As you exhale, imagine yourself releasing out all
the tensions. Do this exercise three times, Make this breathing exercise
regularly. It will help you relax
2. Pray or Meditate. Make it part of
your daily life, it provides power and
energy for living

3. Read Spiritual materials such as

bible, self-help books, magazines,
that will make you relax and guide you
throughout your life.
4. Be mindful of your thoughts and
feelings.

5. Keep a diary or a journal where

you can write down and process your
thoughts and feelings.
6. Talk to people. Share your
feelings.

7. Develop a sense of humor. Think

positive and find reasons to smile
and be happy
8. Develop good habits, eat the right kind of food, drink
lots of water, sleep at least 8 hours a day, exercise
regularly, and relax.
Pamper yourself go to the beach, watch a movie, have a
haircut, a spa, and a massage or eat your favorite food.
Thank You!!!
 Source:
• Go-Monilla, M.J. & Ramirez, N. (2018). Understanding the Self. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.