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Lesson 3: Less Stress, More

Care
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STRESS?
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Hans Selye
AUSTRIAN ENDOCRINOLOGIST, Father of Stress Theory

“the nonspecific response of the body

to any demand made upon it.”
 Content STRES
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Since stress in inevitable to life, we
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have to learn how to handle and cope

up with it. More so, we have to be
familiar with other approach to a
healthy lifestyle, which is self-care.
 1 2 3 4 5
Techniques Cultural
Stress and to counter Self-
Human dimension Self-care
chronic compassion
Response of stress and therapy
stress therapy
coping

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6 7 8 9 10
Self- Self-
Self- compassion
Self- Self-
compassion, compassion
compassion and compassionate
emotional motivation vs. self-
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well-being and health esteem
 STRESS AND HUMAN RESPONSE
Hans Selye defined stress as the body’s nonspecific
response to any demand, whether it is caused by or results
in a pleasant or unpleasant stimuli. It is essential to
differentiate between the unpleasant and pleasant and
pleasant variety of stress.
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2 FORMS OF STRESS

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• Eustress is defined as a positive type of stress and
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enhances our functioning. It is a healthy form of stress

that gives us positive feelings and makes us feel good
about ourselves.
• Distress is a negative form of stress. This form of stress
can be chronic and debilitating to the individual. It can
lead to anxiety, depression, and withdrawal which are
all symptoms of perceived defeat.
 The stress response begins in the
brain (see illustration). When someone
confronts an oncoming car or other
danger, the eyes or ears (or both) send

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the information to the amygdala, an

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area of the brain that contributes to
emotional processing. The amygdala
interprets the images and sounds.
When it perceives danger, it instantly
sends a distress signal to the
hypothalamus.
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When someone experiences a stressful event, the amygdala, an
area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing, sends
a distress signal to the hypothalamus. This area of the brain
functions like a command center, communicating with the rest
of the body through the nervous system so that the person has
the energy to fight or flee.
 TECHNIQUES TO COUNTER
CHRONIC STRESS
Relaxation response - The response is defined as your
personal ability to encourage your body to release
chemicals and brain signals that make your muscles and

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organs slow down and increase blood flow to the brain.
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Physical activity - People can use exercise to stifle the

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buildup of stress in several ways. Exercise, such as taking
a brisk walk shortly after feeling stressed, not only deepens
breathing but also helps relieve muscle tension.
Social support - Confidants, friends, acquaintances, co-
workers, relatives, spouses, and companions all provide a
life-enhancing social net — and may increase longevity..
 THE CULTURAL DIMENSION OF STRESS
AND COPING

“Culture’s consequences on Coping: theories, evidences and

dimensionalites”, Ben Kuo (2010).

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Early thesis on stress and coping, the interwoven relationship

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of culture and stress responses was implicated, conceptually.

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This thesis postulated that a person’s internalized cultural
values, beliefs and norm affect the appraisal process of
stressors and the perceived appropriateness of coping
responses. Accordingly, these cultural factors delimit the
coping options available to an individual in the face of stress.
 THE CULTURAL DIMENSION OF
STRESS AND COPING

As follows, stress and coping are universal

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experiences faced by individuals regardless of
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culture, ethnicity and race. But members of

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different culture might consider and respond to
stressors differently with respect to coping goals,
strategies and outcomes.
 Self-care therapy

A positive way to counter stress is self-care therapy

1. Stop, breather, and tell yourself: “this is hard and I will
get through this one step at a time.

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2. Acknowledge to yourself what you are feeling. All

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feelings are normal so accept whatever you are feeling.

3. Find someone who listen and is accepting. You do not

need advice. You need to be heard.

-Manila
 SELF-CARE THERAPY
A positive way to counter stress is self-care therapy
4. Maintain your normal routine as much as possible.

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5. Allow plenty of time for a task.
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6. Take a good care of yourself. Remember to:
a. Get enough rest and sleep.
b. Eat regularly and make healthy choices.
c. Know your limits and when you need to let go.
d. Identify or create a nurturing place in your home.
e. Practice relaxation or meditation.
f. Escape for a while.
-Manila
 SELF-COMPASSION THERAPY
Self compassion entails being warm and
understanding towards ourselves when we suffer,
fail inadequate, rather than flagellating ourselves
with self-criticism. it recognizes that being

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imperfect and experiencing life difficulties is

The

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inevitable, so we soothe and nurture ourselves when
confronting our pain rather than getting angry when
life falls short of our ideals. Self-compassion
recognizes that life challenges and personal failures
are apart of being human, an experience we all
share. In this way, it helps us to feel less desolate
and isolated when we are in pain.
-Manila
 Self-compassion phrases

• This is a moment of suffering.

• Suffering is a part of life.
•

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May I be kind to myself.

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May I give myself the compassion I need.

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 Self compassion and Emotional well being

• Self-compassion is the ability to turn understanding,

acceptance, and love inward. Many people are able to
extend compassion toward others but find it difficult to

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extend the same compassion toward themselves.
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• People who have self-compassion also have greater

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social connectedness, emotional intelligence, happiness,
and overall life satisfaction. Self-compassion has also
been shown to correlate with less anxiety, depression,
shame, and fear of failure.
 Self compassion and Emotional well being

• Well-being is the experience of health, happiness, and

prosperity. It includes having good mental health, high
life satisfaction, and a sense of meaning or purpose.

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• Well-being emerges from your thoughts, actions, and
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experiences — most of which you have control over.

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For example, when we think positive, we tend to have
greater emotional well-being.
 Self-compassion, Motivation and Health

• “Self-compassion,” writes Dr. Kristen Neff, “involves

acting the same way towards yourself when you are
having a difficult time, fail, or notice something you don’t
like about yourself.”

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• According to Dr. Neff and others who study self-

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compassion, while it’s fairly easy for most of us to feel

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compassion toward others, it can be difficult to apply the
same to ourselves. Which is a shame, because research
shows that self-compassion offers several benefits,
including:

• Higher Motivation
• Less Anxiety and Depression
• Greater Happiness in Life
 Self-compassion vs. Self esteem

• It’s important to distinguish self-compassion from self-

esteem. Self-esteem refers to the degree to which we
evaluate ourselves positively. It represents how much

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we like or value ourselves, and is often based on
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comparisons with others. In contrast, self-compassion is

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not based on positive judgments or evaluations, it is a
way of relating to ourselves. People feel self-
compassion because they are human beings, not because
they are special and above average. It emphasizes
interconnection rather than separateness. This means
that with self-compassion, you don’t have to feel better
than others to feel good about yourself.
 c o n tr o l o f th e s tr e s s th at

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