Stress

Management
“Everyone knows what stress is,
but no one really knows.”
Hans Selye
Stress is an unavoidable
consequence of life.
 Some stressors will occur regardless of
your actions.
 Stress can be good.
 Develop skills
 A prolonged bout of stress can affect your
health and ability to cope with life.
 Stressors
•School
•Work
•Family
•Relationships
•Legal
•Finances
•Health/illness
•Environment
•Living Situation
Stress is a normal psychological and
physical reaction to the demands of
life.
 “Fight-or-flight"response
 Stress management gives you a range of tools to
reset your alarm system.
 High levels of stress lead to serious health problems.
 Symptoms of Stress
 Disbelief and shock
 Tension and irritability
 Fear and anxiety about
the future
 Difficulty making
decisions
 Being numb to one’s
feelings
 Loss of interest in normal
activities
 Loss of appetite
 Nightmares and recurring
thoughts about the event
• Anger
• Increased use of alcohol
and drugs
• Sadness and other
symptoms of depression
• Feeling powerless
• Crying
• Sleep problems
• Headaches, back pains,
and stomach problems
• Trouble concentrating
What can you do about stress?
 Find out what is causing stress in
your life.
 Look for ways to reduce the amount
of stress in your life.
 Learn healthy ways to relieve stress
or reduce its harmful effects.
 Tips for Self-Care
 Avoid drugs and alcohol.
 Find support.
 Connect socially.
 Take care of yourself.
 Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
 Exercise regularly
 Get plenty of sleep
 Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out
 Maintain a normal routine
Tips for Self-Care
 Stay active. Exercise.
 Write.
 Do something you enjoy.
 Relax your body.
 Let your feelings out.
 Focus on the present.
 Focus on the outside world.
Stress relief from laughter?
It's no joke!
 Short-term benefits: When you start to laugh, it doesn't
just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces
physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
 Stimulate many organs.
 Activate and relieve your stress response.
 Soothe tension.
Laughter
 Long-term effects: Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up.
It's also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system.

• Relieve pain.
• Increase personal satisfaction.
• Improve your mood.
Laughter
 Improve your sense of humor
 Are you afraid you have an underdeveloped — or nonexistent —
funny bone? No problem. Humor can be learned. In fact,
developing or refining your sense of humor may be easier than
you think.
 Put humor on your horizon.
 Laugh and the world laughs with you.
 Share a laugh.
 Knock-knock.
 Know what isn't funny.
 Laughter is the best medicine
Blaming Others Makes Stress Worse
 The way you think and see the world around you
effect your stress level way more than any one
person, no matter how annoying, does.
 Externalizing your stress
I know it is all his fault. He screwed it up.
The Key Word Is….

Balance