Brahma Kumaris

The Eight Illusions About Stress - 1

1. You have to be a doctor to diagnose and treat stress
2. Stress is a normal part of everyday life
3. Some stress is necessary in order to reach peak
performance
4. Stress is purely a physical phenomena and rest and
relaxation will make it go away
Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

The Eight Illusions About Stress - 2

5. A change of diet, a little jogging and a good holiday
will make your stress away
6. Other people, situations and events are responsible
for your stress
7. You have to be working 14 hours a day and
constantly meeting deadlines to experience stress
8. You never experience stress
Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

What most people do?

• Jogging • New hobby
• Aerobics • New relationships
• Change of diet • Sleep
• Vitamins • Alcohol
• Vacation • Tranquilizers
• Sport

Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

WHAT IS STRESS?
• Stress is physical or emotional
reaction/response to any kind of change –
external or internal
• Stress is a form of pain that comes to tell me
there is something I need to change
• Pain is a messenger that comes to tell me
there is something I need to learn
Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

The Physical Signs of Stress

increased heart rate,
stomach & digestive disturbances,
diarrhea, sweating, heart attack, ulcers,
head aches, chest pains, insomnia,
accident prone, alcoholism
high blood pressure
Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

The Mental Signs of Stress

tension, tightness,
resistance, friction, anger,
guilt, critical, anxiety, evasion, reactive,
discontentment, worry, impatience,
apprehension
Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

Effects of Stress
MENTAL
Irritability increases, forgetfulness, concentration
decreases, less judgment power weakens

BEHAVIOURAL
Smoking / alcohol addiction, nail/biting,
not mixing, reckless driving, eating
more or less, sleep more or less,
work-alcoholism or absenteeism
Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

External & Internal causes of Stress

External
Fast changing world, hurry, consumerism,
media, government policies,
population explosions, pollution
Internal
change of attitude, fear, jealousy,
hatred, aspirations, approach

Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

From Victim to Agent of Change

Victim Change Agent
 Blaming Objective Helper
 Manipulating Process Helper
 Forcing Counsellor
 Resisting Stabilizer
 Fighting Referee
 Fleeing Educator
 Criticizing Energizer
Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

Stress Management Skills

 DETACHMENT
 FILTERING
 CONTROLLING
 NOT ABSORBING
 STABILIZING
 HUMOUR
Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

4 Levels of Stress
SPIRITUAL – identity, perception, values,
self awareness
MENTAL – thinking, discriminating,
deciding, acting
EMOTIONAL - feelings, emotions, intuition
PHYSICAL – disease, illness, fatigue, food

Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

Causes or Triggers of Stress

EVENTS, SITUATIONS, AND CIRCUMSTANCES AT WORK
being fired, competition, demotion, conflict,
over qualified or under qualified, dealing with
aggressive people, noisy environment, communication failure.

EVENTS, SITUATIONS, AND CIRCUMSTANCES AT HOME

death, diverse, difficulties with in-laws, trapping,
addiction, uncertainty, fear

Stress Management
 Brahma Kumaris

Physiology of Stress
 NORMAL – alert is followed by defense

 NEUROTIC – alert is greater than defense which

becomes in effective

 PSYCHOTIC – alert may be ignored

 PYSCHO-SOMATIC – defense by mind fails

Stress Management