STRESS

MANAGEMENT

By
Dr Sikandar Ali Khan
Psychiatrist
 OBJECTIVE
TO ATTAIN BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF MEANS
THAT HELP REDUCE THE
STRESS
Stress is defined as an
interference with or a
challenge to a person’s
equilibrium or homeostasis.
A mental state which causes
deterioration of performance
or demands a greater effort to
maintain performance at the
previous level .
Is stress always
Harmful?

No
a certain degree of stress is
USEFUL.
STRESS EFFECTS ARE
MORE
• Sudden

• Disagreeable

• Drastic

• Multiple
FACTORS INVOLVED IN STRESS
STRESSORS PERSON
Losses Age
Obstacles Physical health
Delays Temperament
Conflicts (type A behaviour)
Major changes Threshold for stress
Illnesses / Injuries
Financial upsets

ENVIRONMENT
Social support
Living conditions
Previous stresses
TYPE A BEHAVIOUR
• Competitiveness
• Feeling driven
• Impatience
• Having no leisure activities
• Hostility & aggressiveness
• Obsessionality
 NOT TO MENTION
DIFFERENCES
OF OPINION WITH THE
BOSS
EMOTIONAL SIGNS
AND SYMPTOMS
DIMINISHED INITIATIVE
AND
LACK OF ENJOYMENT.
REDUCTION OF PERSONAL
INVOLVEMENT WITH
OTHERS.
REDUCED
SELF
ESTEEM.
IMPATIENCE AND
ANXIOUSNESS.
 HOSTILITY & AND ANGRY
OUTBURSTS

Frustration irritability anger hostility

DEPRESSION.
JEALOUSY.
BEHAVIORAL SIGNS
AND SYMPTOMS
Smoking.
Aggressive Behaviour (such as
driving).
Increased alcohol and drug use.
Carelessness.
Under eating or over eating.
Nervous laughter.
Compulsive behaviour.
COPING STRESS
10% of life is made up
of what happens to
you

90% of life is decided by how you

react.
It means that only 10% of our life is not
under our control like:
we cannot stop traffic jam.
We cannot stop car breaking down.
We cannot stop delays in flight/train.
We cannot control traffic signal.
We cannot control VIP movement that
makes us wait.
 scenario
You are having breakfast with your
family
Your child knocks over cup of tea on
your shirt
You have no control over what just
happened
What happens next will be determined
by how you react
You scold your child
Child starts weeping
You criticize your wife for placing the cup too
close the edge
Wife retaliates in argument
You rush to your room to change the shirt
You find your child still weeping and not ready
for school
You rush your child to get ready
You rush to the car and drive fast as
you are getting late
Your child runs to school without saying
regular goodbye
You are already fifteen minutes late
When you reach the office you are not
only late but also realize that you forgot
your briefcase
Your day started terrible, as it continues
to get worse
You look forward to pack up time
When you arrive home you find your wife and
child little distant from you
 Why?
Did the tea cause it?
Did your child cause it?
 no
Because of how you reacted in the morning
You had no control over what happened
to cup of tea
How you reacted in those few seconds
is what caused your bad day
What could and should have happened
Tea splashes over your shirt
Child gets terrified and is about to cry
You gently say “its ok, be careful next time”
By the time you changed your shirt your child
is ready for school
Your wife sees you off smiling
Your child goes school saying regular
goodbye
You arrive at office in time and in lighter mood
If someone says negative about you
Don’t be sponge, let the attack role like
water on glass
When someone cuts you in traffic don’t
loose your temper, don’t curse, don’t
raise your blood pressure
If plane is late why take out frustration
on flight attendants
Every thing that we do, say or even
think it will boomerang back to us
If you want to receive good things you
need to learn to give first
Remember that it is only the ten percent
that you cannot control
A wrong reaction can result in
undeserved stress
FAITH AND HUMANITY

 Strong faith in God.

 Regular prayers giving strength, inner
peace and tranquility.
 Doing something for others.
 Lifting the fallen and not leaning onto
the stronger.
 Not ignoring basic human needs but not
eating on or cutting on the others’ share
while fulfilling own needs.
 PHYSICAL RELAXATION
• Regular exercise or sports activity.
(An instant cure for most stress is 30
minutes of brisk walking).
• Following an exercise routine one enjoys.

• Taking deep breaths when under stress.

• Time out for solitude every day.

• Give yourself time time regularly (say once a

month) spend time exactly as you want.
• Hot compresses on eyes for a few minutes
RELAXATION TECHNIQUE

Inhale deeply through your nose

to the count of 8; then, with lips puckered,
exhale very slowly through your mouth
to the count of 16. Concentrate on
the long sighing sound and feel
tension dissolve.
Repeat ten times.
•PLAN AHEAD
•MANAGE TIME
•LEISURE ACTIVITIES
•HAVING FRIENDS AND SHARING
PROBLEMS
•DIET AND SLEEP
 FLEXIBILITY
• Relax your standards. The world will not
end if the grass doesn’t get mowed this
weekend.
• Don’t label situation in a harsh way, such
as
‘oh it was terrible’. Take the things
easy.
• Stop worrying. If something concerns you,
do something about it. If you can’t do
anything about it let go of it.
• The next time someone cuts you off in
traffic or stops you suddenly etc don’t get
mad. The world is a crazy place anyway.
 Personal &
professional
counselors.
When you share your sorrow,
it is halved;

When you share joy,

it is doubled.
STRESSFUL LIFE STRESSFREE LIFE

SURVIVE -------------------- LIVE

EARN -------------------- LEARN
FEAR -------------------- LOVE