OF

= TWO FACES OF STRESS

(2) Faces of Stress
I. Threat or Challenge
The story of Michael and Jason exemplifies how
stress can either help or hurt you. Stress could either
harness the anxiety and accomplish tasks that at first seem
impossible or could allow yourself to become so burdened
by it that it aggravates the situation. Michael demonstrated
what stress physicians call eustress, which literally means
"good stress" or "positive stress" when he utilized his
feelings of stress and anxiety and transformed them into
motivation.
II. Happy Stress
It is a common misconception that stress can
only be related to negative events and
circumstances. In the story of Hannah, her health
has been affected by the stress caused by activities
that she enjoys. Although you may not notice it as
profoundly as stress that comes from negative
experiences, positive experiences are equally
stressful.
 These are the (2) two faces of stress – eustress and
distress. Stress could, therefore, be a good thing or a bad thing,
depending on one's reaction to it. When you allow stress to
discourage you or deflate your spirits, you become powerless to
face the source of stress. But if you only react positively to the
pressures of the different stressors in your life – to view them as
mere challenges and obstacles you would have the capacity and the
drive to address these stressors head on. When you experience
eustress, you become motivated to find ways in which you could
address the problems causing stress, which would, therefore, open
the possibility of eliminating the source of stress altogether.
Coping with Stress in Middle and Late Adolescence
Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or
tension resulting from adverse or very demanding
circumstances. This is the response of individuals to
stressors, which are circumstances and events that
threaten them and tax their coping abilities. (J.
Santrock, 2008). Stress may come from many different
sources for adolescents among the sources are life
events, daily hassles, and sociocultural factors.
Environmental Factors (Life events and daily hassles)
Think about your personal life; what events have the
most stress for you? Break-ups, death of someone you
loved, failed grades, family problems, or physical injuries
may cause tremendous stress on you. Some health
psychologists studied the impact of life events and daily
hassles. People who have had major life changes (loss of a
close relative, a divorce of parents) have a higher
incidence of cardiovascular disease and early death than
those who do not.
Sociocultural Factors
Sociocultural factors may help determine which stressors individuals
are likely to encounter, whether they will most likely perceive events
as stressful or not, and how they believe stress should be confronted
(Berry, 2007). In other studies, females are fight or flight response
than males are. They argue that females are likelier to "tend and
befriend." Females often respond to situations may feel hopeless
now, but my life will probably get better likely to respond to stressful
and threatening situations with a by protecting themselves and others
thru nurturing behaviors and forming alliances with a larger social
group, especially the ones populated by women.
Coping Strategies According to the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry in 2015, teens can decrease stress with the
following behaviors and techniques:
1. Exercise and eat regularly.
2. Avoid excess caffeine intake, which can increase feelings of
anxiety and agitation.
3. Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
4. Learn relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle
relaxation techniques).
5. Develop assertiveness training skills. For example, state feelings
politely and not overly aggressive or passive ways: ("I feel angry
when you yell at me" "Please stop yelling.")
10. Take a break from stressful situations. Activities like
listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing, writing, or
spending time with a pet can reduce stress.
11. Build a network of friends who help you cope in a
positive way.

By using these and other techniques, teenagers can begin to

manage stress. If a teen talks about or shows signs of being
overly stressed, a consultation with a child and adolescent
psychiatrist or qualified mental health professional may be
helpful.
QUESTIONS?
 THANK YOU
AND
HAVE A GOOD DAY!