COPING WITH STRESS IN

MIDDLE AND LATE

ADOLESCENCE
OCTOBER 06, 2022
•WHAT IS STRESS AND HOW
DOES IT AFFECT YOU?
 AT THE END OF THIS MODULE YOU WILL BE
ABLE TO:
• 1. DISCUSS THAT UNDERSTANDING STRESS AND ITS
SOURCES DURING ADOLESCENCE MAY HELP IN
IDENTIFYING WAYS TO COPE AND HAVE A HEALTHFUL
LIFE,
• 2. IDENTIFY SOURCES OF YOUR STRESS AND
ILLUSTRATE THE EFFECT OF STRESS ON YOUR SYSTEM,
AND
• 3. DEMONSTRATE PERSONAL WAYS OF COPING WITH
 STRESS MANAGEMENT

• A PRACTICAL WAY OF DEFINING STRESS

IS THE FEELING ONE GETS FROM
PROLONGED, PENT-UP EMOTIONS.
 HERE ARE SOME WORDS THAT DESCRIBE
THE EMOTIONS ASSOCIATED (AS CAUSE
AND EFFECT) WITH STRESS.
• ANXIETY
• PRESSURE ●TENSION
• MISERY ●ANGER
• STRAIN ●PANIC
• DESPERATION ●DEJECTION
• PROLONGED STRESS CAN BE
DEVASTATING; BURNOUT, BREAKDOWN,
AND DEPRESSION
ARE SOME OF THE POTENTIAL RESULTS
OF LONG-TERM UNMANAGED STRESS.
 EVERYDAY FRUSTRATIONS CAUSE STRESS
BUILD UP.
• A SERIES OF STRESSFUL AND FRUSTRATING
EXPERIENCES THROUGHOUT THE DAY CAN CAUSE
YOU TO LIE AWAKE AT NIGHT IN AN EMOTIONAL
TURMOIL – UNABLE TO GET NEEDED REST. YOU FACE
THE NEXT DAY WITH LESS EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL
STAMINA. AFTER ANOTHER STRESSFUL DAY AND
ANOTHER NIGHT WITHOUT REST, YOU MAY HAVE
EVEN LESS EMOTIONAL STRENGTH AND STABILITY.
 PROBLEMS IN OUR PERSONAL LIFE CAN BE
DEVASTATING
• MORE SERIOUS STRESSFUL CIRCUMSTANCES MAY INCLUDE
SEPARATION FROM LOVED ONES, PERSONAL ILLNESS, OR
ILLNESS OF A LOVED ONE, DEATH OF SOMEONE YOU CARE
ABOUT, OR CONFLICT WITH A SPOUSE OR CLOSE FRIEND.
OTHER MAJOR CAUSES OF STRESS ARE PROBLEMS WITH DRUG
AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CARE OF
CHILDREN AND ELDERLY RELATIVES, CHRONIC MENTAL
ILLNESS, INJURY, PHYSICAL HANDICAPS, EVEN MOVING TO A
NEW HOME, IF YOU’VE LIVED IN THE SAME PLACE FOR MORE
THAN 10 YEARS. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
 PROBLEMS IN OUR PERSONAL LIFE CAN BE
DEVASTATING

• MANAGING YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES CAN BE

ANOTHER STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE. THIS CAN BE A
PROBLEM NO MATTER WHAT YOUR INCOME LEVEL,
BUT IT IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT IF YOU MUST
SUPPORT A FAMILY AND DO NOT EARN ENOUGH TO
LIVE COMFORTABLY. UNPAID BILLS, UNWISE USE OF
CREDIT, AND BUDGET LIMITATIONS CAN MAKE LIFE
DIFFICULT.
 A COMMON CAUSE OF STRESS IS DEALING
WITH LIFE’S TRANSITIONS
• THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN A PERSON MUST COPE WITH
TOO MANY TRANSITIONS ALL AT ONCE. FOR EXAMPLE, ELLEN
HAS JUST COMPLETED A PROGRAM IN FASHION
MERCHANDISING. SHE IS EAGER TO GET STARTED ON HER NEW
JOB. HER MOTHER IS ILL AND REQUIRES CARE. HER FATHER DIED
A FEW MONTHS AGO. ELLEN’S NEW JOB REQUIRES THAT SHE
RELOCATE TO A TOWN 100 MILES FROM HOME. THE MOVE, A NEW
CAREER, AND A CHANGE IN FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
MAY CAUSE EXCESSIVE STRESS FOR HER. TOO MANY CHANGES
 ACTIVITY: WHAT CAUSES YOU TO LOSE YOUR COOL?
PLACE AN X NEXT TO EACH FACTOR THAT
CAUSES YOU STRESS.

________ BEING LATE ______ LACK OF SLEEP

______ TOO MUCH HOMEWORK ______ NO DATE FOR A DANCE
______ SPEAKING IN PUBLIC ______ PIMPLES
______ BABYSITTING
______ PHYSICAL EDUCATION
______ GOING TO THE DENTIST CLASS
______ ARGUMENTS WITH FRIENDS______ MATH CLASS
______ RESTRICTIONS AT HOME
______ ENGLISH CLASS
______ CHORES
 ACTIVITY: WHAT CAUSES YOU TO LOSE YOUR COOL?
PLACE AN X NEXT TO EACH FACTOR THAT
CAUSES YOU STRESS.

_______BOREDOM
______ RUDE PEOPLE
______ NO MONEY
______ NO TRANSPORTATION
______ PLAYING ON A SPORTS TEAM
______ NOT BEING INCLUDED IN A SPORTS
TEAM
______ LOSING SOMETHING VALUABLE
______ parents fighting
______ getting detention
______ your job
______ taking tests
______ video games
______ using a computer
______ closed-in spaces
ACTIVITY: WHAT CAUSES YOU TO LOSE YOUR COOL?
PLACE AN X NEXT TO EACH FACTOR THAT
CAUSES YOU STRESS.

_______INTERRUPTIONS WHILE BUSY _______LOUD PEOPLE

______ GETTING AN INJECTION ______ BABY CRYING
______ ARGUMENTS WITH PARENTS
______ DISRESPECTFUL
______ FIGHT WITH CHILDREN
BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND
______ A FRIEND BETRAYS YOU
______ LOSING
______ CARELESS DRIVERS
______ SLOW DRIVERS
 STRESS SIGNALS-TAKE A LOOK AT THE WARNING
SIGNS OF STRESS LISTED BELOW. WRITE DOWN IN
YOUR
JOURNAL ALL OF THE WARNING SIGNS THAT APPLY TO
YOU.
• PHYSICAL
HEADACHES, STOMACH ACHES, DIZZINESS, BACK PAIN,
NECK STIFFNESS, ULCER SORES ON MOUTH, JAW PAINS,
WEIGHT LOSS, WEIGHT GAIN, TWITCHES (EYELIDS, FACE),
WEAKNESS, NAUSEA, INDIGESTION, EXCESSIVE SLEEPING,
OVEREATING, LOSS OF APPETITE, INABILITY TO SLEEP, SKIN
PROBLEMS, CONSTANT FATIGUE, COLD HANDS OR FEET,
EXCESSIVE SWEATING, CHEST PAINS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,
RAPID OR DIFFICULT BREATHING
 STRESS SIGNALS-TAKE A LOOK AT THE WARNING
SIGNS OF STRESS LISTED BELOW. WRITE DOWN IN
YOUR
JOURNAL ALL OF THE WARNING SIGNS THAT APPLY TO
YOU.
• EMOTIONAL
MOOD CHANGES, LACK OF CONCENTRATION,
NIGHTMARES, PANIC ATTACKS, ANXIETY, ANGER,
IRRITABILITY, CRYING, THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE,
DEPRESSION, CONFUSION, FEELINGS OF
HELPLESSNESS, RESTLESSNESS, RACING
THOUGHTS, AGGRESSIVENESS
 STRESS SIGNALS-TAKE A LOOK AT THE WARNING
SIGNS OF STRESS LISTED BELOW. WRITE DOWN IN
YOUR
JOURNAL ALL OF THE WARNING SIGNS THAT APPLY TO
YOU.
• BEHAVIORAL
SMOKING, NAIL BITING, TAPPING, PULLING HAIR,
GRINDING HAIR, USE OF ALCOHOL, USE OF
MEDICATION
COMPULSIVE DIETING, HAIR CHEWING, NERVOUS
LAUGHTER, PACING, LATENESS, PUTTING THINGS
OFF, NOT CARING ABOUT PHYSICAL APPEARANCE,