Chapter Three: Managing Stress

1. Chapter Three: Managing Stress

2. Upon completing this chapter, you will be able to: • define stress, the stress response, and chronic stress. • describe the fight or flight response. • discuss the general adaptation syndrome including three • stages of stress: the alarm, resistance, and exhaustion stages. • discuss some of the types of student stress explored in this chapter.

3. Upon completing this chapter, you will be able to: • describe the physical aspects of stress management. • describe the social aspects of stress management. • describe the environmental aspects of stress management. • describe the psychological aspects of stress management. • describe several tools for stress management.

4. Key Terms

5. Key Terms • alarm stage  the first stage of the stress response involving physiological, involuntary changes which are controlled by the hormonal and the nervous systems; the fight or flight response is activated in this stage • chronic stress  refers to remaining at a high level of physiological arousal for an extended period of time; it can also occur when an individual is not able to immediately react to a real or a perceived threat • circadian rhythms  the internal biological clock that helps coordinate physiological processes related to the 24-hour light/dark cycle • distress  stress that diminishes the quality of life; commonly associated with disease, illness, and maladaptation • eustress  stress that enhances the quality of life • exhaustion stage  the third stage of the stress response; the point at which the physical and the psychological resources used to deal with stress have been depleted • fight or flight response  the physiological response to a stressor that prepares the body for confrontation or avoidance • general adaptation syndrome (GAS)  sequenced physiological responses to the presence of a stressor, involving the alarm, resistance, and exhaustion stages of the stress response

6. Key Terms • perfectionism  a tendency to expect perfection in everything one does, with little tolerance for mistakes • procrastination  a tendency to put off completing tasks until some later time, sometimes resulting in increased stress • resistance stage  the second stage of the stress response during which the body attempts to reestablish its equilibrium or internal balance • self-fulfilling prophecy  the tendency to make something more likely to happen as a result of one's own expectations and attitudes • stress response  the physiological and psychological responses to positive or negative events that are disruptive, unexpected, or stimulating • stress  the physiological and psychological state of disruption caused by the presence of an unanticipated, disruptive, or stimulating event • stressors  factors or events, real or imagined, that elicit a state of stress • test anxiety  a form of performance anxiety that generates extreme feelings of distress in exam situations • Yerkes-Dodson Law  a bell-shaped curve demonstrating that there is an optimal level of stress for peak performance; this law states that too little or too much stress is not helpful, whereas a moderate level of stress is positive and beneficial

7. Review Questions 1.List and describe the 3 stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome. 2. List and describe 5 different stress reduction techniques. 3. List and explain 5 health related problems associated with long term stress. 4. List and describe 5 physiological responses the body goes through when under initial stress. 5. Identify 5 college stressors and explain their role with increasing stress on college students.

8. General Adaptation Syndrome (Hans Selye, 1975) • 3 Stages: • Alarm (fight or flight) • Resistance (homeostasis) • Exhaustion (illness, emotional/psychological breakdown)

9. Stress Response

10. Hypertension Stroke Heart disease Kidney disorders Depression Alcoholism Gastro-intestinal Auto-immune disorders Sexual dysfunctions The Costs of Stress

11. Homesickness Relationship problems Balancing work, home, school responsibilities Test anxiety Speech anxiety Math anxiety Learning ability College Student Stress

12. Using Time Effectively • Time management techniques such as: • Assess habits (good vs. bad) • Use a daily planner consistently • Set goals and prioritize each day • Don’t procrastinate • Don’t try to be a “perfectionist”

13. Effective Coping Strategies • Four different forms of strategies to cope with stress: • Physical Aspects • Social Aspects • Environmental Aspects • Psychological Aspects

14. Physical Aspects of Stress Management • Nutrition • Exercise • Sleep • Circadian rhythms

15. Social Aspects of Stress Management • Make time to have fun and play • Laughter is effective • Human contact through social connections • Pets are associated with a reduction in stress

16. Environmental Aspects of Stress Management • Reduce noise levels • Amount/type of light • Meaningful and challenging experiences • Aesthetic quality of inhabited space • Color • Plants • Photos • smell

17. Psychological Aspects of Stress Management • Meditation and Hypnosis • Cognitive Self-Talk • Progressive Muscle Relaxation • Deep Breathing • Guided Imagery and Visualization • Stress Inoculation • Biofeedback

18. Chapter Three: Managing Stress

19. Critical Thinking • List five examples of current technology and describe how each can add stress to our lives. • Describe and give examples of distress, eustress, and chronic stress in the life of a college student. • Explain how stress can cause health problems. • Selye describes the typical response to a stressor in his general adaptation syndrome model. Described these three stages and give examples explaining how the body responds in each.

20. Multiple Choice 1 Stress that results in a good outcome is called: A) eustress B) stressor C) stress D) distress 2 Which of the following are considered college stressors? A) school policies B) school mascot C) family expectation D) a and c 3 The "fight or flight" syndrome is part of which stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome? A) alarm B) exhaustion C) resistance D) none of the above

21. Multiple Choice 4 Which are considered stress responses elicited from the body? A) increased salivation B) decreased sweating C) increased digestion D) none of the above 5 The use of physical activity for stress reduction purposes is called: A) quieting B) yoga C) progressive muscle relaxation D) none of the above 6 Biofeedback is considered: A) a stressor B) eustress C) a stress reduction technique D) none of the above

22. Multiple Choice 7 Factors that elicit a state of stress is called: A) biofeedback B) stressor C) distress D) positive stress 8 The following diseases are related to stress: A) Hypertension B) diabetes C) anemia D) all the above 9 Our response to stress involves many physiological changes that collectively are called: A) distress B) exhaustion C) the fight or flight response D) the hypothalamus 10 College students often experience which of the following stressors: A) relationship problems B) speech, math and/or test anxiety C) balancing work, home and school D) All of the above

23. Multiple Choice • Stress can best be described as • a physical and emotional maladjustment. • a physical and emotional response to events. • a dysfunction in a physical or mental process. • an event that causes a fight-or-flight response. • an event that produces physical or emotional responses. • Which of the following is a common symptom of stress? • fatigue • sleep problems • diminished concentration • sleep problems and diminished concentration • All of the answers are common symptoms of stress. • Remaining in a constant state of psychological arousal for an extended period of time is termed • exhaustive stress. • chronic stress. • continuous stress • alarm stress • uncontrollable stress

24. Multiple Choice • Selye's general adaptation syndrome is a model of • the alarm reaction. • how stress can be controlled. • the body's response to stressors. • the causes of stress-related diseases. • the difference between good and bad stress. • In Selye's general adaptation syndrome, the step that most closely follows the initial alarm reaction is called • recovery. • resistance. • exhaustion. • homeostasis. • psychogenic change. • The body's resistance to stress is designed to achieve • adaptation. • exhaustion. • fight or flight. • homeostasis. • hormone restoration.

25. Multiple Choice • The fight or flight response occurs during which stage of the general adaptation syndrome model? • alarm • exhaustion • resistance • involuntary • stressor • When all of our psychological and physical resources for dealing with stress are used up, we enter the • resistance stage • distress stage • alarm stage • eustress stage • exhaustion stage • A major research paper is due at the end of this week, and Elena has not yet begun to work on hers. Which of the following is most likely true? • She planned it this way. • She has managed her time poorly. • She has not had a moment to work on it. • She needed this much time to get organized. • She is the victim of a poor study environment.

26. Multiple Choice • Tom knows he must study more. Which of the following is the best way to ensure that he will actually do it? • Log his time. • Make a resolution. • Get out of bed earlier. • Follow an organized schedule. • Tell his friends about his intentions. • Carey Lynn is a perfectionist. Which of the following will she tend to display? • She will be her own worst critic. • She will be harder on herself than anyone else is on her. • She will be critical of others. • She will be critical of herself and others. • All of the answers are characteristics that CareyLynn would tend to display. • The purpose of self-hypnosis is to • improve self-control. • shut out all sensory stimuli. • increase awareness and relaxation. • train your mind to accomplish a goal. • achieve an altered state of consciousness.

27. Multiple Choice • Which of the following is true of progressive muscle relaxation? • It is based on yoga. • It should be done in a quiet room. • It is usually done in a standing position. • Unlike most other relaxation techniques, it is not coordinated with breathing. • It is intended to make you aware of the difference between contracted and relaxed muscles. • Which of the following is true of many cognitive and psychological stress-management tools? • They focus on deep breathing. • They are based on religious practices. • They require intensive training. • They require good physical conditioning. • Their goal is the achievement of an “altered state.” • Guided imagery involves which of the senses? • touch • sight • smell and taste • hearing • all of the senses

28. Multiple Choice • The process of exposing yourself to specific stressful situations a little bit at a time is known as • cognitive self-talk. • stress inoculation. • stress imagery. • progressive stress reduction. • stress visualization. • Lynn wants to learn to recognize and control the physical symptoms of panic she feels when under stress. The best technique for achieving this is • yoga. • quieting. • visualization. • biofeedback. • transcendental meditation. • The main benefit of exercise for stress reduction is • burning off energy produced by the stress response. • preventing the stress response from occurring. • strengthening one's resistance to stress. • producing biological opiates. • quieting the mind.

29. True/False 1 Stress is the physiological and emotional response to the stressor. A) True B) False 2 The General Adaptation Syndrome has 4 levels. A) True B) False 3 Reduction of digestion is a result from stress. A) True B) False 4 Stress that is chronic in nature can generate well being. A) True B) False 5 Exercise is a stress management technique. A) True B) False

30. True/False 6 Using a daily planner can help with time management A) True B) False 7 Perfectionism is an attainable goal. A) True B) False 8 Getting more sleep than you need is an effective way to manage stress A) True B) False 9 Noise and light can be environmental aspects of stress management A) True B) False 10 Progressive Muscle Relaxation involves imaging a relaxing scene A) True B) False

31. True/False • Both eustress and distress produce the same physiological responses in the body. • Acute stress is characterized by its long-term presence in a person's life. • Our response to stress involves many physiological changes that are collectively called the fight or flight response. • The stress response is based on the premise that all change is threatening. • The key to maintaining long-distance relationships while students are away at school is communication. • Homesickness usually hits college students immediately upon moving to the new school. • Procrastination is a common problem that plagues students and can cause stress.

32. True/False • People who are perfectionists tend to focus on what they have accomplished and done well. • Progressive muscle relaxation must be performed while sitting. • Stress inoculation teaches individuals to practice relaxation techniques while avoiding stressful situations. • A self-fulfilling prophecy is an example of cognitive self-talk. • Biofeedback is a technique in which people are taught to improve their health and performance by using signals from their own bodies. • When we are angry, our muscles tense, we breathe shallowly and our adrenaline levels decrease.