Stress Management Techniques to cope with Pressure

1. Stress Management Techniques to cope with Pressure

2. WHAT IS STRESS? • Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. • Stress is your mind and body’s response or reaction to a real or imagined threat, event or change. • stress usually occurs in situations people consider difficult or challenging. Different people consider different situations to be stressful. • The threat, event or change are commonly called stressors. Stressors can be internal (thoughts, beliefs, attitudes or external (loss, tragedy, change).

3. LEVELS OF STRESS

4. EUSTRESS Eustress or positive stress occurs when your level of stress is high enough to motivate you to move into action to get things accomplished.

5. DISTRESS Distress or negative stress occurs when your level of stress is either too high or too low and your body and/or mind begin to respond negatively to the stressors.

6. Types of Stressors Career Pressure INJURY illness Environmental Emotional Physical

7. Physiologic Signs of Stress Immediate Changes • Increased cardiac • output • Increased circulation • Increased BP • Increased sweating • Hyper alertness • Increased blood sugar • Decreased stored • energy • Increased fatty acids( full of fats)

8. Long Term Effects • Increased breakdown of protein • Increased blood glucose • Decreased immune response

9. Emotional Signs of Stress • Hopelessness • Helplessness • Feeling lost • Wishing to hide • Anxiety • Panic • Inappropriate • Emotions • Denial • Fear • Depression • Grief • Anger • Worry • Uncertainty

10. Cognitive Signs & Symptoms • Difficulty Making Decisions • Confusion • Difficulty Naming Familiar Items • Poor Concentration • Blaming Others • Memory Problems • Replaying Events Over & Over

11. Behavioral Signs of Stress • Withdrawal • Suspiciousness • Excessive Humor or Silence • Increased Smoking, Alcohol or Food • Change in Activity Level • Angry Outbursts • Crying Spells

12. Stress response contributes to: • coronary artery disease (blood related) • cancer • respiratory disorders • unintentional injuries • suicide

13. HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS

14. Practice Relaxation: ¨ Meditation ¨ Deep Breathing ¨ Get a Massage ¨ Visualization ¨ Take a Bath ¨ Try saying the Serenity Prayer Organize your life: ¨ Manage your time ¨ Make to do lists ¨ Plan ahead ¨ Set mini goals ¨ Learn to Plan Take a break ¨ Breath deeply ¨ Sit back and relax ¨ Do something you love ¨ Read a good book ¨ Change your surroundings ¨ Learn to Play Stretch ¨ Stand up and reach up ¨ Neck stretch: roll your head in a half circle, starting at one side, then dropping your chin to your chest, then to the other side ¨ Watch a cat stretch and do the same Communicate: ¨ Express your emotions ¨ Talk to a friend ¨ Eliminate negative talk ¨ Cry ¨ Laugh

15. Other stress management tips: ¨ Learn to live one day at a time ¨ Improve your appearance ¨ Do something for someone else (volunteer work) ¨ Allow yourself private time everyday ¨ Learn to forgive and forget ¨ Watch a good movie ¨ Listen too your favorite music ¨ Eat well ¨ Be a positive person ¨ Avoid unnecessary competition