Understanding Stress and Anxiety
An emotional and/or physical response to something external, such as an upcoming test, or a fight with a friend.
What is a stressor?
A stressor is something that causes stress.
Describe the different between helpful and unhelpful thoughts.
Helpful thoughts make us feel confident, happy, and brave while unhelpful thoughts make us feel worried, nervous, or sad.
Why is it important to manage stress?
Stay healthy, keep your emotions under control, think more clearly, and make better decisions
How common are difficulties managing stress?
Very common, most people have experienced this or know someone who has.
What is Anxiety?
Persistent, excess worry that feels out of your control.
Name two common stressors?
Examples: School, home, social life, the world
What is distress?
Distress is a negative, threatening form of stress.
What are strategies you can use to manage stress?
Slow breathing, reframing, positive self-talk, progressive muscle relaxation.
Name someone you have reached out to for support in the past.
Examples: Teachers, parents, aunts/uncles, school social worker, therapist
What should you do if you are experiencing anxiety?
It is important to get help from a trusted adult such a a parent, teacher, or school counselor.
Name two situations that you cannot control but may cause you stress.
Examples: Illness, mean social media posts, climate change, divorce, friends fighting
What is Eustress?
Eustress is a positive, challenging form of stress.
Can you use all stress management strategies anywhere? Why or why not?
No, some strategies are not appropriate for certain places. For example, meditation is great to use at home but may not be the best for in class. Listening to music can be helpful in a lot of places but if you are on stage performing, you can't use that strategy.
Is avoiding the stress and situation usually an unhelpful or helpful strategy? Why?
It is usually an unhelpful strategy because it doesn't help change what is going on. The stressor or situation will still be there after you distract yourself. Ignoring the situation or stressor isn't a long-term solution to the problem and may make the situation worse.
How can you tell when you are experiencing stress?
Physical, emotional, or mental responses.
What are some things you can control if situations that you can't control happen?
Examples: Control your responses, manage your feelings, get support for yourself, take care of someone who’s ill, ignore mean posts, make changes in your life to help the climate
How can you turn distress into eustress?
By reframing unhelpful thoughts into helpful ones.
What is positive self-talk and how can it help people?
Positive self-talk means thinking positive thoughts. People who notice good things may lead happier, healthier, and more satisfied lives.
What are some signs that someone is having difficulty managing their stress?
They may be having trouble sleeping, having trouble concentrating, feeling nausea, or having headaches.
Give an example of common stress responses for each category:
Physical
Emotional
Mental
Physical: Headache, nausea, feeling heavy, sleeping too much or not enough
Emotional: Sad, overwhelmed, want to be alone, crying
Mental: Scattered thoughts, racing thoughts, unhelpful/unkind thoughts
Share a stressor you'd like to work on managing. What is something in your control about this stressor and a first step you could take?
Examples: I am feeling stressed with the amount of schoolwork I have. My time management is in my control and I could work out a schedule of when to do my homework.
My parents are fighting a lot and it makes me stressed. I am in control of how I manage my emotions. I can speak with Janessa the school social worker or try calming strategies when I begin to feel overwhelmed.
What is reframing?
To reframe means to look at a situation from a different point of view.
Reframing this unhelpful thought: You have your first school play coming up and keep thinking "I have no idea what I am doing, why did I sign up for this play anyways? I am so bad at acting!"
Example: I really like acting and wanted to try something new. I just need a bit more practice rehearsing my lines and I will feel more comfortable. Everyone has feelings like this but it's important to push myself.
How would you recognize when your stress management strategies aren’t working and you need to reach out for support?
Feel more stressed or anxious, can’t sleep or wants to sleep all the time, miss school, have thoughts of self-harm, have thoughts of harming others