What is Stress?
What is Stress?
Stress is the combination of a new or possibly threatening situation and your body's natural response to the situation.
What is stress response?
The stress response, also called the "fight-or-flight" response, is your body's reaction to a stressor.
What is defence mechanism?
A defence mechanism is an automatic, short-term behaviour to cope with distress.
What is stress management?
Stress management is the ability to handle stress in healthy ways.
What is a plan?
A plan is any detailed program, created ahead of time, for doing something.
What is a stressor?
A stressor is anything that causes a stress response.
What is Epinephrine?
One of the first changes is that your body releases epinephrine. Epinephrine is a stress hormone that increases the level of sugar in your blood and directs the “fight-or-flight” response.
What does defence mechanisms include?
Rationalization, Displacement, Repression, Denial, and Projection.
What are some common signs of distress?
Physical signs: head aches, dry mouth, teeth grinding, shortness of breath, pounding heart, muscle aches, fatigue, and insomnia.
Emotional and mental signs: frustration, depression, irritability, worrying, confusion, forgetfulness, poor concentration, and loneliness.
What are somethings to prevent distress?
Getting plenty of sleep (8 hours) every night.
Eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Setting realistic long-term and short-term goals and making plans to achieve them.
Having fun and playing outside.
Believing that every problem has a solution.
Finding something to laugh about every day.
Setting a goal to learn something new every day.
Treating other people with respect, the way you want to be treated.
What are some common stressors for Teens?
Arguing with a brother, sister, or friend.
Trying out for a sports team.
Moving to a new home or school.
Experiencing the death of a pet.
Getting glasses or braces.
Having a newborn brother or sister.
Arguing with a parent.
Being suspended from school.
Worrying about height, weight, or appearance.
Starting to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
Being picked as the lead in the school play.
Being arrested.
Being seriously injured or sick.
Experiencing the separation or divorce of a parent.
Worrying about family member who is seriously ill.
Failing classes in school.
Starting to date.
Death of brother, sister, or parent.
What are some short-term responses to stress?
With the release of epinephrine, you get a quick surge of extra energy. As you prepare for “fight-or-flight”. Your mouth may be dry, and you may feel sick. Your muscles may tighten up. You may feel like you are extra powerful. And your vision and hearing may sharpen. These stress responses are short-term changes designed to deal quickly with the stress.
What is the purpose of defence mechanisms?
You may use define mechanisms to cope with stressors and deal with problems.
What is reframing?
Reframing, is changing the way you think about a stressor, and changing your emotional response to the stressor.
What is time management?
Time management is making appropriate choices about how to use your time.
What are four stressors in life?
Physical, Mental, Social, and Emotional.
What are some long-terms effects on the Body?
Brain: anxiety disorder or depression; stroke (from high blood pressure).
Heart: heart disease and heart attacks.
Circulatory system: high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
Immune system: increased risk of infection and disease.
Digestive system: digestive problems, such as diarrhea, constipation, cramps, abdominal bloating, and a type of ulcer normal artery.
Skin: including acne, hives, psoriasis, and eczema.
Weight: loss of appetite and weight; cravings for “comfort foods,” such as salty or sweet food, which can lead to weight gain.
Other: diabetes, chronic pain (arthritis), and sleep disorders, all of which may be made worse by long-term stress.
What is rationalisation?
The act of making excuses instead of admitting mistakes.
What are some other ways to manage stress?
Asserting Yourself Tell other people how you feel. Speak up for yourself without hurting others.
Planning Ahead Make time to do things you must do even if you don’t like to do them, such as your homework.
Laughing Laughter is important. Make it a habit to find something to laugh about every day.
What prioritise?
To prioritize is to arrange items in the order of their importance.
What are major life changes that cause serious stress?
Being pregnant and unmarried.
Experiencing the death of a parent.
Going through parents’ divorce.
Becoming an unmarried father.
Becoming involved with drugs and alcohol.
Experiencing the death of a brother or sister.
Experiencing a change in your acceptance by your peers.
Experiencing the death of a close friend.
How can distress affects relationships?
Your distress may affect other people. For example, your dis- tress may hurt your ability to think clearly and to make good decisions. Your bad decisions may hurt other people even if you do not mean to. Relationships with your family may suffer. Or distress may make you angry. You may be mean to people around you. Your friends may become angry with you and avoid you. You may even lose friends because you are distressed. Distress can keep you from concentrating on schoolwork. As a result, your distress may affect your teachers.
Defense mechanisms are temporary. They are the easy way out. Defense mechanisms delay having to deal with the stressor. In the end, the stressor is still there. Often, it becomes even worse. While defense mechanisms may help in the short term, finding other ways to manage the distress in your life is better.
Why is it important to take time for yourself?
This personal time lets you forget all your stressors for a little while. It is time when you can relax.
Why is planning important?
Planning is a way of looking ahead. When you plan, you can practice, study, or prepare for the task that faces you. Having a plan, whether for baking a cake or taking a vacation, lets you control events. You probably can’t plan for everything, but a good plan will cover most problems. A plan doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to give you some control of the stressor. And by taking control, you can prevent a lot of distress.