How to Manage Stress
Content
How to Manage Stress
Vanessa Ivy M. Bungco Maria Paula Poss IV – Laser
March 9, 2011
INTRODUCTION
People everywhere suffer from stress. And we are all subjected to stress. We may think that stress is always bad. However, it is an essential process that keeps our adrenal glands working. On the other hand, too much stress may result to various illnesses and emotional problems. This paper informs readers on how to manage stress in simple ways. This paper not can only give knowledge but also encourages people in lifting others up.
Managing stress in our everyday lives is hardly a new issue for millions of us, but in recent years the market has exploded with self help books, gadgets,
and stress management classes. Yet despite all these services designed to help our productivity by curbing our anxiety, we are finding it more and more difficult to relax. Why? Blame it on bad news on the job and economic front, increased family and social responsibilities, and constant digital distractions.
Believe it or not, bringing ourselves "back to basics" can help alleviate our stresses more effectively than any expensive massage chair or herbal supplement can. Here are a few tips to help bring back the calm.
Schedule breaks from digital distractions. Cell phones , email, texting, and social networking sites can be fun and convenient, but all of these services allow us to be constantly available to others. To ensure a little down time, limit the number of times per day that you check your email, and set limits on when you will be available for calls or text messages.
What is Stress?
1
Human beings faced their problems and challenges in mind. However, the mind
does not operate alone. It works closely with the physical processes of the body. While you don’t expect your stomach to solve a problem or to feel excited, you might pass on the problem to demands and pressures, may be thought of as stress. Everyone experiences stress: In fact, a certain amount of stress is necessary to perform the daily task of your life. But, too much stress can result in physical and mental illness.
2
Stress can be harmful or beneficial, depending on the nature of the stimulus or
stressor, as the casual agent is called. Harmful stress affects the ability of the body to maintain stable conditions within itself. Beneficial stress can result in euphoria and greater personal achievements. Negative stress should be reduced to avoid developing physical or emotional health problems. In many cases, physical activity provides an excellent means of intervention (passive coping) and of stress reduction.
Harold S. Diehl, et. al., Health and Safety for you (USA: McGraw-Hill, Inc, 1954) p. 67.
1
Charles A. Bucher, Management of Physical Education and Sport (New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2002) p. 249
2
3
People are subjected to many different stresses everyday but, unlike our
ancestors, there is nowhere to run or nothing to attack -- you just sit feeling sick and fuming under the action of powerful hormones. Enough of these events, and sooner or later the body or the mind is unable to cope and breaks down. This is called psychosomatic types of stress and that not all stress is bad. Emotional stress usually occurs in situations people consider difficult or challenging. Different people consider different situations to be stressful. Physical stress refers to a physical reaction of the body to various triggers. The pain experienced after surgery is an example of physical stress. Physical stress often leads to emotional stress, and emotional stress often occurs as physical stress (e.g., stomach cramps).Stress management involves controlling and reducing the tension that occurs in stressful situations by making emotional and physical changes. The degree of stress and the desire to make the changes will determine how much change takes place.
William Vayda, Psycho-Nutrition (Australia: Geddes & Grosset, David Dare House, 2004) p. 114
3
Causes of Stress Kids
4
Plenty of things can cause stress in a kid's life. The trick is to remember that
some types of stress are good and others are bad. Good or normal stress might show up when you're called on in class or when you have to give a report. Have you ever gotten butterflies in your stomach or sweaty hands? Those can be signs of good stress — the kind of stress that can help you to get things done. For example, you may do a better job on your book report if the anxiety inspires you to prepare well before you get up and read it to the class. But bad stress can happen if the stressful feelings keep going over time. You may not feel well if your parents are fighting, if a family member is sick, if you're having problems at school, or if you're going through anything else that makes you upset every day. That kind of stress isn't going to help you, and it can actually make you sick.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/stress.html#, The Story on Stress (The Nemours Foundation, 1995-2011)
4
Teens
5
It is estimated that teens from 20% of the total population. Yet they are a
neglected group of the population. The adolescent group is the intermediate group between the dependent childhood and the independent adulthood. This transition from childhood to adulthood is never so easy. This group is a vulnerable group to both physical and emotional stress. There are problems everywhere for them - problems at home with their parents and siblings, problems in the school with their friends and education. Adolescent medicine is a new concept in the field of medicine. The adolescents cannot be treated as either adults or kids because their problems are totally different. Young people can become stressed for many reasons. Since a large part of teenage life revolves around school and home, most of the causes of Teen stress also originate at school or home. There are lots of types of teen stress. Similarly there are several causes of teen stress. Surveys conducted shows that one third of the teenagers suffer at least one episode of stress every week. Though stress has the same kind of response in all the age groups, the stress factors are different. Stress in teens could be due to pubertal Changes, changing relationship with peers, new demands in the school, safety issues in their neighborhood,
http://www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_article/teen-stress-causes.htm, Adolescence stress (Stressfocus, 2010)
5
responsibilities to their families, negative thoughts and feelings, separation or divorce of parents, death of a loved one, chronic illnesses, changing schools, financial problems, holiday stress. In a study conducted on the stress and related problem of teen, showed that the biggest causes of stress is school work with 78% and parents with 78%. Romantic relationship, problems with friends, siblings gives 64% stress. Girls are affected more than boys. Girls respond to stress by seeking help from others or by taking certain actions to reduce or remove stress. On the other hand, boys respond to stress by not dealing with the stress at all or by engaging the mind away from the sources of stress. Family members and friends are both sources of stress and support for teenagers. Teenagers use both healthy and unhealthy ways to cope up with stress. Adults Most causes of adults stress are work, family, personal concerns, personal health and safety, personal relationships, trauma, and death. 6According to a 2004 survey by the American Psychological Association, 62 percent of participants said work plays a significant role in daily stress. Everyone feels some type of stress at work. This is often spurred by office politics, workloads, worries over salary and time-sensitive deadlines. The Worker's Compensation Yearbook reported that by 1995 nearly 50 percent of
6
www.ehow.com, What Causes Stress in Adults?
worker's compensation claims were due to stress on the job. As the economy and job markets fluctuate, so do the stress levels associated with job security.
7
Families cope
with stressors daily, from financial worries to getting children to soccer practice on time. According to a 2001 study by the National Center for Health Statistics, one-fifth of first marriages end within five years. This is because newlyweds are coping with a number of different stressors---living with someone, getting accustomed to another's habits and balancing work and family. Another major family stressor is illness. Caring for an ailing parent or family member, or dealing with any type of health issue, causes individual stress as well as strain on the entire family.
8
Personal concerns that are only indirectly
created by others are another top cause of stress. Lack of control tops the list of personal concerns. Every human has a deep-seated desire for control over his or her own life. When control is weak or missing in a given area, we experience stress. To many people, a lack of control over their own time is a leading cause of stress. We want to determine when we do tasks around the home, or at work. Holding a job, participating in the children's carpool to school, driving family to soccer practices, shopping, and scout meetings while trying to keep the household running can create major stress. You would like to control your time, rather than let others' demands control it, but that is not always possible.
7
www.ehow.com, What Causes Stress in Adults? http://ezinearticles.com, Causes of Stress
8
We may be involved in legal proceedings that cause stress. We may be wrestling with a bad habit. We may be going through changes. Personal change of any kind can be a cause of stress.
9
Most people find that personal health is a leading cause of stress. For some, the
stress is linked to obesity, and a desire to lose weight. For others, the stress is a personal bas habit that affects health and must be changed. For example, smoking, abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Illness or injury, whether less or more serious, can be a leading cause of stress for many people. Incontinence can be an ongoing concern. Personal health is more or less stressful according to the degree of seriousness and our personal outlook on health.Personal safety is also a leading cause of stress. Women, more than men, tend to stress about their own and others' safety. Adults tend to stress more than young people, who may act invincible.
10
Traumas such as severe accidents, death of a loved one and
abuse are all contributing factors to stress in adults. Trauma that occurred in childhood is often still a stressor in adults and can affect all aspects of a person's life. Chronic stress from traumas, if left untreated, can lead to health problems such as heart conditions, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome and mental illness.
9
http://ezinearticles.com, Causes of Stress www.ehow.com, What Causes Stress in Adults?
10
11
Probably the most wrenching cause of stress is the death of a loved one or close
friend. Even the death of a pet can be stressful. Children are always a source of stress for parents, but when a child dies, the stress is overwhelming. The same is true when a lifetime spouse passes on.
Effects of Stress Kids
12
Stress is most often seen as an overt physical reaction: crying, sweating palms,
running away, aggressive or defensive outbursts, rocking and self-comforting behaviors, headaches and stomachaches, nervous fine motor behaviors (e.g., hair twirling or pulling, chewing and sucking, biting of skin and fingernails), toileting accidents, and sleep disturbances.
13
Experts suggest that children may react globally through depression and
avoidance; excessive shyness; hyper-vigilance; excessive worrying; "freezing up" in social situations; seemingly obsessive interest in objects, routines, food, and persistent concern about "what comes next"; and excessive clinging.
11
http://ezinearticles.com, Causes of Stress (Stansbury & Harris, 2000; Fallin, Wallinga, & Coleman, 2001; Marion, 2003). (Dacey & Fiore, 2000)
12
13
Teens
14
A stressful situation at home is very likely to spill over and affect a teenager’s
academic performance at school. Many students report family tensions between parents as a major cause of a fall in school grades. Conversely, demands made at school and stress over school grades may affect a teenager’s life at home. Stress has numerous effects on teenagers and as a parent you should be on the look out for signs of teen stress so as to be better prepared to help your child in finding a solution. Sudden drop in school grades, excessive sadness, irritability, frequent crying without any obvious reason, withdrawal from friends and family, inability to find interest in fun activities, general fatigue, inability to concentrate in studies, mood swings or temper tantrums, aggression are some of the effects of too much stress. Some studies reveal that stress in adolescence can negatively affect the cardiovascular health of otherwise healthy teenagers. Left unattended teen stress can potentially lead to anxiety disorders, teen depression or drug abuse, which may require professional help.The reality is that high stress is a bigger threat to teenagers than frequent boredom and spending money. If teenagers are not tutored how to cope with stress it can have dangerous consequences that include alcoholism and drug abuse.
www.guidetostressmanagement.com/effects-of-stress/effects-of-stress-onteens.html, Effects of stress on teens.
14
Adults
15
The effects of stress make daily tasks difficult to adults. Stress affects the
performance of the brain. When adults are under stress, their memory suffers. Stress can cause irritability and nervousness. The following are ten key stress indicators: Sleep disturbances (insomnia or too much sleep), changes in food consumption (loss of appetite or increase in appetite), poor concentration or memory retention, uncharacteristic mistakes or forgotten appointments, anger or tantrums,violent or anti-social behavior, emotional outbursts, alcohol or drug abuse, nervous habits.
Constant stress can trigger physical ailments such as high blood pressure. When the body is under stress, certain physical responses are triggered including increase in heart rate and blood pressure to increase blood flow to the brain for improved decisionmaking ability, blood sugar rises to furnish more fuel for energy as the result of the breakdown of glycogen, fat and protein stores, blood is shunted away from the intestines, where it is not needed for purposes of digestion, to the large muscles of the arms and legs to provide more strength in combat, or greater speed in getting away from a scene of potential danger, blood clotting occurs more quickly to prevent blood loss from lacerations or internal hemorrhage.
16
www.thehealthcenter.info/adult-stress, The Health Center
Managing Stress
17
Kids Children primarily learn by example. The best way to teach your child how to
manage stress is by using the tools and articles at Stress Management Tips to learn to effectively manage your stressors. In addition, you can develop skills and child-oriented stress management techniques to help your kids recognize and manage their stressors.
Eat healthy. A healthy body is better able to withstand stress-induced illness. Schedule regular meals and snack times. Don’t allow your child to skip meals.
Vigorous exercise is a good stress reliever. Just like adults, kids need time to unwind. If your kids are bound to video games, television, or a computer, get them on their feet by providing and encouraging the use of active toys like balls, punch bags, and bikes. If your child presently appears to be stressed, make a point of playing with them. Time spent with your kids is a great vehicle for getting them to open up the lines of communication.
Be clear in setting rules and consistent with discipline. Kids live in a ―black and white‖ world. Blurred guidelines and inconsistencies are even more confusing for them than they are for adults.
17
http://www.stressmanagementtips.com/kids.htm, Stress Management for Kids
Gentle physical touch is a great healer. Sometimes a hug is worth more than a thousand words. Another physical stress reliever can be a gentle massage of your child’s neck and shoulders. Like you, your kids can also get knotted up with stress!
Learn to be a good listener. When your child wants to talk about his or her problems, don’t criticize. In addition, it isn’t always necessary to give advice. Sometimes kids just need to talk. Encourage them with open-ended questions like, ―So what happened next?‖ ―How do you feel about that?‖
Teach your kids that everyone (including you) makes mistakes. A good start is admitting your mistakes to your children with an ―I’m sorry‖ or
―My mistake‖ when you goof-up. If the situation warrants, use personal examples of stressful situations you encountered during your childhood. Even if you were unsuccessful in dealing with your situation, you’ll teach your kids that you can learn from and even laugh at your own mistakes.
Finally, teach your kids stress relieving exercises and help them find stress reducing games they can play to reduce their stress.
Teens and Adults
18
Parents can help their teens by monitor if stress is affecting their teen's health,
behavior, thoughts, or feelings, listening carefully to teens and watch for overloading, supporting involvement in sports and other pro-social activities.
Teens can decrease stress by exercising and eating regularly, avoiding excess caffeine intake which can increase feelings of anxiety and agitation, avoiding illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, learning relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques), developing assertiveness training skills. For example, state feelings in polite firm and not overly aggressive or passive ways: ("I feel angry when you yell at me‖ "Please stop yelling.‖), rehearsing and practicing situations which cause stress. One example is taking a speech class if talking in front of a class makes you anxious, learning practical coping skills. For example, break a large task into smaller, more attainable tasks, decreasing negative self talk: challenge negative thoughts about yourself with alternative neutral or positive thoughts. "My life will never get better‖ can be transformed into "I may feel hopeless now, but my life will probably get better if I work at it and get some help‖, learning to feel good about doing a competent or "good enough‖ job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others, taking a break from stressful situations. Activities like listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing,
18
www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/helping_teenagers_with_stress, Helping Teenager with Stress
writing, or spending time with a pet can reduce stress and building a network of friends who help you cope in a positive way.
A. Physical Activities
19
As a whole we understand the importance of exercise for weight management
and general health but there is another reason to get up and get moving. Exercise is a proven technique to battle stress and is proven to be more beneficial then taking many medications. Aside from changing your focus from your problems to something productive, physical exercise will help your body function at peak efficiency while alleviating the potential damaging effects of stress.
Benefits of physical exercise in regards to battling stress are numerous and include:
1. Cardio: This greatly strengthens your heart protecting you from possible effects of stress like heart failure, stroke, high-blood pressure, and so on. As well, when your heart is attuned to an exercise regime, blood circulation improves which in turn increases oxygen throughout the body. Your cholesterol level and other harmful bio-chemicals will be reduced and will lessen the chance of your body breaking down due to the negative effect of these substances.
ww.ezinearticles.com/?Manage-Stress-Through-PhysicalActivity&id=1067291, Manage Stress Through Physical Activity
19
2. Emotional Release: Exercise offers an acceptable outlet for releasing pent up negative emotions such as anger and frustration. Exercise has also been proven to be very effective in the treatment of depression. This is due to the release of endorphins which are similar to the chemical compound morphine thereby providing the body with natural analgesic (pain relieving) effects and promoting a sense of euphoria.
3. Peace and Quiet: Many individuals find exercise to be meditative. It is a chance to focus on nothing but the task at hand, or be lost in a state of no thought. The rhythmic motions or repetition of many activities can be therapeutic in and of themselves, this has been termed moving meditation. For some the possible solitary environment allows them to be introspective enabling self reflection.
4. Fall asleep faster and sleep deeper: Individuals who exercise regularly fall asleep much faster and deep at a much deeper level once asleep. This is important in regards to stress management; both our bodies and mind heal during sleep or rest. This provides an endless cycle of benefits; with appropriate sleep you have much more energy and focus to deal with the stresses of the following day.
5. Social Support: Many physical activities offer a sense of team, or an environment where the focus is taken away from the problems that are weighing you down. You are able to come together with others that you have similar interests with, it is ultimately a social event even if you are not sitting around having coffee. It has also been proven that individuals who exercise on a daily basis generally feel better about themselves and feel much more grounded.
6. Body Awareness: Individuals who are involved in physical activities are much more aware of what their body is saying, they are more in tune. They are better able to sense possible problems with their bodies and make the necessary adjustments before it is too late. This ability also makes these individuals much more effective at relaxation techniques.
7. Muscle Tension: Physical activity has also been proven to relax your muscles making tension headaches, joint pain and back pain less likely. Your muscles are able to relax after they have burned off the pent up energy that stress causes
It is generally agreed that as little as fifteen minutes a day is enough for you to gain the endless benefits of physical activity. Take a walk around your block or do some stretches in your back yard. Involving your friends or family will help keep you committed and on track. The other option is to use physical activity to give yourself some alone time. The possibilities are endless; choose whatever is best for you.
B. Mental and Emotional
Having stress mentally and emotionally is very hard to handle. But, taking God as the center of your life is very helpful. When you are in great disappointment, you need to call God. He always helps us with all our problems. He provides us with everything. He always guides us, as we take another day of performing our task.
20
One should take a mental break. If you can steal away a few minutes of peace,
visualizations and guided imagery are a wonderful way to restore peace of mind. They're easy to do, and can relax you physically as well as mentally.
C. How can Nature Help in Managing Stress Plants absorbs negative insights and replaces positive aura.
21
Spending time with
nature will also provide you with much needed relief from stress. Nature's stress relieving capabilities are inherent without any other steps needed other than communing. Sit on your porch, lay on a blanket in your back yard, lake or beach, take a walk, hike in the forest, take a country ride, feed the birds, listen to the birds sing, watch the clouds roll by, listen to the raindrops, etc. If getting back to nature isn't always possible, just open your window to listen and feel the breeze.
20
http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/f/calm_down.htm, Stress management
21
Cynthia Perkins,M.Ed. No-Hype Holistic Health Solutions. www.holistic.net
D. Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy lifestyle habits can also help you reverse your stress response, enabling you to avoid or even reverse the negative effects of chronic stress. Healthy lifestyle habits often bring additional benefits, such as an endorphin rush, a release of frustration, or added longevity. Many of the healthy lifestyle habits can also help you to become less reactive to stress in the long run, providing protection against stress you haven't even experienced yet.
While maintaining healthy habits is a bit more challenging than trying a stress relief method only once, the benefits you receive from maintaining a healthy lifestyle are more than worth the effort it takes to maintain it. The increases in health and wellness that you experience, and the reduction in stress, will make you wish you'd made these changes sooner, and can be wonderful sources of continued motivation.
The following are some changes you can make to lead a healthier, less stressed lifestyle. • Healthy Eating
One of the most popular changes people like to make to live a healthy lifestyle is to eat differently. Because of the negative health consequences of obesity, the influence fitness has on our self-esteem, and the effects of nutrition on our stress levels and longevity, switching to a healthier diet brings some of the greatest benefits for wellness.
• Regular Exercise
Getting regular exercise is another wonderful way to keep your weight in check, manage overall stress levels, and stay connected with others. Exercise can also help keep many health conditions at bay, and is well worth the effort. (The trick is to start gradually and work your way up.) • Quality Sleep
People often underestimate the importance of getting enough sleep, and getting the right type. However, lack of adequate sleep has many negative consequences--they're subtle, but significant. Getting enough sleep isn't one of the most popular changes that people resolve to make, but it should be. Because stress can rob you of sleep, and because many of the techniques that promote sleep can also reduce stress (and vice versa), it's a very good idea to learn more about how stress affects sleep and how to get quality sleep when stressed.
Elizabeth Scott, M.S., Healthy Lifestyle Habits for Stress Relief. (About.com Guide, 2010)
CONCLUSION
Stress is inevitable, but it doesn't have to make you tense, irritable, upset, and unhappy. You have the choice to get better or bitter. Make the commitment to manage stress and enhance your health and happiness. Managing stress can help you have less pain and feel healthier. By following these suggestions, you may be able to get stress to work for you instead of against you. Learn to identify those situations you can do something about and those you can't. Work at reducing the cause of your stress by communicating better, and respecting your limits of energy and pain. Simplify your life and develop and keep a sense of humor. Prepare for stressful events by getting extra rest. Remember that you can't change others. Keep in mind that no one is perfect. Seek professional help for serious problems. Practice relaxation methods to overcome the effects of stress that you can't avoid. Engage in hobbies and simple pleasures that give you joy. Finally, remember that managing stress is your job. With stress under control, it'll be easier to keep your disease under control.
Vanessa Ivy M. Bungco Maria Paula Poss IV – Laser
March 9, 2011
INTRODUCTION
People everywhere suffer from stress. And we are all subjected to stress. We may think that stress is always bad. However, it is an essential process that keeps our adrenal glands working. On the other hand, too much stress may result to various illnesses and emotional problems. This paper informs readers on how to manage stress in simple ways. This paper not can only give knowledge but also encourages people in lifting others up.
Managing stress in our everyday lives is hardly a new issue for millions of us, but in recent years the market has exploded with self help books, gadgets,
and stress management classes. Yet despite all these services designed to help our productivity by curbing our anxiety, we are finding it more and more difficult to relax. Why? Blame it on bad news on the job and economic front, increased family and social responsibilities, and constant digital distractions.
Believe it or not, bringing ourselves "back to basics" can help alleviate our stresses more effectively than any expensive massage chair or herbal supplement can. Here are a few tips to help bring back the calm.
Schedule breaks from digital distractions. Cell phones , email, texting, and social networking sites can be fun and convenient, but all of these services allow us to be constantly available to others. To ensure a little down time, limit the number of times per day that you check your email, and set limits on when you will be available for calls or text messages.
What is Stress?
1
Human beings faced their problems and challenges in mind. However, the mind
does not operate alone. It works closely with the physical processes of the body. While you don’t expect your stomach to solve a problem or to feel excited, you might pass on the problem to demands and pressures, may be thought of as stress. Everyone experiences stress: In fact, a certain amount of stress is necessary to perform the daily task of your life. But, too much stress can result in physical and mental illness.
2
Stress can be harmful or beneficial, depending on the nature of the stimulus or
stressor, as the casual agent is called. Harmful stress affects the ability of the body to maintain stable conditions within itself. Beneficial stress can result in euphoria and greater personal achievements. Negative stress should be reduced to avoid developing physical or emotional health problems. In many cases, physical activity provides an excellent means of intervention (passive coping) and of stress reduction.
Harold S. Diehl, et. al., Health and Safety for you (USA: McGraw-Hill, Inc, 1954) p. 67.
1
Charles A. Bucher, Management of Physical Education and Sport (New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2002) p. 249
2
3
People are subjected to many different stresses everyday but, unlike our
ancestors, there is nowhere to run or nothing to attack -- you just sit feeling sick and fuming under the action of powerful hormones. Enough of these events, and sooner or later the body or the mind is unable to cope and breaks down. This is called psychosomatic types of stress and that not all stress is bad. Emotional stress usually occurs in situations people consider difficult or challenging. Different people consider different situations to be stressful. Physical stress refers to a physical reaction of the body to various triggers. The pain experienced after surgery is an example of physical stress. Physical stress often leads to emotional stress, and emotional stress often occurs as physical stress (e.g., stomach cramps).Stress management involves controlling and reducing the tension that occurs in stressful situations by making emotional and physical changes. The degree of stress and the desire to make the changes will determine how much change takes place.
William Vayda, Psycho-Nutrition (Australia: Geddes & Grosset, David Dare House, 2004) p. 114
3
Causes of Stress Kids
4
Plenty of things can cause stress in a kid's life. The trick is to remember that
some types of stress are good and others are bad. Good or normal stress might show up when you're called on in class or when you have to give a report. Have you ever gotten butterflies in your stomach or sweaty hands? Those can be signs of good stress — the kind of stress that can help you to get things done. For example, you may do a better job on your book report if the anxiety inspires you to prepare well before you get up and read it to the class. But bad stress can happen if the stressful feelings keep going over time. You may not feel well if your parents are fighting, if a family member is sick, if you're having problems at school, or if you're going through anything else that makes you upset every day. That kind of stress isn't going to help you, and it can actually make you sick.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/stress.html#, The Story on Stress (The Nemours Foundation, 1995-2011)
4
Teens
5
It is estimated that teens from 20% of the total population. Yet they are a
neglected group of the population. The adolescent group is the intermediate group between the dependent childhood and the independent adulthood. This transition from childhood to adulthood is never so easy. This group is a vulnerable group to both physical and emotional stress. There are problems everywhere for them - problems at home with their parents and siblings, problems in the school with their friends and education. Adolescent medicine is a new concept in the field of medicine. The adolescents cannot be treated as either adults or kids because their problems are totally different. Young people can become stressed for many reasons. Since a large part of teenage life revolves around school and home, most of the causes of Teen stress also originate at school or home. There are lots of types of teen stress. Similarly there are several causes of teen stress. Surveys conducted shows that one third of the teenagers suffer at least one episode of stress every week. Though stress has the same kind of response in all the age groups, the stress factors are different. Stress in teens could be due to pubertal Changes, changing relationship with peers, new demands in the school, safety issues in their neighborhood,
http://www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_article/teen-stress-causes.htm, Adolescence stress (Stressfocus, 2010)
5
responsibilities to their families, negative thoughts and feelings, separation or divorce of parents, death of a loved one, chronic illnesses, changing schools, financial problems, holiday stress. In a study conducted on the stress and related problem of teen, showed that the biggest causes of stress is school work with 78% and parents with 78%. Romantic relationship, problems with friends, siblings gives 64% stress. Girls are affected more than boys. Girls respond to stress by seeking help from others or by taking certain actions to reduce or remove stress. On the other hand, boys respond to stress by not dealing with the stress at all or by engaging the mind away from the sources of stress. Family members and friends are both sources of stress and support for teenagers. Teenagers use both healthy and unhealthy ways to cope up with stress. Adults Most causes of adults stress are work, family, personal concerns, personal health and safety, personal relationships, trauma, and death. 6According to a 2004 survey by the American Psychological Association, 62 percent of participants said work plays a significant role in daily stress. Everyone feels some type of stress at work. This is often spurred by office politics, workloads, worries over salary and time-sensitive deadlines. The Worker's Compensation Yearbook reported that by 1995 nearly 50 percent of
6
www.ehow.com, What Causes Stress in Adults?
worker's compensation claims were due to stress on the job. As the economy and job markets fluctuate, so do the stress levels associated with job security.
7
Families cope
with stressors daily, from financial worries to getting children to soccer practice on time. According to a 2001 study by the National Center for Health Statistics, one-fifth of first marriages end within five years. This is because newlyweds are coping with a number of different stressors---living with someone, getting accustomed to another's habits and balancing work and family. Another major family stressor is illness. Caring for an ailing parent or family member, or dealing with any type of health issue, causes individual stress as well as strain on the entire family.
8
Personal concerns that are only indirectly
created by others are another top cause of stress. Lack of control tops the list of personal concerns. Every human has a deep-seated desire for control over his or her own life. When control is weak or missing in a given area, we experience stress. To many people, a lack of control over their own time is a leading cause of stress. We want to determine when we do tasks around the home, or at work. Holding a job, participating in the children's carpool to school, driving family to soccer practices, shopping, and scout meetings while trying to keep the household running can create major stress. You would like to control your time, rather than let others' demands control it, but that is not always possible.
7
www.ehow.com, What Causes Stress in Adults? http://ezinearticles.com, Causes of Stress
8
We may be involved in legal proceedings that cause stress. We may be wrestling with a bad habit. We may be going through changes. Personal change of any kind can be a cause of stress.
9
Most people find that personal health is a leading cause of stress. For some, the
stress is linked to obesity, and a desire to lose weight. For others, the stress is a personal bas habit that affects health and must be changed. For example, smoking, abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Illness or injury, whether less or more serious, can be a leading cause of stress for many people. Incontinence can be an ongoing concern. Personal health is more or less stressful according to the degree of seriousness and our personal outlook on health.Personal safety is also a leading cause of stress. Women, more than men, tend to stress about their own and others' safety. Adults tend to stress more than young people, who may act invincible.
10
Traumas such as severe accidents, death of a loved one and
abuse are all contributing factors to stress in adults. Trauma that occurred in childhood is often still a stressor in adults and can affect all aspects of a person's life. Chronic stress from traumas, if left untreated, can lead to health problems such as heart conditions, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome and mental illness.
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http://ezinearticles.com, Causes of Stress www.ehow.com, What Causes Stress in Adults?
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Probably the most wrenching cause of stress is the death of a loved one or close
friend. Even the death of a pet can be stressful. Children are always a source of stress for parents, but when a child dies, the stress is overwhelming. The same is true when a lifetime spouse passes on.
Effects of Stress Kids
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Stress is most often seen as an overt physical reaction: crying, sweating palms,
running away, aggressive or defensive outbursts, rocking and self-comforting behaviors, headaches and stomachaches, nervous fine motor behaviors (e.g., hair twirling or pulling, chewing and sucking, biting of skin and fingernails), toileting accidents, and sleep disturbances.
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Experts suggest that children may react globally through depression and
avoidance; excessive shyness; hyper-vigilance; excessive worrying; "freezing up" in social situations; seemingly obsessive interest in objects, routines, food, and persistent concern about "what comes next"; and excessive clinging.
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http://ezinearticles.com, Causes of Stress (Stansbury & Harris, 2000; Fallin, Wallinga, & Coleman, 2001; Marion, 2003). (Dacey & Fiore, 2000)
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Teens
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A stressful situation at home is very likely to spill over and affect a teenager’s
academic performance at school. Many students report family tensions between parents as a major cause of a fall in school grades. Conversely, demands made at school and stress over school grades may affect a teenager’s life at home. Stress has numerous effects on teenagers and as a parent you should be on the look out for signs of teen stress so as to be better prepared to help your child in finding a solution. Sudden drop in school grades, excessive sadness, irritability, frequent crying without any obvious reason, withdrawal from friends and family, inability to find interest in fun activities, general fatigue, inability to concentrate in studies, mood swings or temper tantrums, aggression are some of the effects of too much stress. Some studies reveal that stress in adolescence can negatively affect the cardiovascular health of otherwise healthy teenagers. Left unattended teen stress can potentially lead to anxiety disorders, teen depression or drug abuse, which may require professional help.The reality is that high stress is a bigger threat to teenagers than frequent boredom and spending money. If teenagers are not tutored how to cope with stress it can have dangerous consequences that include alcoholism and drug abuse.
www.guidetostressmanagement.com/effects-of-stress/effects-of-stress-onteens.html, Effects of stress on teens.
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Adults
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The effects of stress make daily tasks difficult to adults. Stress affects the
performance of the brain. When adults are under stress, their memory suffers. Stress can cause irritability and nervousness. The following are ten key stress indicators: Sleep disturbances (insomnia or too much sleep), changes in food consumption (loss of appetite or increase in appetite), poor concentration or memory retention, uncharacteristic mistakes or forgotten appointments, anger or tantrums,violent or anti-social behavior, emotional outbursts, alcohol or drug abuse, nervous habits.
Constant stress can trigger physical ailments such as high blood pressure. When the body is under stress, certain physical responses are triggered including increase in heart rate and blood pressure to increase blood flow to the brain for improved decisionmaking ability, blood sugar rises to furnish more fuel for energy as the result of the breakdown of glycogen, fat and protein stores, blood is shunted away from the intestines, where it is not needed for purposes of digestion, to the large muscles of the arms and legs to provide more strength in combat, or greater speed in getting away from a scene of potential danger, blood clotting occurs more quickly to prevent blood loss from lacerations or internal hemorrhage.
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www.thehealthcenter.info/adult-stress, The Health Center
Managing Stress
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Kids Children primarily learn by example. The best way to teach your child how to
manage stress is by using the tools and articles at Stress Management Tips to learn to effectively manage your stressors. In addition, you can develop skills and child-oriented stress management techniques to help your kids recognize and manage their stressors.
Eat healthy. A healthy body is better able to withstand stress-induced illness. Schedule regular meals and snack times. Don’t allow your child to skip meals.
Vigorous exercise is a good stress reliever. Just like adults, kids need time to unwind. If your kids are bound to video games, television, or a computer, get them on their feet by providing and encouraging the use of active toys like balls, punch bags, and bikes. If your child presently appears to be stressed, make a point of playing with them. Time spent with your kids is a great vehicle for getting them to open up the lines of communication.
Be clear in setting rules and consistent with discipline. Kids live in a ―black and white‖ world. Blurred guidelines and inconsistencies are even more confusing for them than they are for adults.
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http://www.stressmanagementtips.com/kids.htm, Stress Management for Kids
Gentle physical touch is a great healer. Sometimes a hug is worth more than a thousand words. Another physical stress reliever can be a gentle massage of your child’s neck and shoulders. Like you, your kids can also get knotted up with stress!
Learn to be a good listener. When your child wants to talk about his or her problems, don’t criticize. In addition, it isn’t always necessary to give advice. Sometimes kids just need to talk. Encourage them with open-ended questions like, ―So what happened next?‖ ―How do you feel about that?‖
Teach your kids that everyone (including you) makes mistakes. A good start is admitting your mistakes to your children with an ―I’m sorry‖ or
―My mistake‖ when you goof-up. If the situation warrants, use personal examples of stressful situations you encountered during your childhood. Even if you were unsuccessful in dealing with your situation, you’ll teach your kids that you can learn from and even laugh at your own mistakes.
Finally, teach your kids stress relieving exercises and help them find stress reducing games they can play to reduce their stress.
Teens and Adults
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Parents can help their teens by monitor if stress is affecting their teen's health,
behavior, thoughts, or feelings, listening carefully to teens and watch for overloading, supporting involvement in sports and other pro-social activities.
Teens can decrease stress by exercising and eating regularly, avoiding excess caffeine intake which can increase feelings of anxiety and agitation, avoiding illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, learning relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques), developing assertiveness training skills. For example, state feelings in polite firm and not overly aggressive or passive ways: ("I feel angry when you yell at me‖ "Please stop yelling.‖), rehearsing and practicing situations which cause stress. One example is taking a speech class if talking in front of a class makes you anxious, learning practical coping skills. For example, break a large task into smaller, more attainable tasks, decreasing negative self talk: challenge negative thoughts about yourself with alternative neutral or positive thoughts. "My life will never get better‖ can be transformed into "I may feel hopeless now, but my life will probably get better if I work at it and get some help‖, learning to feel good about doing a competent or "good enough‖ job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others, taking a break from stressful situations. Activities like listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing,
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www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/helping_teenagers_with_stress, Helping Teenager with Stress
writing, or spending time with a pet can reduce stress and building a network of friends who help you cope in a positive way.
A. Physical Activities
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As a whole we understand the importance of exercise for weight management
and general health but there is another reason to get up and get moving. Exercise is a proven technique to battle stress and is proven to be more beneficial then taking many medications. Aside from changing your focus from your problems to something productive, physical exercise will help your body function at peak efficiency while alleviating the potential damaging effects of stress.
Benefits of physical exercise in regards to battling stress are numerous and include:
1. Cardio: This greatly strengthens your heart protecting you from possible effects of stress like heart failure, stroke, high-blood pressure, and so on. As well, when your heart is attuned to an exercise regime, blood circulation improves which in turn increases oxygen throughout the body. Your cholesterol level and other harmful bio-chemicals will be reduced and will lessen the chance of your body breaking down due to the negative effect of these substances.
ww.ezinearticles.com/?Manage-Stress-Through-PhysicalActivity&id=1067291, Manage Stress Through Physical Activity
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2. Emotional Release: Exercise offers an acceptable outlet for releasing pent up negative emotions such as anger and frustration. Exercise has also been proven to be very effective in the treatment of depression. This is due to the release of endorphins which are similar to the chemical compound morphine thereby providing the body with natural analgesic (pain relieving) effects and promoting a sense of euphoria.
3. Peace and Quiet: Many individuals find exercise to be meditative. It is a chance to focus on nothing but the task at hand, or be lost in a state of no thought. The rhythmic motions or repetition of many activities can be therapeutic in and of themselves, this has been termed moving meditation. For some the possible solitary environment allows them to be introspective enabling self reflection.
4. Fall asleep faster and sleep deeper: Individuals who exercise regularly fall asleep much faster and deep at a much deeper level once asleep. This is important in regards to stress management; both our bodies and mind heal during sleep or rest. This provides an endless cycle of benefits; with appropriate sleep you have much more energy and focus to deal with the stresses of the following day.
5. Social Support: Many physical activities offer a sense of team, or an environment where the focus is taken away from the problems that are weighing you down. You are able to come together with others that you have similar interests with, it is ultimately a social event even if you are not sitting around having coffee. It has also been proven that individuals who exercise on a daily basis generally feel better about themselves and feel much more grounded.
6. Body Awareness: Individuals who are involved in physical activities are much more aware of what their body is saying, they are more in tune. They are better able to sense possible problems with their bodies and make the necessary adjustments before it is too late. This ability also makes these individuals much more effective at relaxation techniques.
7. Muscle Tension: Physical activity has also been proven to relax your muscles making tension headaches, joint pain and back pain less likely. Your muscles are able to relax after they have burned off the pent up energy that stress causes
It is generally agreed that as little as fifteen minutes a day is enough for you to gain the endless benefits of physical activity. Take a walk around your block or do some stretches in your back yard. Involving your friends or family will help keep you committed and on track. The other option is to use physical activity to give yourself some alone time. The possibilities are endless; choose whatever is best for you.
B. Mental and Emotional
Having stress mentally and emotionally is very hard to handle. But, taking God as the center of your life is very helpful. When you are in great disappointment, you need to call God. He always helps us with all our problems. He provides us with everything. He always guides us, as we take another day of performing our task.
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One should take a mental break. If you can steal away a few minutes of peace,
visualizations and guided imagery are a wonderful way to restore peace of mind. They're easy to do, and can relax you physically as well as mentally.
C. How can Nature Help in Managing Stress Plants absorbs negative insights and replaces positive aura.
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Spending time with
nature will also provide you with much needed relief from stress. Nature's stress relieving capabilities are inherent without any other steps needed other than communing. Sit on your porch, lay on a blanket in your back yard, lake or beach, take a walk, hike in the forest, take a country ride, feed the birds, listen to the birds sing, watch the clouds roll by, listen to the raindrops, etc. If getting back to nature isn't always possible, just open your window to listen and feel the breeze.
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http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/f/calm_down.htm, Stress management
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Cynthia Perkins,M.Ed. No-Hype Holistic Health Solutions. www.holistic.net
D. Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy lifestyle habits can also help you reverse your stress response, enabling you to avoid or even reverse the negative effects of chronic stress. Healthy lifestyle habits often bring additional benefits, such as an endorphin rush, a release of frustration, or added longevity. Many of the healthy lifestyle habits can also help you to become less reactive to stress in the long run, providing protection against stress you haven't even experienced yet.
While maintaining healthy habits is a bit more challenging than trying a stress relief method only once, the benefits you receive from maintaining a healthy lifestyle are more than worth the effort it takes to maintain it. The increases in health and wellness that you experience, and the reduction in stress, will make you wish you'd made these changes sooner, and can be wonderful sources of continued motivation.
The following are some changes you can make to lead a healthier, less stressed lifestyle. • Healthy Eating
One of the most popular changes people like to make to live a healthy lifestyle is to eat differently. Because of the negative health consequences of obesity, the influence fitness has on our self-esteem, and the effects of nutrition on our stress levels and longevity, switching to a healthier diet brings some of the greatest benefits for wellness.
• Regular Exercise
Getting regular exercise is another wonderful way to keep your weight in check, manage overall stress levels, and stay connected with others. Exercise can also help keep many health conditions at bay, and is well worth the effort. (The trick is to start gradually and work your way up.) • Quality Sleep
People often underestimate the importance of getting enough sleep, and getting the right type. However, lack of adequate sleep has many negative consequences--they're subtle, but significant. Getting enough sleep isn't one of the most popular changes that people resolve to make, but it should be. Because stress can rob you of sleep, and because many of the techniques that promote sleep can also reduce stress (and vice versa), it's a very good idea to learn more about how stress affects sleep and how to get quality sleep when stressed.
Elizabeth Scott, M.S., Healthy Lifestyle Habits for Stress Relief. (About.com Guide, 2010)
CONCLUSION
Stress is inevitable, but it doesn't have to make you tense, irritable, upset, and unhappy. You have the choice to get better or bitter. Make the commitment to manage stress and enhance your health and happiness. Managing stress can help you have less pain and feel healthier. By following these suggestions, you may be able to get stress to work for you instead of against you. Learn to identify those situations you can do something about and those you can't. Work at reducing the cause of your stress by communicating better, and respecting your limits of energy and pain. Simplify your life and develop and keep a sense of humor. Prepare for stressful events by getting extra rest. Remember that you can't change others. Keep in mind that no one is perfect. Seek professional help for serious problems. Practice relaxation methods to overcome the effects of stress that you can't avoid. Engage in hobbies and simple pleasures that give you joy. Finally, remember that managing stress is your job. With stress under control, it'll be easier to keep your disease under control.
