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STRESSORS AND RESPONSES

The document discusses stress as a mental or emotional strain caused by demanding circumstances, categorizing it into three types: eustress, neustress, and distress. It outlines signs and symptoms of stress across physical, cognitive, and emotional domains, and presents various coping strategies including problem-focused, emotion-focused, and cognitive coping. Additionally, it highlights the importance of self-care, compassion, and altruism for mental and physical health.

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Arkishhaa
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11 views

STRESSORS AND RESPONSES

The document discusses stress as a mental or emotional strain caused by demanding circumstances, categorizing it into three types: eustress, neustress, and distress. It outlines signs and symptoms of stress across physical, cognitive, and emotional domains, and presents various coping strategies including problem-focused, emotion-focused, and cognitive coping. Additionally, it highlights the importance of self-care, compassion, and altruism for mental and physical health.

Uploaded by

Arkishhaa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STRESSORS AND RESPONSES

Stress
➢ It is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or
very demanding circumstances
➢ Mental and physical response to the demands of your environment
• at home, school, work, etc.
Three Kinds of Stress
1. Eustress

* considered as good stress


* results from a situation/activity that you find motivating or inspiring
* enjoyable and not threatening activity
2. Neustress (neutral stress)
* sensory stimulus that has no direct
consequence or effect on the person
* situation or activity that you do not find threatening yet not enjoyable
3. Distress
* situations or activities that you consider
- negative, harmful, threatening
* could happen for just a short span of time or it could linger for
prolonged periods (hours, days, months, years)

Stressors are any situations, activity or individual that gives you mental or emotional
strain
Signs and symptoms of stress: (3 categories)
1. Physical:
• Low energy; headaches; insomnia
• Upset stomach, diarrhea, constipation, nausea
• Aches, pains, tense muscles
• Frequent colds and infections
• Nervousness and shaking, ringing of the ear
• Cold or sweaty hands and feet
• Excess sweating
• Dry mouth and difficulty in swallowing
• Clenched jaw and grinding teeth
2. Cognitive/ Perceptual
• Forgetfulness
• Preoccupation
• Blocking
• Errors in judging distance
• Reduced creativity
• Lack of concentration
• Lack of attention to detail
• Orientation to the past
• Attention deficit
• Disorganization of thought
• Negative self-statements and negative evaluation of experiences
3. Emotional
• Depression or general unhappiness
• Anxiety and agitation
• Moodiness, irritability, or anger
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Loneliness and isolation
• Any other mental or emotional health problems

Coping and Stress

Types of Coping
1. Problem-focused coping
- targets on controlling or changing the source of stress
- tackles the source in a practical manner
- strategies includes employing problem-solving techniques:
* time management
* getting relevant social support
2. Emotion-focused coping
- involves lowering, if not eliminating, negative emotional responses
- option when the source of stress is external and beyond the person’s control
- strategies includes:
* distraction, talking out or verbalizing your problem, prayer and
meditation
3. Cognitive coping
- involves conscious intellectual activity of managing stressful situations
- you use your mind to combat stress-inducing thoughts

Strategies for cognitive coping:


1. Reframing:
- changing the way you view experiences, events, ideas, concepts and
emotions to find alternatives that are more positive
2. Challenging negative thinking:
- questioning the rationality of your negative thoughts
- take control of thoughts and stop negative thinking
3. Positive self-talk:
- “positive affirmations”
- talking to yourself in a positive manner
- useful for confidence building
4. Count to ten:
- given time to gain control of emotions
- allows to rethink the situation and find a better coping strategy
5. Cost-benefit analysis:
- beneficial thoughts, emotions or actions
- “is it worth it?”
6. Smell the roses:
- way of telling yourself to relax
- taking a conscious effort to appreciate the usually neglected aspects of life
7. Keeping perspective
- breaking down problems into little tasks and which problems need to be
addressed right away
8. Reducing uncertainty:
- “Lamang ang may alam”
- gathering as much information as you can about your problem
- helps gather positive information rather than negative ones
9. Using imagery/visualization:
- imagery as a relaxation tool
- find that place in your mind where you feel happy
- remembering pleasurable experiences

Behavioral Coping Strategies


- physical exercise
- relaxation
- breathing
- smile and laughter
- time management
- social support/friends
- seeking professional help

Positive Coping Strategies for Stress


1. Physical and Lifestyle Strategies
a. Abdominal breathing and relaxation
b. Low-stress diet (limit fast foods/fried foods)
c. Regular exercise
d. Downtime (balance fund and work)
e. Mini-breaks (5-10 minute periods to relax during the day)
f. Time management
g. Sleep hygiene (at least 6 hours)
h. Choosing a nontoxic (nonsmoking/conflict free) environment
i. Material security (the basics; do you really need that designer shirt?)
2. Emotional Strategies
a. Social support and relatedness
b. Self-nurturing (yes, you are worth it)
c. Good communication
d. Assertiveness
e. Recreational activities (playtime)
f. Emotional release
g. Sense of humor (ability to see things in
perspective)
3. Cognitive Strategies
a. Constructive thinking (ability to counter
negative thinking)
b. Distraction (ability to distract yourself from negative
preoccupation)
c. Task-oriented (vs. reactive) approach to problems
d. Acceptance (ability to accept/cope with setbacks)
e. Tolerance for ambiguity (ability to see shades of gray)
4. Philosophical/Spiritual Strategies
a. Consistent goals or purpose to work
b. Positive philosophy of life
c. Religious/spiritual life and commitment
SOCIAL STRESS:
- state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very
demanding circumstances arising from the person’s social environment relationships

Sources of Social Stress


• Problems with work or earning an income
• Parenting
• Education
• Sex and socialization
• Immigration status or language
• Personal, physical, psychological health
• Peer pressure
• Social marginalization

Self-care:
- taking deliberate acts of looking after your MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, and
PHYSICAL HEALTH

Compassion:
- frames as an emotion, is the felt response to perceiving suffering an authentic
desire to ease distress
- kind of caring emotional response to perceived suffering that acknowledges the
share human experience of imperfection, and that involves an authentic desire to help.
Altruism:
- unselfish regard to or devotion to the welfare of others
- the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being
of others.

Compassion’s benefit for physical and psychological health

➢ Connecting with others in a meaningful way help us enjoy better mental and
physical health and speeds up recovery from disease

➢ Act of giving results in a pleasurable feeling

➢ Part of brain that are active when a person experiences pleasure (pleasure
centers)
* eating favorite food/ receiving money
* doing acts of kindness – giving food to homeless or donating to charity

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