Stress Management Guide (PDF)

Chapter 3  LEARNING OUTCOMES After completion of this chapter, students should be able to :- Define stress List symptoms of stress Explains factors/causes of stress Discuss ways to manage stress List the diseases related to stress Activity...

Chapter 3  LEARNING OUTCOMES After completion of this chapter, students should be able to :- Define stress List symptoms of stress Explains factors/causes of stress Discuss ways to manage stress List the diseases related to stress Activity Think about it! What is mental health? When is the world 10 Oktober mental health day? 3 Activity Think about it! What is mental health? When is the world mental health day? 4 Do you know it? Bode Canine & 3 &  - - - - - - - - - - - & ↓ ↑ I ↓ I I I i I i ! / V / L & & - - S - S - & -  Stress * Stress as a physical, mental, or emotional response to events that causes bodily or mental tension. Normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. ·  Eustress vs Distress Hans Selye introduced the concept of stress having 2 categories: distress & eustress. Distress is stress that negatively affects you & eustress is stress that has a positive effect on you. Distress results in anxiety; eustress is exciting. In terms of productivity, distress can lead to procrastination, while eustress is a source of motivation. Overall, distress has a negative impact on performance. On the other hand, eustress acts as a performance enhancer.  ↓ roby a , D  Symptoms of Stress Cognitive Symptoms Emotional Symptoms Memory problems Moodiness Inability to concentrate Irritability or short temper Poor judgment Agitation, inability to relax Seeing only the negative Feeling overwhelmed Anxious or racing thoughts Sense of loneliness and isolation Constant worrying Depress/unhappy Physical Symptoms Behavioral Symptoms Aches and pains Eating more or less Diarrhea or constipation Sleeping too much or too little Nausea, dizziness Isolating yourself from others Chest pain, rapid heartbeat Procrastinating or neglecting Loss of sex drive responsibilities Frequent colds Using alcohol//cigarettes/drugs to relax Nervous habits(e.g:nail biting, pacing)  Factors of Stress Common external causes of stress Sudden life changes Work Relationship difficulties Financial problems Being too busy Children and family Common internal causes of stress Inability to accept uncertainty Pessimism Negative self-talk Unrealistic expectations Perfectionism Lack of assertiveness  Ways to Manage Stress 1. Religiosity & spirituality practices - E.g.: Meditation, prayer, reciting & listening to Quran give relaxation & calming effects. 2. Exercise/Physical activity – helps in increasing blood supply to the brain & helps in producing serotonin, endorphin & dopamine. Eg: Cardiovascular workouts. How? i. stimulate brain chemicals that foster growth of nerve cells. ii. increase the activity of serotonin and/or norepinephrine. iii. raise heart rate & release endorphins and a hormone known as atrial natriuretic hormone (ANP), which reduces pain, reduces BP, induces euphoria & helps control the brain’s response to stress & anxiety. 3. Healthy eating - There is association between food and brain functions like mood and cognition. - Diet rich in tryptophan & antioxidants can have a positive impact on mood & cognition. 4. Healthy mind – positive thinking, positive self-talk  Ways to Manage Stress 5. Get enough sleep - Any sleep disturbance will diminish mental performance. Stress affects sleep & vice versa. 6. Identify the root cause of the problems - Understand in the environment we live & operate, what are these things that are causing us stress. 7. Learn how to relax - practice breathing exercise etc. 8. Seek professional helps - Get advice from counselor/psychologist 9. Strengthen your relationship - Love your family & spend quality time with family An implified an  STRESS RELATED DISORDERS Stress can have effects on: other hormones brain neurotransmitters chemical messengers - When these chemical reactions - like the adrenalin flowing- happen often, we can easily develop stress related diseases and complaints. Research nowadays show stress can contribute to depression, anxiety and its diverse effects on the gastrointestinal tract, skin & other organs. - Medical research is seeing a direct link between diseases & stress. Chronic stress will contribute to several diseases.  Heart disease Peptic Ulcers DISEASES RELATED TO Asthma STRESS Insomnia Chronic fatigue Anxiety attacks Mood swings Psychological distress Depression High BP Poor immune function Headaches Migraines  EXAMPLE 1: HEART DISEASE Sudden stress increases the pumping action & rate of the heart while at the same time causing the arteries to constrict, thereby restricting blood flow to the heart. Emotional effects of stress alter the heart rhythms, which could pose a risk for serious arrhythmias in people with existing heart rhythm disturbances. Stress causes blood to become stickier, increasing the likelihood of an artery-clogging blood clot. Chronic stress may lead to the production of certain immune factors called cytokines that produce a damaging inflammatory response, which is now believed to be responsible for injuries in the arteries that contribute to heart disease.  Example 2: Peptic ulcers stomach lining norepinephrine chronic stress capillaries secretion constrict protective barrier hydrochloric acid for the lining mucosal breaks down the stomach production stops tissue diminish  Example 3: Asthma body releases Airways lining Stress/anxiety histamine in the become swollen airways and inflamed Breathing production of muscles that becomes harder mucus, leading surround the & may hurt to mucus plugs airways tighten  Example 4: Diabetes mellitus body produces hormones insulin Stress adrenalin & Resistance cortisol less effective at increase in blood lowering blood glucose sugars Take Home Messages Life is too short to stress unnecessarily 25