BAHS 112 LECTURE 9 STRESS.pdf

BAHS 112 INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY FOR ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES LECTURE 9 – STRESS AND STRESS COPING Department of Psychology University of Ghana 2023/2024 Academic Year  Lecture objectives By the end of this lecture, student...

BAHS 112 INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY FOR ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES LECTURE 9 – STRESS AND STRESS COPING Department of Psychology University of Ghana 2023/2024 Academic Year  Lecture objectives By the end of this lecture, students will be able to: ◻ Understand the concept of stress ◻ Explain some causes of stress ◻ Explain some strategies for dealing with stress STRESS  STRESS Think and tell: Someone says: “Oh my God, I’m so stressed” ◻ How do you understand the person? ◻ Think of instances in your own life when you have described yourself as “stressed”. How were you feeling when you described yourself as “stressed”. ◻ As a student at UG, there are several situations you probably have faced that made you described yourself as stressed.  STRESS ◻ Navigational stress: trying to find your way around this campus, locating lecture halls, offices, exam centers etc. ◻ Academic stress: piled up lectures, writing a number of IAs on the same day, that lecturer whose explanations you just don’t get, that course that you wish could just vanish from your programme. ◻ Relationship stress: ever had a troublesome room mate? Drink-ups every weekend in your room? or the boy/ girl who just won’t leave you alone? ◻ Financial stress: when you know you owe tuition/ residential fees and you see a notice warning all defaulters of possible ejection.  STRESS ◻ These are only some of the stressors that university students face all the time. ◻ Infact, according to the American College Health Association, (2015): Stress is so prevalent on university campuses that about 86% of university students report feeling overwhelmed  STRESS DEFINED ◻ But what exactly is stress and how is it defined? ◻ Before we go there, take a look at some of the synonyms of stress to prep you up: Synonyms : Pressure Tension Anxiety Worry Distress  STRESS DEFINED ◻ There are variations in scholarly viewpoints regarding how stress can be defined. ◻ However in general scholars agree that stress may refer to: A condition or feeling that is experienced when a person perceives that demands made on him/her exceed the resources available for them to respond adequately.  STRESS DEFINED In simple terms: ◻ Stress is how we feel when we are worried ◻ The feeling is brought about by some event or situation. ◻ The situation itself is not the stress but rather, our reaction to the situation causes the stress. ◻ Situations/Events which cause us stress are referred to as stressors. ◻ The effects of stress are called strain  STRESS: CAUSES Top Causes of Stress Cause Factors Co-Worker Tension, Bosses, Work Overload, 1 Job Pressure Downsizing 2 Money Loss of Job, Reduced Retirement, Medical Expenses 3 Health Health Crisis, Terminal or Chronic Illness Divorce, Death of Spouse, Arguments with Friends, 4 Relationships Loneliness Inadequate Nutrition, Caffeine, Processed Foods, 5 Poor Nutrition Refined Sugars Media 6 Television, Radio, Internet, E-Mail, Social Networking Overload 7 Sleep Inability to release adrenaline and other stress Deprivation hormones  STRESSORS An event will be more stressful if it: ◻ is unpredictable ◻ involves a lot of pressure Examples: speeding pace of work/activity meeting deadlines working at maximum capacity for a long time (hrs) ◻ unavoidable ◻ intense ◻ unfamiliar. STRESS: EFFECTS/SYMPTOMS  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING Points to Note: ◻ Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. ◻ Then, Accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining your stress level ◻ Whatever you do, stay away from unhealthy ways of coping ◻ Such strategies may bring relief temporarily, but may cause more harm/stress in the long term  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING Unhealthy coping: ◻ Smoking ◻ Drinking too much alcohol ◻ Overeating or undereating ◻ Sitting for hours in front of the TV or computer ◻ Withdrawing from friends, family, and social activities ◻ Using pills or hard drugs to relax  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING Unhealthy coping: ◻ Sleeping too much ◻ Procrastinating ◻ Filling up every minute of the day to avoid facing problems ◻ Taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts and exhibiting physical violence)  STRESS MANAGEMENT/ COPING ◻ There are many healthy ways of managing/coping with stress that you can chose from. ◻ Whichever one you choose, you need to make a conscious decision to stick to the coping routine and dedicate yourself to it. ◻ Everyone has a unique response to stress ◻ There is no “one size fits all” solution to managing it. ◻ No single method works for everyone or in every situation, ◻ So, experiment with different techniques and strategies. ◻ Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control of situations. ◻ You may speak to a psychologist if you are not sure which strategies to use.  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING Healthy Coping: The Change Approach: You can either: ◻ Change the situation or ◻ Change your reaction. Note: ◻ When deciding which option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the four As: Avoid, Alter, Adapt or Accept. STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING ◻ Change the situation: Avoid the stressor. Alter the stressor. ◻ Change your reaction: Adapt to the stressor. Accept the stressor.  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING Practical Examples of the change approach: ◻ Take Control of your environment: If the news makes you anxious, turn Radio or the TV off. If traffic’s get you tense, take a longer but less- traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, let somebody do the shopping for you.  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING Analyze your schedule, responsibilities and daily tasks: If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them altogether  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING “Enjoy some mistakes”!! ◻ Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. ◻ Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection from yourself and others ◻ Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”  STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING ◻ Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. ◻ Let go of anger and resentments. ◻ Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on. STRESS MANAGEMENT/COPING