Stress and Anxiety Definition
The mental / physical / emotional / behavioral reactions to PERCEIVED danger / difficulty / pain / demands / threats
We don’t believe we have the resources to cope Not All Stress is "Bad"
Good Stress: Attending college Having a job Marriage Winning the lottery Vacation Bad Stress: Illness Death Lack of sleep Economic downfall Problems with the law Threat of personal injury Four Types of Stress
General Stress Cumulative Stress • Everyone has this type of stress • Stress builds up in your body • It resolves itself within a few • It becomes more difficult to days alleviate your symptoms • No intervention is typically • You may have more serious required physical symptoms • You may have more serious mental anguish Four Types of Stress (cont.)
Acute Traumatic Stress Post Traumatic Stress • Critical Incident Stress • Severe stress produced by • Produces considerable severe psychological trauma psychological distress • Created by unresolved Critical • A normal reaction to abnormal Incident Stress events • Produces lasting changes General Adaptation Syndrome
Stage 1: Stage 2: Stage 3: Alarm Response Resistance Exhaustion “Fight, flight, or freeze” If stress continues, the body Breakdown/burnout response will adapt from long-term stress Short Term PHYSICAL Stress Symptoms • Dry Mouth • Cold hands and feet • Cool skin • Increase sweating • Rapid breathing • Faster heart rate • Tense muscles • Feeling nausea • Butterflies in your stomach Long Term PHYSICAL Stress Symptoms • Insomnia • Change in appetite • Sexual disorders • Aches and pains • Frequent colds • Prone to illness • Fatigue Behavioral/Mental Stress Symptoms • Talking too fast/loud • Eating • Nail biting • Anxiety • Fidgeting • Irritable • Depression • Defensive • Grinding teeth • Aggressive • Pacing • Hostile • Crying • Irrational • Smoking • Emotional Negative Effects on Performance
• Reduced effectiveness • Accident Prone • Absenteeism • Forgetful • Make more mistakes • Make poor judgments • May become very negative • Neglect your appearance Resources
• Scale back • Talk out your troubles • Prioritize & ask for help • Change your thinking • Recognize & accept limits • Build & maintain support systems • Say “no” • Change expectations of yourself and • Learn to play the situation • Be a positive person • Don’t procrastinate • Learn to tolerate & forgive • Organize • Avoid unnecessary competition • Be realistic • Get regular exercise, sleep & good • Eliminate destructive self-talk nutrition • Learn to live one day at a time • Learn a systematic, drug-free method • Focus on the present, not the past of relaxing Diet
DECREASE: • salt intake • Refined sugars and carbohydrates • Alcohol and caffeine intake
• INCREASE: • Vegetables • Fruits • Complex carbohydrates • Water • Vitamins Choose New Behaviors
• Separate from external • Get a massage stressor • Do something towards • Resolve incompletes • your goals • Keep finances organized • Listen to music • Delegate • Laugh • Say “no”- understand • your boundaries Choose New Thoughts
• Visualize problems and • Elevate-Will this matter one troubles shrinking to a year from now? manageable size • Trust a positive outcome • Take a mental vacation • Reframe • Challenge pessimistic beliefs • Assume the best • Focus on the positive • Face the fear • Find the opportunity in the • Identify your hurt problem • Forgive Relaxation Techniques
• Progressive Relaxation • Yoga • Tai Chi • Deep Breathing • Guided Imagery • Meditation • Pleasurable Activities • Laugh • Be in the Moment For more information on STRESS & ANXIETY, please contact the Counseling Center Centennial Campus C201 a&b DTSC S126a Rampart Campus N107c (719) 502-4782 PPCC.edu/counseling-center