Stress: DefinedHans Selye (1920s): The non specific response of the body to any demand made upon it.

Lazarus & Folkman: A particular relationship between the person & the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his resources & endangering his wellbeing. Stress: Arousal of the mind and body in response to demands made on them. In other words it is: Everpresent Multifaceted Neutral

Stress: Nature
Stress is your mind and bodys response or reaction to a real or imagined threat, event or change. The threat, event or change are commonly called stressors. Stressors can be internal (thoughts, beliefs, attitudes or external (loss, tragedy, change). As you begin to experience a stressful event or perceive something to be stressful psychological changes occur in your body. This experience or perception disrupts your bodys normal balance and immediately your body begins to respond to the stressor(s) as effectively as possible.

3 Types of Stress:
Neustess: Stress has a neutral nature. Distress: Arousal too high or too low. Symptoms: Poor concentration, short temperedness, trembling hands, anxiety, irritability. Eustress: (Positive Stress) Moderate, occasional elevations of anxiety. Helpful in: Quick response to emergencies, adding zest and variety to life, performing well under pressure, preparing for deadlines and realising ones potential.

Nature of Stress: Dispelling common myths

All stress is bad. Goal of stress management should be to eliminate stress. Good Life should be free of stressors. The less the stress, the better. A person can always adapt to difficult circumstances if he/she tries hard enough. Some people are destined by their heritage to be highly stressed. Distress has only harmful effects. Stress affects only adults, meditation is cultish. Physical exercise drains energy that can be used to cope stress.

Social Context of Stress:

No man is an island entire of itself Individuals experience with stress neutral, positive or negative can be understood & effectively managed only by understanding the social context. Persons social position and social characteristics need to be taken into account to understand stress. Educational background Socio-economic status Family of origin Ethnic and religious background Neighbourhood and community

What do Good Stress Managers do?

Anticipate, monitor and regulate stressors as far as possible. Believe they can influence events and their reactions to those events. Practice daily deep relaxation in order to balance chronic excitation of the stress response with recovery. Maintain positive health buffers daily exercise, good eating habits, adequate sleep and healthy pleasures to build stress resistance. Recognise early warning signs of physical and mental distress.

Costs of Distress:
To the individual: o Decreased productivity at work, wasted potential o Low self-esteem, decreased satisfaction with life o Lack of career advancement o Physical illness, lowered energy In the surroundings: o Open conflicts, tension in the air. o Psychological put-downs. o A damper on freedom of expression.

Assumptions about Stress Management

Personal Responsibility - Only self-care. Holism No single, magical way. Gradualism Not too many stress management methods. Balance Change and stability, thought and action, Selfinterest and the well-being of others. Rhythm Conscious control of the rhythms of stress and distress. Awareness Anticipating a crisis, Enhancing awareness plays useful role. Hindsight, Midsight, Foresight

Assumptions about Stress Management

Action Action guided by informed understanding that is the necessary and sufficient combination required for handling stress well. Experiment-of-one Discover your own methods for controlling stress and preventing distress. Test, observe, draw conclusions. Egoistic Altruism Focus energy on micro-environment or macro-environment. Lifelong process An on-going, never-ending, sometimes joyful and sometimes frustrating challenge.

Anticipatory, Current & Residual Stress

Anticipatory Stress: Arousal stimulated by an expected stressor. Mind and body prepare in advance for change, crisis or challenge. Eg. Tension before a test. Anticipatory Coping Current Stress: Arousal during an experience. Eg. Bodys extreme alarm during an auto accident, mental alertness in the midst of a debate. Residual Stress: Arousal after an experience has passed. Eg. Athletes having difficulty in sleeping the night after a victory. Afterstress Distress can be the result of both Overload and Underload