Stress and Stressors

Stress and Stressors
Module 3
Breathing Exercise
What is Stress?
• Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological
strain.
• Stress is your body's response to anything that requires attention or action. Everyone
experiences stress to some degree.
• The way you respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to your overall well-
being.
How do you handle stress?
What is Stress?
• Sometimes, the best way to manage your stress involves changing your
situation.
• At other times, the best strategy involves changing the way you respond to the
situation.
• Developing a clear understanding of how stress impacts your physical and
mental health is important.
• It's also important to recognize how your mental and physical health affects
your stress level.
How will you know you are stressed?
Signs
• Stress can be short-term or long-term.
• Some common signs of stress include:
• Both can lead to a variety of symptoms, but chronic stress can take a serious
toll on the body over time and have long-lasting health effects.
Signs
• Changes in mood
• Clammy or sweaty palms
• Decreased sex drive
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty sleeping
• Digestive problems
• Dizziness
• Feeling anxious
• Frequent sickness
Signs
• Grinding teeth
• Headaches
• Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders
• Physical aches and pains
• Racing heartbeat
• Trembling
Identifying Stress
• Stress is not always easy to recognize, but there are some

ways to identify some signs that you might be
experiencing too much pressure.
• Sometimes stress can come from an obvious source, but
sometimes even small daily stresses from work, school,
family, and friends can take a toll on your mind and body.
Causes (Stressors)
 Psychological signs such as difficulty concentrating, worrying, anxiety,
and trouble remembering
 Emotional signs such as being angry, irritated, moody, or frustrated
 Physical signs such as high blood pressure, changes in weight, frequent

colds or infections, and changes in the menstrual cycle and libido
 Behavioral signs such as poor self-care, not having time for the things
you enjoy, or relying on drugs and alcohol to cope
Causes (Stressors)
There are many different things in life that can cause stress. Some of the
main sources of stress include work, finances, relationships, parenting, and
day-to-day inconveniences. Stress can trigger the body’s response to a
perceived threat or danger, known as the fight-or-flight response. During
this reaction, certain hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released.
This speeds the heart rate, slows digestion, shunts blood flow to major
muscle groups, and changes various other autonomic nervous functions,
giving the body a burst of energy and strength.
Causes (Stressors)
Originally named for its ability to enable us to physically fight or run

away when faced with danger, the fight-or-flight response is now activated
in situations where neither response is appropriate—like in traffic or
during a stressful day at work. When the perceived threat is gone, systems
are designed to return to normal function via the relaxation response. But
in cases of chronic stress, the relaxation response doesn't occur often
enough, and being in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight can cause
damage to the body.
Causes (Stressors)
Stress can also lead to some unhealthy habits that

have a negative impact on your health. For example,
many people cope with stress by eating too much or
by smoking. These unhealthy habits damage the
body and create bigger problems in the long-term.
Types of Stress
Not all types of stress are harmful or even negative. Some of the different
types of stress that you might experience include:
 Acute stress: Acute stress is a very short-term type of stress that can either be
positive or more distressing; this is the type of stress we most often encounter in
day-to-day life.
 Chronic stress: Chronic stress is stress that seems never-ending and inescapable,
like the stress of a bad marriage or an extremely taxing job; chronic stress can also
stem from traumatic experiences and childhood trauma.
 Episodic acute stress: Episodic acute stress is acute stress that seems to run
rampant and be a way of life, creating a life of ongoing distress.
 Eustress: Eustress is fun and exciting. It's known as a positive type of stress that can
keep you energized. It's associated with surges of adrenaline, such as when you are
skiing or racing to meet a deadline.
Stress at Work
 Stress does not only bear weight on a person’s emotional state, but also affects his
mental and physical health.
 Stress can interfere with production and efficiency on the job.
 It can debilitate persons to the point of requiring medical or psychological

treatment.
 Prolonged stress can lead to serious, even fatal illness.

Impact of Stress
The connection between your mind and body is apparent when you examine the
impact stress has on your life. Feeling stressed out over a relationship, money, or your
living situation can create physical health issues. The inverse is also true. Health
problems, whether you're dealing with high blood pressure or you have diabetes, will
also affect your stress level and your mental health. When your brain experiences high
degrees of stress, your body reacts accordingly.
Serious acute stress, like being involved in a natural disaster or getting into a
verbal altercation, can trigger heart attacks, arrhythmias, and even sudden death.
However, this happens mostly in individuals who already have heart disease.5
Stress also takes an emotional toll. While some stress may produce feelings of mild
anxiety or frustration, prolonged stress can also lead to burnout, anxiety disorders, and
depression. Chronic stress can have a serious impact on your health as well. If you
experience chronic stress, your autonomic nervous system will be overactive, which is
likely to damage your body.
Assignment:
Be ready to share your stress reliever or how

you handle your stress especially in these time
of pandemic.
Prepare to share it in class next meeting.
Thank you!

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Stress and Stressors

• Some common signs of stress include:

• Stress is not always easy to recognize, but there are some

 Physical signs such as high blood pressure, changes in weight, frequent

Originally named for its ability to enable us to physically fight or run

Stress can also lead to some unhealthy habits that

 Stress can interfere with production and efficiency on the job.

 It can debilitate persons to the point of requiring medical or psychological

 Prolonged stress can lead to serious, even fatal illness.

Be ready to share your stress reliever or how

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