Stress Management

Elliotte DowUniversity of Utah Undergraduate

Bachelors in Health Promotion and Education

Stress• Physics Term: the physical force/tension placed on

an object• Endocrinologist, Hans Selye: “the non-specific

response of the body to any demand placed upon it to adapt.”

• Researcher, Richard Lazarus: “a state of anxiety produced when events and responsibilities exceed one’s coping abilities.”

• Holistic approach: “the inability to cope with a perceived (real or imagined) threat to one’s mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.”

Stages of Stress• Phase 1: Alarm Reaction

o Nervous system sends an emergency signal to your braino “Fight or Flight” reactiono Fast breathing, sweating, accelerated heartbeat – leads to higher blood

pressure and indigestion

• Phase 2: Stage of Resistanceo Energy level reduces and your body reacts by releasing stored sugars

and fats into your systemo Weary, anxious, forgetfulo Easy target for colds and flu

• Phase 3: Stage of Exhaustiono Completely drained of energy o Prolonged exposure leads to the depletion of resistance energy

resulting in illness/death

Stress and you• 44% of Americans feel more stressed than they

did 5 years ago• 1 in 5 Americans experience “extreme stress”

o Shaking, heart palpitations, depression

• College statisticso According to a survey taken on 40 random colleges throughout the

United States in 2009 through the College Stress and Mental Health poll, 85% of students feel stressed on a daily basis

o Anxiety disorders are the most common mental issue on college campuses (Hoxworth 2012).

What causes you stress?

So how should we cope with stress?

https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend/citations

How to Manage Stress• Managing stress is different for EVERYONE• Physical activity

o Ex. Working out, walking the dog, etc.

• Social engagemento Ex. Getting together w/ friends, meet new people, join a club, etc.

• Avoid unnecessary stressorso Know your limits, avoid people who stress you out

• Alter the situationo Express your feelings, manage your time

• Instead of focusing on the problem, focus on finding a solutiono Accept what is happening and find a solution

• Make time for fun and relaxationo Ex. Get together w/ friends, listen to music, going for a walk, etc.

Resources for you• (Free) Mental Health Apps:

o Breathe2Relax: teaches users how to do diaphragmatic breathing, and includes educational videos and stress logs

o PTSD Coach: 24-hour tool that links directly with support services, as well as guidance on specific issues that they want to deal with.

o SAM: helps you monitor and track you anxious thoughts, as well as connecting you to a confidential, online community for support.

• Websites:o MentalHealth.gov: government-sponsored resource for mental health

education, resources, and supporto National Alliance on Mental Illness: educational resource, as well as

personal stories from people around the world dealing with mental illness

o University of Utah Student Wellness Center and Counseling Center• http://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/utah

o http://greatist.com/grow/resources-when-you-can-not-afford-therapy

Resources• http://greatist.com/grow/resources-when-you-can-

not-afford-therapy

• https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend

• http://www.stress.org/stress-is-killing-you/• http://wellness.utah.edu• http://counselingcenter.utah.edu

Final Tips• If you don’t remember anything from today,

remember this:1. Everybody deals with stress2. Listen to your body3. Talk to someone4. You can either let stress control you, or you can

control your stress