Stress Self-Study
Complete this self-study and earn credit toward the 2013 Live Happy * Live Healthy
Wellness Program.
□ Read through the information provided about stress and learn skills on how you can
reduce stress in your life.
What Is Stress? (page 2)
What Are The Different Kinds Of Stress (pages 2-4)
Stress: How To Cope Better With Life's Challenges (pages 5-6)
Positive Thinking: Practice This Stress Management Skill (pages 7-9)
Tips for Coping with Stress (pages 10-11)
Stress Busting Tips (page 12)
Stress Journal/Log (pages 13-14)
Self Study Evaluation (page15)
□ Complete the attached stress journal/log and evaluation form.
□ Submit your journal/log and evaluation form as documentation for completing this
activity.
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WHAT IS STRESS
Stress is any change that you must adapt to in our ever changing world. In particular,
stress is any demand (force, pressure, strain) placed on the body and the body’s
reaction to it. Stress is experienced by everyone who is living, working, and breathing
at this very moment. It is a fact of life you cannot avoid. Stress, itself, ranges in
intensity from the negative extreme of being in physical danger to the joy of
completing a desired goal. All stress is not bad. It is important to identify how you
respond to stressful events. This will determine the impact that these experiences
have on your life.
Fortunately, research is showing that lifestyle changes and stress-reduction
techniques can help people learn to manage their stress. In one study, people who
received cognitive behavior training and were later exposed to stress had lower
cortisol (stress hormone) levels as a result of the training. However, studies also show
that many people must still learn these techniques and how to use them.
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The results of a national survey that was released in February 2006 show that:
“Americans engage in unhealthy behaviors such as comfort eating, poor diet
choices, smoking and inactivity to help deal with stress.” The survey was
conducted by American Psychological Association in partnership with the
National Women’s Health Resource Center and iVillage.com.
THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF STRESS
Source: American Psychology Association
Stress management can be complicated and confusing because there are different
types of stress--acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress -- each with its
own characteristics, symptoms, duration, and treatment approaches. Let's look at
each one.
ACUTE STRESS
Acute stress is the most common form of stress. It comes from demands and pressures
of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. Acute
stress is thrilling and exciting in small doses, but too much is exhausting. A fast run
down a challenging ski slope, for example, is exhilarating early in the day. That same
ski run late in the day is taxing and wearing. Skiing beyond your limits can lead to
falls and broken bones. By the same token, overdoing on short-term stress can lead to
psychological distress, tension headaches, upset stomach, and other symptoms.
Fortunately, acute stress symptoms are recognized by most people. It's a laundry list
of what has gone awry in their lives: the auto accident that crumpled the car fender,
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the loss of an important contract, a deadline they're rushing to meet, their child's
occasional problems at school, and so on.
Because it is short term, acute stress doesn't have enough time to do the extensive
damage associated with long-term stress. The most common symptoms are:
♦ emotional distress- some combination of anger or irritability, anxiety, and
depression, the three stress emotions
♦ muscular problems including tension headache, back pain, jaw pain, and
the muscular tensions that lead to pulled muscles and tendon and ligament
problems
♦ stomach, gut and bowel problems such as heartburn, acid stomach,
flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome
♦ transient over arousal leads to elevation in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat,
sweaty palms, heart palpitations, dizziness, migraine headaches, cold hands
or feet, shortness of breath, and chest pain
Acute stress can crop up in anyone's life, and it is highly treatable and manageable.
EPISODIC ACUTE STRESS
There are those, however, who suffer acute stress frequently, whose lives are so
disordered that they are studies in chaos and crisis. They're always in a rush, but
always late. If something can go wrong, it does. They take on too much, have too
many irons in the fire, and can't organize the slew of self-inflicted demands and
pressures clamoring for their attention. They seem perpetually in the clutches of
acute stress.
It is common for people with acute stress reactions to be over aroused, shorttempered, irritable, anxious, and tense. Often, they describe themselves as having "a
lot of nervous energy." Always in a hurry, they tend to be abrupt, and sometimes their
irritability comes across as hostility. Interpersonal relationships deteriorate rapidly
when others respond with real hostility. The work becomes a very stressful place for
them.
The cardiac prone, "Type A" personality described by cardiologists, Meter Friedman
and Ray Rosenman, is similar to an extreme case of episodic acute stress. Type A's
have an "excessive competitive drive, aggressiveness, impatience, and a harrying
sense of time urgency." In addition there is a "free-floating, but well-rationalized form
of hostility, and almost always a deep-seated insecurity." Such personality
characteristics would seem to create frequent episodes of acute stress for the Type A
individual. Friedman and Rosenman found Type A's to be much more likely to develop
coronary heat disease than Type B's, who show an opposite pattern of behavior.
Another form of episodic acute stress comes from ceaseless worry. "Worry warts" see
disaster around every corner and pessimistically forecast catastrophe in every
situation. The world is a dangerous, unrewarding, punitive place where something
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awful is always about to happen. These "awfulizers" also tend to be over aroused and
tense, but are more anxious and depressed than angry and hostile.
The symptoms of episodic acute stress are the symptoms of extended over arousal:
persistent tension headaches, migraines, hypertension, chest pain, and heart disease.
Treating episodic acute stress requires intervention on a number of levels, generally
requiring professional help, which may take many months.
Often, lifestyle and personality issues are so ingrained and habitual with these
individuals that they see nothing wrong with the way they conduct their lives. They
blame their woes on other people and external events. Frequently, they see their
lifestyle, their patterns of interacting with others, and their ways of perceiving the
world as part and parcel of who and what they are.
Sufferers can be fiercely resistant to change. Only the promise of relief from pain and
discomfort of their symptoms can keep them in treatment and on track in their
recovery program.
CHRONIC STRESS
While acute stress can be thrilling and exciting, chronic stress is not. This is the
grinding stress that wears people away day after day, year after year. Chronic stress
destroys bodies, minds and lives. It wreaks havoc through long-term attrition. It's the
stress of poverty, of dysfunctional families, of being trapped in an unhappy marriage
or in a despised job or career.
Chronic stress comes when a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation. It's
the stress of unrelenting demands and pressures for seemingly interminable periods of
time. With no hope, the individual gives up searching for solutions.
Some chronic stresses stem from traumatic, early childhood experiences that become
internalized and remain forever painful and present. Some experiences profoundly
affect personality. A view of the world, or a belief system, is created that causes
unending stress for the individual (e.g., the world is a threatening place, people will
find out you are a pretender, you must be perfect at all times). When personality or
deep-seated convictions and beliefs must be reformulated, recovery requires active
self-examination, often with professional help.
The worst aspect of chronic stress is that people get used to it. They forget it's there.
People are immediately aware of acute stress because it is new; they ignore chronic
stress because it is old, familiar, and sometimes, almost comfortable.
Chronic stress kills through suicide, violence, heart attack, stroke, and, perhaps, even
cancer. People wear down to a final, fatal breakdown. Because physical and mental
resources are depleted through long-term attrition, the symptoms of chronic stress
are difficult to treat and may require extended medical as well as behavioral
treatment and stress management.
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STRESS: HOW TO COPE BETTER WITH LIFE'S CHALLENGES
Source: American Academy of Family Physicians
WHAT CAUSES STRESS?
Feelings of stress are caused by the body's instinct to defend itself. This instinct is
good in emergencies, such as getting out of the way of a speeding car. But stress can
cause physical symptoms if it goes on for too long, such as in response to life's daily
challenges and changes.
When this happens, it's as though your body gets ready to jump out of the way of the
car, but you're sitting still. Your body is working overtime, with no place to put all the
extra energy. This can make you feel anxious, afraid, worried and uptight.
WHAT CHANGES MAY BE STRESSFUL?
Any sort of change can make you feel stressed, even good change. It's not just the
change or event itself, but also how you react to it that matters. What's stressful is
different for each person. For example, one person may feel stressed by retiring from
work, while someone else may not.
Other things that may be stressful include being laid off from your job, your child
leaving or returning home, the death of your spouse, divorce or marriage, an illness,
an injury, a job promotion, money problems, moving, or having a baby.
CAN STRESS HURT MY HEALTH?
Stress can cause health problems or make problems worse if you don't learn ways to
deal with it. Talk to your family doctor if you think some of your symptoms are caused
by stress. It's important to make sure that your symptoms aren't caused by other
health problems.
POSSIBLE SIGNS OF STRESS
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Anxiety
Back pain
Constipation or diarrhea
Depression
Fatigue
Headaches
High blood pressure
Insomnia
Problems with relationships
Shortness of breath
Stiff neck
Upset stomach
Weight gain or loss
WHAT CAN I DO TO MANAGE MY STRESS?
The first step is to learn to recognize when you're feeling stressed. Early warning signs
of stress include tension in your shoulders and neck, or clenching your hands into
fists.
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The next step is to choose a way to deal with your stress. One way is to avoid the
event or thing that leads to your stress--but often this is not possible. A second way is
to change how you react to stress. This is often the best way.
TIPS FOR DEALING WITH STRESS
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Don't worry about things you can't control, such as the weather.
Prepare to the best of your ability for events you know may be stressful, such
as a job interview.
Try to look at change as a positive challenge, not as a threat.
Work to resolve conflicts with other people.
Talk with a trusted friend, family member or counselor.
Set realistic goals at home and at work.
Exercise on a regular basis.
Eat well-balanced meals and get enough sleep.
Meditate.
Participate in something you don't find stressful, such as sports, social events
or hobbies.
WHY IS EXERCISE USEFUL?
Exercise is a good way to deal with stress because it's a healthy way to relieve your
pent-up energy and tension. It also helps you get in better shape, which makes you
feel better overall.
WHAT IS MEDITATION?
Meditation is a form of guided thought. It can take many forms. You may do it with
exercise that uses the same motions over and over, like walking or swimming. You
may meditate by practicing relaxation training, by stretching or by breathing deeply.
Relaxation training is easy. Start with one muscle. Hold it tight for a few seconds then
relax the muscle. Do this with each of your muscles.
Stretching can also help relieve tension. Roll your head in a gentle circle. Reach
toward the ceiling and bend side to side slowly. Roll your shoulders.
Deep, relaxed breathing (see the box to the right) by itself may help relieve stress.
This helps you get plenty of oxygen.
STEPS TO DEEP BREATHING
Lie down on a flat surface.
Place a hand on your stomach, just above your navel. Place the other hand on
your chest.
• Breathe in slowly and try to make your stomach rise a little.
• Hold your breath for a second.
• Breathe out slowly and let your stomach go back down.
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If you want more help treating stress symptoms, ask your family doctor for advice.
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POSITIVE THINKING: PRACTICE THIS STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILL
Source: Mayo Clinic Staff & Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about
positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and
whether you're optimistic or pessimistic.
In fact, some studies show that these personality traits — optimism and pessimism —
can affect how well you live and even how long you live.
With this in mind, take a refresher course in positive thinking. Learn how to put
positive thinking into action. Positive thinking is a key part of an effective stress
management strategy.
UNDERSTANDING POSITIVE THINKING AND SELF-TALK
Self-talk is the endless stream of thoughts that run through your head every day.
These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes
from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create
because of lack of information.
If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is
likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist —
someone who practices positive thinking.
LIVING LONGER AND HAPPIER THROUGH POSITIVE THINKING
Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on
health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:
• Decreased negative stress
• Greater resistance to catching the common cold
• A sense of well-being and improved health
• Reduced risk of coronary artery disease
• Easier breathing if you have certain lung diseases, such as emphysema
• Improved coping ability for women with high-risk pregnancies
• Better coping skills during hardships
It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health
benefits. But one theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better
with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your
body.
HOW POSITIVE THINKING GIVES WAY TO NEGATIVE THINKING
But what if your self-talk is mainly negative? That doesn't mean you're doomed to an
unhappy life. Negative self-talk just means that your own misperceptions, lack of
information and distorted ideas have overpowered your capacity for logic and reason.
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Some common forms of negative and irrational self-talk include:
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Filtering
You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all of the
positive ones. For example, say you had a great day at work. You completed
your tasks ahead of time and were complimented for doing a speedy and
thorough job. But you forgot one minor step. That evening, you focus only on
your oversight and forget about the compliments you received.
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Personalizing
When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. For example,
you hear that an evening out with friends is canceled and you assume that the
change in plans is because no one wanted to be around you.
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Catastrophizing
You automatically anticipate the worst. You refuse to go out with friends for
fear that you'll make a fool of yourself. Or one change in your daily routine
leads you to think the entire day will be a disaster.
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Polarizing
You see things only as either good or bad, black or white. There is no middle
ground. You feel that you have to be perfect or that you're a total failure.
YOU CAN LEARN POSITIVE THINKING
Instead of giving in to these kinds of negative self-talk, weed out misconceptions and
irrational thinking and then challenge them with rational, positive thoughts. When
you do this, your self-talk will gradually become realistic and self-affirming — you
engage in positive thinking.
You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple,
but it takes time and practice — you are creating a new habit, after all.
Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that
your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.
Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say
to anyone else.
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Examples of typical negative self-talk and how you might apply a positive thinking
twist include:
Negative self-talk
I've never done it before.
It's too complicated.
I don't have the resources.
There's not enough time.
There's no way it will work.
It's too radical a change.
No one bothers to communicate with me.
I'm not going to get any better at this.
Positive spin
It's an opportunity to learn something
new.
I'll tackle it from a different angle.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Let's re-evaluate some priorities.
I can try to make it work.
Let's take a chance.
I'll see if I can open the channels of
communication.
I'll give it another try.
PRACTICING POSITIVE THINKING EVERY DAY
If you tend to have a negative outlook, don't expect to become an optimist overnight.
But with practice, eventually your self-talk will automatically contain less selfcriticism and more self-acceptance. You may also become less critical of the world
around you.
Practicing positive self-talk will improve your outlook. When your state of mind is
generally optimistic, you're able to handle everyday stress in a constructive way. That
ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking.
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TIPS FOR COPING WITH STRESS
Source: Mayo Clinic Staff & Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Unusual levels of stress can negatively impact your ability to accomplish personal
goals and maintain good health. Challenges such as resolving a family crisis or losing
weight become more difficult when stressors mount. Consider the following tips to
help you reduce your stress.
IDENTIFY YOUR STRESS TRIGGERS
Situations that create stress — the condition we experience when demands exceed our
ability to cope — are as unique as you are. Your genes, personality and life
experiences all influence the stress response in your body. For example, one person
may find it stressful to plan and host a holiday celebration for friends or family.
Someone else might enjoy the creative aspects of hosting such an event and even find
it gratifying.
Other causes of stress are obvious — you lose your job or a parent dies. But don't
overlook the daily hassles and demands that also contribute to your stress level —
your daily commute or having too much work to do. Over time such persistent little
things can accumulate and wreak more havoc on your health than do the sudden big
things. That’s why it's important to recognize all of the causes. Try one or all of these
techniques:
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Keep a stress journal
For one week, note which events and situations cause a negative physical,
mental or emotional response. Record the day and time. Give a brief
description of the situation. Where were you? Who was involved? What seemed
to cause the stress? Also, describe your reaction. What were your physical
symptoms? How did you feel? What did you say or do? Finally, on a scale of 1
(not very intense) to 5 (very intense), rate the intensity of your stress.
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Make a list of all the demands on your time and energy for one week
Some examples may include your job, volunteer work, driving kids to afterschool activities or caring for an elderly parent. Then, on a scale of 1 (not very
intense) to 5 (very intense), rate the intensity of stress that each demand
causes.
Sit down and look at your stress recordings. Look closely at the events that you
ranked as very stressful. Select one of them to work on using problem-solving
techniques.
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IMPROVE YOUR TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Effective time management skills can help you identify goals, set priorities and
minimize the stress in your life. Use these tips to improve your time management
skills and lower your stress level.
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Create realistic expectations and deadlines for yourself, and set regular
progress reviews.
Throw away unimportant papers on your desk. Prepare a master list of tasks.
Throughout the day, scan your master list and work on tasks in priority order.
Use a planner. Store addresses and telephone numbers there. Copy tasks from
your master list onto the page for the day on which you expect to do them.
Evaluate and prioritize daily.
For especially important or difficult projects, reserve an interruption-free
block of time behind closed doors.
OVERCOME BURNOUT
If you dread going to work or feel burned out or stressed over a period of weeks, your
situation could affect your professional and personal relationships and even your
livelihood. Overwhelming frustration or indifference toward your job, persistent
irritability, anger, sarcasm and a quickness to argue are indicators of a condition that
needs to be dealt with.
Here are strategies you can use:
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Take care of yourself
Eat regular, balanced meals, including breakfast. Get adequate sleep and
exercise.
Develop friendships at work and outside the office
Sharing unsettling feelings with people you trust is the first step toward
resolving them. Minimize activities with "negative" friends who only reinforce
bad feelings.
Take time off
Take a vacation or a long weekend. During the workday, take short breaks.
Set limits
When necessary, learn to say no in a friendly but firm manner.
Choose battles wisely
Don't rush to argue every time someone disagrees with you. Keep a cool head,
and save your argument for things that really matter. Better yet, try not to
argue at all.
Have an outlet
Read, enjoy a hobby, exercise or get involved in some other activity that is
relaxing and gets your mind off work.
Seek help
If none of these things relieves your feelings of stress or burnout, ask a health
care professional for advice.
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STRESS-BUSTING TIPS
Try these convenient, inexpensive ways to help you cope with everyday stress:
Try some deep breathing
Take a slow deep breath—hold it for five seconds—then slowly exhale. Focus on the
rhythm of your breathing. As you exhale, feel the stress flow out of your body. Repeat as
necessary.
Take a mental health break
Make some time each day to devote to yourself—sometimes even 10 to 30 minutes can
really help. Read a book, write in a journal, soak in a warm bath or participate in a
hobby you enjoy, such as gardening, painting or fishing.
Remove the clutter in your life
Clean out your clothes closet. If you haven’t worn it in years, get rid of it. And clean
your house or work space regularly.
Plan ahead
When traveling, allow more time to get where you’re going. Factor in time for traffic or
other delays so that you’re more relaxed when you get to work or your appointments.
Laughter is the best medicine
Find what makes you laugh—maybe watching “I Love Lucy” reruns, or listening to your
favorite comedian. When you’re laughing, you don’t have time to be stressed out. And
don’t take yourself too seriously. Learning to laugh at yourself may change the way
stress affects your life.
Be good to your body
Regular exercise can help direct your attention away from daily stress and may
contribute to a feeling of mental well-being. Eating a low-fat, low-sugar diet, with
plenty of fruits and vegetables, can boost your physical and mental health as well.
Create peaceful mental images
Picture yourself on the top of a scenic mountain, in a green luscious forest, your favorite
vacation spot or any place calming for you. Try a CD with sound effects and relax to
waves lapping on a shore or gently falling rain.
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STRESS JOURNAL/LOG
Journal Dates:
Name:
Please answer the each question for weeks 1 -6.
Please include the stress journal/log and evaluation with your tracking card as verification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STRESSFUL SITUATION:
Week 1
DESCRIBE YOUR REACTION:
IDENTIFY THE STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILL APPLIED:
DESCRIBE HOW USING THE SKILL HELPED:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STRESSFUL SITUATION:
Week 2
DESCRIBE YOUR REACTION:
IDENTIFY THE STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILL APPLIED:
DESCRIBE HOW USING THE SKILL HELPED:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STRESSFUL SITUATION:
Week 3
DESCRIBE YOUR REACTION:
IDENTIFY THE STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILL APPLIED:
DESCRIBE HOW USING THE SKILL HELPED:
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SITUATION:
Week 4
DESCRIBE YOUR REACTION:
IDENTIFY THE STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILL APPLIED:
DESCRIBE HOW USING THE SKILL HELPED:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SITUATION:
Week 5
DESCRIBE YOUR REACTION:
IDENTIFY THE STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILL APPLIED:
DESCRIBE HOW USING THE SKILL HELPED:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SITUATION:
Week 6
DESCRIBE YOUR REACTION:
IDENTIFY THE STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILL APPLIED:
DESCRIBE HOW USING THE SKILL HELPED:
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STRESS SELF STUDY
EVALUATION
Date:
Name:
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Agree
Strongly
Agree
I found the content of this self-study
meaningful and easy to understand.
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4
5
The self-study journal/log facilitated my
learning.
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5
This self-study program motivated me to
take steps to reduce or manage my
stress.
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5
I would recommend this self-study to a
friend or co-worker.
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4
5
Overall, I would rate this self-study.
(1 = poor, 5 = excellent)
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4
5
I decided to work on this self-care self-study because it (check all that apply):
□ is relevant to my personal health goal
□ wanted to learn more about stress
□ was recommended by others
□ other:
Additional comments?
(future topics, self-studies, how this self study could be improved, etc.)
Submit your completed stress log and evaluation form as verification you completed
this activity.
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