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STRESS MANAGEMENT

MANAGING STRESS IN YOUR LIFE:

A PERSONAL APPROACH

J.P. PECORELLI, PH.D.

Behavioral Health Services of Sharon Regional Health System

724-983-5454

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

IS A PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE IS NECESSARY

TIME, MONEY, AND RELATIONSHIPS ENSURE

THAT STRESS WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

STRESS

DOES NOT HAVE TO BE NEGATIVE OR OVERWHELMING

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

DEFINITION:

THE NON-SPECIFIC RESPONSE OF THE BODY TO ANY DEMAND

Hans Selye, MD

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

DR. HANS SELYE WROTE:

“…STRESS IS ESSENTIALLY REFLECTED BY THE RATE OF ALL THE WEAR AND TEAR CAUSED BY LIFE.”

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO US?

IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE STRESSOR IS PLEASANT OR UNPLEASANT, OR THE RESULTS ARE GOOD OR BAD

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

NOT ALL STRESS IS NEGATIVEEUSTRESS: POSITIVE STRESS

RESULTS FROM EXHILARATING EXPERIENCES:

WINNING THE LOTTERY

UNEXPECTED PROMOTION

AWARD

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

DISTRESSSTRESS OF:

LOSING, FAILING, OVERWORKING AND NOT COPING

CAN BE HARMFUL AND IT IS NORMAL FROM TIME TO TIME

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

OUR RESPONSE TO STRESS:

IS THE AUTOMATIC STATE THAT RESULTS WHEN THE BODY ATTEMPTS TO MAKE CHANGES IN ORDER TO ADAPT TO ANY DEMAND

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

CAUSES OF STRESS FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES:

EXTERNAL INTERNAL

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

EXTERNAL STRESSORMAY BE MAJOR LIFE EVENTS:(REFER TO HOLMES-RAHE SCALE)

MOVING DEATH OF SPOUSE, FAMILY MEMBER OR

FRIEND DIVORCE

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

MAY BE CAUSED BY EVERYDAY PRESSURES SUCH AS:

FINANCIAL DEADLINES ARGUMENTS FAMILY CONCERNS LACK OF SLEEP

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

INTERNAL STRESSORS“INSIDE OURSELVES”

THIS TYPE OF STRESSOR MAY PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN THE STRESS OF DAILY LIFE

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

EXAMPLES ARE:

“VALUES AND BELIEFS”

FAITH

GOALS

SELF-IMAGE

EXPECTATIONS OF SELVES & OTHERS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

STRESS

DRIVEN BY HORMONES

HORMONES ACT LIKE A CONDUCTOR

HORMONES INNERVATE BODY SYSTEMS/ORGANS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE STRESSED:

HYPOTHALAMUS STIMULATES PITUITARY PITUITARY RELEASES ACTH INTO BLOOD ACTH STIMULATES ADRENAL GLANDS TO

SECRETE FURTHER CHEMICALS THAT AFFECT OTHER ORGAN SYSTEMS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

STRESSWHAT YOU NOTICE: HEART RATE SPEEDS UP BP RISES BREATHING SPEEDS UP BLOOD TO MUSCLES SWEATING BLOOD SUGAR INCREASES

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

MANY PEOPLE HAVE SYMPTOMS OF DISTRESS EVERYDAY.

WE ACCEPT IT AS PART OF A NORMAL DAY.

TO REDUCE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON OURSELVES, WE MUST INCREASE AWARENESS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

PHYSICAL MENTAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORAL COGNITIVE

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:

MUSCLE TENSION NAUSEA, VOMITING HEADACHES JAW, NECK & BACK PAIN DIARRHEA SLEEP DISTURBANCES DRY MOUTH, SWEATY PALMS UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS COLD HANDS BREATHING CHANGES (E.G., SHALLOW, SIGHING)

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

EMOTIONAL/MENTAL SYMPTOMS:

ANXIETY, WORRY, GUILT, NERVOUSNESS ANGER, FRUSTRATION MOODINESS DEPRESSION APPETITE VARIES RACING THOUGHTS NIGHTMARES DIMINISHED CONCENTRATION IMPAIRED MEMORY OR FORGETFULNESS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

INDECISIVENESS CLOSE TO TEARS OR CRYING LONELINESS FEAR OF GETTING CLOSE SUICIDAL THINKING TROUBLE LEARNING NEW INFO CONFUSED/DISORGANIZED

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS TARDINESS SERIOUS APPEARANCE NERVOUS BEHAVIOR/HABITS RUSHING/PACING ON EDGE INCREASED FRUSTRATION/IRRITABLE MORE ACCIDENTS OVERREACTING

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL DEFENSIVE SLEEP PROBLEMS/TIREDNESS INCREASED USE OF OTC DRUGS INCREASED TOBACCO INCREASED ALCOHOL INCREASED RECREATIONAL DRUGS

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

LONG TERM EFFECTS ARE HARMFUL.MOST OF US BOUNCE BACK. UNDER

LONG-TERM STRESS HOWEVER: OUR PERSONALITIES CHANGE MAY BECOME DEPRESSED FEEL HELPLESS/HOPELESS BECOME EXPLOSIVE/IMPULSIVE

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

HAVE EXAGGERATED FEARS DEVELOP ANXIETY/PANIC DEVELOP PHYSICAL PROBLEMS

INCLUDING CV DISEASE, HBP, ULCERS OR HEADACHES

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

QUESTIONS?

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

NOW THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH

SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS,

HOW DO YOU MANAGE IT?

SIMPLE, RIGHT?

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

COPING SKILLS FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT:

DEEP BREATHING EXERCISE RELAXATION GUIDED IMAGERY

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

GET ORGANIZED:

USE CALENDERS OR “TO DO LISTS”

KNOW YOUR LIMITS:

BE REALISTIC

CHANGE ATTITUDE:

LEARN TO SEE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS AS CHALLENGES

TALK IT OVER:

TALK THE SITUATION OVER WITH A FRIEND

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

LEARN TO SAY “NO”:

THERE ARE SOME DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. SEPARATE THOSE FROM ACTIVITIES OVER WHICH WE HAVE SOME CONTROL, AND LEARN TO SAY “NO” TO DEMANDS.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

POSITIVE SELF TALK:

LEARN THAT YOU CAN MANAGE A STRESSFUL SITUATION BY WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, “I CAN HANDLE THIS ONE STEP AT A TIME”.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

TAKE CHARGE:

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING YOUR LIFE WHAT YOU WANT.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

DEEP BREATHING PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION BIOFEEDBACK MEDITATION BEGIN AN EXERCISE PROGRAM REAPPRAISE YOUR LIFE AND PRIORITIES

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

LOVE, PRAY, FORGIVE

REALIZE THAT MOST STRESS COMES FROM WITHIN, NOT WITHOUT.

TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS AND TASTE THE STRAWBERRIES.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTIVENESS