Md Sharique Ahmad Md Altamash Ali Md Yasir Habib Md.Asadullah Md.

Waquar Alam

FOUND YOURSELF IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS?

5/2/2012

 A term borrowed from physics & engineering. First time used in biological & psychological

context in year 1930 by endocrinologist Hans Selye.

BIOLOGICAL
Refers to the consequence of the failure of an organism human or other animal to respond adequately to mental, emotional, or physical demands, whether actual or imagined.

PSYCHOLOGICAL
Reaction and response to any kind of change that affects the individual & its environment.

Stress is often termed as a twentieth century syndrome, born out of man's race towards modern progress and its ensuing complexities.
- BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

stressor is defined as an event or context that elevates adrenaline and triggers the stress response which results in the body being thrown out of balance as it is forced to respond. stressors are subjective and what one person may find stressful, others may not necessarily experience as negatively.

Internal stressors These we carry around inside of us. They are self

owned stressors.
These may range from the posture we adapt, to

addictions and assessment of life/personal satisfaction or simply not getting enough sleep.

External stressors These are the stressors in the environments in which we

operate Can be in the from of parental pressure work pressure role pressure household pressure traffic, crime etc.

Hidden stressors The underlying cause is difficult to identify. Results in conflicting feelings and a sense of an

inappropriate reaction or response to a situation.

example- underdeveloped emotional intelligence where self-awareness is not apparent.

Obvious stressors Those situations, which obviously DO or are

INTENDED to bring about stress.

example- a work deadline would be an imposed obvious stressor where as the death of a loved one would be unimposed but an obvious one.

Myth 1- I must be stressed to succeed...

Myth 2- All Stress is bad

Myth 3- If only I could move/change my job/ leave my spouse/get rid of my boss, then my stress would go away...
Myth 4- There is nothing I can do about stress
*From- Stuart E, Webster A, Wells-Federman, C.L. 1992 Managing Stress, The Wellness Book

Because of the overabundance of stress in our modern lives, we usually think of stress as a negative experience, but from a biological point of view, stress can be a negative or positive experience. For example:
athletes rising to the challenge of stress and achieving the

unachievable. scientists stressing themselves out over a point to bring into light the most unthinkable secrets of the phenomenal world. and likewise a painter, a composer or a writer producing the best paintings.

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4.

Eustress Distress Hyper stress Hypo stress

Have you ever (I'm sure you have) felt: - The thrill and excited feeling while watching a horror movie. - The feeling of excitement when you won a game or race. - The excitement when you bought your first car. - The accomplishment of a challenge. - The proud feeling of being a first time parent - The happy feeling of being loved. - The excitement of going for a holiday.

These make us feel good. Exert a healthy effect on us. Gives feeling of fulfillment , contentment and makes one excited about life. Unfortunately, occurs for a short period of time. Often called the curative stress because it gives a person the ability to generate the best performance or maximum output.

Often called as negative stress. Opposite of eustress. It is a stress disorder Caused by adverse events and it often influences a persons ability to cope.

Some events leading to distress are:

- Death of a loved one - Financial problems - Heavy work responsibility and workload - Strained relationship - Chronic illnesses

Distress can be classified further as acute stress & chronic stress. Acute stress is short-lived while chronic stress is usually prolonged in nature.

When a person is pushed beyond what he or she can handle, they will experience what we called hyperstress. Hyperstress results from being overloaded or overworked. Its like being stressed out. When someone is hyperstressed, even little things can trigger a strong emotional response.

People who are most likely to suffer from hyper stress are:
Working mothers who have to multi-task, juggling

between work and family commitments Wall street traders who are constantly under immense tension . People who are under constant financial strains. Generally people working in fast pace environment.

Hypo stress ,opposite to hyperstress. Stress experienced by a person who is constantly bored.
Someone in an unchallenging job, such as a

factory worker performing the same task over and over, will often experience hypo stress.

The effect of hypo stress is feelings of restlessness and a lack of inspiration.

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Alarm stage Resistance stage Exhaustion stage

Starts with perceiving the stressful situation. Psychological changes occur in our body. This disrupts the normal body balance. Our body begins to respond to the stressors in the best possible way.

Cardiac - increased heart rate. Respiratory - increased respiration. Skin - increased temperature. Hormonal - increased stimulation of adrenal. genes which produce an adrenal rush.

Body tries to cope or adapt to the stressors by beginning a process of repairing any damage the stressor has caused.
Your friends, family or co-workers may notice changes in you before you do so it is important to examine their feedback to make sure you do not reach overload.

Behavior indicators include:

Lack of enthusiasm for family, school, work or life

in general. Withdrawal. Change in eating habits. Insomnia. Hypersomnia. Anger. Fatigue.

Cognitive Indicators include:

poor problem solving. confusion.

nightmares.
hyper-vigilance.

Emotional indicators include:

tearfulness fear anxiety panic guilt agitation depression overwhelmed.

During this stage the stressor is not being managed effectively and the body and mind are not able to repair the damage.

digestive disorders. withdrawal. headaches. tension. insomnia. loss of temper.

Cognitive Symptoms Memory problems Inability to concentrate Poor judgment Seeing only the negative Anxious or racing thoughts Constant worrying Physical Symptoms Aches and pains Diarrhoea or constipation Nausea, dizziness Chest pain, rapid heartbeat Loss of sex drive Frequent colds

Emotional Symptoms Moodiness Irritability or short temper Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation Depression or general unhappiness Behavioral Symptoms Eating more or less Sleeping too much or too little Isolating yourself from others Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

Common external causes of stress

Major life changes Work

Relationship difficulties
Financial problems Being too busy Children and family

Common internal causes of stress

Inability to accept uncertainty Pessimism Negative self-talk Unrealistic expectations Perfectionism Lack of assertiveness

Apart from internal & external causes stress can be self generated.

When I feel agitated, do I know how to quickly calm and soothe myself? Can I easily let go of my anger? Can I turn to others at work to help me calm down and feel better? When I come home at night, do I walk in the door feeling alert and relaxed? Am I seldom distracted or moody? Am I able to recognize upsets that others seem to be experiencing?

ACTIVITY

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The following are events that occur in the life of a college student. Place a check in the left-hand column for each of those events that has happened to you during the last 12 months. ___ Death of a close family member/friend. - 100 points ____ Final year or first year in college - 63 points ____ Pregnancy (to you or caused by you). - 60 points ____ Severe personal illness or injury ........................................................-53 points ____ Marriage .- 50 points ____ Any interpersonal problems ..- 45 points ____ Financial difficulties ..- 40 points ____ Arguments with your roommate (more than every other day) ..- 40 points ____ Major disagreements with your family ..- 40 points ____ Major change in personal habits - 30 points ____ Change in living environment .- 30 points ____ Beginning or ending a job .- 30 points ____Problems with your boss or professor ..- 25 points ____ Outstanding personal achievement .- 25 points ____ Failure in some course .- 25 points ____ Final exams - 20 points ____ Increased or decreased dating .- 20 points ____ Changes in working conditions .- 20 points ____ Change in your major-20points ____ Change in your sleeping habits - 18 points ____ Several-day vacation .- 15 points ____ Change in eating habits - 15 points ____ Family reunion ..- 15 points ____ Change in recreational activities ..- 15 points ____ Minor illness or injury ..- 15 points ____ Minor violations of the law ..- 11 points Score: _________________

: relatively low stress level in relation to life events 150 - 300 points : borderline range Greater than 300 points : high stress in relation to life events

Less than 150 points

From Girdano, D.A., Everly, G. S., Jr., & Dusek, D. E. Controlling stress and tension (3rd edition), ENnglewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

our support network. our sense of control. our attitude and outlook. our ability to deal with emotions. our knowledge and preparation.

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Some stress management activities for the individual may include:

exercising - this creates a hormonal reaction which releases

positive stress selecting and eating foods which keep you going and provide the right nutrition and sugar levels limiting the intake of alcohol/substance abuse getting enough rest and sleep avoid over-committing yourself meditation-yoga , namaz , recitation of holy books etc. counseling Groups friend circle, family support

Contd

stress management- workplace perspective:

assessing personality types and managing stress levels accordingly putting balanced work schedules together Implementing an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) breaking project work into smaller pieces providing time management and stress management courses assessing the communications styles within the organization appropriate delegation of responsibility so that people are not overburdened with delivery.

Offer rewards and incentives for positive management of workplace pressure and stressors as well as support to others in these situations Promote a work environment and organisational culture which encourages entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity. Providing opportunities for social events and/or less formal communication Looking into the prospects of building a gym or supporting participation by staff in sports

Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, expectations of employer, or needs of the worker.

 Job Insecurity
High Performance Demand Bad Boss

Workplace Culture
Personal or Family Problems Technology

Work-related stress can result in high levels of employee turnover rate. Employees experiencing stress are more likely to make poor decisions and casual errors. Workplace relations and customer service may deteriorate

1.Overworked underling (high-demand low-control) The profile:

You're busy from the time you get to work until the time you

leave. you have little freedom while you're there. You don't have much say over how you do your job or the types of projects you work on. you're always on someone else's schedule.

The solution:
Research suggests ;even if you can't make your job less

demanding, finding ways to get more involved in decisionmaking will help ease the stress

2.Frustrated go-getter (effort-reward imbalances) The profile:

You work your tail off, but you feel you don't receive enough

credit, or compensation. With lots of sweat (and maybe a few tears), you've made your bosses look good. Still, you haven't received a raise, a promotion or sufficient recognition.

The solution:
Try discussing your career goals with your boss. You may not get the rewards you want right away, but you

could gain some insight about how to improve your situation and outlook.

3.Castaway The profile:

You feel like you're all alone, and not in a good way. You require help or guidance, your boss won't give it to you, When you need to vent, you don't have a trusted ally to turn

to.

The solution:
A good support system at work at both the fronts,i.e. from

boss(mental support) & colleagues(emotional support). Work on communicating your needs, both practical and emotional.

4.Doormat (emotional labor) The profile:

There's a discrepancy between your internal state and the roles

you're expected to play at work. You deal with demanding and verbally abusive customers, But through it all you're expected to swallow your resentment and maintain a facade of professionalism, calm and courtesy.

The solution:
Ask your boss for advice or additional training on how to handle

difficult customers without feeling demoralized. Doing your job without taking abuse personally will leave you feeling better about yourself.

5.Tech prisoner The profile:

Thanks to the Blackberry, cell phone and laptop your

company so generously provided, your boss can now reach you 24/7. You're constantly (if virtually) connected to the office, and your work and personal life are indistinguishable.

The solution:
To protect yourself from mental and physical strain, learn

how to unplug (literally). Set aside blocks of time -- between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m., say when you turn your electronics off and focus on clearing your head.

6.Burnout The profile:

You're terminally exhausted, (physically , emotionally)

to the point where it becomes difficult to function. You feel as if you're on the verge of a breakdown.

The solution:
If you're experiencing burnout, discuss it with a

supervisor and explore whether you can take time off or even a leave of absence.

7.Bully target The profile:

Your boss insults you, gives you impossible deadlines, assigns you busywork just because she/he can and dresses you down in

front of your colleagues. Or you've seen her do those things to others -- and you're worried that you're next.

The solution:
Try to mollify your boss. And if your coworkers share in your frustration, you can try confronting

your tyrannical boss as a group. (There's safety in numbers.) If that doesn't work, document the bullying and raise your concerns with a superior or with human resources (HR).

8.Wronged victim The profile:

Work just isn't fair. Your boss plays favorites.

management decisions are mystifying and arbitrary You are treated like children.

The solution:
Raising your concerns with a trusted superior or HR rep

may leave you feeling less burned out -- and less stressed.

Fright. Flight Fight