Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Stress
Management and
Prevention
1
Program Resource
Guide
KA P L A N U N I V E R S I T Y
By
Joann Myers
Kaplan University
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
30 September 2014
Table of Contents
UNIT
WHAT
STESS?
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNIT
PENNY
F OR
YOUR
THOUG HTS
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNIT
CONTROL
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNIT
WHO
ARE
YOU?
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNIT
DEAL ING
WITH
STRESS:
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNIT
DAYDR EAM
AWAITS
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
COPING
STRATE GIES
UNIT
DON T
TAKE
M Y
CHOC OL ATE
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNIT
PHYSIC AL
EXERCISE
AND
ACTIV ITY
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
UNIT
AND
APPLYING
PREVE NTIO N
STRESS:
CRITICAL
TO
YOUR
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
Tools: Journal Writing
ADDITI ONAL
ISSUES
F OR
L IF E
M ANAGEM EN T
1
Unit
What is Stress?
Everyone can say they get stress but not everyone one
knows what exactly happens to the body when it gets stressed. A stressor can
be defined as anything that throws the bodys attempt to restore allostasis
(Sapolsky, R. 2004). In other words, once a stressor enters your body it throws
your hormones out of whack, and until you reach a state of relaxation, your
differently, some people face stress face on and are more relaxed and able to
overcome it while others can become sick, angry, or even depressed in a way.
Men will face stress on there own where women tend to (not all) turn to
friends and family for help on the problemTend and befriend: A theory
presented by Shelly Taylor that states that women who experience stress dont
necessarily run or fight, but rather turn to friends to cope with unpleasant
2
Unit
Information to Remember:
The mind and body are one: Without our mind, our functioning brain, we
can not feel, think, act, or move.
brought into overdrive, which sends signals to the rest of the body and causes
us to react.
(threat) that prompts the stress response must be processed at the mental
level before it can cascade down one or more physiological pathways
range seen for mild or moderate stressors to the range typical of big time
stress,
the
hormone
no
longer
enhances
long-term
potentiation.
hippocampus.
Stress and Disease: Stress affects the mind and body; the more a person
prolongs stress the more health issues will arise.
hereditary, viruses, and germs can cause disease. What people do not realize
is that stress can cause disease and make certain disease even worse.
Psychosomatic: A term coined from Franz Alexanders term organ neurosis,
used to describe a host of physical illnesses or diseases caused by the mind
and unresolved emotional issues (Seaward, B., 2009).
Resources: Exercises:
EXERCISE 2.2 Immediate, Intermediate, and Prolonged Stress Effects
(Seaward, B., 2012) - This exercise was all about helping a person understand
how their body effects to stress. As stress continues over minutes, hours, and
days, your body starts to react and change because of that stress. Knowing how
stress effects the body can help people learn when to step back and re-evaluate
a stressful situation and try to eliminate before it gets prolonged.
3
Unit
Unit 3: Control
Information to Remember:
a stressful situation: "that was awful, but think of how bad that could have
been if I hadn't done X", (Sapolsky, R.. 2004). When you allow something to
make you angry without looking at both sides, then you will become
stressed. Taking a step back will not only help bring the stress level down
but it will also help you find a good outcome.
According to the
subtleties of predictability this can be a bad thing because it will cause stress
to arrive even earlier.
stress you will stress over that this is coming. Why would you want to cause
that extra stress by knowing what is ahead of you? If you do know what is
ahead of you though trying finding a positive out of it, control it, rather then
have it control you (Spalosky, R. 2004)
Stress and Depression: Depression is a serious illness that thousands of
individuals find themselves in everyday, for weeks, for years.
The longer
youre are depressed the more harm you do to your body and mind. The
more stress a person puts himself or herself under the more likely they are to
become stressed. People who are undergoing a lot of life stressors are more
likely than average to succumb to a major depression, and people sunk in
their first major depression are more likely than average to have undergone
recent and significant stress (Sapolsky, R. 2004).
Resources: Exercises:
EXERCISE 5.1 Anger Recognition Checklist (Seaward, B., 2012)
This exercise was a great tool to put your anger issues in perspective.
Some people know they get angry, but this really showed how angry you could
4
Unit
get! Knowing this can help with seeing the signs of anger and trying to prevent
it before allowing it to explode.
Stress-Prone Personalities:
personalities each giving stress a different face. Type A personality is all about
getting things done according to a schedule and doing it your way because any
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other way and any other help will slow down a process. Codependency, this
type of personality brings everything on the shoulders of this one individual.
The person needs to feel in control and has to be the one who can fix anything
and everything and does not depend on the help from others. Then you have
the helpless-hopeless personality, this person has a low self-esteem and feels
like nothing can go their way and that with anything they do they are always
stressors to see the bright side of things, to become a stronger person is great.
The stress-resistant personalities contain the Hardy personality, the Survivor
personality, and the Sensation seekers. These three personalities allow people
to take stress on, they find a challenge and overcome it; the confront stress,
Resources: Exercises:
EXERCISE 7.8 Distractions of the Human Path (Seaward, B., 2012)
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In all our lives we have things that can take us away from what really
needs to be done. Doing this exercise helps you realize what distractions in
your life prevent you from getting things done, from not exercising, or even
spending time with the family. Writing things down and actually seeing what
can and needs to be changed will help a person change those things.
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5
Unit
Information to Remember:
Humor: This is a good comping strategy because laughter will take you away,
even just for a moment from the stressor. Laughing will help you release the
throughout the day and focusing on one thing at a time is the key.
Positive Mind Set: This can be very difficult but when you can look at more
things positively it will cause less stress symptoms to your body. Sometimes if
you can take second to step back and re-evaluate a situation and find the
positive in it, youll be doing a lot better.
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allowed me to make necessary changes to help cut out stress due to time
6
Unit
management issues.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Stop, take a deep breath in and let it out, just
breath.
This is a great tool to help you relax at any time of the day.
Diaphragmatic breathing is ultimately just a deep breath, one that goes deep
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into your stomach, down past the diaphragm. When you can learn to take a
deep breath through diaphragmatic breathing you will clear your mind just for
a moment because you bring complete thought and control to what you are
doing. "Diaphragmatic breathing is perhaps the simplest way to initiate the
Resources: Exercises:
EXERCISE 20.2 Three Short Guided Visualizations (Seaward, B. 2012)
Lets talk about getting rid of all distractions and traveling to a whole new
world! Close your eyes for a moment and listen to the gentle, rolling waves of
the oceanyou feel completely relaxed (Seaward, B. 2009). This exercise was
great in teaching a way to step away and escape without actually leaving.
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Learning to do this can help clear your mind before bed, before or after work,
7
Unit
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to go. But, when it comes to stress people can run to their comfort food and
when you are always stressed you are always running to that comfort food. If
you can control the temptations and you can control what and how much you
eat. Stress and overeating have always been a combination and can cause
craving more and more because it is not getting what it needs, eventually you
will fall into the fourth domino which brings your body into illness because it is
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these dont show affect but they can give a a good idea of what can and will
8
Unit
Key learning point from the unit about The Wellness Mandala <insert your
text>
Key learning point from the unit about The Wellness Mandala <insert your
text>
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9
Unit
Information to Remember:
Hobbies:
stress or be bad for stress, so when it comes to hobbies choose wisely. If you
do a hobby that is fun, exciting, and does not require a lot of thinking, it will
help you escape from that thing called stress. A hobby that allows you to relax
and just breath is the kind of hobby you need. Some hobbies require a lot of
thinking and a lot of dedication, which means if you feel that something is
going wrong, it can cause more stress. Some hobbies produce tension and
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Just Do It: this goes for everything that involves coping with stress! Holding
off on sleep, on relaxation time, exercise time, and eating properly. Dont
save your stress management for the weekend, or for when youre on hold on
the phone for thirty seconds.
(Sapolsky, R. 2004). Taking time every day will help release stress and allow
your body to go back into a relaxed state rather than constantly allowing to
build and build until you blow or cause serious health issues. Stop breath,
relax, and think.
Additional Information
Though I still have a long road ahead of me, I feel that this class has helped by giving me tools
and teaching me ways to cope with, handle, and rid of stress and anger based life habits and
issues.
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References:
Klass,K.(2014,September15).TaiChiofferspeaceformind,bodyandspirit.
Retrievedfromhttp://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/life/2014/09/15/taichi
offerspeacemindbodyspirit/15696591/
ThisarticlewasfunandtoldyouallaboutthebenefitsofTaiChi.Ittoldyou
whatitis,howtodoit,andwhypeoplelikedit.TaiChiisagreathobby,
exercise,andrelaxationtechnique.
Sapolsky, R. (2004). Stress and Memory. In Why zebras don't get ulcers: The
Acclaimed Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Disease and Coping. (Vol. 3, pp. 215225). N.Y: W.H. Freeman. (PRIMARY SOURCE)
Seaward, B. (2009). Managing stress: principles and strategies for health and wellbeing (6th ed.). Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett. (PRIMARY SOURCE)
Seaward,B.(2012).Theartofpeaceandrelaxationworkbook(7thed.).Burlington,
MA:Jones&BartlettPub.(PRIMARY SOURCE)
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