ana!e"ent an# Pre$enti%n Stress ana!e"ent an# Pre$enti%n 1 Pr%!ra" Res%urce &ui#e 2 KAPLAN UNI VERSI TY Stress Management and Prevention Program Resource Guide '( C)rist%*)er +, Saur% Ka*lan Uni$ersit( HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in ana!e"ent an# Pre$enti%n 10-1.-/010 Table of Contents U N I T 1 T H N ! T U R " # S T R S S In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin!: 4%urnal Writin! U N I T 2 T H $ " % & ! S $ ! T T ' # I ' % In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin!: 4%urnal Writin! U N I T ( # ! S T " R # ! M I N I N In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin!: 4%urnal Writin! U N I T ) " N P ' ! N T U N % R S T R S S In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin! U N I T * U N % R S T R S S + , H ! T N " , - In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin! U N I T . ! G ' S S , I S % " M " # M % I T ! T I " N In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin! U N I T / S I G H T 0 S " U N % 0 ! N % $ " % & , " R 1 In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin! U N I T 2 T H , ' ' N S S M ! N % ! ' ! In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin! 2 U N I T 3 ! P P ' & I N G S T R S S + C R I T I C ! ' M ! N ! G M N T ! N % P R 4 N T I " N T " & " U R P R " # S S I " N ! ' ' I # In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin! U N I T 1 5 ! P P ' & I N G S T R S S + C R I T I C ! ' M ! N ! G M N T ! N % P R 4 N T I " N T " & " U R P R " # S S I " N ! ' ' I # In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er Res%urces: E3ercises T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin! ! % % I T I " N ! ' I N # " R M ! T I " N
(End of the Guide) ( Unit 1+ T6e Nature of Stress Information to Remember+ Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Nature %1 Stress5 Men and women respond to stress diferently. Men and women do difer in their ability to cope with stress. Females tend to be more emotional than males, but in our defense I believe that because it is a stereotype, if we handle stress by crying it is seen as weak. I think that women have somewhat of an advantage because they think things through more thoroughly; hence that gives them more solutions to a problem. Something that both men and women benet from is positive stress, but as long as that stress is within reason. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Nature %1 Stress5 Identifying what stress means to me and also what currently are my biggest stressors! "ithout opening up a dictionary and reciting e#act verbatim of what stress is clearly dened as, I will do my best to give you all my ade$uate interpretation of what stress means to me. Stress is the internal and e#ternal factors that present them self to any one individual that create physiological responses %good&bad'. It is important to note that stressors are intrinsic; meaning that what may create stress for one may not for another. Individuals tend to handle situations diferently and thus, responses tend to be altered depending on circumstances. (here are many ways to cope with and minimi)e negative responses to stress. *nderstandably, this will be discussed in further detail in the latter portions of our curriculum. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Nature %1 Stress5 The General Adaptation Syndrome is defned by three distinct stages; Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion. Resources+ 7ercises+ +,+-.IS+ /.0 My 1ealth 2hilosophy3 I chose to include this particular e#ercise from *nit / due largely in part to the fact that this is the key to how we handle our own health and wellness. 1ealth is everything and without it, we have nothing. It is about achieving a balance between mind, body, and soul. "ithout ever guring out this key component, life will be di4cult to live, strive, and progress throughout. "e all handle our lives and stress diferently but our philosophy is e#actly that; ours. 5o one can tell us otherwise or take away what we value or believe in. Unit 1 ) Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ +,+-.IS+ /.6 7 8ood 5ight9s Sleep3 I chose to include this portion of the :ournal entry because I %and most other people' don9t really comprehend :ust how important it is to get ade$uate sleep each and every night. Since the /;<=s scientists have been diligently studying sleep and still no concrete evidence has really came to fruition on why we sleep still. 2eople take for granite sleep and how this dictates :ust how our day will go. I also came to the conclusion upon composing my :ournal entry was that I was not getting su4cient sleep. (his is why my mood and constant tiredness rolled into my following days at work. Since then, I have made the necessary steps to ensure I am getting at least on average > hours of $uality sleep a night and limiting use of the cell phone near my bed when in fact it is time to crash. Unit 2+ T6e $od9 as $attlefield Information to Remember+ Key learning point from the unit about The Body as Battlefield; (he ght or ?ight response was once benecial for survival in the wild, but in our day@to@day lives it has had a profound efect on both physiologically and psychologically. (he toll it takes on the body includes Aincreased risk for health problems such as an#iety, depression, weight gain and heart diseaseB %AStressB, 0=//'.(he short term memory efects include suppression of catecholamines associated with concentration, inhibition and rational thought %AStressB, 0=//'. 1owever the efects of chronic stress are greater. .ortisol, a hormone released during stress, shrinks the hippocampus which is the brain9s memory center %AStressB, 0=//'. (his can have severe conse$uences on our ability to efectively store memory, thus reduce our ability to recover from chronic e#posure to similar stressors. -eference3 CStress.C University of Maryland Medical Center. 5.p., 0=//. "eb. 0D 7ug. 0=/E. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e '%#( as 'attle6el#; 2rolonged stress can cause damage to cognitive realms %i.e. memory'. I think this is why itFs so important for individuals to take out the time to nd ways to implement rela#ation&meditation in oneFs Unit 2 * life. It seems like any :ob one possesses these days has some volume of stress involved. Some :obs pose more stress than others. In addition to stressful :obs, comes a signicant amount negative health concerns; nutritional intake, lack of e#ercise, sleep habits, etc. If we do not nd ways to take care of ourselves outside of our work environment, we will sufer as result within the realms of the mind, body, and soul. Gastly, stress causes chemicals in the body to secrete in order to successfully respond to the stimuli %done naturally'causing the body to react with a ght or ?ight response; as result e#treme negative impact put on the brain. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e '%#( as 'attle6el#5 2rolonged stress damages to the hippocampus. (he human hippocampus helps form Aconscious memories of emotional eventsB %Seaward, 0==;, p. 6D'. 2rolonged e#cess stress shrinks our brain cells. Stress can also afect our memory and brain processes. -eference Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and well- being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning.
Resources+ 7ercises+ EXERCISE 0.0 Immediate, Intermediate, and 2rolonged Stress +fects3 (his was a very interesting e#ercise to determine what e#actly happens to oneself when the stress response kicks in. (he fact that responses change over certain time period is very intriguing. +specially the fact that we can see prolonged stress efects < to /= days after sufering from a signicant stress related eventLLL Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ EXERCISE E./ 2hysical Symptoms Muestionnaire3 Nut of all the *nit 0 :ournal e#ercises, I felt this one was important to include in this nal assignment. (he $uestionnaire looked over what e#actly stress@related symptoms occurred within my body during a week to see a correlation between that and stress levels during that time. Some symptoms we think may be from eating bad food or other issues when in fact it could directly correlate to stress as result. It was an eye opener to put two and two together and really understanding the link. . Unit (+ #east or #amine Information to Remember+ Key learning point from the unit about Feast or Famine; -obert SapolskyFs interpretation of the CSubtleties of 2redictabilityC from his book "hy Oebras PonFt 8et *lcers gives us an understanding of how recogni)ing&identifying stressors before they happen ultimately does not make things easier to cope with. 1e suggests that warnings are deemed non@efective when the stressor is something of a very rare occurrence or also when the stressor is prevalent on day to day occasions %Sapolsky, 0==6'. (his makes logical sense. In addition, knowing immediately before a stressful situation is about to happen also does not serve any psychological benets. "hether info shared is received prior to or long before, the stressor presented is still as strong. 2redictability, in the stressors category, is not benecial. If I told you that in < minutes you were going to break your leg regardless of anything you did to prevent it, would you be calm! (he simplistic answer is no. It would make things worse. Some types of predicative information increase anticipatory response stressor %Sapolsky, 0==6'. In closing, stress is a normal response regardless of whoever you are and however good life is. Sapolsky does a good :ob of identifying research that supports predictability to certain stressors is not as benecial as most would think. Get the stressors come as they do, take them in, and respond&handle them accordingly. It is a natural part of life. -eference3 Sapolsky, -. M. %0==6'. "hy )ebras don9t get ulcers. %E rd ed.'. 5ew Qork, 5Q3 St. Martin9s 8ri4n. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut 7east %r 7a"ine; (he building blocks are, Nutlets for Frustration, Social Support, 2redictability, .ontrol and 7 2erception of (hings "orsening. Nutlets for frustration deal with how one manages such stress %i.e. punching a wall'. Social Support is having no help to discuss your stress with someone else or no outlet for voicing concerns. 2redictability is about always thinking the worst will happen and outlook on situations is always negative. .ontrol is being able to think you have the ability to manage the situation accordingly and understand ultimately you have the power. Gastly, a perception of things worsening means that you dwell on the fact there is a situation you can9t change, however you still think you can. -eference3 Unit ( / Sapolsky, -.M. %0==6'. "hy Oebras Pon9t 8et *lcers. %E rd ed.'. 5ew Qork, 5Q3 St. Martin9s 8ri4n. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut 7east %r 7a"ine5 Sapolsky states that subtleties of control is if you believe you have control over stressors that are in fact beyond your control you may consider it somehow to be your fault that the inevitable occurred %Sapolsky, 0==6'. -eference3 Sapolsky, -.M. %0==6'. "hy Oebras Pon9t 8et *lcers. %E rd ed.'. 5ew Qork, 5Q3 St. Martin9s 8ri4n. Resources+ 7ercises+ +,+-.IS+ <.6 7nger3 (he Fight -esponse3 (his whole e#ercise in *nit E touches on 7nger; how we handle it, perceive it, and address it. <.6 in particular really stuck to me because it goes in depth at analy)ing what it means in four diferent categories when anger becomes mismanaged. (hese four categories include; somati)ers, self@ punishers, e#ploders, and underhanders. Somati)ers are people who never show any signs of anger and internali)e their feelings until eventually there is ma:or bodily damage %e.g., ulcers, temporomandibular :oint dysfunction, colitis, or migraines'. Self@ punishers are people who neither repress their anger nor e#plode, but rather deny themselves a proper outlet for anger because of guilty feelings %e.g., eating, shopping'. +#ploders are individuals who erupt like a volcano and spread their temper like hot lava, destroying anyone and anything in their path with either verbal or physical abuse. *nderhanders are individuals who sabotage others or seek revenge through somewhat socially acceptable behavior %e.g., sarcasm, appearing late for meetings'. 7fter understanding what all these encompass, I found out I was in fact an e#ploder. Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ +,+-.IS+ 6./ (he 2sychology of Qour Stress3 (his :ournal entry focuses on one becoming more aware of their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors during episodes of stress. (his entry also focused on RSbler@-oss9s stages of grieving and discussed how they are not :ust for terminally ill individuals, but for any unmet e#pectation that occurs during your life. (he stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Just like a grieving person %not the e#act same e#tent though' we process are failed ventures through these stages. 7t rst we don9t want to believe it, then we are upset that what we set out didn9t happen, we struggle to shed some light on the bad situation, then we are depressed, followed by accepting the fact we failed. Failure is going to occur each and every day. "hat is most important is the mere fact we try to nd positivity from it, and adapt accordingly. 2 Unit )+ "ne Planet Under Stress Information to Remember+ Key learning point from the unit about One Planet Under tress; (here are 6 distinct stress@ prone personalities as outlined by the author Seaward3 (he rst one discussed is the type 7 person. (his person is associated with having a fast@paced&always on the go type demeanor. (ype 7 individuals have numerous issues with unresolved anger %Seaward, 0==;'. (he te#t lays claim that (ype 7 stress@prone personalities have issues with time urgency, multi@tasking, ultra@competitive, fast talkers, manipulative control, and hyper aggressive behavior %Seaward, 0==;'. Sadly, this personality describes me. (ype 7 behavior has strong links to increase in .1P %Seaward, 0==;'. (he second stress@prone personality is (ype P %depression'. (his personality is associated with an overall lack of purpose felt by individuals in this realm. (hey tend to lack love, a very viable component e#pressed as compassion; when missing heart disease chances are higher %Seaward, 0==;'. 7s mentioned, these people who e#hibit an#iety and depression have direct correlations negatively with heart function&disease. (he main diference one can say from (ype 7 to (ype P is the mere fact of how the stress is managed. (ype 7 tends to be overly aggressive&wild while (ype P holds things in more and has more passive tendencies. (he third is codependent personality traits. (his personality is stress@prone and has many traits and behaviors that increase their likelihood of added stressors. (hey have an inability to cope efectively with issues and constantly seek out validation from others %Seaward, 0==;'. (his personality is said to develop early in childhood; as children seeking constant love&approval from their parents. (hese are the kids that take on adult responsibilities even before they are in their high school years and thus, translate to added baggage later on in life that has never been resolved. Gastly, is the fourth stress@prone personality; helpless@hopeless. (his personality is surrounded by low self@esteem. Failure seems to be the root of this one. 7s people tend to give up on themselves, they tend to relate not succeeding as a learned response %Seaward, 0==;'. (hese individuals have similar presentations to the type P personality. .hronic depression is noted in this personality. (his population has given up on life based on past failures. Gastly, an e#ternal locus of control surrounds these individuals; they donFt feel in control of their life&actions, but rather think that e#ternal circumstances control it %Seaward, 0==;'. (hese are people for e#ample who donFt do much in life for fear of not accomplishing it. (hey donFt like new things, are Unit ) 3 very simplistic, and have negative images of themselves internally&e#ternally. (hey need constant positive reinforcement or compliments in order to assist with participation in any activity&event. -eference3 Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and well- being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut 8ne Planet Un#er Stress5 (he stress resistant personalities are the hardy personality, survival personality and the sensation seekers. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut 8ne Planet Un#er Stress5 (his unit also helped us dene what self@esteem means to us personally. Self@esteem issues afect millions of individuals across the world. It is hard not to nitpick oneself when society takes into account beauty and perfection so highly. I feel in the *nited States we are somewhat supercial and :udge beauty more@so based on outside appearance rather than what someone brings to the table altogether. ItFs sad, but true. I think itFs big that you can acknowledge that you have self@esteem issues and maybe that can help you work towards diminishing these negative thoughts you have of yourself. 7lways try to make light of the situation and try and remember that beauty is only skin deep; keep your head up high and donFt sweat the small stuf. Resources+ 7ercises+ +,+-.IS+ >.D Pistractions of the 1uman 2ath3 I chose this e#ercise to put into my resources tab due largely in part because distractions are a daily occurrence and one must approach these, confront them, and handle them appropriately. (he e#ercise helps one understand how to deal with the distractions positively and aims to help handle them and change the way in which they afect you. Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ +,+-.IS+ I./ *nder the 8un3 Stress and 2ersonality3 (his :ournal entry was very critical for my understanding of *nit 6. (he entry re$uired you to pick a stressor revolving around your daily life and e#plain the characteristic in which one employs to deal with the stress based on concepts of the 1ardy 2ersonality. I felt it was necessary here to paste the entry to fully understand the way in which I approached the topic. /. .ontrol3 "ork3 (his is a stressor encountered on a daily basis. "ith my :ob, I feel the events surrounding it give me or better yet make me feel as if I have an internal locus of control over most any given situation. My :ob is stressful; working with kids has its momentous amounts of rewards but yet there is going to be situations of unpredictability always occurring throughout the day when dealing with pediatrics. I always step back and analy)e situations from diferent perspectives to difuse a stressful or complicated event. My internal locus of control sets in and I make :udgment calls based on my e#perience with kids who present similar to others. 7lthough I may not have complete control over certain circumstances, I can reduce the occurrence and severity of some by employing this techni$ue. 15 0. .ommitment3 -elationship3 "hen times are going rough with my girlfriend, I look to other commitments in life that give me meaning and purpose. I take in time with my family and close friends and seek guidance and support to move through di4cult situations&events. In addition, I use my religious faith to pray for clarity and further guidance. It9s huge to have an outlet when times are rough; something&someone to lean on, gain support, and trust completely. "hen you have a foundation, it makes life that much more meaningful. E. .hallenge3 +veryday life occurrences3 5ot one specic stressor comes to mind when discussing the challenge portion of the hardy personality. I feel the challenge aspect is one of the most important ones surrounding the topic of hardy personality. "e must as individuals embrace uncertainty&change and see the positive out of negative circumstances. If we do not, then there is a greater chance of higher stress levels and never properly dealing with stress as result. Gist any other aspects %inner resources' that help you get through the tough times3 /. 5o other inner resources utili)ed; the mainstream way I deal with stress is e#ternal help %i.e. yoga, lifting, cardio, etc'. (hat seems to some of the better ways for me to deal with stress accordingly. Unit *+ Under Stress+ ,6at No:- Information to Remember+ Key learning point from the unit about Under tress! "hat #o$% -obert Sapolsky outlines several distinct factors to Fsuccessful agingF in his book, "hy Oebras PonFt 8et *lcers. Sapolsky and fellow colleague Michael Meaney conducted testing on handling of rats to determine if neonatal handling decreases the amount of glucocorticoids secreted as an adult %Sapolsky, /;;6'. Secreting signicant amounts of glucocorticoids in?uences the rate of hippocampal degeneration in old age, so Sapolsky and Meaney Unit * 11 hypothesi)ed that handling rats in early life would alter the aging process later on in life %Sapolsky, /;;6'. (heir hypothesis was in fact true. Hy handling the rats early on in their lives, not only did it stop the downward spiral of hippocampal damage, but also saved memory loss and helped them maintain ade$uate glucocorticoid levels %Sapolsky, /;;6'. It is valuable that parents spend time with their children in the early years of life providing love and nurture accordingly. (his is one way to slow down the negative efects of aging, and can provide success with the process. Furthermore, Sapolsky bases most of his factors on successful aging by altering neurochemistry&systems within the body. Its principle is based on the old debate over nature v. nurture. "hether you want to believe this concept or not, handling and taking care of your loved ones early in life lays a foundation for future progression and maturation for individuals. -eference3 Sapolski,-. %0==6' C"hy OebraFs donFt get *lcersC, %Eed'. 5ew Qork,5Q3 St. MartinFs 8ri4n
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut Un#er Stress: W)at N%9: Gearned helplessness is a psychological condition in which a human being or an animal has learned to act or behave helpless in a particular situation, even when it has the power to change its unpleasant or even harmful circumstance %Sapolsky, /;;6'. Gearned helplessness theory is the view that clinical depression and related mental illnesses result from a perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation %Sapolsky, /;;6'. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut Un#er Stress: W)at N%9: (he main thing to note with psychological stressors is that itFs intrinsic; each and every individual will handle&perceive their stressors diferently. (he key is to nd out what works best to cope with them and implement them into your daily routines to limit negative efects associated with stress responses. I personally use e#ercise to combat my stress. It helps me cope when unforeseen circumstances arise that I cannot control initially. "e must take the unknown with a grain of salt and learn to take the good from the bad. Some individuals over analy)e stress and tend to make it a bigger deal than it actually is. Resources+ 7ercises+ 5o e#ercises assigned for *nit <. Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ +,+-.IS+ D./ -eframing3 Seeing a Higger, .learer 2erspective3 (his e#cerpt from *nit < really helped me gain a clear view on how to alter the way in which one handles their stressors from an altered&varied point of view. It9s a way to AreframeB your :udgment to get to the e#act root of the problem and to attack it head on so that it never happens again. (he :ournal entry had you analy)e three separate events in your life and discuss how you would handle them normally and then ad:ust to see the positive from negative circumstances. It was very eye opening :ournal piece that has helped alter the way in which I go about accepting change and a Aroll with the punchesB type attitude. 12 Unit .+ !geless ,isdom of Meditation Information to Remember+ Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A!eless Wis#%" %1 e#itati%n5 T)e i"*%rtance %1 2reat)in! tec)ni;ues t% c%"2at stress, Here are s%"e sa"*le 9a(s t% i"*le"ent t)e strate!ies5 Helow are two specic ways to follow for focusing on diaphragmatic breathing for rela#ation3 (he Hellows Hreathing (echni$ue %(he Stimulating Hreath' (his yogic techni$ue can be used to help stimulate energy when needed. It is a good thing to use before reaching for a cup of cofee. Sit in a comfortable up@right position with your spine straight. "ith your mouth gently closed breathe in and out of your nose as fast as possible. (o give an idea of how this is done, think of someone using a bicycle pump %a bellows' to $uickly pump up a tire. (he upstroke is inspiration and the down stroke is e#halation and both are e$ual in length. (he rate of breathing is rapid with as many as 0@E cycles of inspiration&e#piration per second. "hile doing the e#ercise, you should feel efort at the base of the neck, chest and abdomen. (he muscles in these areas will increase in strength the more this techni$ue is practiced. (his is truly an e#ercise. Po this for no longer than /< seconds when rst starting. "ith practice, slowly increase the length of the e#ercise by < seconds each time. Po it as long as you are comfortably able, not e#ceeding one full minute. (here is a risk for hyperventilation that can result in loss of consciousness if this e#ercise is done too much in the beginning. For this reason, it should be practiced in a safe place such as a bed or chair.. Unit . 1( 7bdominal Hreathing (echni$ue Hreathing e#ercises such as this one should be done twice a day or whenever you nd your mind dwelling on upsetting thoughts or when you are e#periencing pain. 2lace one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. "hen you take a deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the chest. (his insures that the diaphragm is pulling air into the bases of the lungs. 7fter e#haling through the mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your nose imagining that you are sucking in all the air in the room and hold it for a count of > %or as long as you are able, not e#ceeding >' Slowly e#hale through your mouth for a count of D. 7s all the air is released with rela#ation, gently contract your abdominal muscles to completely evacuate the remaining air from the lungs. It is important to remember that we deepen respirations not by inhaling more air but through completely e#haling it. -epeat the cycle four more times for a total of < deep breaths and try to breathe at a rate of one breath every /= seconds %or I breaths per minute'. 7t this rate our heart rate variability increases which has a positive efect on cardiac health. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A!eless Wis#%" %1 e#itati%n5 Mental imagery is the use of the imagination to see images created by our unconscious minds %Seaward, 0==;'. 7ccording to Seaward, mental imagery usually falls within three categories % Seaward,0==;'. (he rst category pertains to the images that promote rela#ation by creating scenes that bring us peace %Seaward, 0==;'. (his could be sitting on a sandy beach for some people or rela#ing on a front porch swing looking over a corn eld for other people. (he second category houses the images that replace a desirable behavior in lieu of an undesirable behavior %Seaward, 0==;'. Imagining yourself replacing your bad habit of drinking heavily cafeinated and sugary drinks with fruit infused water made at home would be a good e#ample. 7nd the last category of mental imagery is creating Aimages that help to heal damaged body tissue %Seaward, 0==;'.B I take myself to a beach where waves crash, or a porch where I watch a storm roll in over the hori)on. In addition, while IFm using mental imagery, I listen to audio tracks with nature and other sounds to compile with the scene I am trying to depict in my head. -eference3 Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well- being. %I th ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones and Hartlett 2ublishers Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A!eless Wis#%" %1 e#itati%n5 Rey takeaway from this unit is that meditation helps promote stress reduction. "e all get caught up in everyday life that we tend to not give ourselves any AmeB time. Gife is so stressful and moves so fast that we never stop and Asmell the rosesB. (his unit inspires us to be in tuned with our inner self and not take the little things for granite. 1) Resources+ 7ercises+ +,+-.IS+ 0=.0 (hree Short 8uided Tisuali)ations3 (his e#ercise in 0=.0 helps touch on what was focused on during the discussions throughout the unit. It uses mental imagery to focus on rela#ation. 1ere is a blurb post e#ercise implementation3 "ow, that is the rst time I have ever done breathing e#ercises like that. *pon trialing all of them, I can feel a sense of clarity and focus that I did not have prior to doing them. It9s ama)ing how individuals never take the time out of their day to stop and :ust breathe. "e all get so caught up in life that the little things we take for granite, such as simple breath control seem to go on the backburner. "e all e#perience so much stress, that we do not use the simplest of measures to control&limit&or decrease them. I en:oy doing Hikram Qoga because it is a way to get in touch with the mind@ body connection. (hey focus on the importance of breath control for the practice. I en:oy it and after class I tend to have this moment of perfect clarity that I cannot get from any other activities. I am now going to make it a point to implement these breathing e#ercises during my daily life to help combat stressors and become better in tune with myself. Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ +,+-.IS+ /D./ (oo Much Information3 (his portion discusses :ust how we are bombarded with information within our daily lives. It is tons and tons of sensory information always coming in, with no potential options to release it all. "e must have outlets in order to not get Abacked upB. Nutlets to lter out information include3 yoga, meditation, e#ercise, decreasing media time, and breathing e#ercises outlined during the unit. Unit /+ Sig6t0 Sound and $od9 ,or; Information to Remember+ Key learning point from the unit about ight& ound and Body "or'; "hen individuals become depressed or have high levels of stress in their life, they tend to lean towards Unit / 1* eating unhealthy, unwanted foods that translate to empty calories as a way of coping. "e have a learned behavior that we associate with food; if we ate a particular food at one point during stress in the past, then that food becomes CcomfortC and when we reach that similar stress point again, we consume the same %Seaward,0==;'. 7s our stressors ?uctuate throughout life, so does our typical eating habits. Stress puts you on a roller coaster of emotions. (he same principle will follow with the diet; up and down meals %empty calories', or lack thereof any eating whatsoever. ItFs important to recogni)e when our high levels of stress are triggered, and resort to healthy alternatives for eating well. "hen I am stressed I tend to eat more, but my refrigerator&free)er&pantry are stocked with meal choices that are all good sources of nutrition. Gimiting temptation to snack on C:unkC will at least assist with stress and eating habits. -eference Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and well- being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut Si!)t< S%un# an# '%#( W%r=5 .afeine is known to trigger the ght or ?ight response in individuals. "hen this chemical is ingested and introduced to our internal workings, it arouses the sympathetic nervous system and stimulates the release of stress hormones %Seaward, 0==;'. From here, people e#perience a heightened sense of alertness, which also makes that individual more prone to what is referred to as Aperceived stress %Seaward, 0==;'. -eference Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and well- being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning. Key learning point from the unit about ight& ound and Body "or'; 7ccording to Seaward, there are four stress domino factors that can cause us to have a weakened immune system, health@related problems, which is a result e$uate to poor stress@related eating habits. Pomino /3 Stress tends to deplete nutrients in the body. Pomino 03 .urrent 7merican lifestyles under stress do not promote or reinforce good eating habits. .onse$uently, the nutrients depleted under chronic stress are not restored. Pomino E3 Some foods substances are known to increase sympathetic drive or other physiological responses that keep stress response elevated. %.afeine, processed sugar and ?our, and salt.' Pomino 63 Many foods that are processed contribute to a cumulative efect of to#ins. For e#ample, residues of synthetic or petroleum@based fertili)ers, herbicides, and pesticides found in many foods hinder the immune system. 1. Resources+ 7ercises+ 5o e#ercises assigned for *nit >. Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ +,+-.IS+ 0>./ Stress@-elated +ating Hehaviors3 (his portion of the :ournal analy)ed eating habits when one is e#periencing high time of stress. My nal score ended up being 0<. 7 score of more than 0= points indicates eating behaviors that are not conducive to reducing stress. (his was very surprising to me; I am a very healthy eater and thought personally that I had things under control. 7n overall eye opener has occurred. I am in the process of changing my ways even more so than I had previously. Unit 2+ T6e ,ellness Mandala Information to Remember+ Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Wellness an#ala5 2hysical e#ercise on managing and preventing stress is critical. (here are many signicant benets of physical e#ercise on eliminating negative stressors that occur within oneFs daily life. 2hysical e#ercise releases endorphins; feel good chemicals in the brain %Mayo .linic, 0=/E'. In addition physical e#ercise helps improve mood, which in turn boosts positive thinking and thus, decreases stress within the body %Mayo .linic, 0=/E'. I am a rm believer on the importance of physical e#ercise to decrease stress levels. "hen I leave the gym, the previous issues encompassing my thoughts seem to decrease and my mind is somewhat clear. Gastly, physical e#ercise has been known to increase self@condence, which can lower symptoms associated with depression and an#iety %Mayo .linic, 0=/E'. If you donFt have time or money for the gym, even walking outdoors or any fun activities to do with the family would su4ce. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Wellness an#ala5 Hy e#ercising, we ensure that our bodies use the hormonal secretions for their intended purpose, and then they are ?ushed out of our systems with other metabolic waste %Seaward, 0==;'. .ortisol secretion is the prime suspect when it comes to weight gain. (o combat this and ?ush the body, we must e#ercise. 2eople think that it has to be vigorous and uncomfortable in Unit 2 1/ order to reap the benets, but any form of physical e#ercise will help combat the negative efects stress takes on the body. "ith these important facts on ?ushing the stress hormone from the body, individuals must not make e#cuses for why they canFt e#ercise. It is vital that one nd something that intrinsically motivates them in order to ensure they follow a physical activity regimented routine. -eference Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and well- being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning. Resources+ 7ercises+ 5o e#ercises assigned for *nit D. Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ +,+-.IS+ 0D./ 2hysical +#ercise3 (his :ournal piece was interesting and very intrinsically motivating to me based on how high I value e#ercise within my life. I could go on all day discussing e#ercise. (he :ournal entry added focus on what activities I use to incorporate into my routine, fre$uency, type, and duration. I found that motivation for superiority is what drives my success. I want to be above many and understand the vital component of not only is it for how I look on the outside, but also what physical e#ercise is doing for me on the inside. +#ercise is something that will always be a part of my life and knowing all the positive health benets that come from it are invaluable. 12 Unit 3+ !<<l9ing Stress+ Critical Management to 9our Professional 'ife Information to Remember+ Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A**l(in! Stress: Critical ana!e"ent t% Y%ur Pr%1essi%nal Li1e5 1ealthy diversions are any activities that ofer a temporary escape from the sensory overload that can produce or perpetuate the stress response %Seaward, 0==;'.Piversions ofer the conscious mind a Achange of venueB to promote clear thinking. (aking your mind of a problem, or removing an issue from conscious attention for a designated period of time, and diverting attention to an unrelated sub:ect focuses the mind and enables it to deal better with these issues upon return %Seaward, 0==;'. "e must have hobbies as individuals in order to promote clarity within one9s life. (hey are a way to escape from reality and reduce negativity in oneFs given life. -eference3 Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and well- being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A**l(in! Stress: Critical ana!e"ent t% Y%ur Pr%1essi%nal Li1e5 (o con$uer fear of the unknown, gathering information about a specic circumstance becomes one of the best defenses against stressors %Seaward, 0==;'. Information seeking involves collecting and processing facts about a stressful event or situation, which can then be used to help solve the problem and regain emotional stability %Seaward, 0==;'. "hen one can control the situation knowledge is a powerful tool to dismantle a stressor. Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A**l(in! Stress: Critical ana!e"ent t% Y%ur Pr%1essi%nal Li1e5 5ever underestimate the power of support groupsLL Unit 3 13 Resources+ 7ercises+ +,+-.IS+ /D.E Hridging the 1emispheres of (hought; I chose to elaborate on this e#ercise because it tended to shed light on hemispheres of the brain. I attached an e#cerpt from my writing to lend some clarity on the topic; Hased on the list of associated $ualities with dominant thinking styles, I would tend to have to say I9m more so a right@brain thinker. I think my imagination gets the best of me and I am in touch with my emotions. It9s interesting to hear that "estern culture is said to be left@ brain dominant in thinking skills. (he attributes of left@brain thinking, i.e. mathematical and analysis are not to be my strong suits. I9m curious how there are ways to balance right and left sides accordingly in order to be in sync with one another. If I had to make an assumption as to why my thinking skills gravitate toward right@ brain thinking, I would say that I9m stubborn in my ways and tend to not always want to think outside my bo#&comfort )one. It is hard to really gauge why my thinking skills gravitate one way more than the other. My dominant thinking skills are imagination, humor, and emotionality. 5on@dominant thinking skills are mathematical, verbal acuity, and global thinking. I do not have a denite answer on how I can balance patterns. 1owever, reviewing what I know are my non@dominant thinking skills, I can tend to try and take these approaches when reviewing how I should go about solving everyday problems&occurrences that I encounter within my life. Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+ +,+-.IS+ 0>.E (he -ainbow Piet3 (his was $uite an interesting piece on the chakras and how one should eat based on color for certain ailments. +ating certain fruits and veggies associated with the same chakra are said to relieve the issue. I9m :ust curious as to the validity of these claims. I have never heard much on this approach and was wondered on the concrete evidence to back up this techni$ue. I however understand the importance of eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and spices within one9s diet. 25 !dditional Information /' 6 ways to handle stress %7merican 1eart 7ssociation' @http3&&www.heart.org&1+7-(N-8&8etting1ealthy&StressManagement&Four"aystoPeal "ithStress&Four@"ays@to@Peal@with@StressU*.MUE=>;;IU7rticle.:sp 0' /D ways to manage stress V http3&&psychcentral.com&blog&archives&0=/=&=I&0E&/D@ways@to@manage@stress& E' Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and well-being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning. 6' Sapolski,-. %0==6' C"hy OebraFs donFt get *lcersC, %Eed'. 5ew Qork,5Q3 St. MartinFs 8ri4n ANh,I get the urge to e#ercise every now and then, but I :ust lie down till it goes away.B V Mark (wain 21 There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts. Richard Bach, uthor of !llusions 22
Hijacked by Your Brain: How to Free Yourself When Stress Takes Over (Groundbreaking Self-Help Book on Controlling Your Stress for Better Mental Health and Wellness)