Module 5: Coping with Stress in Middle and Late Adolescence
WHAT IS STRESS?
According to Webster’s dictionary, stress is the reaction or response of the body and mind to a
change, event or even a real or imagined treat. The threat, event or change that we encounter are
commonly called stressors. Stressors can be internal (thoughts, beliefs, attitudes) or external (loss,
tragedy, change).
There is always continuous change in life, from location of work and school to marriage situation,
or even death of loved one. Therefore, you cannot avoid stress. This is why your aim shouldn't be to
eradicate all stress but to remove unnecessary stress and effectively manage the rest.
There is always continuous change in life, from location of work and school to marriage situation,
or even death of loved one. Therefore, you cannot avoid stress. This is why your aim shouldn't be to
eradicate all stress but to remove unnecessary stress and effectively manage the rest.
Every individual will experience stress, even medical students and physicians- -it is a common
denominator in life. Some stress is good stress (eustress) that is helpful and assists the drive toward
achievement and success. Negative stress (distress) affects life in an adverse manner and is a common
cause of ill health in our society.
Individuals who ignore stress signals or who cope in a negative fashion will experience escalating
symptoms of stress. The symptoms may appear as burnout, exhaustion, emotional illnesses such as
depression and anxiety, and physical illnesses such as ulcers, heart attacks, hypertension, and abuse of
alcohol and other drugs with all the social and professional consequences.
HOW DOES STRESS AFFECT US?
Stress can affect us differently. One person may experience stomach distressed, which is a
common reaction, while another may find headache, and a third may experience any of a number of other
symptoms. Stress can affect immunity, which can impact practically all areas of health. Stress can affect
mood in many ways as well.
Teens are under more stress, since adolescence is a period of significant changes physically,
emotionally, socially, and academically. If you find yourself experiencing physical symptoms you think
may be related to stress, talk to your doctor to be sure you are doing what you can to safeguard your
health. Symptoms that may be exacerbated by stress are not "all in your head" and need to be taken
seriously.
It's important to remember that stress is a natural part of life. Experiencing stress can be good, but
it can also have negative effects on one's well being. What makes stress a positive or negative factor lies
with how effectively the person experiencing the stress is able to manage it. Creating a stress management
planis often one part of a plan for overall wellness.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
Physical Mental Eustress Distress
•Poor appetite or •Poor appetite or
overeating •Feeing tired overeating •Feeing tired
•Eustress or positive •Eustress or positive
and fatigued •Various and fatigued •Various
stress occurs when your stress occurs when your
aches and pains --- aches and pains ---
level of stress is high level of stress is high
headache body ache headache body ache
enough to motivate you enough to motivate you
muscle pain •Nausea & muscle pain •Nausea &
to move into action to to move into action to
abdominal Pain •Sleep abdominal Pain •Sleep
get things get things
problems •Falling sick problems •Falling sick
accomplished. accomplished.
very often e.g. fever very often e.g. fever
cough cold diarrhea cough cold diarrhea
WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRESS MANAGEMENT?
Stress management is the amelioration of stress and especially chronic stress often for the purpose
of improving everyday functioning. Stress produces numerous symptoms which vary according to
persons, situations, and severity. These can include physical health decline as well as depression.
There are types of stress management.
(A)Acute Stress is usually for short time and may be due to work pressure, meeting deadlines
pressure or minor accident, over exertion, increased physical activity, searching something but you
misplaced it, or similar things. Symptoms of this type of tension are headaches, back pain, stomach
problems, rapid heartbeat, muscle aches or body pain.
(B)Chronic Stress is the type of stress considered to be the most serious. Chronic stress is a
prolonged stress that exists for weeks, months, or even years. This stress is due to poverty, broken or
stressed families and marriages, chronic illness and successive failures in life. People suffering from this
type of stress get used to it and may even not realize that they are under chronic stress. It is very harmful
to their health
Stress can be achieved in different ways. The best stress management plans usually include a mix
of stress relievers that resolves stress physically and psychologically and help to develop resilience and
coping skills.
You can use quick stress relievers, like breathing exercise. This technique can help you approach
problems more kindly and proactively.
Develop stress-relieving habits, like meditation and regular exercise, which can help you deal with
problems by being less reactive to it and being able to reverse your response quickly.
Communication skills and other lifestyle skills can be helpful in managing stressors and changing
how we feel from "overwhelmed" to "challenged" or even "stimulated."
Eliminate stressors when you can. You may not be able to completely eliminate stress from your
life or even the biggest stressors, but there are areas where you can minimize it and get it to a
manageable level.