Chapter 3
MEETING LIFE CHALLENGES
Game time:
Rules:
1. Introduce yourselves and add one quality.
2. The next person will introduce the one before and introduce themselves
with a quality.
3. The next person and so on……
So stress could be generally defined as any challenging situation that would
make us put in more efforts and mobilise resources and support systems to
meet the challenge.
Is stress good?
Too little stress > too little motivation to do anything
Too little stress> too little energy
Distress -ve
Stress Eustress +ve
Stress:
Stress is the pattern of response an organism makes to stimulus event
that disturbs the equilibrium and exceeds a person’s ability to cope.
Nature of stress
-Originated from the Latin word “strictus” meaning tight or narrow
-also from the “stringere” verb meaning tightness of muscles and breathing
-could be noise, a bad event, time or pressure of studies
-the reaction to stress is “strain”
-Hans Selye is known as the Father of modern stress research
-he defines stress as “the non-specific response of the body to any
demand”
-it is the disturbance in the balance that we have.
-Lazarus and his colleagues propounded a theory of stress where they
say it is how we cognitively understand events and how we give
meaning to it.
Stressor
Primary appraisal: Harm,
Challenge or Threat?
Negative
Harm: the damage Positive consequences
is already consequences (Threat)
done. (Challenge)
Potential for gain or growth
Secondary appraisal
(When viewed as
stressor)
Is there any chance of
No.
growth from it?
Yes. I have no resources to cope
I can grow from it with it.
Low threat High threat
Appraisals
Controllable Past experience
Physiological
reactions to stress
Hypothalamus
Autonomic
Nervous System Pituitary Gland
Release of catecholamines
epinephrine/ Corticosteroid – to
norepinephrine provide energy
Fear
Anger Anxiety
Emotional
reactions
to stress
Depression Embarrassment
Fight
Fight
(Confront)
(Confront)
Response to
Behavioral
stress
Flight
(Withdraw)
Cognitive
Reactions to
stress
-Beliefs about -Difficulty in
harm or concentration
threat. -Repetitive,
-Belief about interfering and
controllability disturbing
thoughts
Stress experience varies from person to
person depending on
Intensity
Duration
Complexity
Predictability
Signs and symptoms of stress
1. Physical
2. Emotional
3. Behavioral
4. Physical and environmental stress
Give examples-
No balanced diet, pollution, etc.
2. Psychological stress
a. Frustration
b. Conflicts
c. Internal pressures
d. Social pressures
3. Social stress
Give examples-
trouble from family, friends, neighbours, etc.
Sources of stress
1. Life events
3. Traumatic events
2. Hassles
Effects of stress on psychological functions and health
Emotional Physiological
- Mood swings - Hormonal imbalance
- Alienation - Changes in heart rate/blood
- Low confidence pressure/metabolism
- Anxiety/depression
Behavioral
- Eating less nutritious food
Cognitive - Smoking/drugs
- Mental overload - Disrupted sleep patterns
- Cannot make sound decisions - Reduced work performance
- Concentration and memory
issues
Stress and Health
- When stress continues for a long time it affects physical
health
- Many fall ill after exams or a tough time in life. Why?
- There could be physical exhaustion that is shown by
fatigue, weakness and low energy (body)
- Mental exhaustion is shown through irritability, anxiety,
feeling of hopelessness, etc. (thought and behavior)
- The state of physical, emotional and psychological
exhaustion is called “burnout”
- Researchers say that stress results in 50-70% of our
physical illness.
LAZARUS AND FOLKMAN
COPING IS DYNAMIC ( NOT A TRAIT BUT A CHANGING PROCESS)
FOR E.G. LET’S DISCUSS
SITUATION: EXAMS
PROBLEM FOCUSED:
EMOTION FOCUSED:
General Adaptation Syndrome-
HANS SELYE (GAS)
Studied animal and human responses bodily responses to stressful situations and
formulated this pattern.
ALARM
REACTION
RESISTANCE EXHAUSTION
STRESS AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
What is Immunity?
Immunity comes from Latin word
‘immunis’. It means the ability of an
organism to resist infection.
Psychoneuroimmunology
studies the links between mind,
brain and the immune system.
Psycho Mind
Neuro Brain
Immune Defense System
Logy Study
White blood cells
(LEUCOCYTES) IDENTIFY AND DESTROY
THE FOREIGN BODIES
FOREIGN BODIES WBC PRODUCES
ARE CALLED ANTIBODIES TO
ANTIGENS- LIKE KEEP THE BODY SAFE
VIRUSES
Several types of WBC including
T Cells
B Cells
Natural Killer cells
High stress → Low power
(means low Cytotoxicity)
Cytotoxicity is needed for killing the enemy
EFFECTS OF
STRESS ON
OUR MENTAL
HEALTH
LIFESTYLE
Unhealthy lifestyle makes us prone to Pathogens- which causes physical illness.
ENDLER AND PARKER:
Coping is a situation specific reaction to
stress. They are intended to resolve the
problem or reduce the stress.
Stress Management Techniques
⮚ Relaxation Techniques
- Deep breathing and focusing on your
body muscles is used in relaxation
techniques
- The relaxation starts with the lower parts
of the body and proceeds to the facial
muscles
⮚ Meditation Procedures
- Derived from yoga and involves an
altered state of consciousness
⮚ Biofeedback
- Biofeedback requires focus on ones
bodily function
- 1. focus on one’s physiological activities,
2. learning ways to control it and
3. transferring it to the daily disturbing
situations in life.
⮚ Creative Visualisation
- Uses imagery and imagination and
requires one to be relaxed
- These visualisations should be realistic
so that it builds confidence
- Under relaxed condition and realistic
visualisation creativity is triggered
⮚ Cognitive Behavioral Techniques
- Developed by Michenbaum CBT involves
3 stages
- 1. Assessment of the problem, 2. stress
reduction techniques and 3. application and
follow through
⮚ Exercise
- Regular exercise improves heart
conditions, function of the lungs, lowers
blood pressure and basically controls all
physiological activities that are dangerous
in a stressed condition.
- Name a few good exercises.
Promoting Positive Health And Well Being
- Like being immune to a disease we can also be stress fit for
future crisis
- We all would have to face some crisis in a lifetime.
- The immunity to face life’s problems and crises comes from the
constructive attitudes (like the urge to create something positive
out of the situation), emotional and social support a person enjoys.
Stress Resistant Personality (Kobasa):
✔ There are some people who suffer from high levels of stress but
are not physically or mentally affected by them
✔ This is due to the 3 Cs in their personality traits.
▪ Commitment: to family, work or society
▪ Control: which gives them a sense of direction and
purpose
▪ Challenge: to see changes as a normal course of life and to
view them with an energy rather than as a threat.
Those who do not have this personality what can they do?
LIFE SKILLS:
1. Assertiveness:
The ability to communicate
clearly and confidently about
our needs, wants and
opinions.
2. Time management:
Life skills: The ability to manage time
Positive and perceive it with more
behavior that responsibility to help you
helps us meet perform activities that are
challenges of more valuable.
daily life
3. Rational thinking:
The ability to challenge your
distorted thinking, irrational
beliefs, driving out negative
thoughts and move forward
with positive thoughts.
4. Improving Relationships
To improve a relationship you have to
listen to the other person, express how
you feel and accept and respect the
other person’s view. All this is better
communication.
5. Self-Care
The actions taken to make
ourselves healthy and relaxed
Life skills in order to be prepared for
physical and emotional
stresses of our lives.
6. Overcoming Unhelpful Habits
Getting over unhelpful habits
like perfectionism, over
criticism, avoidance, laziness,
etc. are helpful in getting work
done and going ahead with life.
7. Diet
A healthy diet is key to a well-functioning
body and mind. The diet depends on the
nutrition each person requires and it
depends on one’s activity, genetic makeup,
climate and health history.
8. Exercise
Physical exercises are seen to
Life skills help in managing stress, reducing
tension, anxiety and depression
besides helping one's physical
health.
9. Positive Attitude
This would include being realistic, a
sense of responsibility, tolerance
towards others opinions, taking
credit for achievements, accepting
blame for failure and have a sense
of humour.
10. Positive Thinking
A person who thinks positively is able
to use coping strategies and seek help.
Negative thinking could make us ignore
the problem or give up or deny that
stress exists.
Life skills
11. Social Support
Social support is the strength of having
people on whom we can rely on, care about
us, value and love us. Social support could
be tangible or physical like appliances or
money, or informational or emotional like
being there for the person and reassuring
love and care.
MNEMONICS: ARTISODEPPS, TARISODEPPS, ARTIDESPOPS
1. Nita works under high pressure and stress, but does not have any illness. What personality trait does she have? Briefly
explain about it and its characteristics.