Stressors
DEFINITIONS:
Quality of life-level of personal well being, satisfaction in your life, the condition of your life.
Stress-pressure, nervous tensions, anxiety, constant worry
Anxiety- worry, nervousness
Stressors-cause stress or pressure. The pressures that can lead to stress.
Personality- aspects of you as an individual. Your actions, behaviors, attitudes
Signs of stress-indications of stress that are measurable or visible
Symptoms of stress-feelings, affects that are part of stress
Adrenaline- a hormone that is released as a reaction to stress9 increases heart rate and blood flow)
Eustress-good stress
Distress-destructive stress
PHYSICAL STRESSORS:
Factors that cause stress that have physical affects on your body
Alcohol abuse is a physical action that can lead to risky behavior that adds to tension and anxiety
Unhealthy lifestyle choices like drugs, substance abuse, lack of sleep.
EMOTIONAL STRESSORS:
Feelings, thoughts, life crises that affect emotions
Feelings of anger, fear- lead to stress
Crises like the death of a loved one- grief-stress
Change eg. Moving to a new town
PERSONALITY:
Your personality may cause conflict with other people in your life
You may not be able to deal with certain pressures like school
ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS:
Pollution
Unsafe environments eg. Risk of crime- constant fear and stress about safety
Lack of privacy or respect of personal space
No water and electricity at home, another worry- having to find fresh water
, SIGNS AND SYMTOMS OF STRESS:
Subject to you personally but commonly: headaches, insomnia , inconsistent eating habits
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE STRESS-
Positive – eustress- pushes you to do your best, pushes you to work harder and accomplish things
Negative- distress-unhealthy, unpleasant. Reduces your ability to accomplish tasks and keep up with
life.
COPING MECHANISMS:
How you behave in reaction to stress. How you try to manage it
Make time for physical exercises
Eat a balanced diet
Identify what stresses you and strategize how to reduce it
Be around people who help you feel calm
Manage your time
Embrace new challenges