Stress Management

1. What is stress?

Answer: Stress is a reaction to some change that upsets our balance. Stress is a
reaction to physical or mental changes in our life. Stress is a natural part of
everyday life. Some stress is good for us and some stress is harmful for us. Good
stress helps us in adjusting to changes within and outside of our body. Stress is a
natural way for us to changes so we can keep in balance. It also helps us to avoid
danger.

2. List any three stress management skills.

Answer:

a) Express your feelings: talk to someone about how you feel. Do not hold
feelings inside. Talk to a family member, friend, counselor or coworker.
b) Focus on one thing at a time: take a big project and break it up into small
pieces or steps. Do not let yourself get overwhelmed.
c) Physical exercise is a great stress buster. Walk, swim, ride a bicycle, run or
do yoga. Exercise everyday.

3. List any three health problems that one can face due to stress.

Answer: High blood pressure, heart attacks, weight gains or losses

 4. Differentiate between anxiety and stress.

Answer: Stress is related to the same ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ response as anxiety,
and the physical sensations of anxiety and stress may be very similar.

The cause of stress and anxiety are usually different, however. Stress focuses on
mainly external pressures on us that we’re finding hard to cope with. When we
are stressed, we usually know what we’re stressed about, and the symptoms of
stress typically disappear after the stressful situation is over.

Anxiety, on the other hand, isn’t always as easy to figure out. Anxiety focuses on
worries or fears about things that could threaten us, as well as anxiety about the
anxiety itself. Stress and anxiety are both part of being human, but both can be
problems if they last for a long time or have an impact on our well-being or daily
life.

5. Stress Management techniques

Answer: we can manage stress by identifying the reasons or sources and then
bringing necessary changes in our life style, work style and behavior or attitude to
deal with them.

a) Identify the source of the stress. You need to answer the question “where
is the stress coming from?”
b) Decide if you can get rid of the source of stress.
c) Get rid of all the stress you can.
d) Do not take on more stress by saying yes. Learn how to say no. Do not take
on more than you can handle. Say no whenever you can.
e) Change how you think about something that stresses you.
f) Be good to yourself. Use stress management skills every day to deal with
the stress that you cannot get rid of.