Managing Stress

By Louis, Emmeline, Lynn, Daniel,

Vanessa
Introduction to Stress Management
● Does stress affect only certain types of people?
○ NO! It affects EVERYONE.
● It is a normal part of life and with effort, time, and
perseverance it can be properly managed to reduce any
physical & psychological side effects that can occur from
long-term exposures of it.
● Stress, to a certain extent, is beneficial; it allows the body
to respond to environments & situations as needed.
○ Too much stress can lead to chronic conditions &
can greatly reduce the quality of life.
● Did you know?
○ People who regularly experience moderate or high
levels of stress throughout their life have a 50%
higher mortality rate than those who do not (Drah,
2020, para. 11).
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 Introduction to Stress Management
● How does one manage stress?
○ Breathing techniques
○ Exercise
○ Talking to someone
○ Managing time and/or priorities
○ Asking for help when they need it
● If stress is left unmanaged, it can manifest into serious
diseases as we get older. The older we get, the weaker our
immune system is & the harder it will hit.
● Illnesses caused by a stressed-induced lifestyle include
obesity, heart disease, depression, anxiety, high blood
pressure & various cancers.
● Stress management allows the mind & body to adapt or
else they will always be on high alert eventually leading to
chronic illnesses (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2020, para. 4). 3
Introduction to Stress Management
● Interesting facts about the effects of stress on society:
○ Suicide by young individuals is the second leading
cause of death among those aged 15 to 24 (Burrell,
2020, para. 5).
○ Globally, around 800,000 individuals die by suicide
in one year which estimates to one person every 40
seconds (World Health Organization, 2020, para. 1).
● To conclude:
○ Stress does not have to take over your life. You can
try different techniques to see what works best for
managing stress in your life. Replacing negative
thoughts with positive ones can help increase self-
awareness. Self-awareness leads to listening to the
needs of your mind & body to live healthily.

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 Reactions and Effects of Stress
● Stress is a critical emotion that can cause individuals to exhibit

unpleasant behavior if it is left unmanaged.

○ Your nervous system isn’t very good at distinguishing

between emotional and physical threats. If you’re super
stressed over an argument with a friend,work deadline, or
a mountain of bills, your body can react just
as strongly as if you’re facing a true life-or-death
situation ( Segal et al., 2020, para. 6).

● An effect of stress is when an individual is feeling sleep 5

deprived.
 Stress defense Mechanisms
● What is a defense mechanism?
○ Most defense mechanisms are fairly unconscious – that means
most of us
don’t realize we’re using them in the moment
( Grohol, 2019, para. 3).

● There are different stress defense mechanisms that can occur:

○ Repression: Is the unconscious way of dealing with stress.
An example would
be, an individual who is excessively eating
all day because they are stressed with
school work or work
related problems.
○ Projection: Is when an individual puts their thoughts and emotions
to another
person, as though they were their thoughts and emotions. 6
An example would be, an
 Types of Stressors
● Types of Stressors:
○ Feeling overwhelmed at work
○ Arguments with family
○ Sleepless nights
○ Excessive school work
○ Mountain of bills
○ Managing time
● Stressors are the triggers behind the stress we face every day. They're
the things
we're exposed to or the things we are dealing with internally.
They are the signs that
tell our minds and our bodies that something is
happening that will require us to do
something hard or difficult
( Dean, 2018, para. 3).
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 Stress And Anxiety In The Workplace
● Stress and anxiety is very common in many work
environments
○ In 2018, work-related stress and anxiety accounted
for more than half of all working absences in Great
Britain (Wilson, 2018).
● Many potential stressors were due to interpersonal
communication
○ For example, if your manager or boss is really
irritable, he or she may tend to lash out in certain
situations and take his anger out on his employees
● Work environments can also take a toll on mental health
through traumatic incidents or accidents
○ Examples include the pressures first responders and
health care workers may go through in saving
someone’s life 8
Stress And Anxiety in the Digital Age
● Dependency and or reliance on technology
○ Many individuals have access to:
■ Smartphone/ cell-phone ownership
■ Apple products (Laptops, tablets etc)
■ Gaming consoles (PC, PS4, XBOX)
● Potential stressors and negative effects that can occur:
○ Addiction
■ Having the constant need to check and use your device
○ Becoming over dependent
■ An example would be, forgetting your phone and
stressing about it all day and thinking about it
○ Social Anxiety (F.O.M.O)
■ Fear of missing out on an event, gathering, or
something you are not at; always wanting to be
connected in a way (Harrison, 2019).
○ Social Comparison (e.g friends, likes, followers)
■ Social media, by its nature prompts social comparison
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COVID-19 And Its Toll On Our Health

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 Dealing with the stress of COVID-19
● Social isolation / self-quarantine can be hard on
people
● Keep your mind occupied, but also informed
○ Budget watching the news
● Remember you are not alone!
○ Check on your friends and family to make sure
they are doing okay!
● Manage your mental health
○ Keep yourself healthy
■ Getting the proper nutrients
■ Entertaining yourself through:
● Games, Movies, Books
■ Exercise
● In-home exercises
● Humans are naturally resilient (Global News, 2020). 11
Managing Stress
● Three ways in managing stress: Enactive, Proactive and
Reactive Strategies
● Enactive Strategies
○ The learning process and adjustment from
eliminating stress/ long time consumption
■ Take time and effort to make a personal
change when controlling your own actions.
■ A physical, mental and emotional change
● Eliminating Stressors
○ Exercise and become active
○ Organize and Time Management
○ Reduce Caffeine
○ Reward your hard work by doing something you
enjoy such as spending time with love ones.
(Jennings, 2018)
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 Managing Stress
● Proactive Strategies
○ Doing a change!/ Moderate time
consumption
● Developing Resilience Strategies
○ Proper Diet: enhances a healthy body and a
greater mind.
■ Fruits and vegetables
○ Meditate: mind relaxation and inner peace
■ Yoga
○ Supportive Environment: mentors and peers
who can help encounter stressors and establish
growth skills
■ Friends or therapists (Williams, 2016)
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Managing Stress
● Reactive Strategies
○ Immediate responses and short term coping
mechanism
● Temporary Relaxation Strategies
○ Taking deep breaths (10-30 seconds). Inhaling and
exhaling
○ Taking Breaks when needed
○ Rewarding small wins such accomplishing hw,
quizzes, exams, meetings and etc.
○ Go for a quick run, go hiking or watch movies
● Reactive Strategies are on-the-spot remedies to decline
stress

(Management, 2020)

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Conclusion
● Stress is our bodies response to different situations and
external factors that influence how feel and what we
believe we should do.
● Stress allows us to accomplish more tasks efficiently and
is also the bodies warning system
● Initiates our “fight or flight” response.
● Stress will always play a part in your life so you must
learn to MANAGE your stress levels
● FIRST: Learn what your stressors are:
○ Work Related (Overwhelmed with work)
○ Family Related (Arguments)
○ Excessive School Work
○ Financial Stress

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 Conclusion
● THEN: Find ways to be proactive about stress
management.
○ Eating healthier meals
○ Regulate your sleep schedule
○ Eliminate Drug & Alcohol consumption
○ Find a mentor/life coach that can keep you
accountable and check up on you daily
○ Maintain a daily routine that you do
● Be safe aware and believe in yourself that stress does not
control your life but instead you are in control of your
stress!
● Although in large amounts and without proper handling
can be negative, stress is also a naturally good thing for the
human body.

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Class Interaction
● Times can be tough, especially now with these
unprecedented times that we are facing due to the covid-19
virus and the repercussions that come with it.
● Here are some useful tips that YOU can follow in order to
reduce stress and alleviate some anxiety:
○ “Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to
news stories, including social media. Hearing about
the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.”
○ Connect with others. Talk with people you trust
about your concerns and how you are feeling.
○ Try to keep up with normal routines
○ Try YOGA! (Stretching and Breathing Exercises)
○ Get some sunlight (Backyard/Frontyard)

(CDC, 2020) 17
References
Burrell, J. (2020, February 3). College and teen suicide statistics. Retrieved from

https://www.verywellmind.com/college-and-teen-suicide-statistics-3570768

Dean, M. E. (2018, February 1). What types of stressors are there and how can i deal with them?

Retrieved from https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/stress/what-types-of-stressors-are-there-

and-how-can-i-deal-with-them/

Drah, H. (2020, February 15). 29 stress statistics and facts to keep in mind.

Retrieved from https://disturbmenot.co/stress-statistic

Global News. (2020, April 5). Coronavirus outbreak: Important to keep your mind occupied to lessen COVID-19 anxiety. [Video].

Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tu6UweZaqg

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References
Grohol, J. M. (2019, June 3). 15 Common defense mechanisms. Retrieved from

https://psychcentral.com/lib/15-common-defense-mechanisms/

Harrison, G. (2019, March 1). Stress and anxiety in the digital age: The dark side of technology. Retrieved from

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/mental-health/managing-stress-and-anxiety-the-digital-age-the-dark-s

Ide-technology

Jennings, K. (2018, August 28). 16 Simple ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety

Management, (2020, January 23). Proactive strategies vs reactive strategies. Retrieved from

https://www.termscompared.com/proactive-strategies-vs-reactive-strategies/

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References
MFMER. (2020, March 21). Stress management. Retrieved from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/basics/stress-basics/hlv-20049495

Segal, J., Smith, M., Segal, R., & Robinson, L. (2020, March 9). Stress test title. Retrieved from

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-signs-and-causes.htm

Wilson, J. (2018, November 1). Work-related stress and mental illness now accounts for over half of work absences. Retrieved

from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/01/work-related-stress-mental-illness-now-accounts-half-work-absences/

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Mental health. Retrieved from

https://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/

Williams, S. (2016, December 12). Retrieved from http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/LeaderLetter/stressself.htm.

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References
Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19. (2020, April 1). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-

life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

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