STRESS and its

MANAGEMEN
PHILIPPINE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION,
INC.
Key Discussion
Points
⊳ What is Stress?
⊳ Types, Causes, and Effects of Stress
⊳ What is Compassion Fatigue?
⊳ Healthy Coping Strategies

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What is

Stress ?
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 Stres
s
⊳ Any type of change that causes physical, emotional,
or psychological strain
⊳ It is thebody's way of responding to any
kind of demand or threat.
⊳ The feeling we have when under pressure.
⊳ It can be good or bad.

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 Stress and Mental Health
Mental health is an integral and essential part of health.
 Stress and Mental health
An imbalance in these aspects results to STRESS and, in the long
run, diseases that may impede our ability to function optimally.
 Kinds of Stress: Eustress vs
Distress

Eustress Distress
good and useful bad kind of stress
kind of stress evoked by negative
evoked by feelings
positive events

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 Types of
Stress
1. Acute Stress – most common form of stress and often
caused
by reactive thinking.
2. Episodic Acute Stress - frequently experience acute stress;
be a way of life creating a life of ongoing distress.
3. Chronic Stress – arises from life problems that may
be fundamentally beyond our control
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 Stressors: Any event
that
threatens us! worries us! provokes us!
thrills us! scares us!

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Stressor
s
Inability to
adequately cope with
stressors may pose a
threat to our mental
health.

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 Stress Response:
“Fight or Flight
-Natural reactionResponse”
of the
body to stress

-Physical changes that

prepare a person to react
quickly and effectively to
handle the pressure of the
moment
 Stress Response:
“Fight or Flight
Response”
Appraisal/
Processing
Threatening
or harmless?
If threatening

Sensory receptors
are stimulated
What happens to the human body when it
is
under stress?

The Nervous System and specific hormones are activated – the

Hypothalamus signals the Adrenal Glands to produce more of
the hormones adrenaline and cortisol and release them into the
bloodstream.
What happens to the human body when it
is under stress?

These hormones speed up the breathing rate,

heart rate, blood pressure and metabolism.
What happens to the human body when it
is
under stress?
Blood vessels open
wider to let more blood
flow to large muscle
groups, putting our
muscles on alert
What happens to the human body when it
is
under stress?

Pupils dilate to improve vision

What happens to the human body when it
is under stress?

Liver releases some

of its stored glucose
to increase the
body’s energy.
What happens to the human body when
it is under stress?

Sweat is
produced to cool
the body
What happens to the human body when it
is under stress?

Digestive activity is
inhibited
What happens to the human body when it
is
under stress?
Bladder is
relaxed
 Stress during
▪Pandemic
Fear and worry about your own
health and health of your loved
ones

▪ Financial situation or job

▪ Loss of support services you rely on

▪ Changes in sleep or eating patterns 2

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Stress during
Pandemic
▪ Worsening of chronic health problems

▪ Worsening of mental health condition

▪ Increase use of tobacco, alcohol and other

substances

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A little stress can help keep you on
your toes, ready to rise to a
challenge. And the Nervous
System quickly returns to its
normal state, standing by to
respond again when needed.
BUT….
 Stress
Overload
⊳ Long-term stressful situations can produce a
lasting, low-level stress that can wear out the
body’s reserves, leave a person feeling depleted
or overwhelmed, weaken the body’s system and
cause other problems.

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Common Effects of Stress:
Body
⊳ Headache
⊳ Muscle tension or pain
⊳ Chest pain
⊳ Fatigue
⊳ Change in sex drive
⊳ Stomach upset
⊳ Sleep problems
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Common Effects of Stress:
Mood
⊳ Anxious feelings
⊳ Restlessness
⊳ Lack of motivation or focus
⊳ Feeling overwhelmed
⊳ Irritability or anger
⊳ Sadness or depressive mood
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Common Effects of Stress:
Behavior
⊳ Overeating or lesser appetite
⊳ Angry outbursts
⊳ Drug or alcohol misuse
⊳ Tobacco use
⊳ Social withdrawal
⊳ Exercising Less Often
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 Chronic Effects of
⊳ Stress
Hypertension ⊳ Diabetes
⊳ Coronary heart disease ⊳ Hair loss
⊳ Stroke ⊳ Obesity
⊳ Peptic ulcer ⊳ Anxiety disorder

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 Stress Reduction Model
(www.queensu.ca/learningstrategies/undergrad/stress/module/model.html)
Stimulus
(e.g., your boss scolded you for poor performance)

Choice
(your appraisal of the situation)

Victim Creator
(Repeats behavior even if it (Changes beliefs & behaviors
does not work) to create best results)

Response Response
(Blaming, Complaining, (Seeking solutions, taking
Excusing) action)

Result Result
(Seldom achieves goal) (Often achieves goal)
What do we want to
be?

Victim?

Or

Victor
 “
Compassion Fatigue – a state of
chronic physical and mental
distress and exhaustion.

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 “
Compassion Fatigue – this is also
referred to as “secondary
traumatic stress” or “trauma
fatigue”.

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Signs of Compassion
Fatigue
⊳ Physical and/or emotional exhaustion
⊳ Emotional numbing; reduced empathy for others
⊳ Feelings of being overwhelmed
⊳ Irritability, increases in anger
⊳ Avoidance, withdrawal, or self-isolation
⊳ Feelings of powerlessness
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Signs of Compassion
Fatigue
⊳ Difficulty sleeping, changes in sleeping pattern
⊳ Weight Loss
⊳ Physical complaints such as headaches, stomach
aches
⊳ Reduced career satisfaction
⊳ Hypersensitivity
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WhAT CAN YOU
DO?
 Healthy
Coping
Strategies
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 COPIN
G
It refers to cognitive and
behavioral strategies that
people use to deal with
stressful situations or
difficult demands,
whether they are internal
or external.
Identify what causes your stress.

Accept who you are and the things you cannot change

Modify your lifestyle.

Set limits

Use your time wisely

Practice positive thinking

Establish friendships
Relax
The 4 A’s of Stress
Management
AVOID unnecessary stress

ALTER the situation

ADAPT to the stressor

ACCEPT the things you can’t change

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 Self-
manageme
nt:
Relaxation
techniques
 Deepening
Spirituality
Join activities that relax the mind and
uplift the spirit. Prayers are good not
only for the soul but also for the body.

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 Mindfulnes
s
Mindfulness
meditation switches
your focus to what is
happening right now,
enabling you to be fully
engaged in the present
moment.
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Progressive Muscle
Relaxation
Technique of slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle
group from toes to your head.

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Rhythmic movement and
mindful exercise

✓Running ✓Dancing
✓Walking ✓Swimming
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Yoga and Tai
chi

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 Visualizatio
n imagery to take a visual journey to a
Forming mental
peaceful, calming place or situation.

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MY PERSONAL MANTRA or
MOTIVATING CHANT
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Deep
breathing
exercises
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Tips for starting a Relaxation
Practice
✓Set aside time in your
daily schedule
✓Make use of
smartphone apps and
other aids
✓Expect ups and
downs 50
 Quick
Survey
1) Stress is usually thought as a negative
experience, but it can be a positive one.
(TRUE)

Stress in small doses can be beneficial for us

in terms of increased energy and mental
alertness. This type of stress is considered
good.
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 Quick
Survey
2) Stress is an unnatural reaction. (FALSE)

Stress is a natural, normal part of life. It is

important to note that the experience of stress
varies greatly among the individual. What
constitutes overwhelming stress for one person
may not be perceived as stress by another.
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“

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