Causes And Consequences Of Stress
.Describe The Various Techniques Of Managing Stress . The previous unit dealt
in influence of peers on adolescent. You learnt that peer influence affects the
life of an adolescent in several ways. On one hand, it helps to shape his /her
personality and on the other, it can also be very demanding to adopt and
confirm to certain norms. There are many such factors which put the adolescent
under pressure and cause turbulence in his life. Consequences Of Stress ,Techniques
Of Managing Stress . Whether it is the process of growing up, environment,
competition in schools and colleges or the relationships, they all challenge
the capacity of an adolescent. This state is generally known as stress. If not
managed properly, it can lead to poor performance, bad health and conditions
like depression and suicides. In the present unit we will deal with stress in
adolescence and how to manage it. The unit starts with a definition and meaning
of stress and differentiating between eustress (beneficial stress) and distress
(harmful stress). Various factors leading to stress (stressors) in adolescence
are described. The unit progresses with describing response of our body to
stress and its consequences. At the end, it describes how we can mange stress.
You will find various learning activities and self-assessment tools throughout
the unit to check your progress and enable you to prepare your assignments.
Stress is caused by various
factors or stimuli known as “stressors.” These can be external – environmental
or internal – thought processes or the way we perceive things, people or
situations. Stressors produce various changes in the body manifested in various
actions, emotions and behaviours. The Causes And Consequences Of Stress Our
body attempts to counteract or adapt to these changes to maintain the normal
state. Stressors can be broadly divided into three categories:
A real or actual stressor
Examples can be a change in the
environment like getting a high grade or low grade in an Examination
The anticipation of an event or activity
Just thinking about a situation
can produce stress worrying about the consequences of a Disease one is
suffering from.
Imagined events or actions
These can evoke emotional
responses dreaming about or fantasizing
a situation. Stressors are the triggers that cause stress in a person. These
are the circumstances and events that threaten the person and challenge his/her
coping abilities. The Causes And Consequences Of Stress .An accident, a lost
watch or conflict with friends, all can be stressors. These can be sudden viz.,
falling down and getting injured or long lasting viz. being ill for a long
time. The level or severity of stress is determined not merely by exposure but
the intensity, duration and frequency of stressors. For example, repeated
scolding and negative remarks by teacher in class can lower the self esteem of
a student and can lead to lower grades. It is also important here to understand
that the stressors when keep on building, have cumulative effect and cause
greater stress.
Managing or coping with stress
involves recognizing the sources of stress, how it affects and finding the ways
to master or control it. Early detection is the key for management of the
stress to help the adolescents lead a meaningful and socially productive life.
A pragmatic approach in this regards is needed wherein adolescents, parents/
teachers, counsellors and community, all have to play a positive and
constructive role to avoid the menace of stress and its consequences
1)
Think
positively
Positive thinking improves our ability to
process information efficiently and enhances self esteem. It inculcates
optimism, giving us a sense that we are controlling our environment. People
with an optimistic outlook live 19% longer than those who are pessimistic.
2)
Be
aware of your self
Accepting you as you are – is the secret of
high self-esteem. Do not condemn or have pity on yourself. You are as unique
and excellent piece of creation as anybody else. Identify your strengths,
weakness, opportunities and threats. Work constantly to enhance your strengths
and avail opportunities while removing the weaknesses and threats.
3)
Share
with someone you have faith in
Remember sharing doubles the joy and halves
the problems! Communicate your feelings, worries, tensions and even secrets to
someone you can confide in. He/ She should be a known and trusted person to
maintain confidentiality and avoid exploitation.
4)
Reflect
Perform a self analysis of the circumstances/
situations and stressors the factors causing stress You need to find out “what
pushes your buttons so as to strive to disconnect these buttons. It can be
person, a situation or sometimes even a thought of something
5)
Recreation
must be a rule
Try to establish a balance
between work and leisure activities, which is essential to prevent. Destructive
tension. Plan and enjoy more activities exclusively with your family/ friends.
It should be a routine to have some time for a walk, playing games or watching
T.V. during your exams too
6)
Learn
how to relax
One needs to learn to slow down. Remember, the
nature too assists the slowing down process in a stressed individual with
diseases, heart attacks and increased accidents! Be sure to take adequate rest.
Sleep is nature’s all time treatment to stress and tiredness. Causes And
Consequences Of Stress Techniques Of Managing Stress .
A good Night’s sleep relaxes and helps to
prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. Consequences Of Stress Techniques Of
Managing Stress .
Regular vacations with Your family/friends
rejuvenate you. Divert your attention from activities /situations causing
stress. Engage yourself in some activity/hobby. Consequences Of Stress
.Describe The Various Techniques Of Managing Stress .Listening to music,
reading a book of jokes/ short stories Or even having a stroll with your pet
dog all have a good relaxing effect.
7)
Make
physical activity a routine
Exercises refreshen and relax the
body and mind. They increase blood circulation and increase muscle tone.
Walking, bicycling, swimming, jogging and outdoor games, all have been
documented to relieve stress.
8)
Yoga
and meditation are a great help
Yoga and
meditation provide mind control and hence, the harmony between body and mind.
The concentration of mind increases the self-awareness and provides an
opportunity to revisit one’s desires, expectations and goals in the realistic
rather than expected and dreamy situation. Yoga, through a combination of
breathing, stretching and balancing, tries to achieve a union of body, mind and
spirit.
9)
Develop
readily attainable goals
Goals are the
statements of what you want to achieve. Successful people always set their
goals. These have to be developed step by step. Following is an example:
1. Long term
Goals - give you a sense of direction To become a Doctor
2. Short Term
Goals- provide periodic feeling of accomplishment E.g. Getting through the Pre
Medical Test
3. Objectives-
tell you the specific requirement .
Passing 12th
class exams (with Biology) with good percentage It is not the rule that
everyone should be at the same level of achievement. The satisfaction is a very
personal and subjective matter. You have to create your own limit of
satisfaction. The competition need not be a self-killing process. You will be
learning about setting and decision making in carreer planning in unit-5 of
this block.
10) Develop hobbies and learn something new
Developing
hobbies adds flavour to life. Creating taste and attaining skills in poetry,
literature, music, paintings etc. give you a sense of achievement. Make a plan
of self improvement to learn something new in a specified time period.
11) Be assertive
Assertiveness is avoiding conflicts by
politely exercising your rights while respecting others’ rights too. It avoids
undue contradictions and aggression. Causes And Consequences Of Stress ,Techniques
Of Managing Stress .The basic principle is you have a right to request and
other person has an equal right to accept or refuse.
12) Enroll in personality development workshops
Such workshops
provide such skills which enable you to come out of tight corners and blues in
your life.
13) Learn life skills
Life Skills are
the abilities which inculcate positive and adaptive behaviour in us so as to
face the opportunities and challenges of life effectively. Many national and
international organizations are conducting workshops in life skills.
14) Avail Guidance and Counseling Services
There should be no hesitation in availing
these services. They clear the fog of confusion and enable us make healthy
decisions.
The techniques of stress
management range from simple self help techniques to more elaborate ones involving
seeking help from others Causes And Consequences Of Stress The Various
Techniques Of Managing Stress . Let us now try to understand them.The Causes
And Consequences Of Stress , Managing Stress .School leaders may have a
particularly difficult role in dealing with overly stressed staff, particularly
where team-based support is limited or non-existentOf Stress .Describe The
Various Techniques Of Managing Stress .
In this context the following is important
·
Head teachers should help themselves, and others
to review their relationship with their jobs regularly. They may in the
process, identify such routines and practices which appear to trigger stress
change what you can work realistically with what you can't Recognize your own
limitations and strengths and help others to do the same. Consequences Of
Stress Various Techniques Of Managing Stress .
·
There may yell be areas in which individuals and
teams to give you guidance about the improvements they would welcome, including
about your own behaviour.
·
Help colleagues to find recharging time and
space. Given the nature of educational change, determining individual stability
and comfort zone by trying to establish clear ideas about one's role and one's
personal ambitions in the organization structure is very important.
·
Teacher's workload
As an individual, you almost
certainly know what stress feels like. Like individuals, organizations get
stressed too. As a school leader, it is important to recognize organizational
stress in your school so that you can devise strategies to overcome it for
yourself and your staff Stress The Various Techniques Of Managing Stress .
Recall the above cases of Shibani, Marie and
Gurudev. What signs do they all exhibit?
· a sense of frustration and anger
· irritability, poor concentration and loss of appetite
· exhaustion, fatigue, headaches or other pains
· depleting sense of enthusiasm and dedication
· increasing personal vulnerability
· loss of sense of humour and
· an increase in sick leave.