THEME VI_VII

THEME VI. MANAGING STRESS

Key Terms: alarm stage, coping, defense mechanism, displacement, distress, eustress,

exhaustion stage, general adaptation syndrome, hardiness, hyperstress, hypostress, irrational

belief, projection, psychosomatic disorder, rational belief, rationalization, reaction formation,

repression, resistance stage, self-talk, stressor, sublimation, thought-stopping, type A, type B,

type C.

Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key terms.

TEXT 1. WHAT IS STRESS?

We must understand that some stress is good and necessary; the only people who don't

have stress are dead. Stress is as necessary as food; however, when it comes to food, do you

utilize all you eat or is there some waste? Obviously, there is waste, and your body eliminates

that. If you didn't eliminate food waste on a regular basis you would have a real physical

problem. Similarly, if you do not eliminate excessive stress on a regular basis it can create

physical problems and/or behavioural changes.

Do you know that you have the power within yourself to modify both the amount of

stress in your life and your reaction to it? Stress is a general response by an organism in reaction

to any of a number of environmental events. Stress can refer to (1) challenging and potentially

threatening events and situations; (2) our immediate reactions to those situations; and (3) our

body's long-term physical reaction to continuing threatening events and situations. Stress is the

mismatch between an individual's coping skills and the demands of his/her environment. Stress

arises when the perceived demands of a situation exceed the perceived capabilities for meeting

the demands.

Positive or pleasurable events as negative or painful events can be equally stressful. How

much stress we feel depends on the amount of change required to cope with the situation.

Types of stress.

1. Eustress is defined as good stress or short term stress that strengthens us for immediate

physical activity, creativity, and enthusiasm. The secret of positive stress is a sense of

control. When we can make choices and influence the outcome of a situation, we meet the

challenge successfully and return to a normal level of functioning relatively quickly.

2. Distress is negative or harmful stress that causes us to constantly readjust or adapt. Distress

occurs when we feel no control over outcomes. However, not all negative events cause

psychological distress. Distress arises only when the stressor makes demands on the

individual that exceed the individual's ability to cope. Therefore, distress is accompanied by

feelings of tension, pressure, and anxiety rather than the concerted energy of eustress.

3. Hyperstress or overload occurs when stressful events pile up and stretch the limits of our

adaptability. It is when we have to cope with too many changes at once or adapt to radical

changes for which we are not prepared that stress can become a serious problem.

4. Hypostress or underload occurs when we're bored, lacking stimulation, or underchallenged.

This type of stress frustrated our need for variety and new experiences. People who enjoy

their work, regardless of how demanding it may be, will be less stress-ridden than people

who are bored with a job that makes few demands or is too repetitive. If you are involved in

something you like, you are much more likely to handle frustration, pressure, or conflict

effectively.

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I. Find in the Glossary the definitions of the key terms and give their Russian

equivalents.

II. Find in the text words which can be used as terms in other branches of science.

What do they mean?

III. Answer the following questions:

1. Which of the following would you call stressful: building a new

home, getting a promotion, sitting in the dentist’s chair for

braces, getting married, taking an exam?

2. How can we tell the difference between good stress and bad

stress?

3. Discuss the following statement: Stress is like spice - in the

right proportion it enhances the flavour of a dish. Too little

produces a bland, dull meal; too much may choke you. The

trick is to find the right amount for you (Donald Tubesing).

Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key terms.

TEXT 2. CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF STRESS

Causes of stress. Stress consists of an event, called a stressor, plus how we feel about it,

how we interpret it, and what we do to cope with it. Common stressors include: the setting in

which we live, other people, places we go, our daily routine, family members, our job, time (too

little, too much), money, school, dating, our given health condition, a spoken word, a certain

event, a simple thought, etc.

Two words best relate to the actual cause of stress: change and threat. Either of both can

disturb the psyche. These changes and threats would probably fall into three possible categories:

anticipated life events, unexpected life events, accumulating life events.

What causes some people to be devastated and others motivated by the same event? Stress is

caused by the interaction between the events in a person's environment and how he/she

Interprets these events. Modern stress theory agrees that what causes us stress is not what

happens, but how we perceive what happens. The way in which a stressor is interpreted, more

than the stressor's properties, predicts the intensity, nature, and duration of physiological and

psychological response. Often, our greatest source of stress is the tremendous pressure and

anxiety that we create internally with our thoughts and feelings.

Effects of stress. The body has a three-stage reaction to stress: Stage 1 - Alarm; Stage 2 –

Resistance; and Stage 3 - Exhaustion.

The Alarm Stage. Your body recognizes the stressor and prepares for fight or flight,

which is done by a release of hormones from the endocrine glands. These hormones cause an

increase in the heartbeat and respiration, elevation in the blood sugar level, increase in

perspiration, dilated pupils, and slowed digestion. You then choose whether to share this burst

of energy to fight or flee.

The Resistance Stage. This is a period of recovery and stabilization, during which the

individual adapts to the stress. Consequently, the individual does what he/she can to meet the

threat. Because the individual attempts to do what is necessary to meet the threat, the most

effective behaviour of which the person is capable of often comes forth.

The Exhaustion Stage. Stress is a natural and unavoidable part of our lives, but it

becomes a problem when it persists and becomes long term. Continuous stress will not enable

the important resistance step to take place. And you will go from step one - alarm directly to

step three - exhaustion. Stress is a problem because it is linked to a number of illnesses. It is

estimated that between 50 percent and 80 percent of all illnesses have emotional components

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and are stress related. Stress can lead to such physiological responses as increased heart rate and

blood pressure.

Physical Effects of Stress. We do not bury our emotions dead - they remain alive in our

subconscious minds and intestines to hurt and trouble us. These physical problems are your

body's natural way of telling you that there is too much stress and tension in your life, and most

of us have a special physical organ or target area that lets us know when the stress is too great.

Do you know what your special target area is? Once you learned to tune into your own signals,

you will be able to recognize stress when it starts, before it takes a toll on your body. Physical

effects are: headaches, ulcers, asthma, common colds, skin rashes, allergies, dizziness, muscle

spasms, rapid heart rate, stomach aches, neck and shoulder tension, excessive sweating.

Another measuring tool for you to help recognize excessive stress in yourself and others

is through behavioural changes (effects): nervous tics, door slamming, fist clenching, tears, hair

twisting, jaw tightening, nail biting, grinding of teeth, apathy, depression, irritability, acts of

violence, impatience, changed eating/drinking habits, worry, boredom.

I. Find in the Glossary the definitions of the key terms and give their Russian

equivalents.

II. Find in the text words which can be used as terms in other branches of science.

What do they mean?

III. Answer the following questions:

1. What do common stressors include?

2. What types of situations are most stressful to you?

3. Is there a specific type of stress that is most frequent in your life? Explain.

Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key terms.

TEXT 3. PERSONALITY TYPES

Research has indicated that there are basically three personality types in relation to stress,

with each type differing in their abilities to effectively handle stress.

Type A. In recent years, there has been a tremendous amount of research directed toward

determining the correlation between heart disease and emotional stress. Among the findings is

evidence that there is an association between coronary artery and heart disease and a complex of

emotional reactions. These researchers consistently found that almost all of their cardiac patients

had in common a competitive, aggressive, ambitious, and stressful lifestyle. They also found that

the elements of hostility and the anger-prone tendencies were very prevalent among their

patients. Here are some other characteristics of the Type A: A drive to succeed, perfectionist and

seeks results now, feelings of pressure even when relaxed, a constant clock watcher, ignores

fatigue, only happy with a vigorous, fast paced lifestyle, eats fast, walks fast, and talks fast.

Recent research suggests that type A behaviour begins in childhood with an early emphasis on

competition and achievement.

Type B. This behaviour pattern is the opposite of the type A. Type B people are serious

but easy going, patient and relaxed, enjoy leisure and opportunities to experiment and reflect,

prefer a peaceful, steady, quiet, and generally tranquil lifestyle; not easily irritated, are less

competitive than A's, are stress avoiders; may avoid new challenges, speak slow, walk slow, eat

slow. Type B people may have a tremendous drive, but they may not take the risks. When they

do take the risks, their drive is coupled with time to ponder leisurely and weigh alternatives. It

may sound like Type B people do not have a lot of stresses. However, if they are in a Type A

environment that requires a great deal of structure, this can be very stressful to them.

Type C (A balance of A and B). People who perform at peak levels under pressure and

change, without the debilitating effects of stress. These people are ambitious, motivated, and

success-oriented. They recognize a need to respond quickly and appropriately to change and

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pressure; do not respond to pressure by being driven and aggressive Type A's ; do not respond to

pressure by being patient and passive Type B's; choose a balance between the behaviour most

suited to meet their needs; confront challenges and take risks; approach life with a balance of

confidence, commitment and control; remain positive, spontaneous, and focused in their

endeavours; feel calm but experience high energy. These individuals feel confident and secure

and are able to be more relaxed.

It is estimated that about 40 percent of the population is type A and 60 percent is type B.

I. Find in the Glossary the definitions of the key terms and give their Russian

equivalents.

II. Find in the text words which can be used as terms in other branches of science.

What do they mean?

III. Answer the following questions:

1. Are you a stress seeker or a stress avoider? How do you perform under

pressure?

2. What are some of the dangers of Type A behaviour?

3. Is it possible to change from Type A to Type B? How?

4. What kind of lifestyle do you prefer to live: rushed, relaxed, or somewhere in

between? Explain.

Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key terms.

TEXT 4. COPING WITH STRESS

Negative and Defensive Coping. Coping refers to active efforts to master, reduce or

tolerate the demands created by the stress. When we cope, we consciously think and make a

decision to deal with the problems we face. However, we may cope in negative ways. We may

drink too much, eat too much, and worry too much. In order to protect our feelings of selfesteem

and self-respect, we may unconsciously resort to various distortions of reality, frequently

referred to as defense mechanisms.

Defense mechanisms do not eliminate the problems that are the cause of anxiety, but they

help us hide or disguise our feelings and temporarily deal with anxiety or stress. Defense

mechanisms have two primary characteristics. First, they distort and deny reality. Second, they

operate unconsciously, so that we are unaware that we are using them.

Rationalization is perhaps the most widely used defense mechanism, because we all feel a

need sometimes to explain our behaviour. When the explanations offered are reasonable,

rational, and convincing - but not real reasons - we say a person is rationalizing.

Repression is the exclusion of painful, unwanted, or dangerous thoughts and impulses

from the conscious mind. They may be the cause of our "forgetting" an appointment with the

doctor. Projection is when we attribute our own feelings, shortcomings, or unacceptable

impulses to others. Reaction formation is a defense in which impulses are not only repressed,

they are also controlled by emphasizing the opposite behaviour.

Sublimation is when we redirect our basic desires toward a socially valued activity. An

example is the hostile individual who was beaten by a parent and later finds a reproductive outlet

in establishing an organization for victims of child abuse. Displacement is when the person

redirects strong feelings from one person or object to another that seems more acceptable and

less threatening. Your boss gets mad at you, but you cannot release your feelings on your boss,

so you go home and yell at your spouse.

Defense mechanisms are designed to help us escape the pain of anxiety in stressful

situations. The more aware you are of the defense mechanisms you use and why you use them,

the more likely will be your attempts to face your stressful situations in an open and honest

manner.

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It seems that some individuals are stress resistant and others are more susceptible to the

harmful effects of stress. People are quite different from one another in their susceptibility to

stress. Some are like horses. And some are like butterflies. The horses tolerate great amounts of

stress without faltering or breaking stride; the butterflies fall apart under the slightest demand or

pressure. Whether you are a horse or a butterfly depends on several ingredients; your physical

constitution, how well you take care of yourself , and your resources for coping with stress. The

tougher you are, the more you can take. If you have a stress-prone constitution, are lazy about

exercise, eat poorly, abuse stimulants, don't get enough sleep, or don't use your coping resources,

you don't stand much chance against stress.

One characteristic that seems to distinguish stress-resistant people from those who are

more susceptible to its harmful effects is known as hardiness. Hardy persons seem to differ from

others in three respects: (1) commitment - they have deeper involvement in their jobs and other

life activities; (2) control - they believe that they can, in fact, influence important events in their

lives; and (3) challenge - they perceive change as a challenge and an opportunity to grow rather

than as a threat to their security.

We have three different options when we are confronted with stressful events and

situations. We can: 1. Change environments, i.e. we might choose to move to another city,

change jobs, separate from our spouse, and so on. 2. Change the environment. We can often

work to improve the situation that is causing us so much stress. 3. Change ourselves. It is not

really the event that causes stress, it is our reaction to it - our attitude. Our reaction to any event,

stressful or not, depends on our thoughts and feelings about what happened or what should have

happened.

I. Find in the Glossary the definitions of the key terms and give their Russian

equivalents.

II. Find in the text words which can be used as terms in other branches of science.

What do they mean?

III. Answer the following questions:

1. Do you have a habit of using any of the defense mechanisms mentioned in the

text?

2. What affects the way individuals cope with stress?

3. Are you a horse or a butterfly?

4. What choices do you have when confronted with stressful events and

situations?

Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key words.

TEXT 5. THE POWER OF SELF-TALK

Dealing with Stressful Thoughts and Feelings. A great deal of our stress is unnecessary

and it really comes from faulty conclusions we have made about the world. Assume you walk

by your friend's house, and he sticks head out the window and calls you a bunch of nasty

names. You would probably become angry and upset with your friend. Now let's imagine that

you were walking by a mental hospital, rather than your friend's house, and your friend is a

patient in the hospital. This time, he yells at you, calling you the same ugly names. What

would your feelings be? Would you be as angry and upset now that you know he is not normal

and does not live in his house? Probably not!

Actually, the activating event was identical in both cases, but your feelings were very

different because you were saying something very different to yourself. In the first example,

you were probably saying things like, "He shouldn't call me those nasty names! That's really

awful! I'll pay him back!" However, in the second example, you might be telling yourself

something like, "Poor sick John. He can't help what he is doing." Instead of feeling angry, you

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were probably feeling a degree of sympathy for your friend. It is easy to see that your different

beliefs (interpretations and thoughts) about the events determined your feelings. Our extreme,

debilitative and stressful emotions are due largely to our irrational beliefs - what we say to

ourselves.

Self-Talk. Sometimes what we say to ourselves about an event or situation is irrational.

It doesn't even make sense, but we believe that it is true. Irrational beliefs (self-talk) result in

inappropriate emotions, behaviours, and more stress. The way one interprets and evaluates

reality is the key to one's emotional and mental health. On the other hand, rational beliefs

(self-talk) are those beliefs that result in appropriate emotions and behaviours. Appropriate

emotions and behaviours are those that are likely to help an individual attain desired goals.

Consequently, the individual feels less stress. It is important to remember that even negative

emotions can be appropriate.

Characteristics of Irrational and Rational Self-Talk. Should Statements: these are

absolutistic demands or moral imperatives that the individual believes must occur. Individuals

tend to express their ‘shoulds’ in three areas.: I should, you should and the world should.

These statements all imply that other people and things in your world need to be as you want

them to be. This is really unreasonable. However, it is unreasonable for you to expect that

other people or the world will ever meet your unrealistic expectations. Reality is reality!

Failure to accept this reality can result in your life being filled with disappointments and more

stress. Awfulizing Statements. Generally, when the world, ourselves, or someone else should

be different, we imply that it is awful or terrible when they are not different: What she did to

me is just awful! (It is just terrible…, I just can't stand it…, I can't bear it…).