Description
Discussion Board
In Week 1 we learned about the impact of stress on our health and well-being. In your readings the authors talk about the negative and positive impact of stress in our lives. Give 2-3 examples, from your readings, of both the negative and positive types of stress (discussed in the Stress text) and how it impacts our lives. What does “the power of self-efficacy” mean to you in terms of managing stress in your life? Information about self-efficacy can be found in your text reading assignments for this week (support your answers with references from the course readings or other references you find on your own). Note: Include at least one reference in the text of your Initial post and in your Peer responses written in APA format.
Resources: two pdf included about stress
Journal Prompt
Journaling Tips
take your time and reflect before you write. Don’t necessarily write the first thought that comes to mind. Focus more on experiences, emotions and people rather than on things.
Instructions:
Everyone has something that inspires them to do their best in life. Inspirational quotes can be a catalyst to motivate reflective writing. Identify a quote that is meaningful to you; write it down in your Blackboard journal. Write about the quote and the deeper meaning that it holds in your life. Why did you select this quote?
Reflection Paper
After watching the video answer the following questions using this template. A minimum of 3-5 sentences per question. See rubric. Please submit using the HW #1 assignment portal:
What did you Notice throughout the video?
What did you Interpret from what you noticed (problems, issues, feelings, etc.)?
How will you Respond or translate into life and/or nursing practice as a result?
As you Reflect on the video, what are your thoughts/feelings/changes in values?
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so1G2QuGsWQ
Unformatted Attachment Preview
Stress
How
Affects Your Health
Stress: We’ve all felt it. Sometimes stress can be a positive force, motivating you to perform well at your
piano recital or job interview. But often — like when you’re stuck in traffic — it’s a negative force. If you
experience stress over a prolonged period of time, it could become chronic — unless you take action.
A natural reaction
Have you ever found yourself with sweaty hands on a first
date or felt your heart pound during a scary movie? Then
you know you can feel stress in both your mind and body.
This automatic response developed in our ancient
ancestors as a way to protect them from predators and
other threats. Faced with danger, the body kicks into gear,
flooding the body with hormones that elevate your heart
rate, increase your blood pressure, boost your energy and
prepare you to deal with the problem.
These days, you’re not likely to face the threat of being
eaten, but you probably do confront multiple challenges
every day, such as meeting deadlines, paying bills and
juggling childcare that make your body react the same way.
As a result, your body’s natural alarm system — the “fight
or flight” response — may be stuck in the “on” position, and
that can have serious consequences for your health.
Pressure points
Even short-lived, minor stress can have an impact. You
might get a stomachache before you have to give a
presentation, for example.
… Some people don’t know they have a
problem until acute stress causes a heart
attack or something worse.
More major acute stress, whether caused by a fight with
your spouse or an event like an earthquake or terrorist
attack, can have an even bigger impact.
Multiple studies have shown that these sudden emotional
stresses — especially anger — can trigger heart attacks,
arrhythmias and even sudden death.1 Although this
happens mostly in people who already have heart disease,
some people don’t know they have a problem until acute
stress causes a heart attack or something worse.
Chronic stress
When stress starts interfering with your ability to live a
normal life for an extended period, it becomes even more
dangerous. The longer the stress lasts, the worse it is for
both your mind and body.
You might feel fatigued, unable to concentrate or irritable
for no good reason, for example. But chronic stress causes
wear and tear on your body, too.
Stress can make existing problems worse.2 In one study, for
example, about half the participants saw improvements in
chronic headaches after learning how to stop the stressproducing habit of “catastrophizing,” or constantly thinking
negative thoughts about their pain.3
Chronic stress may also cause disease, either because of
changes in your body or the overeating, smoking and
other bad habits people use to cope with stress.
continued
online resources
apa.org/helpcenter
Learn more about managing stress
PsychologistLocator.org
Find a psychologist
Job strain — high demands coupled with low decisionmaking latitude — is associated with increased risk of
coronary disease, for example.4 Other forms of chronic
stress, such as depression and low levels of social support,
have also been implicated in increased cardiovascular risk.
And once you’re sick, stress can also make it harder to
recover. One analysis of past studies, for instance, suggests
that cardiac patients with so-called “Type D” personalities
— characterized by chronic distress — face higher risks of
bad outcomes.5
stress-sensitive hormones, for example.7 But relationships
can also serve as stress buffers. Reach out to family
members or close friends and let them know you’re
having a tough time. They may be able to offer practical
assistance and support, useful ideas or just a fresh
perspective as you begin to tackle whatever is causing
your stress.
• Walk away when you’re angry. Before you react, take
time to regroup by counting to 10. Then reconsider.
Walking or other physical activities can also help you
work off steam. Plus, exercise increases the production of
endorphins, your body’s natural mood-booster. Commit
to a daily walk or other form of exercise — a small step
that can make a big difference in reducing stress levels.
What you can do
Reducing your stress levels can not only make you feel
better right now, but may also protect your health longterm.
• Rest your mind. According to APA’s 2012 Stress in
America™ survey, stress keeps more than 40 percent of
adults lying awake at night. To help ensure you get the
recommended seven or eight hours of shut-eye, cut
back on caffeine, remove distractions such as television
or computers from your bedroom, and go to bed at the
same time each night. Research shows that activities like
yoga and relaxation exercises not only help reduce stress,
but also boost immune functioning.8
In one study, researchers examined the association
between “positive affect” — feelings like happiness, joy,
contentment and enthusiasm — and the development of
coronary heart disease over a decade.6 They found that for
every one-point increase in positive affect on a five-point
scale, the rate of heart disease dropped by 22 percent.
While the study doesn’t prove that increasing positive affect
decreases cardiovascular risks, the researchers recommend
boosting your positive affect by making a little time for
enjoyable activities every day.
• Get help. If you continue to feel overwhelmed, consult
with a psychologist or other licensed mental health
professional who can help you learn how to manage
stress effectively. He or she can help you identify situations
or behaviors that contribute to your chronic stress and
then develop an action plan for changing them.
Other strategies for reducing stress include:
• Identify what’s causing stress. Monitor your state of
mind throughout the day. If you feel stressed, write down
the cause, your thoughts and your mood. Once you know
what’s bothering you, develop a plan for addressing it.
That might mean setting more reasonable expectations
for yourself and others or asking for help with household
responsibilities, job assignments or other tasks. List
all your commitments, assess your priorities and then
eliminate any tasks that are not absolutely essential.
• Build strong relationships. Relationships can be a
source of stress. Research has found that negative, hostile
reactions with your spouse cause immediate changes in
1
Krantz, D. S., Whittaker, K. S., & Sheps, D. S. (2011). “Psychosocial risk factors for coronary
artery disease: Pathophysiologic mechanisms.” In Allan R., Fisher, J. (Eds.), In Heart and Mind:
Evolution of Cardiac Psychology, (pp. 91–113). Washington, DC: APA.
2
Kiecolt-Glaser, J., & Glaser, R. Stress and health research homepage: http://pni.osumc.edu.
Thorn, B. E., Pence, L. B., et al. (2007). “A randomized clinical trial of targeted cognitive
behavioral treatment to reduce catastrophizing in chronic headache sufferers.” Journal of
Pain, 8, 938–949.
3
Krantz, D. S., & McCeney, M. K. (2002). “Effects of psychological and social factors on organic
disease: A critical assessment of research on coronary heart disease.” Annual Review of
Psychology, 53, 341–369.
4
Denollet, J., et al. (2010). “A general propensity to psychological distress affects
cardiovascular outcomes: Evidence from research on the type D (distressed) personality
profile.” Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 3, 546–557.
5
6
Davidson, K. W., Mostofsky, E., & Whang, W. (2010). “Don’t worry, be happy: Positive affect
and reduced 10-year incident coronary heart disease: The Canadian Nova Scotia Health
Survey.” European Heart Journal, 31(9), 1065–1070.
7
Kiecolt-Glaser, J., & Glaser, R. Stress and health research homepage: http://pni.osumc.edu.
8
Ibid.
The American Psychological Association’s Practice Directorate gratefully acknowledges the assistance of
David S. Krantz, PhD; Beverly Thorn, PhD; and Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, PhD, in developing this fact sheet.
5STRESS
Things You Should
Know About
Everyone feels stressed from time to time.
But what is stress? How does it affect your
health? And what can you do about it?
Stress is how the brain and body respond to any demand. Every type of demand or stressor—such as exercise,
work, school, major life changes, or traumatic events—can be stressful.
Stress can affect your health. It is important to pay attention to how you deal with minor and major stress events
so that you know when to seek help.
Here are five things you should know about stress:
1 Stress affects everyone.
Everyone feels stressed from time to time. Some
people may cope with stress more effectively or
recover from stressful events more quickly than others.
There are different types of stress—all of which carry
physical and mental health risks. A stressor may be
a one time or short term occurrence, or it can be an
occurrence that keeps happening over a long period
of time.
Examples of stress include:
◉ Routine stress related to the pressures of work,
school, family, and other daily responsibilities
◉ Stress brought about by a sudden negative
change, such as losing a job, divorce, or illness
◉ Traumatic stress experienced in an event like a
major accident, war, assault, or a natural disaster
where people may be in danger of being seriously
hurt or killed. People who experience traumatic
stress often experience temporary symptoms of
mental illness, but most recover naturally soon after.
2 Not all stress is bad.
Stress can motivate people to prepare or perform, like
when they need to take a test or interview for a new
job. Stress can even be life-saving in some situations.
In response to danger, your body prepares to face a
threat or flee to safety. In these situations, your pulse
quickens, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, your
brain uses more oxygen and increases activity—all
functions aimed at survival.
3 Long-term stress can
harm your health.
Health problems can occur if the stress response
goes on for too long or becomes chronic, such as
when the source of stress is constant, or if the
response continues after the danger has subsided.
With chronic stress, those same life-saving responses
in your body can suppress immune, digestive, sleep,
and reproductive systems, which may cause them to
stop working normally.
Different people may feel stress in different ways. For
example, some people experience mainly digestive
symptoms, while others may have headaches,
sleeplessness, sadness, anger or irritability. People
under chronic stress are prone to more frequent and
severe viral infections, such as the flu or common cold.
Routine stress may be the hardest type of stress to
notice at first. Because the source of stress tends to be
more constant than in cases of acute or traumatic
stress, the body gets no clear signal to return to
normal functioning. Over time, continued strain on
your body from routine stress may contribute to
serious health problems, such as heart disease, high
blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses, as well
as mental disorders like depression or anxiety.
4 There are ways to
manage stress.
The effects of stress tend to build up over time.Taking
practical steps to manage your stress can reduce or
prevent these effects.The following are some tips that
may help you to cope with stress:
◉ Recognize the Signs of your body’s response to
stress, such as difficulty sleeping, increased alcohol
and other substance use, being easily angered,
feeling depressed, and having low energy.
◉ Talk to Your Doctor or Health Care Provider.
Get proper health care for existing or new
health problems.
◉ Get Regular Exercise. Just 30 minutes per
day of walking can help boost your mood
and reduce stress.
◉ Try a Relaxing Activity. Explore stress coping
programs, which may incorporate meditation,
yoga, tai chi, or other gentle exercises. For some
stress-related conditions, these approaches are
used in addition to other forms of treatment.
Schedule regular times for these and other healthy
and relaxing activities. Learn more about these
techniques on the National Center for
Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
website at (www.nccih.nih.gov/health/stress).
◉ Set Goals and Priorities. Decide what must get
done and what can wait, and learn to say no to
new tasks if they are putting you into overload.
Note what you have accomplished at the end of
the day, not what you have been unable to do.
◉ Stay Connected with people who can provide
emotional and other support.To reduce stress, ask
for help from friends, family, and community or
religious organizations.
◉ Consider a Clinical Trial. Researchers at the
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NCCIH,
and other research facilities across the country are
studying the causes and effects of psychological
stress, and stress management techniques.You
can learn more about studies that are recruiting
by visiting www.nimh.nih.gov/joinastudy or
www.clinicaltrials.gov (keyword: stress).
5 If you’re overwhelmed by
stress, ask for help from a
health professional.
You should seek help right away if you have suicidal
thoughts, are overwhelmed, feel you cannot cope, or
are using drugs or alcohol to cope.Your doctor may
be able to provide a recommendation.You can find
resources to help you find a mental health provider
by visiting www.nimh.nih.gov/findhelp.
Call the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline
Anyone experiencing severe or long-term, unrelenting
stress can become overwhelmed. If you or a loved
one is having thoughts of suicide, call the toll-free
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (http://
suicidepreventionlifeline.org/) at 1-800-273-TALK
(8255), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The service is available to anyone. All calls
are confidential.
For More Information
For more information on conditions that affect
mental health, resources, and research, visit
www.mentalhealth.gov, or the NIMH website
at www.nimh.nih.gov. In addition, the National
Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus service has
information on a wide variety of health topics,
including conditions that affect mental health.
National Institute
of Mental Health
National Institute of Mental Health
Office of Science Policy, Planning and Communications
Science Writing, Press, and Dissemination Branch
6001 Executive Boulevard
Room 6200, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
Phone: 301–443–4513 or
Toll-free: 1–866–615–NIMH (6464)
TTY: 301–443–8431 or TTY Toll-free: 1–866–415–8051
Fax: 301–443–4279
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.nimh.nih.gov
NIH Publication No. OM 16-4310
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