Managing Stress and Anxiety in the 21st Century

Chapter 10

Managing Stress and Anxiety in the 21st Century

Objective

To help you understand how to manage stress and reduce anxiety through self- regulation strategies.

Stress and Anxiety

• Stress- The wear and tear that your body, mind, and feelings experience as you perceive and respond to every-day life.

• Anxiety- A feeling of worry, nervousness or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

-Can range from bad (like physical danger) to good (like achieving a long-desired goal)

(Page 171)

-Family events, academic pressures, finances, jobs, and relationships are results of emotional responses of anxiety.

Page 171

Acute and Chronic Stress/Anxiety

Acute (Short term) and Chronic (Long term) both have physical and psychological symptoms caused by anxiety and stress.

Two Kinds of Anxiety Reactions in the Sympathetic Nervous System

(see chart on page 171)

First Reaction

Brain detects something dangerous or unknown

- Which causes the second type of reaction if repeated.

College Life

"Life On the Simmer"- Constant state of arousal or anxiety.

Second Reaction

Two integrated systems within the brain

College students experience stress flow from personal circumstances, thoughts, their bodies, and environment.

Page 172

2. Living in a constant state of stress, or life on the simmer.

Techno Burnout-

The 24/7 interaction with technology without downtime.

-Causes strain on the brain which can be extremely stressful.

Individual

1. Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)- Physical response to danger or excitement.

(Page 173)

(page 171-172)

2. Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)-Conserves energy in the body and is responsible for steady-state activity.

A person can choose to manage or use defenders to deal with anxiety/stress.

Two Cognitive Anxiety Management Strategies

(Page 172)

• Refuting Irrational Ideas
• Breaking the Worry Cycle

• Manage- Choose the appropriate manner to deal with the event with the least wear and tear on you

Relaxation Response

Stress-Hardy Individual-

• Relaxation Response- A bodily reaction brought on by relaxation and meditative techniques that strip away destructive stress.

An individual who has the natural tendency to resist or bounce back from the effects of stress.

Three Keystone habits that are also powerful defenders.

Break the Worry Cycle

This individual:

Refuting Irrational ideas

• Meditating - The ability to focus on the present moment.

• Seek challenges rather than seek security.

• Feel capable rather than helpless.

• Mindfulness- A way of learning to live more fully in the present.

• Choose connection rather than alienation.

• Worry- A state of anxiety or uncertainty over actual or potential problem.

(Changing irrational self-talk into rational self-talk.)

• Self-compassion- Warmth, concern, and good wishes for yourself.

(page 177-178)

• Defenders- Habits that increase the likelihood that your reaction will be to manage, not to flee, fight, or freeze.

Strategies to help:

i.e- Saying "It is horrible when things aren't the way I want them" to "Things are the way they are, and I can handle that".

1. Describe in detail one worrisome situation.

2. Make a list of possible solutions(actions you can take to improve the situation)

Five step process to change unhelpful self-talk (page 174)

(Page 176-177)

(More on page 175)

Specific Types of Reactions

Event and individual Perception

Possible Reactions:

Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Manage

Four Primary Sources of Academic Anxieties:

Reaction model (page 176)

• Fight or Flight Response- a series of biochemical changes that prepare you to deal with threat or danger.

Overcoming Specific Academic Anxieties

Events that can trigger stress reactions and how you perceive that event based your experiences, preferences, and talents.

Strategies to help:

• Freeze Responses- To literally freeze in place, or even disassociate from the occurrence.

-Learn and organize what you know

-write about your worries

-practice under pressure

• Academic reputation with others.
• Opinion of your abilities and competence.
• Concern about actualizing your goals.
• Uneasiness about being unprepared.

(more on page 182)

(Page 181)

(Page 180)

Three types of Academic Anxiety

(Page 182)

1. Speaker Anxiety

2. Test Anxiety

3. Math and Writing Anxiety

Speaker Anxiety

(Becoming nervous about making a presentation)

Strategies to help:

-Before the event:

• Complete research early so you know your topic, inside and out.

Math and Writing Anxiety

(Freezing on a math test or writing assignment)

-During the event:

• Make careful and deliberate use of your time.

(Other suggestions and strategies are on page 182-183)

Test Anxiety

(Worrying during or before a test)

Strategies to help:

-Before the class:

• Use rational self-talk
• Get enough sleep,exercise, and good nutrition.

-Before the test:

• Practice or rehearse your performance by answering questions.

-During the class:

• Make careful and deliberate use of your time.

Example:

Math- immediately write down formulas.

-The day of the test:

• Go to class on time with all required material.

Essay- quickly write down key names,dates, and organize it into an outline.

-During the test:

• Use rational self-talk throughout.

(page 185)

(page 183-184)