Psychology 60: Stress Management
The required textbook is Coping with Stress in a Changing World by Richard Blonna, 4th Edition only. Orange cover. McGraw Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-302660-2
Discussion 5
The Physical Basis of Stress. Early warning signs of stress
Total 2 pages.
*Please do not use real names if you plan to use someone else in your discussion post.
Please remember to provide unique information/examples and not repeat what your classmates have posted.
Discussion expectations:
Read the chapters (Chapters 4, 5) read your fellow students’ class discussion posts, and participate fully in each class discussion.
You are strongly discouraged from writing brief posts that simply repeat what others have previously stated.
Quality/Content Discussion Grading Criteria:
Post(s) contains details, specifics, and show fully developed/meaning thoughts, ideas, and/or contributions vs. a vague/brief/general response that contains few details or specifics.
Post(s) that responds completely to all of the question(s) and has followed all the instructions vs. responding to part of the question(s) or not following the instructions.
Post(s) that make unique contributions and examples and express original ideas vs. repeating ideas, examples, ideas, or information from what other classmates have previously posted.
Posts that are written using your own words vs. copying and pasting and/or rearranging information from other sources.*
Post(s) that are spell-checked, grammar-checked, proofread, contain paragraph breaks (if you use the wrong browser you will not see paragraph breaks properly), and are use regular font type, black font color vs. contain spelling errors, typos, major grammar errors, unformatted paragraphs without breaks, or are written in colored text.
Copying and pasting, or rearranging information from other sources without the use of quotations and proper source citation is considered plagiarism.
Discussion 5
The Physical Basis of Stress. Early warning signs of stress
Part 1 – Which one of the four questions below do you relate to the most and why as it relates to stress?
Provide a real life example of either you, or someone you know* to match one of the questions as it relates to stress.
Discuss a specific and detailed plan to cope with this issue.
The coping plan is very important and should be a positive and realistic plan, and should NOT be a past plan you have tried before.
This plan needs to be NEW and something you have not tried.
Specific and detailed means when, how often, and would include ways to fit this in with an already busy schedule.
1. When you notice a chronic problem like low back pain that is not due to overuse or an injury, do you find yourself saying something like, “It’s probably nothing. I will just ignore it and it will go away” or something similar (and it doesn’t)?
2. Do you find yourself saying the following, or something similar, in response to feeling overwhelmed by stress? “I’ll cut back after next semester,” or “I’ll cut back when I graduate and then only have to worry about work.”
3. Do you find yourself saying, “It can’t be stress, it must be something else,” when you experience common physical and emotional stress symptoms?
4. Do you tell yourself, “I’m too busy to do anything about my stress. I’ll take care of it when I have some time,” or something similar, when you feel worn out by your stress?
Part 2 – Respond in detailed and in a meaningful way to two students:
Arin:
“When I feel worn out by my stress, I tell myself, “just get through it, you will be fine,” which for the most part is true. What might be considered stressful for one individual, somebody else may have better skills to cope with the same stressors. In my case, I can sometimes become a little overwhelmed. Currently, it revolves around time and exhaustion. Working forty hours a week, taking three classes, getting enough exercise, tending to the house, caring for family, volunteering, and spending time with close friends, are all good things, but sometimes life’s balancing act can throw you. The plan I am going to set in motion should alleviate daily stress and help see a bigger picture of accomplishments and gratitude in my life.
Scheduling is a very important aspect of my day. Since I work Monday-Friday with set hours, I will be able to achieve my other “half to’s” in specific time slots. My coping plan will consist of a mental picture of the week and what must be completed by the weekend. From there, I can focus on my day-to-day, which will include: one hour of exercise (cycling to work), being at my job with my lunch hour devoted to school work, and from there, another hour of exercise to get home. Thankfully, I have the exercise portion covered. My priority as soon as I am home is to take care of my pup. She will eat and need a walk, and while we are outside will be my time to call family members. My nights will then be dedicated to continuing with homework, or if I feel I am on track, an evening out to dinner with my best friend. By the time the weekend is here, with work and school projects for the week completed, I will spend Saturday on some house duties, then have some me time, whether treating myself to a night out or choosing to stay in to read (a non-school book) or binge watch something on Netflix. Sundays I volunteer on a hotline from home, and while I am prepared to answer the phone in case of a crisis, I will also prepare for the week ahead, by reading chapters in my text books and taking some time to breath and be thankful for what I have and will achieve.”
Your Respond:
Lauren:
“I feel as though I have related to all of the four questions listed, but the one I currently associate with is number four-“I’m too busy to do anything about my stress. I’ll take care of it when I have some time. ” I feel as though I am in a constant “hamster wheel” that never stops. I know I need to incorporate exercise into my life again, but have been struggling to do so. I feel overwhelmed and anxious because of it. Feeling that way initiates a stress response and I constantly have tight muscles, back pain and headaches, especially at work. I always feel as if I am waiting for something. Some sort of break to look forward to that never comes! When I am not working, I drive myself crazy trying to maximize my productivity on weekends by working on other projects around the house. I do not make exercise or time for myself a priority.
The coping technique I know will have a success rate is incorporating running into my weeks, four times per week. I know it sounds funny to add another thing into each day that is already so busy, but running benefits me physically, mentally and spiritually. It is some of the best me time I have experienced. It makes me feel euphoric, releases tension, keeps me healthier overall to keep my immunity up and stress down, and makes me feel like I can conquer anything that comes my way. I often pray during my runs or reach a somewhat meditative state and feel at one with the universe and thank God for all the blessings I have.
To accomplish the addition of running, I will need to wake up 35 minutes earlier 2 days during the work week to run, and run on Saturdays and Sundays. I feel it is realistically possible for me to wake up earlier on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and easy to run on the weekends when I can sleep in anyway. I can set an alarm on my iPhone to go off every Tuesday and Thursday morning so I don’t even have to think about it! The nights before my morning run I will lay out my run clothes and have my run shoes by the door. That will alleviate any obstacles in the morning. My mind and body has been craving running lately, but I always hit snooze in the morning and tell myself I will run after work. Once I’m off work I feel like I have too many other things to do and put off the run. Other times I really feel ready but something comes up at work and I cannot run since I’ll be getting home late. By running in the morning, I will be making the “me time” a priority and making sure nothing that comes my way throughout the day can get in the way of it since it will already be done. “
Your Respond:
