Life Situations : Intrapersonal

1. Life Situations: Intrapersonal Chapter Five

2. Eliminating Unnecessary Stressors • Start at the top of the stress theory model • Identify and eliminate as many distressors as possible. • Use a diary to identify generalizations • Routine stressors (experienced often) • Unique stressors (seldom experienced) • Reactions to each stressor (physiological/psychological) • Means of coping • Evaluation of coping techniques

3. Stress and Nutrition • Relationship between the two is still unclear • To be healthy, eat a balanced diet according to My Pyramid (Figure 5.2, p. 86) • A balanced diet is one that has a variety of nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water) • Stress can lead to eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia) • Eating too much or too little can cause stress

4. Stress and Nutrition (cont.) • Reducing saturated fats and increasing fiber and Vitamin A and C can reduce risk of heart disease and certain cancers • Avoid an overemphasis on dieting or following unhealthy diets

5. WWW.MYPYRAMID.GOV

6. Intrapersonal Intervention • Nutrition and Stress • Sympathomimetics-food substances that produce a stresslike response (pseudostressors) • Stress / vitamins-stress depletes vitamins • Sugar / processed flour-must use B-complex vitamins to use/ break down. • Salt-can develop high blood pressure.

7. Pseudostressors • Food substances that produce a stress response • Caffeine is a sympathomimetic agent • Sympathomimetics stimulate the sympathetic nervous system • This creates a pseudostress response and makes a stress response more likely

8. Vitamins and Minerals • Chronic stress depletes vitamins from our bodies, especially B complex vitamins and vitamin C • A deficiency in B-complex vitamins and vitamin C can lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, muscular weakness, and upset stomach • Vitamins are needed for production of adrenal hormones • Vitamin depletion can worsen the stress response, creating a vicious circle

9. Relationship of Sugar to Stress • Vitamin B is needed to break down sugar • Sugar reduces production of adrenal hormones • Large amounts can result in hypoglycemia • Chronic stress can burn out beta cells, resulting in reduced production of insulin

10. LIFE EVENTS AND STRESS • What stress events-Lab 5.2 page 102. Are your life events unhealthy- Lab 5.3 page 103. • Life events have the ability to lead to stress and illness, depending on how we perceive those events. People who are experiencing more stress usually report more illness and disease than those with little stress. • View your live events and find ways or means to reduce your stresses. Sometimes making your life more routine can help.

11. Intrapersonal Intervention • Noise and Stress • Disturbing noise • Reducing noise • Relaxing noise

12. Noise and Stress • Noise can increase blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension • Related to job dissatisfaction • Results in irritation, anxiety, headaches, increased blood pressure, and sleep problems • At 85 decibels, stress responses develop • “White noise” is used to drown out other noise • Mantra- a word that is the focus of meditation

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14. Intrapersonal Intervention • Hassles • Daily interactions that are essentially negative. Because of their chronic nature they could take a significant toll on ones health. • Lazarus states hassles may be more harmful than significant life events. • Lab 5.4 page 104 • Success analysis • Success will breed success and self-esteem • Set yourself up to be successful, YOU ARE IN CONTROL. • Identify what “success” means to you and how to achieve this by using your strengths • Social Support- presence of significant others with whom to discuss stressors.