4. Stress & Anxiety
THE SANSKRIT CHARACTER FOR FUNERAL IS
STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO THE SANSKRIT
CHARACTER FOR WORRY…ONE BURNS THE
DEAD WHILE THE OTHER BURNS THE LIVING….
“STRESS IS DEFINED AS THE ANTICIPATION OF
INABILITY TO RESPOND ADEQUATELY TO
PERCIVED DEMAND, ACCOMPAINED BY
ANTICIPATION OF NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
FOR INADEQUATE RESPONSE”
- JOSEPH E.McGRATH
5. FOUR TYPES OF STRESS
1. General Stress:
» Everyone has this kind of
stress
» It resolves itself within a
day or two
» No intervention is
necessarily required
6. FOUR TYPES OF STRESS
2. Cumulative Stress:
Stress builds up in
your body
It becomes more
difficult to alleviate
your symptoms
You may have more
serious physical
symptoms
You may have more
serious mental
anguish
7. FOUR TYPES OF STRESS
3. Acute Traumatic
Stress:
Critical Incident Stress
Produces
considerable
psychological distress
A normal reaction to
abnormal events
8. FOUR TYPES OF STRESS
4. Post Traumatic Stress:
Severe stress produced
by severe psychological
trauma
Created by unresolved
Critical Incident Stress
Produces lasting
changes
9. Anxiety & Stress – The Causes
WORK OVERLOAD
TIME PRESSURES
POOR QUALITY OF SUPERVISION
INSECURE JOB CLIMATE
LACK OF PERSONAL CONTROL
INADEQUATE AUTHORITY TO MATCH
RESPONSIBLITIES
ROLE CONFLICT AND AMBIGUITY
DIFFRENCE BETWEEN COMPANY AND EMPLOYEE
VALUES
FRUSTRATION
TECHNOLOGY WITH INADEQUATE TRAINING AND
SUPPORT
10. Anxiety & Stress – The
Causes……..Contd.
Work overload
Quantitative: too much to do in too short a time
Qualitative: work that is too difficult
Quantitative has increased in recent years due to
downsizing
Work under load – work that is too simple or
insufficient to fill one’s time
Both of these impact stress and health, appears that a
moderate amount of stress is optimal
11. Anxiety & Stress – The
Causes……..Contd.
Organizational Change – if not hardy, change
causes stress in individuals. Can be reduced by
including employees in planning
Role Ambiguity – unstructured or poorly defined job
responsibilities (expected standards, methods,
schedules)
Role Conflict – conflict between job demands and
employee’s personal standards
13. General Adaptation Syndrome
Stage I - Alarm Reaction
The ―fight or flight‖ response which causes you to
be ready for physical activity
However, it decreases the effectiveness of the
immune system which makes you more
susceptible to illness
14. General Adaptation Syndrome
Stage II – Stage of adaptation
If stress continues, the body adapts to the
stressors it is being exposed to
If the stressor is starvation, the person
experiences a reduced desire for physical activity
to conserve energy, and the absorption of
nutrients from any food intake is maximized
15. General Adaptation Syndrome
Stage III – Stage of Exhaustion
Stress persists for a long time
The body’s resistance may be reduced or
collapse quickly
People who experience long-term stress may
have heart attacks, severe infections, or chronic
pain or illness
16. Short Term Physical Stress Symptoms
Dry mouth
Cool skin
Cold hands and feet
Increased sweating
Rapid breathing
Faster heart rate
Tense muscles
Feelings of nausea
Butterflies in your
stomach
Diarrhea
A desire to urinate
17. Long Term Physical Stress Symptoms
Insomnia
Change in Appetite
Sexual disorders
Aches and pains
Frequent colds
Feelings of intense and
long-term tiredness
Prone to illness
18. BEHAVIORAL STRESS SYMPTOMS
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
Yawning
Talking too fast
Talking too loud
Fiddling
Twitching
Nail biting
Grinding teeth
Drumming fingers
Pacing
Over reacting
Emotional
Defensive
Irritable
Irrational
Defensive
Hostile
Critical
Aggressive
19. BEHAVIOR STRESS SYMPTOMS
These symptoms will have a negative affect on your
performance
By reducing your effectiveness
Making you accident prone
Causing you to be forgetful
Causing you to be very negative
You may neglect your appearance
You may make poor judgments
Causing you to make more mistakes
Increasing your absenteeism
20. PERFORMANCE STRESS SYMPTOMS
You may not make good decisions
Your fine motor skills are affected
You may no longer enjoy your work
Your attention span may be affected
You may have more negative thoughts
Your self confidence will suffer
You may have difficulty concentrating
All of your positive energy is consumed
24. Behavioral Signs of Stress
Withdrawal
Suspiciousness
Excessive Humor or Silence
Increased Smoking, Alcohol or Food
Change in Activity Level
Angry Outbursts
Crying Spells
25. Negative Self-Talk
The Worrier Voice - ―What if…..?‖
Make a plan then get it out of your head.
The Critic Voice - ―How stupid…..‖
Recognize what is really true.
The Victim Voice - ―I’ll never be able to…..‖
There is always something to do to work toward a
goal.
The Perfectionist - ―I should……‖
Assess your unrealistic expectations of yourself.
28. Treating Stress in the Workplace
Organizational Techniques
Provide sufficient support for change
Provide sense of control through participation
Clearly define employee roles
Eliminate work over and under load
EAPs for stress reduction (teach coping
strategies)
Provide opportunity for social support (formal or
informal)
29. Treating Stress in the Workplace
Organizational Techniques
Provide sufficient support for change
Provide sense of control through participation
Clearly define employee roles
Eliminate work over and under load
EAPs for stress reduction (teach coping
strategies)
Provide opportunity for social support (formal or
informal)
30. Individual Techniques for Stress
Reduction
Exercise
Relaxation Training
Biofeedback
Behavior Modification
32. Individual Techniques for Stress
Reduction
Take a Deep Breath and Count to Ten
Stand up and stretch. Remember relaxation is the
opposite of stress.
―We don’t laugh because we are happy…We are
happy because we laugh"
Stand up and smile. Try it! You’ll feel better!
Take a short walk. If you’re at work, take a
bathroom break or get a glass of water. Do
something that changes your focus. When you
come back to the problem, chances are it won’t
seem nearly as insurmountable.
33. Individual Techniques for Stress
Reduction
Every cloud has a silver lining. After all, rain makes
things grow! Ben Franklin found good in a bolt of
lightning. Find the good in your stressful situation by
listing the negative surges and determining what it will
take to make them into positive charges!
―A Man's Got to Know His Limitations—‖
Knowing yourself and your limits may be the most
important way to manage stress effectively
Quit blaming yourself.
Be pro-active in finding peace.
When you need help, get help.
34. Other Tips:
Get a good night's rest.
Eat healthily.
Listen to your favorite music.
Exercise, participate in a sport or engage in fun
activity.
Plan out your time and prioritize.
Talk to a friend about your problems, don't hold it in.
Get a massage.
Take a nap.
Take a warm bath.
Read a book or watch TV
36. Final Remarks
―Laughter and tears are both responses to
frustration and exhaustion . . .I myself prefer to
laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do
afterward.‖
-Kurt
Vonnegut
Heaven on Earth is a choice you must make,
not a place we must find…
-Wayne Dyer
