Kaplan University
HW410Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
Stress Management and PreventionProgram Resource Guide
1
Kaplan University
Stress Management and Prevention Program Resource Guide
By
Melissa McDonley
Kaplan University
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
August 10, 2010
1
Table of Contents
Unit 1 The nature of STRESS 1
Information to Remember ………………………………………………….1
Resources: Exercises: Exercises…………………………………………….1
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing……………………………………..1
Unit 2 thE Physiology of STRESS 2
Information to Remember …………………………………………………2
Resources: Exercises: Exercises……………………………………………2
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing…………………………………….2
Unit 3 The Psychology of stress 3
Information to Remember …………………………………………………3
Resources: Exercises: Exercises……………………………………………3
Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing……………………………………3
Unit 4 personality traits and the human SPIRITUALITY 4
Information to Remember …………………………………………………4
Resources: Exercises: Exercises……………………………………………4
Tools: Journal Writing……………………………………………………..4
Unit 5 dealing with stress: COPING strategies 5
Information to Remember …………………………………………………5
Resources: Exercises……………………………………………………….5
Tools: Journal Writing……………………………………………………..5
Unit 6 relaxation Techniques1: BREATHIN, meditation, and mental imagery 6
Information to Remember …………………………………………………6
Resources: Exercises……………………………………………………….6
Tools: Journal Writing……………………………………………………..6
Unit 7 nutrition and stress 7
Information to Remember …………………………………………………7
Resources: Exercises……………………………………………………7
Tools: Journal Writing………………………………………………….7
Unit 8 physical exercise and activity 8
Information to Remember ……………………………………………..8
Resources: Exercises…………………………………………………...8
Tools: Journal Writing…………………………………………………8
Unit 9 applying stress: critical management and prevention to your professional life
Information to Remember
Resources: Exercises
Tools: Journal Writing
Unit 10 applying stress: critical management and prevention to your professional life 9
Information to Remember ……………………………………………9
Resources: Exercises………………………………………………….9
Tools: Journal Writing………………………………………………..9
Additional Information
Unit
1
Unit 1: The Nature of Stress
Information to Remember:
“Stress –anxiety, constant worry, nervous tensions, trauma, hassle”(Kaplan University, unit 1)Stress, can cause so many illnesses and side effects, leading to more illnesses.
“Stressors –something that speeds up the state of anxiety, tension, worry; stressors can impact humans as well as the environment.” ( Kaplan University, Unit 1)We all have stressors that cause us worry or tension that can cause us harm. We need to learn to control our stressors.
“Symptoms of Stress– indications, warning signs of anxiety, worry, nervous tensions, trauma” (Kaplan University, Unit 1) Symptoms of stress can be anything from, vomiting, bladder control issues, to hair loss and vomiting.
Cited from Kaplan University, Stress, Unit 1, (2010)
Resources: Exercises:
HW410: Unit 6Exercises
EXERCISE 1.2 My Health Philosophy
Life is a kaleidoscope of the infinite variety. No two things are the same. Everyone’s life is individual.
--Paramahansa Yogananda
We all have philosophies. Philosophies are nothing more than our opinions, dressed
Up with an introduction and conclusion—a way to present to someone, even ourselves,
What we really think about some topic or ideal. We have philosophies on
Everything—the types of music we like and listen to, the state of world affairs, and
Even the foods we eat at restaurants.
Now it’s time to examine your philosophy about your health. Based on what
You already know, and perhaps have been taught or exposed to, define as best you can
What the words health and wellness mean to you. After having done this, ask yourself
Whyhealth is so important and writes a few lines about this.
Given the premise that every issue is a health issue, identify some seemingly
No health issues such as the global economy, deforestation, or TV programming. See
If you can discover the connection between these issues and your state of well-being.
How is your state of health influenced by stress? Finally, where do you see yourself?
Twenty-five years from now? If you were to continue your current lifestyle for the next
Three to four decades, how do you see yourself at that point in the future? Your health
Philosophy guides your state of health. What is your health philosophy? What has influenced
Your philosophy up to now (e.g., parents, teachers, friends, and books)? Be specific.
Take some time to write it down here now. If you need additional space to write,
Use the extra pages provided at the back of this book.
My Health Philosophy
_Health and Wellness to me mean if I am lucky I will have learned enough by the time I am done with my degree to help myself with my health issues. I will become healthier and live longer due to the education I am receiving now.
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico would be a non health issue that will eventually have a health effect on my well being. I eat the seafood that comes from the gulf and if the spill continues UN contained our resources we be more drastically affected and we can eat it. We won’t be able to go to the beach and enjoy the sand and water do to contamination.
My state of health is greatly affected by stress. I have aUN curable disease, that alone is stressful along with all the medical testing issues and lack of treatment is stressful.
In 25 years from now if this disease isn’t better controlled I will not be alive. My current lifestyle will not allow me to be alive in three or four decades.
My health Philosophy is to do and learn all I can now to change the direction of my health, what influenced me are my family and Kaplan. My Family is my support and is with me at every turn, they are so encouraging, and I feel I can do anything. Kaplan and learning all I can here have taught me so much already about my body and how to make it healthier. The instructors have been very supportive in making sure we understand everything and do well and that is a major help. ______
EXERCISE 1.6 the Wellness Paradigm Revisited
Ageless wisdom tells us that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts and that all
Parts must be looked at equally as part of the whole. In terms of health and wellness,
The whole is made up of four components: mind, body, spirit, and emotions. Additionally,
Ageless wisdom suggests that holistic wellness is composed of the integration,
Balance and harmony of these four components— that each aspect of our being is so
Connected to the other three that no separations exist. Looking at one component—
Say, our physical health—merits paying attention to the other three because of the dynamic
Interconnectedness of the mind, body, spirit and emotions. What might seem
Like common sense has not always been so well accepted in American culture. For
Over three hundred years, the Western mind has focused on the physical aspects of
Health leaving the other three components in the shadows. Beginning in the early
1960s, the mental, emotional, and spiritual components of health were looked at with
Somewhat distant interest; only in the past decade has the interconnection of mind,
Body and spirit gained respect (and popularity) in Western science.
It has been said recently that every issue is a health issue, meaning that issues
Such as economic downswings, political instability, rainforest depletion, and moral
Bankruptcy all ultimately affects our health. To recognize our own health status, we
Must remind ourselves that we are more than just our physical bodies. We must come
To appreciate the true integration, balance, and harmony of mind, body, spirit, and
Emotions.
Here are some questions to ponder as you explore your own health philosophy,
Values and beliefs. If you need additional space to write, use the extra pages provided
At the back of the book.
1. Given the dynamics of the wellness paradigm, how does it compare with the
Common notion that health is the absence of disease?
2. What is your definition of wellness? Do you believe that the whole is greater?
Than the sum of the parts? Can you think of an example in music, politics, or
Arts that demonstrates this ageless wisdom?
3. What do you think it means to be an integrated person, to enjoy balance and
Harmony among your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects? Do
You feel this within yourself? If not, why not? Can you identify which aspect(s?)
You feel are not in balance?
- Health is so much more than just the absence of disease. Our mind, body, spirit and emotions are a better example of the meaning of health. These four components affect our well being. If one of these aspects is out of balance then stress and illness can develop and cause health problems. Such as depression, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and hair loss to name a very few.
- My definition of wellness is a person being as healthy as they can be physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. I think if all the parts are in good shape then the whole will be too. This is silly but at this late hour the only song I can think of that would apply is the “Wheels on the Bus” It sings about all the parts and the bus working because the parts do.
- An Integrated person to me is a “Renaissance Man“orwoman. Being well rounded in all you do. Being balanced in health as well as ability and education rather it be formal or life lessons. I am pretty balanced in my life except my health and it’s as balanced as it can be at this point. ______
EXERCISE 1.7 College Students Daily Stressors Survey
It’s a safe bet that you will hear the expression “real world” more than once while attending
College—the real world being the no college world of long hours, hard work,
And umpteen responsibilities. Years ago, the college experience was considered a luxury
Of the wealthy. For many rich kids, going to college was like taking a four-year vacation
During which worldly responsibilities could be postponed, with the promise of
A great job waiting after graduation. Times have changed since those Ivy League days
Of long ago. Going to college may not be the same thing as working on Wall Street or
The emergency room of a local hospital, but college constitutes its own real world
Nonetheless. Being a college student comes with its own list of stressors, big and
Small. The following worksheet invites you to rank these typical daily student stressors
(From 1 being low stress to 5 being high stress). In doing so, you take the first
Step in recognizing what issues need to be addressed in your current life situation.
Part I: How do these typical college student stressors rank in your life?
LOW / HIGH1. / Coping with roommates, living conditions / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
2. / Balancing schoolwork with job hours / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
3. / Making ends meet financially / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
4. / Academic load (credits, exams, papers) / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
5. / Social needs (friends, family, etc.) / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
6. / Health status, health issues / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
7. / Food, body image, and weight issues / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
8. / Transportation (car, traffic, gas, tickets) / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
9. / Parental issues, child care issues, etc. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
10. / Girlfriend, boyfriend issues / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
11. / Girlfriend, boyfriend issues / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
12. / Purpose-in-life issues / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Part II: Please list any and all additional daily or weekly stressors and rank these as well.
LOW / HIGH1. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
2. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
3. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
4. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
5. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
6. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
7. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
8. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
9. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
10. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Part III: Additional comments you wish to make:
_I personally think this is a good exercise to do it really makes you look at what in your life is stressing you and makes you think of how to deal with it. ______
Tools: Journal Writing:
HW410: Unit 1 Journal Writing Assignment
EXERCISE 1.1 Are YouStressed?
Although there is no definitive survey composed of 20 questions to determine if you are stressed or burnt out or just exactly how stressed you really are, questionnaires do help increase awareness that, indeed, there may be a problem in one or more areas of your life. The following is an example of a simple stress inventory to help you determine the level of stress in your life. Read each statement, and then circle either the word Agree or Disagree. Then count the number of "Agree" points (one per question) and use the Stress Level Key to determine your personal stress level.
Statement: AgreeDisagree
1. I have a hard time falling asleep at night. AgreeDisagree
2. I tend to suffer from tension and/or migraine headaches. Agree Disagree
3. I find myself thinking about finances and making ends meet. AgreeDisagree
4 .I wish I could find more to laugh and smile about each day. Agree Disagree
5. More often than not, I skip breakfast or lunch to get things done. AgreeDisagree
6. If I could change my job situation, I would. AgreeDisagree
7. I wish I had more personal time for leisure pursuits. AgreeDisagree
8. I have lost a good friend or family member recently. Agree Disagree
9. 1 is unhappy in my relationship or is recently divorced. Agree Disagree
10. I haven't had a quality vacation in a long time. AgreeDisagree
11. I wish that my life had a clear meaning and purpose. Agree Disagree
12. I tend to eat more than three meals a week outside the home. AgreeDisagree
13. I tend to suffer from chronic pain. AgreeDisagree
14. 1 doesn’t have a strong group of friends to whom I can turn. AgreeDisagree
15. I don't exercise regularly (more than three times per week). AgreeDisagree
16. I am on prescribed medication for depression. Agree Disagree
17. My sex life is very satisfying. AgreeDisagree
18. My family relationships arc less than desirable. Agree Disagree
19. Overall, my self-esteem can be rather low. AgreeDisagree
20. 1 spends no time each day dedicated to meditation or centering. Agree Disagree
Stress Level Key
Less than 5 pointsyou have a low level of stress and maintain good coping skills.
More than 5 pointsyou have a moderate level of personal stress.
More than 10 points you have a high level of personal stress.
More than 15 points you have an exceptionally high level of stress.
©Paramount Wellness Institute. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
EXERCISE 1.4 A Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep is one of the basic human drives. Most health books don’t talk much about it,
Despite the fact that you spend over one-third of your life in that state. The fact is that
we tend to take the behavior of sleep for granted, unless, of course, we feel we don’t
Get enough of it. We are told that the average person sleeps six to eight hours a night,
With an occasional nap here and there. Truth be told, over half of Americans get much
Less than this. Eight hours may be recommended, but it is not the norm. A poor
Night’s sleep cascades into a poor waking day. Over time, the results will ultimately affect
All aspects of health.
Whatever your sleep patterns were before you started college, chances are that
They have changed dramatically since then. By and large, the freedom connected with
College life tends to throw off sleep patterns. Instead of hitting the hay around 10 P.M.
Or 11 P.M., you might not lay your head on the pillow until 1 A.M. or 2 A.M. On weekends
You may go to bed at sunrise, rather than waking up to see it. And let us not forget
the all-nighters that tend to become habit forming during midterm and final
Exams.
Since the 1950s, scientists have been studying sleeping behaviors and sleeping
Patterns in earnest. With over forty years of data collection, you’d think they would
Have some solid answers; the truth is, no one really knows why we sleep. There are all
kinds of theories about the need to have rest, but to date there seems to be a lack of
Evidence as to what actually goes on during the night hours. Interestingly enough, we
Doknow what happens when we don’t get enough sleep. Memory and motor coordination
fade rapidly, and performance, in all aspects, is greatly compromised—as many
A college student will attest to when pulling a series of all-nighters.
Describe your sleeping patterns. Are your sleep habits regular? Do you go to
Bed and get up about the same time every day? How have your sleeping patterns
Changed since you entered college? Do you make a habit of pulling all-nighters? Do
You have problems sleeping at night? Do you have a hard time getting up in the
Morning? What are some of the patterns you see with your sleep?
_My sleep habits have not changed since I started college. I do not stay up all night but I do usually stay up until 1 or 2 am. I have always been like this. I have no trouble falling asleep but. I do get up several times a night because of pain. I get up and read or play on the computer and eat something then I go back to bed and sleep some more. This goes on all night. I have no trouble getting up in the morning. The pattern I see in my sleep is 2 maybe 3 hours then up and hour and this is repeated all night long, every night.
EXERCISE 1.5 Personal Stress Inventory:
Top Ten Stressors
It’s time to take a personal inventory of your current stressors—those issues, concerns,
Situations or challenges that trigger the fight-or-flight response in your body.
The first step to resolving any problem is learning to identify exactly what the problem
Is. Take a moment to list the top ten issues that you are facing at the present moment.
Then place check marks in the columns to signify whether this stressor directly
Affects one or more aspects of your health (mind, body, spirit, emotions). Take note of
How many of your stressors affect more than one aspect. Then, next to each stressor,
Chronicle how long it has been a problem. Finally, check whether this stressor is one
That elicits some level of anger, fear, or both.
Stressor Mental Emotional Spiritual Physical Duration Anger/Fear?
of Problem
1. __school______x______1year______
2. _finacial______x______2 years ______
3. _physical______x_____x______x______x______6years_____anger______
4. _partners health ______x_____x______x 3.5 years fear ______
5. _child’s wellbeing x x x 25 years fear
6. _general state of the world ______x______x______x______concern___
7. __My Health x x x x fear
8. _loosing weight x______x______x x anger and fear
9. __exercising______x______x______x______x______anger______
10. __loss of life x ______x ______x ______x ______fear ______