Stress Management & Personality Types Unit (words to know)—Key words highlighted to help better recognize vocabulary

  1. Stress—the reaction of the body and mind to everyday challenges and demands.

Notes:

  1. Stress can be both positive and negative. Some people believe that stress is always unhealthy.
  1. Eustress—positive stress.

Notes:

  1. This type of stress can motivate you. For example, this type of stress can inspire you to work harder if you have a deadline approaching.
  2. For the most part, some examples of eustress include: earning an “A” on a test, winning a big game, your favorite hobby, birth in the family, and a proposal
  1. Distress—negative stress.

Notes:

  1. Stress has a negative effect, however when it interferes with your ability to perform throughout the day and be harmful to your health.
  2. For the most part, some examples of distress include: earning an “F” on a test, losing a big game, arguments, breakups, death, and divorce
  1. Perception—the act of becoming awarethrough the senses.

Notes:

  1. Often, situations associated with stress are unavoidable. How much the stress of an event affects you, however, depends in part on your perception of it. For example, based on your perception, you might believe that a disagreement with a friend has ruined your relationship. Your friend, on the other hand, might believe that you’ll eventually work out the issue. Because of your perception of the event, you are more likely to experience a higher level of stress about the situation than your friend is.
  2. Your reaction to stressful events depends on your previous experiences. If you enjoy playing the band, performing a solo may not make you nervous. However, if you’ve made a mistake during a band performance, you might worry about how well you’ll play during a solo.
  3. What causes stress for you may not cause stress for someone else.
  1. Stressor—anything that causes stress.
  2. Notes:
  3. Stressors can be real or imagined, anticipated or unexpected. People, objects, places, events, and situations are all potential stressors. Certain stressors like sirens affect most people the same way—causing heightened alertness.
  4. What causes stress for you may not cause stress for someone else.
  1. Stress Tolerance—the amount of stress one can handle before experiencing too much stress.
  2. Notes:
  3. Though most people have lived through some period of “overstress,” it is estimated that one in ten Americans experience low stress tolerance.
  1. Hardy Personality—a personality type that remains healthy despite experiencing major stressors.

Notes:

  1. In general, people with hardy personalities have a higher degree of resilience.
  2. People with a hardy personality share three important characteristics:
  3. Change. The hardy personality likes and welcomes change, viewing it as an opportunity for growth.
  4. Commitment. The hardy personality has a strong sense of purpose and is committed to people, activities, and principles that bring meaning to her or his life.
  5. Control. The hardy personality has a sense of power about his/her life and feels some influence over what happens, taking action when possible. This person also recognizes that some things cannot be changed.
  1. Psychosomatic Response—a physical reaction/disorder that results from stress rather than from an injury or illness.

Notes:

  1. Some physical effects of stress include:
  2. Headache
  3. A weakened immune system
  4. High Blood Pressure
  5. Bruxism(the unconscious habit of grinding or gritting the teeth that occurs during sleep or in stressful situations and can lead to excessive wear of the teeth)
  6. Digestive disorders like ulcers
  7. Mental/emotional and social effects of stress include difficulty concentrating, irritability, and mood swings. Using alcohol or drugs to relieve stress may create more problems, if a person begins abusing these substances.
  1. Relaxation Response—a state of calm.

Notes:

  1. Practicing relaxation techniques like deep controlled breathing (diaphragmatic breathing), progressive muscle relaxation (the tensing then relaxing of specific muscle groups), thinking pleasant thoughts, stretching (yoga), taking a warm bath, getting a massage, and even laughing can relieve your stress.
  1. Time Management Skills—Specific strategies for planning and using time in effective, healthful ways.

Notes

  1. For many people, stress management requires time management. One important time management skill is setting priorities (goals, tasks, or activities that you judge as more important to do than others). When you set priorities, or prioritize, you decide which things you will do in which order, ranking them from most to least important or necessary. Setting priorities can help to organize your day and reduce your stress over what must get done.
  1. Rechanneling—redirecting your energy when there’s excessive negative stress.

Notes:

  1. Redirect your energy. When intense energy builds up from stress, the best thing to do is use that energy in a constructive way. You can put your nervous energy to good use by working on a creative project, going for a walk or a swim, jogging, riding a bike, or doing anything productive that takes your mind away from that stressful situation.
  1. Type “A” Personality—described as a competitive, high achieving personality type most likely (but not guaranteed) to develop heart disease or other significant health problems.

Notes

  1. Type a personalities are aggressive, time-conscious, very ambitious, perfectionists, compulsive, easily angered, and meticulous/fastidious.
  2. Research indicates that the type “A” personality may actually relieve stress by working.
  3. Famous type “A” personalities: Mike Tyson (boxer), President Bush
  1. Type “B” Personality—seen as a “laid-back,” non-competitive personality type less likely (but not guaranteed) to suffer from heart disease.

Notes

  1. Type “B” personalities are non-chalant, casual about appointments, and live a sedentary lifestyle.
  2. Research indicates that the type “B” personality is more likely to hold on to stress, thereby becoming more open to other stress related disorders.
  3. Famous type “B” personalities: Keanu Reeves, Snoop Dogg, ShaquilleO’Neal & Notorious B.I.G.
  1. Type “AB” Personality—a combination of both personality types.

Notes

  1. Some people aren’t strictly type “A” or type “B”; they’re personalities consists of a little bit both.
  2. Famous type “AB” personalities: Michael Jordan, Dewayne Wade