address your stress (jan 2013) address your stress dr. steve seelig, capt,chc, usn (ret) 1
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Address Your Stress
Dr. Steve Seelig, CAPT,CHC, USN (Ret)1
Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Identifying Stress
1. What causes stress in your life? What makes you feel off balance?
2. How do you know you are stressed?
3. What do you do to cope/deal with stress?
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Objectives
1. Identify when stress impacts your well-being.
2. Distinguish between real and perceived stress.
3. Apply strategies and techniques to address stress.
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
The real or perceived demands that disrupt our balance.
Stressors
Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Real vs. Perceived Stressors
Real changes occur in the body and mind due to real or perceived demands that disrupt our balance.
Real “I can’t find my keys and I’m late”
Imagined “My husband is 5 minutes late, what if he was in a bad car accident”
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Real vs. Perceived Stressors Examples
• “My boss wants this report completed tomorrow. There is no way to do it.”
• “I don’t think my mother in law likes me.”• “There is an official letter from the bank. What am I
going to do? I must have overdrawn my checking account.”
• “I didn’t plan on the water heater breaking. How am I going to pay for it?”
• “The doctor hasn’t called. My test results must be negative.”
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Some stress is actually good for us.
Too much stress is a different matter.
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
1. The person believes the stressor is significant for his or her well being.
AND
2. The person believes the stressor is bigger than their ability to deal with it.
“Bad” Stress Conditions
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Is the stressor relevant to my well being? Do I care about the stressor? Does the stressor block or enhance my personal goals? Does the stressor impact my self-esteem, morals, values, or
sense of identity?
“Bad” Stress Conditions
Can I deal with the stressor? Can I respond in a way that will positively influence the stressor?
Last consideration: How long has this stress been with me?
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
+ Exposure to stressors
+ Stressor is relevant to our well-being
+ Beliefs that stressors will harm and/or threaten us
+ Belief we cannot handle stressors
+ Last over time (chronic)
= STRESS RESPONSE
The Stress Response
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Cascade of Responses
Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Stress Busting Strategies
Journal about your stress and worry. Limit worry to a specific time of day. Postpone worry when you are busy. Tolerate and understand uncertainty. Focus on the present, all else is illusion. Do a physical activity. Slow down your breathing. Relax your body. Talk to a friend.
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Stress Technique:
Countering Stressful Thoughts
If you don't like something, change it; If you can't change it, Change the way you think about it.
Mary Engelbreit
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Recognizing Stressful Thoughts
All or Nothing Looking at things in only black and white (e.g. always, never).
Overgeneralization Expecting one negative experience to hold forever.
Diminishing the Positive Not counting positive experiences.
Jumping to Conclusions Making negative interpretations without any evidence.
Catastrophizing Expecting the worst case scenario.
Should/Shouldn’t Holding strict standards which no one can live up to.
Labeling Labeling yourself based on perceived shortcomings.
Personalization Taking responsibility for things you don’t control.
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Keep a Thought Profile
Date/Time Situation Stressful Thought Rating 1-10
6/2/125:30 pm
Wife is late Accident (Catastrophe) 5, Kind of worried
6/2/125:40 pm
Wife is late Having affair(Catastrophe)
7, Pretty worried
6/2/125:45 pm
Wife is late She hates me (Personalize)
8, Very worried
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Examine your record for patterns:
1. When do I worry?
2. What is the focus of my worry?
3. Are there themes?
4. What is going on when I worry?
5. Who is around when I worry?
6. What do I get out of worrying?
7. What am I predicting will happen?
8. What is the evidence against what I am predicting?
9. What is the best/worst that can happen?
10. What might be an alternative view of the situation?
11. What is most likely to happen?
12. If someone I cared about had the same worry, what advice would I give them?
Learn About Your Thoughts
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Counter Your Stressful Thoughts
Date/Time Situation Stressful Thought Rating 1-10 Minimizers Re-Rate1-10
6/2/125:30 pm
Husband is late Accident 8, Worried 1. He is a good driver.2. Rush hour traffic.3. Stopped at the store.4. Stuck in a meeting.5. He has been late
before.6. Dinner is late anyway.
5, Less worried
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Stress Technique:
Guided Imagery
Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.Albert Einstein
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Guided Imagery Steps
1. Find a comfortable position.
2. Relax and concentrate on breathing.
3. Keep an open attitude.
4. Pick a visual theme (e.g. beach, forest).
5. Allow your mind to develop the image.
6. Use all of your senses.
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Objectives
1. Identify when stress impacts your well-being.
2. Distinguish between real and perceived stress.
3. Apply strategies and techniques to address stress.
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Review of Key Points
1. Stress is both real and subjective.
2. It has real impacts on bodily systems.
3. You can relax the body using a stress management technique like diaphragmatic breathing.
4. There are many free useful resources for stress management.
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Address Your Stress (JAN 2013)
Address Your Stress
Dr. Steve Seelig, CAPT, CHC, USN (Ret)