unit 5: encountering stress as part of adolescence
TRANSCRIPT
1 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited
UNIT 5: Encountering Stress as Part of
Adolescence
Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Lesson 1: Sources of Stress and Its Effects
Jump Start 4
Learn about It! 5
Check Your Understanding 13
Explore Your World! 15
Lesson 2: Coping Techniques
Jump Start 19
Learn about It! 20
Check Your Understanding 27
Explore Your World! 29
Real-world Challenge 32
My Reflection 33
Wrap Up 34
Answers to Check Your Understanding 35
Bibliography 39
Glossary 41
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GRADE 11/12 | Personal Development
UNIT 5
Encountering Stress as Part of
Adolescence
“It’s not stress that kills us; it’s our reaction to it.”
- Hans Selye
They say that growing up as an adolescent is one of the best years in a person’s life.
To some extent, it can be true but not without much effort on being able to handle
the changes and challenges that come with it. Stress is part of your life, and it
cannot be avoided or ignored. Knowing how to deal with it will make you stronger
and more able to face your years as an adult in the future.
Diane’s Stress in School
When the school year started, Diane was so eager and excited to try out so many
things. Since it was her senior year, she wanted to take advantage of every
opportunity that came her way. She ran for student council president and won by a
landslide. Diane also had a passion for dancing, and so, she joined her school’s
dance club and got accepted. Since she had her eyes set on a journalism course in
college, she wanted to enhance her writing skills by joining the team of her school
newspaper. Her parents supported every decision she made, but they warned her
that her extracurricular activities might get in the way of her goal of graduating with
honors. Diane assured them that she would be able to manage everything well and
that they had nothing to worry about.
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However, as the year
progressed, she found herself
getting weighed down by the
different demands of her
interests. She was struggling
and juggling with meetings,
practices, and deadlines. To
top it off, she seemed to have
very little time left for her
friends and her family. All
her free time was consumed
by these activities, and she
felt so overwhelmed with the
number of tasks on her to-do
list every day. Diane felt like
she was on auto-pilot on most days, dragging herself out of bed just to get through
her hectic day. She did not want to fail nor quit and was determined to finish what
she started. However, the stress eventually took a toll on her body making her sick
most of the time. There were also many moments while going through her
mountain of work, where she would question her choices and wonder if it were still
all worth it.
Essential Questions
What is stress?
Where does stress come from?
What are the effects of stress?
How can one cope with stress?
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Learning Targets
In this unit, you should be able to:
● discuss that understanding stress and its sources during adolescence may
help in identifying ways to cope and have a healthful life;
● identify sources of one’s stress and illustrate the effect of stress on one’s
system; and
● demonstrate personal ways of coping with stress for healthful living.
Lesson 1: Sources of Stress and Its
Effects
One would commonly hear adults say that you have nothing to be stressed about
at this age since you are young and have not faced the harsh realities of the world.
However, studies show that you at this age experience stress patterned to those of
adults. You face many challenges that may have long-term effects if not
acknowledged and understood well. What are your sources of stress?
Jumpstart
Recall one of the most stressful situations you have ever experienced. Think about
what made it very stressful. What made you say you were under stress? What did
you do when you were in this situation? What have you become and what have you
learned about yourself after the experience?
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Share your experience with the class. Why do you feel stress even at a young age?
Learn about It!
Stress
In 1936, a doctor named Hans Selye conducted a study on hormonal changes in
rats. While having his experiments, he discovered that the rats not only responded
to the hormones and substances injected but were also reacting to the stress
brought about by their experience. He was the first to define stress as we know it
today and became known as the “Father of Stress Research.”
Stress, as defined by Selye, is the non-specific response of the body to any
demand. It is your body’s reaction to certain pressure or challenge or situation –
whether physical, mental or emotional. This stimulus that triggers the body to
respond is called a stressor.
REMEMBER ME!
Stress – your body’s response to any demand or challenge.
Stressor – the stimulus that triggers the body to respond.
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Positive and Negative Stress
Both your good and bad
experiences can create
stress. Depending on the
stressor and the response
that your body make,
either positive stress or
negative stress may result.
Stress is positive or
helpful when your
response to a stimulus is
that one which makes you
more alert, more
productive and more motivated. In some cases, stress heightens your senses and
increases your strength and stamina - which can then allow you to “fight or flee”
from potential dangers to keep yourself from harm. When stress pushes you to
rise to a challenge, you become more focused, more energetic, and even more
efficient and creative. When you can accomplish a task due to this positive stress,
you become more confident in facing future stressful situations that you may
encounter.
More often than not, however,
negative stress eventually occurs
when you have reached a tipping
point or when stimuli go on for too
long when your responses cause
damage to your health,
relationships, productivity, and other
aspects of your life. This threshold
for stress varies for everyone
because stress is subjective. This
PAUSE FOR A THOUGHT
What situation do you consider as
positive stress? as negative stress? Are
you aware of your tipping point when
it comes to stress?
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means that what you consider as stressful may not necessarily be stressful for
another person. And because of this, you must always be aware and sensitive to
the symptoms and signs of negative stress.
Kinds of Stress
It is important to note that stress is not always bad. It is, however, only meant to be
temporary. It is supposed to push you to respond to a stressor and then have that
person back to your normal state. However, with the many factors that affect you,
the stressors and stress and how we address and manage it now becomes a bit
more complicated.
Acute Stress. This is the most common and most recognizable kind of stress. Its
nature is those of everyday situations that you encounter, making it very
manageable. Acute stress is only short-term for it is your body’s immediate
response to the demands and pressures of the recent past and the near future.
Therefore, it cannot do long-term, extensive damage to you. It can be positive or
negative, thrilling or exciting, again, depending on how you perceive the stressor to
be.
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Episodic Acute Stress. Individuals who suffer
from this kind of stress are those who
experience acute stress very frequently. These
people are usually impatient, always in a hurry,
have very short tempers, and display high
irritability and anxiety. Those who suffer
episodic acute stress are usually the individuals
who are either “worry warts” (who focus on the
negative side of things; always foresee or
expect something unfortunate to happen, and
who pointlessly worry so much about the past
and the future) or Type A personalities (those
who are overly competitive; overly driven and highly aggressive individuals who
have the incessant need to be in control of everything).
Chronic Stress. This kind of stress is the most damaging of all for it is the stress
that consumes you over a very long time unless you seek professional help right
away. Chronic stress destroys your health and well-being and is manifested later
on as physical illnesses or diseases that can cause death. People who suffer from it
no longer seek for solutions or hope for a better disposition, as it is embedded
EXAMPLE
Joel’s project for English class is due tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. Just when
he was about to print his final work, he discovered that his printer was out of
ink. It was almost 2 a.m., and he knew that the computer shops nearby were
closed and will open at noon the next day. He also won’t be able to refill the
ink of his printer until the following day, when shops are open. He suddenly
felt his sweat trickle down his forehead as he tried to get in touch with
friends who were hopefully awake and can help him out.
TIP!
Kinds of Stress:
Acute - most common
and short-term only.
Episodic Acute -
persistent acute stress.
Chronic - most damaging
type with long-term
effects.
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already in their everyday life. Chronic stress may have been brought about by
traumatic experiences in the past that continue to haunt and affect their belief
systems and daily activities.
Adolescents and Stress
Adolescence is a period that is marked by many challenges and changes. It is no
surprise then that you may encounter stress as you cope and try to get through
these difficulties. Stress is an undeniable part of your growing up years.
Even adults experience stress but what is important to note is that they manage
stress differently from how you address stress. When you experience stress, you
are more prone to mental health issues and suicides due to the developmental
stage you are in. You seem to be more vulnerable to stress and need more
guidance in dealing with it. Studies have shown that there is a reason why you are
more predisposed to suffer from the stress, as compared to most grownups.
EXAMPLE
Lena used to come from a rich family. However, her dad lost his job and
had to let go of all their luxuries so that they could pay their debts. Lena’s
family moved from an exclusive subdivision to a small apartment in a bad
neighborhood. She had to stop schooling to find a job to help with the
finances, and her younger siblings had to transfer to cheaper schools as
well. Lena believes there is no more way out of this miserable situation for
her family. She grudgingly goes to work in the canteen down the street to
wash dishes every day, thinking that this is the end. For years, she has
come to believe and accept that this is the fate of their family. Lena is
bitter towards rich people and has acted depressed since then.
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Biological Foundations
When you encounter a stressor, the nervous system is activated to respond to it.
The hypothalamus releases the hormones adrenaline and cortisol into the
bloodstream, which allows a quick physical response addressed towards the
stressor – such as increased blood pressure, heart rate and energy, and more
focus. Compared to adults, a physical response is much quicker in adolescents
because the prefrontal cortex - which is the part of the brain that can calmly
assess the situation and delay this kind of physical response from the brain – is not
yet fully developed. This prefrontal cortex - known for its functions in decision-
making, being able to adapt and be flexible to new situations, making judgments,
organizing and planning, goal-setting, and controlling impulses – is not yet
connected to the emotional centers in the brain and is studied to be among the last
to be established.
Without full maturity of the brain in place, you have limited capacity to deal with
stress and manage your thoughts and emotions in a stressful situation. Your brain,
therefore, is much more vulnerable and sensitive to stress than an adult brain. This
may explain why it is so, that as you are repeatedly exposed to such stressors, you
are affected by them in more heightened ways. This implies that you are more
vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression, etc. It is your development
that predisposes you to such conditions.
REMEMBER ME!
Prefrontal Cortex is the part of the brain that is known for its functions in
decision-making, being able to adapt and be flexible to new situations, making
judgments, organizing and planning, goal-setting, and controlling impulses.
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Sources of Adolescent’s Stress
Given that your brain is more susceptible to stress, it is more crucial that you know
and understand what causes stress to be able to effectively cope with it.
Social Pressures. You, who are in the process of finding yourself and forming your
identity, encounter a lot of stress in your struggle to conform to pressure you’re
your peers. Competition and comparison with peers occur as you try to belong,
stand out and be well-liked all at the same time. With all the pressures given to you
(to have the coolest and latest possessions; to try out alcohol, sex and drugs; to be
in a relationship or at least liked by the opposite sex; and to look and be a certain
size and weight) you definitely face a lot of stress in dealing with all of these
demands. The stress comes from being pushed outside of what is comfortable to
you to be able to avoid rejection and isolation.
EXAMPLE
Dan wants to be part of the basketball varsity team because they’re the
coolest group in school. He wants to be popular and wants to get the
attention of the prettiest girls. He practices hard and makes it to the
team. However, there is one last activity that is supposed to solidify his
team membership. It is part of the team’s tradition that those who want
to join must smoke a cigarette inside the campus for one week – an act
that is strictly prohibited. He feels stressed and is pressured to break
the rules, even if he knows it is wrong just for him to be accepted by
these people.
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Family Relationships. Changes in family dynamics cause you stress. At this stage,
you are struggling between being independent while maintaining a healthy
relationship with your parents and siblings, which can cause emotional stress.
Rules and expectations are now being questioned, and arguments and
disagreements may now be more frequent than before. Other possible conflicts
that can be a source of stress would be the parents’ divorce, a birth or death in the
family, migration, financial troubles, etc.
Academic Pressure. Stress may also come
from the pressure to succeed in school. This
success not only means regarding grades but
also translates to being a well-rounded student
who excels in other things aside from grades.
There is pressure you place on yourself, that
may sometimes be reinforced by your parents,
which automatically causes a lot of internal
stress. There is the struggle to juggle school
priorities and family obligations. The stress
comes from the fear of failing or having to quit.
Self-Doubt. This is the stage where you begin to wonder if you can have it all.
There is the fear that you don’t have what it takes to be the best student or
son/daughter or friend. If you do not achieve the status that you aspire to, self-
doubt enters, and stress takes over. With all the changes happening, you begin to
feel that you are losing yourself and your self-worth is put into question.
TIP!
Sources of Stress:
Social Pressures.
Family Relationships.
Academic Pressure.
Self-Doubt.
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Check Your Understanding
A. Read each sentence carefully. Complete the sentence by providing the
correct word/s on the blank.
1. __________________________ is the body’s response to a given stimuli.
2. Stress is __________________________ if it damages one’s health, relationships
and well-being.
3. __________________________ stress is the most common and most
manageable kind of stress.
4. The __________________________ is not yet fully developed in the adolescent’s
brain.
5. In __________________________, stress comes from being pushed outside
one’s comfort zone to be able to avoid isolation and rejection.
B. Answer each question briefly.
1. What is the biological reason behind adolescents’ vulnerability to stress?
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2. How do family relationships create stress in an adolescent?
3. Why is chronic stress the most damaging kind of stress?
C. Read each situation carefully. Answer well.
1. Jack wants to try out for the debate team, the soccer team, the yearbook
club and graduate with honors this year. What advise can you give him?
2. Poch woke up late and missed his bus ride to school. Because of this, he
was late and was not able to attend his first class. What kind of stress did
Poch experience?
3. Robbie does not like to experience stress. He thinks stress is unhealthy.
Why is his thinking wrong?
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Explore Your World!
Task 1: Rate Your Stress
Materials: pen, paper, red, yellow, and blue crayons/markers
Instructions:
Think about the situations in your life that make you experience stress. Write down
at least ten, from the tiny stressors to the major stressors in your life. Rate the
situations according to how much stress you feel when you encounter them. Mark
them as follows:
BLUE – mildly stressful
YELLOW – stressful
RED – very stressful
Analyze and explain your answers. What do you notice about the things that stress
you out? What kinds of situations give you the most or least stress? Why do you
experience stress in those situations? Share answers to the class.
Criteria for Scoring Points
At Least 10 stressful situations given 3
Ratings for each stressor given 3
Depth of analysis and explanation 3
Grammatically correct sentences and
confidence during presentation
1
Total 10
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Task 2: Stress Cards
Materials: hard paper/cardboard, scissors, markers/pens
Instructions:
Pair up with a classmate. Individually, think of at least 10 stressful situations that
girls or boys your age encounter. (You may use some of your examples from Task
1). Write each situation on a small card to make up one deck of cards. Write a
healthy reaction to each situation on a separate card, making up another deck of
cards. Shuffle each deck well. After 5 minutes, have your partner read each
situation you wrote and try to match the healthy reaction from the other deck for
that specific stressful situation. Do the same with your partner’s work. Share some
of your work with the class and explain well.
Criteria for Scoring Points
At Least 10 stressful situations given 3
At Least 10 healthy reactions given 3
Accuracy of matching situations and reactions 2
Depth of explanation 2
Total 10
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Task 3: Stress Jar
Materials: 1 glass jar per group, rocks/stones/pebbles of different sizes, markers
Instructions:
Your class should form groups of 6. Make sure each group has one glass jar and
rocks/stones/pebbles of different sizes. You must come up with different sources
of stress that you encounter. Each source of stress or stressful situation must be
written on a specific rock, depending on how stressful you perceive it to be. For
example, if the group thinks it is a huge source of stress, you must write it on a big
rock. If it is not that stressful, you may write it on a smaller rock.
Explain each situation in the jar and why your group decided to put it on that rock
size to the class.
Criteria for Scoring Points
Varying stressful situations given 3
Ability to categorize stress 3
Depth of explanation 2
Grammatically correct sentences and
confidence during presentation
2
Total 10
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In 2017, a study was made of 150 cities to show the most stress-free
cities in the world. The study considered factors such as traffic
congestion, ease and availability of public transport, access to green
spaces, hours of sunlight in a year, and the financial, physical and
mental health of the citizens.
Here are the Top 10 cities on the list with the least stress:
1. Stuttgart, Germany
2. Luxembourg
3. Hanover, Germany
4. Bern, Switzerland
5. Munich, Germany
6. Bordeaux, France
7. Edinburgh, United Kingdom
8. Sydney, Australia
9. Graz, Austria and Hamburg, Germany
10. Seattle, USA
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Lesson 2: Coping Techniques
You face a lot of stress on a daily basis as part of growing up. Understanding why it
happens and what causes it is just half of the battle. The more crucial part of the
process is to know how to manage it effectively to be able to get through it and deal
with stressful situations successfully in the future. How can you cope with the
stress you encounter?
Jump Start
Do a meditation exercise. The room will be set up with soft, gentle music playing in
the background. Find a comfortable position on the floor. You may choose to sit or
lie down on a mat. Close your eyes the entire time. Focus on your breathing.
Breathe in gently in 5 counts, and breathe out in 5 counts as well. As you focus on
your breathing, think of all your worries and the things that stress you out. Imagine
holding all of these in the palm of your hand. At the count of 3, release all of these
gently into the air. Breathe in and breathe out. Focus on every part of your body,
starting with your feet. Relax your toes and your ankles. Next, focus on your legs,
and feel the tension melt away as you surrender yourself to the floor. Next, focus
on your hips, your back, your spine, your shoulders, and your neck, and release all
the stress that you feel. Let all the tightness you feel drain away and allow yourself
to be relax. Lastly, focus on your breathing once more, and enjoy the quiet stillness
of the moment. In 5 counts, prepare yourself to awaken and open your eyes.
How did you feel before and after the exercise? How did the exercise help you?
What did it feel when you released all the worries and tension you were feeling?
After this activity, what can you do to manage the stress and anxiety you feel?
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Learn about It!
In the previous lesson, it was discussed how stress is subjective. What may be
stressful for some, may not necessarily be stressful for others. This is why it is
important to watch out for signs of stress in individuals to be able to address it right
away and get them through it.
Signs of Stress
There are several manifestations of stress in an individual. It can be in the physical,
cognitive and behavioral/emotional form.
Signs Of Stress
Physical
Constant fatigue.
Increased complaints of pain and ache.
Weight changes.
More instances of specific pains: a headache, upset stomach,
shortness of breath, back pains, nausea, racing heart,
constipation.
Cognitive
Lack of focus.
Forgetfulness.
Difficulty in processing information.
Negative thoughts.
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Emotional/
Behavioral
Change in eating and sleeping habits.
Withdrawing from usual activities and people.
Constant worrying, anxiety, rushing.
Burnout or feeling of hopelessness.
Increased anger, frustration or irritability – shorter temper,
more impatient.
Increased feelings of fear and panic.
More instances of crying.
Strain on relationships.
Increased impulsivity.
Long-Term Effects of Stress
In most cases, the signs of stress mentioned above may
also be an effect of the stress already. If the source of
stress is constant, it will take a toll on your physical and
mental health.
REMEMBER ME!
An individual experiencing stress may show physical, cognitive and
emotional/behavioral manifestations of it. One must be aware of these signs to
be able to address it properly.
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Physical Health
Musculoskeletal System. When your body encounters stress, the common reflex
is for muscles to tighten up and feel tense. Once the stressful situation is
overcome, the muscles then relax and go back to its original state. However, if the
body is repeatedly exposed to a constant source of stress, the muscles remain
guarded and become stiff and tense for long periods of time – which eventually
causes you to suffer from stress-related musculoskeletal conditions.
Respiratory System. It is common for a person under stress to experience
difficulty in breathing. It can sometimes trigger asthma or panic attacks. However,
constant exposure to a stressful situation can worsen lung problems. Lung
diseases such as emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic
bronchitis may become more complicated due to the long-term stress surrounding
a person.
Cardiovascular System. Under stress, your heart rate increases, as well as your
blood pressure and levels of stress hormones. However, if you continuously
experiences constant stress, your coronary arteries may swell which can lead to a
heart attack. Other long-term heart and blood vessel problems may also arise.
Long-term exposure to stress increases fat levels. The body responds to
EXAMPLE
Arlene’s parents have been fighting and bickering for as long as she can
remember. She grew up hearing them shout at each other and throw things at
each other. It wouldn’t be a normal day if she didn’t witness them fight over
the smallest things. She knew it wasn’t a healthy relationship, but she has
gotten so used to the situation that she thought it was a normal occurrence in
their household. Because of this constant exposure to this stressful situation,
Arlene has a migraine that never seems to go away. Her neck, shoulders and
head muscles always feel tense and stiff.
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cholesterol, which can block blood vessels, and increases the probability of heart
disease to strike. One also becomes at risk for hypertension and stroke.
Endocrine System. The brain produces the hormone cortisol and the adrenal
glands near the kidneys produce epinephrine as a response to stress. When this
happens, the liver produces more glucose (blood sugar) for energy, to help you
react to the stress. However, continuous exposure to stress may expose you to
suffer from diseases such as diabetes.
Digestive System. People under stress may experience an increase in appetite or
a loss of it. If continuously exposed to stress, this may eventually lead to obesity or
its extreme, which is malnutrition. Stress makes your brain more sensitive to your
stomach, and so a continuous experience of stress may lead to the development of
ulcers or chronic stomach pain.
Reproductive System. Continuous stress may harm the male reproductive system
by affecting the testosterone and sperm production which may eventually cause
impotence or erectile dysfunction. For women, ongoing stress may lead to
irregularity in the menstrual cycle, or menstrual disorders, which may also cause
infertility.
Other Physical Problems. In general, the constant presence of stress does not
benefit you. Aside from worsening skin conditions, hair loss and a yet-to-be-proven
vulnerability to cancer, chronic stress also take a toll on your immune system.
Continuous stress may overstimulate the release of disease-fighting hormones,
making them less effective than they are supposed to be, or it may also inhibit the
release of certain chemicals that the body needs to fight illnesses.
Mental Health
In the previous lesson, it was discussed how the adolescent brain is vulnerable to
the effects of stress because it is at the stage where it is continuing to develop and
mature. Because the prefrontal cortex is not yet fully developed, the brain cannot
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calm down and shut down the stress responses of the body, which causes you to
experience the stress more quickly and for longer periods of time. Recent studies
show that because of this, there are indeed links between continuous exposure to
stress and mental health issues in adolescents, such as depression, bipolar
disorders, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders.
Coping Strategies
Manage your time. The feeling of being overwhelmed with tasks can be addressed
by managing your time wisely. One must learn to set goals, standards, and limits
when planning your days and weeks. Be smart and realistic about what you want.
Although it is good to want to accomplish many things, you must leave space in
your schedule for unexpected things
to happen. Try to foresee what
challenges you might encounter and
come up with a Plan B or a Plan C to
lessen the frustration and stress in
case things don’t go as smoothly. At
this time and age, there are also
apps and other resources that can
help you be efficient with your time.
EXAMPLE
Bobby’s dad suddenly passed away due to a heart attack. His death was so
sudden that Bobby was not able to cope and adjust well to this tragic
change. He was very close to his dad, and he feels at a complete loss on
what to do without him in his life. Bobby has turned to alcohol to help him
deal with this loss. He feels that drinking numbs him of any pain and allows
him to escape his new reality. From one bottle of beer a day to almost five
every day, he has become so dependent on it and finds no other way of
helping him deal with this stress he faces every day.
PAUSE FOR A THOUGHT
How do you manage your stress? What
is your go-to coping technique
whenever you encounter a stressful
situation?
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Talk it out. When you are feeling at a loss or overwhelmed with life, it is always
best to let it out and talk to someone you can trust and who you know can give you
sound advice. Whether it be your closest buddy or your parents or your siblings,
sharing with them your worries and anxieties can ease the burden you are carrying.
It is not a healthy habit to always keep all the stress inside. Find someone who can
listen to you and understand you. In fact, if you need to, do not hesitate to seek
professional help. Some are still stuck in the dark ages where talking to a
professional is frowned upon or avoided. However, it is not the case anymore
during these times. There is nothing embarrassing or degrading about asking for
help from those who are best equipped to give it. You don’t have to face everything
alone.
Laugh. Enjoy yourself and have a good laugh. Studies have shown that laughter
relieves stress by stimulating your organs, soothing tension in your body and just
making you feel relaxed all over. Every time you laugh, the brain releases “happy
hormones” called endorphins which helps improve your mood and relieve you from
pain.
Rest. Learn to listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. Take a break
because you need it. Sleep allows you to recharge and gives you a better chance at
accomplishing your goals because you can function well. Rest gives you a chance to
look at situations from another perspective, with a clearer eye, and helps you deal
with the stress that comes with it more healthily.
Move. Exercise not only takes your mind of stress, but it also gives you a positive
feeling all over. It has been discovered in researches that when a person exercises,
the brain releases endorphins – hormones associated with feeling good.
Endorphins create the perception that pain is reduced and therefore, reduces
stress and decreases anxiety and depression in individuals.
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Be positive. Dealing with stress is mostly an internal battle, and so it is important
to train yourself to think positively. It can be a matter of perspective at times, which
means that one must try to see the good things in challenging situations. Try to ask
yourself, “What is this moment teaching me?” or “How do I come out as a better
person from this?” Positive self-talk also helps in this process. Instead of putting
yourself down or planting seeds of doubt in
your mind, encourage and motivate yourself to
succeed. Tell yourself that you can do it and
push yourself to rise to the challenge.
Meditate. Studies have shown that meditating
at the beginning, during, and at the end of the
day have positive results in helping you manage
stress. Meditation can be done anywhere and
at any time. It brings you the sense of calmness
and peace needed to get through a busy day.
By focusing on your breathing, visualizing the
positive, and counting your breaths, you can eliminate the thoughts that cause you
stress and allows you to reach a state of balance. Because of this state of peace,
you can now see a stressful situation from a different point of view, and you can
work on reducing the negative emotions that go with it.
EXAMPLE
It was Monday, and Rita’s major exam in Math was on Friday. She was feeling
anxious and worried about it because she needed to get a good grade to pull
up her average. She has been studying all weekend and has planned on
setting aside time every day of that week to study. All her reviewers were
there in front of her already, but she still can’t seem to focus and shake off
her anxiety. She decided to go for a quick jog around her village to clear her
head. Upon returning, she felt recharged and ready to look at those math
problems again.
TIP!
Coping Techniques:
Manage your time.
Talk it out.
Laugh.
Rest.
Move.
Be positive.
Meditate.
27 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited
Check Your Understanding
A. Read each sentence carefully. Complete the statement by providing the correct
word.
1. Forgetfulness is a _____________________________ manifestation of stress on an
individual.
2. When the body encounters stress, muscles feel _____________________________
as a response.
3. An emotional manifestation of stress would be a change in sleeping and
_____________________________ habits.
4. Long-term stress may cause harm in the _____________________________ system
because it inhibits the release of disease-fighting hormones in the body.
5. _____________________________ can bring a sense of calm and peace to a
cluttered mind.
B. Answer each question briefly.
1. How does laughing help one cope with stress?
2. What is the link between stress and mental health?
3. How does long-term stress affect the musculoskeletal system?
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C. Read each situation carefully. Answer well.
1. Jon meditates at the bus on his way to school. When he arrives in school, he
feels positive throughout the entire day. Why is this so?
2. Tina would want to see a psychiatrist to help her deal with the challenges she
faces at home and in school. However, she feels ashamed to do so. What
can you advise her?
3. Mark’s dad has been stressed with work for a long period. He eventually
suffered a heart attack. How did this happen?
29 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited
Explore Your World! Task 1: My Body Feels Stress
Materials: paper, markers/crayons
Instructions:
Make a paper doll or draw yourself (whole body) on a piece of paper. Recall specific
stressful situations in the past that you encountered and write them down. For
each stressful experience, try to remember the physical manifestation of the stress
on your body. What body part was affected by the stress you experienced?
Color/Mark the body part of that situation. Make sure the color you use is different
for each stressful situation.
Show and explain your visual representation in class.
Task 2: Stress Jokes
Materials: paper, pen
Instructions:
Pair up with a classmate. Come up with ten funny jokes about stress in 15 minutes.
The goal is for you to lessen the stress that your classmates are feeling through
laughter. Share this with the class.
Criteria for Scoring Points
Stressful situations given 3
Presence of marked body parts 3
Depth of explanation 2
Grammatically correct sentences and
confidence during presentation
2
Total 10
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Task 3: Stress Management
Materials: any material available to students
Instructions:
Form groups of 5. Together, come up with a creative stress management device (or
a prototype of this device) that you think will help boys and girls of your age to
manage stress on a daily basis. Let your imagination take over. Explain how you
came up with your invention and why you think it will be helpful to your peers.
Criteria for Scoring Points
10 jokes given 3
Creativity and relevance to topic 3
Audience appeal 2
Grammatically correct sentences and
confidence during presentation
2
Total 10
Criteria for Scoring Points
Creativity and uniqueness of device 3
Depth of explanation 3
Relevance to topics discussed 2
Grammatically correct sentences and
confidence during presentation
2
Total 10
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A study by the researchers at Nestle Research Center in Switzerland has
discovered that eating dark chocolates may lower the levels of stress
hormones in people who are experiencing high levels of stress and
anxiety. Anxiety levels of participants were measured, and blood and
urine samples were analyzed as well in the beginning. The study shows
that the participants who ate 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate every day for
two weeks had lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and
catecholamines (the fight or flee hormone).
32 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited
Real-world Challenge
Stress Buster
Materials: whatever is available to the group
Individual Roles:
Leader – facilitates all activities of the group
Secretary – notes down all tasks of each member and tracks progress of each
Editor – compiles and edits the final work of the group
Reporter – presents the completed work of the group to the class
Instructions:
You must be able to present a final output that shows how adolescents can deal
with or manage stress.
The final output can be in the form of a book, video, magazine, app, board
game, song (with lyrics and notes), or dance (with video). You can be creative
and explore other options.
You will work in groups of five.
You must use topics discussed in the final output and research some more on
their own when necessary.
Include a wide variety of strategies for coping that are appropriate for your
peers.
Reporting of information will be done in front of the class. Make sure to provide
a background on how you came up with the idea.
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Criteria for Scoring Score
Creativity and uniqueness of final output 3
Accuracy and appropriateness of strategies
presented
3
Depth of analysis/explanation 3
Inclusion of research and topics discussed in
class
3
Impact of presentation 3
Total 15
My Reflection
What have you discovered about yourself when it comes to handling stress? What
can you improve on when faced with a challenging situation? Write two paragraphs
in the box to answer the questions.
34 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited
Wrap Up
Stress is your body’s response to any demand or challenge. Good and bad
experiences can create stress.
Depending on the stressor and the response your body makes, either positive
stress or negative stress may result.
There are three kinds of stress: acute (short-term and manageable), episodic
acute (those who suffer acute stress frequently), and chronic (most damaging
with long-term effects).
The prefrontal cortex of your brain is not yet fully developed, which makes you
vulnerable to stress.
Some of your sources of stress come from social pressures, family relationships,
academic pressures, and self-doubt.
There are physical, cognitive and emotional/behavioral manifestations of stress
in a person.
Constant exposure to stress may also have long-term effects on your physical
and mental health.
Some ways to cope with stress would be to: manage one’s time, talk it out,
laugh, rest, move, be positive and meditate.
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Answers to Check Your Understanding Lesson 1: Sources of Stress and Its Effects
Part A.
1. Stress
2. negative
3. Acute
4. prefrontal cortex
5. social pressures
Part B
1. The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for functions such as decision-
making, being able to adapt and be flexible to new situations, making
judgments, organizing and planning, goal-setting, and controlling impulses, is
not yet fully developed. Without full maturity of the brain in place, an
adolescent has limited capacity to deal with stress and manage his thoughts
and emotions in a given stressful situation. The adolescent brain, therefore, is
much more vulnerable and sensitive to stress than an adult brain.
2. Changes in family dynamics cause stress in adolescents. Adolescents at this
stage are struggling between being independent while maintaining a healthy
relationship with their parents and siblings, which can cause emotional stress.
Rules and expectations are now being questioned, and arguments and
disagreements may now be more frequent than before. Other possible
conflicts that can be a source of stress would be the parents’ divorce, a birth or
death in the family, migration, financial troubles, etc.
3. This kind of stress is the most damaging of all for it is the stress that consumes
an individual over a very long period of time unless he seeks professional help
right away. Chronic stress destroys a person’s health and well-being and is
manifested later on as physical illnesses or diseases that kill. People who suffer
from it no longer seek for solutions or hope for a better disposition, as it is
36 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited
embedded already in their everyday life. Chronic stress may have been
brought about by traumatic experiences in the past that continue to haunt and
affect their belief systems and daily activities, with or without them meaning to.
Part C.
1. One can advise him to think very well about his plans. He must be warned
that not being able to juggle all the demands of his activities can be a source
of stress for him later on. Although he feels passionate about all these, he
must learn to manage his time well to avoid feeling burnt out and exhausted.
2. Poch experienced acute stress. This is just short-term and very manageable.
It has no long-term effect on his mind, body, and life.
3. Not all stress is bad. Good stress pushes a person to rise to the challenges of
life. Stress can be a way to motivate a person to be more focused, more
creative and more productive. This enables him to be more confident in
facing stressful situations in the future.
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Answers to Check Your Understanding
Lesson 2: Coping Techniques
Part A
1. cognitive
2. tight or tense
3. eating
4. immune
5. Meditation
Part B
1. Studies have shown that laughter relieves stress by stimulating your organs,
soothing tension in your body and just making you feel relaxed all over.
Every time you laugh, the brain releases “happy hormones” called
endorphins which helps improve your mood and relieve you from pain.
2. Because the prefrontal cortex is not yet fully developed, the adolescent brain
cannot calm down and shut down the stress responses of the body, which
causes him to experience the stress more quickly and for longer periods of
time. Recent studies show that because of this, there are indeed links
between continuous exposure to stress and mental health issues in
adolescents, such as depression, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, substance
abuse, and anxiety disorders.
3. When the body encounters stress, the common reflex is for muscles to
tighten up and feel tense. Once the stressful situation is overcome, the
muscles then relax and go back to its original state. However, if the body is
repeatedly exposed to a constant source of stress, the muscles remain
guarded and become stiff and tense for long periods of time – which
eventually causes the individual to suffer from stress-related musculoskeletal
conditions.
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Part C
1. Studies have shown that meditating at the beginning, during, and at the end
the day have positive results in helping a person manage stress. Meditation
can be done anywhere and at any time. It brings you the sense of calm and
peace needed to get through a busy day. By focusing on your breathing,
visualizing the positive, and counting your breaths, you can eliminate the
thoughts that cause you stress and allows you to reach a state of balance.
Because of this state of peace, you can now see a stressful situation from a
different point of view, and you can work on reducing the negative emotions
that go with it.
2. It would be best to advise her to let it out and talk to someone she can trust
and who she knows can give her sound advice. It is not a healthy habit to
always keep all the stress inside. She should not hesitate to seek
professional help. There is nothing embarrassing or degrading about asking
for help from those who are best equipped to give it. She doesn’t have to
face everything alone.
3. Under stress, a person’s heart rate increases, as well as his blood pressure
and levels of stress hormones. However, if a person continuously
experiences constant stress, his coronary arteries may swell which can lead
to a heart attack. Long-term exposure to stress increases fat levels, and how
the body responds to cholesterol, which can block blood vessels thereby also
increases the probability of heart disease to strike.
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Bibliography
American Psychological Association. Stress Effects on the Body.
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body.aspx
BBC. What is Stress? http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/21685448
Bergland, Christopher. Why is the Teen Brain So Vulnerable.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201312/why-is-the-teen-
brain-so-vulnerable
Harvard Health Publishing. The Adolescent Brain: Beyond Raging Hormones.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the-adolescent-brain-beyond-
raging-hormones
Healthline. What’s Your Stress Type? https://www.healthline.com/health/whats-your-
stress-type#is-all-stress-bad
Help Guide. Stress Symptoms, Signs and Causes: Improving Your Ability to Handle
Stress. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-signs-and-
causes.htm
John Hopkins School of Public Health. Teen Stress.
https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/center-for-adolescent-
health/_includes/_pre-redesign/Teen_Stress_Standalone.pdf
Mayo Clinic. Exercise and Depression.
https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression#1
Mayo Clinic. Stress Relief From Laughter: It’s No Joke.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-
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relief/art-20044456
Mayo Clinic. Meditation: A Simple and Fast Way to Reduce Stress.
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20045858
Mills, Harry, Reiss, N. and Mark Dombeck. The Long-Term Consequences of Negative
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Pickhardt, Carl. Helping Adolescents Learn to Manage Stress.
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Warner, Jennifer. Dark Chocolate Takes Bite Out of Stress.
https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/news/20091113/dark-
chocolate-takes-bite-out-of-stress
Glossary
Acute Stress – It is the kind of stress that is most recognizable, common and
manageable with no long-term effects on an individual.
Chronic Stress – It is the most damaging stress that can affect an individual in the
long-term, and may also be physically manifested later on like a disease or illness.
Episodic Acute Stress – It is the kind of stress experienced by those who suffer
from acute stress frequently.
Prefrontal Cortex – It is the part of the brain that can calmly assess a stressful
situation, and is known for its functions in decision-making, being able to adapt and
be flexible to new situations, making judgments, organizing and planning, goal-
setting, and controlling impulses.
Stress – It is the body’s response to any demand.
Stressor – It is the stimulus that triggers the body to respond.