Stress and how it affects your mind and your body - Essay

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Chapter 2

Self-Assessment

Olpin/Hessen, Stress Management for Life: A Research-Based, Experiential Approach , Fourth Edition. © 2016 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Key Questions

I know I feel stressed, but how can I measure my stress?

How do I rate my stress level compared to the stress level of others?

I often have headaches and tight shoulders. Could this be due to stress?

Is my stress because of what is happening in my life or because of how I react or think about what is happening?

Objectives

Assess your current level of stress from a variety of perspectives

Explain the physiological and psychological indicators of stress

Evaluate the impact of stress on the quality of your life

Self-Assessment

The major challenge of stress management is to determine:

What causes you stress

What factors are related to unnecessary stress

How your stress level relates to the stress levels of others

Where Are You Now Stress-Wise?

Many tools to assess stress are presented in this chapter

Assess Your Stress

Symptoms of Stress

Perceived Stress Scale

Inventory of College Students’ Recent Life Experiences

Ardell Wellness Stress Test

More Assessment Tools

Student Stress Scale

Stress Vulnerability Factors

Tombstone Test

Daily Stress Diary

FYI: Meditation Slows Breathing

People who regularly practice meditation:

Have slower breathing rates

Breathe more efficiently

Use the oxygen they breathe in more effectively

Natural physiologic changes during meditation include

Decreased oxygen consumption

Lessened respiration rate

Assess Your Stress

Physiologic indicators of stress:

Resting heart rate

Breathing pattern

Respiration rate

Stress-o-meter

On scale of 1 (relatively stress free) to 10 (high anxiety most of the time), rate the past month’s stress level

“Assess Your Stress” Form

FIGURE 2.1 “Access Your Stress” Form

Resting Heart Rate	___Beats per minute
Breathing Pattern	__Abdomen___Chest___Both
Respiration Rate	___Breaths per minute
Stress-o-Meter	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Figure 2.1 “Assess Your Stress” Form

Assess Your Stress: What’s Normal?

Heart and respiration rates can change with stress

Normal heart rate ranges from 50 to 100 beats per minute and average is 70 to 80

Normal respiration rate is 12 to 16 breaths per minute

Chest breathing is associated with stress while abdominal breathing is associated with relaxation

Your Perceptions

Your perception of stress is instrumental in how your body responds

What do your results tell you about your stress level?

Research: Stress and Deep Sleep

The link between stress and restless sleep is well-established

Stressed individuals have changes in heart rate patterns during rapid eye movement sleep, when dreaming occurs

The patterns are similar to those seen in insomnia, suggesting a common pathway

Stressed individuals also wake up more often and have fewer episodes of deep sleep

Symptoms of Stress: Assessment I

Rate the frequency with which you experience symptoms of stress

Headaches

Tense muscles; sore neck and back

Fatigue

Anxiety, worry, phobias

Difficulty falling asleep irritability insomnia

Bouts of anger/hostility

Boredom and/or depression

Symptoms of Stress: Assessment II

Eating too much or too little

Diarrhea, cramps, gas, constipation

Restlessness, itching, tics

Grinding teeth, clenching jaw during sleep

Difficulty concentrating

“Symptoms of Stress” Form

FIGURE 2.2 Symptoms of Stress Form

Symptoms	Frequency of Symptoms: Almost all day, every day	Frequency of Symptoms: 2-3 times a day	Frequency of Symptoms: Every night or day	Frequency of Symptoms: 2-3 times per week	Frequency of Symptoms: Once a week	Frequency of Symptoms: Once a month	Frequency of Symptoms: Never
Headaches
Tense muscles; sore neck and back
Fatigue
Anxiety, worry, phobias
Difficulty falling asleep
Irritability
Insomnia
Bouts of anger/ hostility
Boredom, depression
Eating too much or too little
Diarrhea, cramps, gas, constipation
Restlessness, itching, tics
Grinding teeth, clenching jaw during sleep
Difficulty concentrating

Figure 2.2 Symptoms of Stress Form

Your Symptoms

The more often you experience symptoms of stress, the more likely it is that stress has a negative impact on your life

FYI: Lessons from the Titanic

The captain of the Titanic was warned six separate times to slow down, change course, and take the southern route

He ignored all six warnings and was lulled into complacency because he believed the ship was unsinkable

The lesson:

Listen to your body when it sends you signals and slow down, change course, or take another route

Source: Connections: Health Ministries Association Newsletter, “A lesson from the Titanic,” by Jean Wright-Elson, Parish Nurse Note (Huntington Beach, CA.).

Perceived Stress Scale I

Rate the frequency, in the past month of:

Being upset because of something that happened unexpectedly

Feeling unable to control the important things in your life

Feeling nervous and “stressed”

Feeling confident about your ability to handle your personal problems

Feeling things were going your way

Perceived Stress Scale II

Finding you could not cope with all the things that you had to do

Being able to control irritations in your life

Feeling you were on top of things

Being angered because of things that happened that were outside of your control

Feeling difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (1 of 3)

FIGURE 2.3 Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)

For each question, choose from the following alternatives:

0-never 1-almost never 2-sometimes 3-fairly often 4-very often

In the last month, how often have you been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly?

In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?

In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and "stressed"?

In the last month, how often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your personal problems?

In the last month, how often have you felt that things were going your way?

In the last month, how often have you found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do?

In the last month, how often have you been able to control irritations in your life?

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (2 of 3)

In the last month, how often have you felt that you were on top of things?

In the last month, how often have you been angered because of things that happened that were outside of your control?

In the last month, how often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?

Figuring your PSS score:

You can determine your PSS score by following these directions:

First, reverse your scores for questions 4, 5, 7, and 8. On these four questions, change the scores like this: 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1, 4 = 0.

For all other questions, use the number you wrote down as the score.

Now add up your scores for each item to get a total.

My total score is ________.

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (3 of 3)

Individual scores on the PSS can range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.

Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low perceived stress.

Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate perceived stress.

Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived stress.

Source: A Global Measure of Perceived Stress, by S. Cohen, T. Kamarck, & R. Mermelstein, in Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4) (1983):385-396.

Score Yourself

Score your responses to the Perceived Stress Scale as indicated on the form (Figure 2.3)

An important characteristic of the Perceived Stress Scale is that it focuses on perception of events, not simply the occurrence of events

Inventory of College Students’ Recent Life Experiences

Focuses on the occurrence of stresses and hassles

Developed especially for college students

Reflects the university environment

ICSRLE (1 of 5)

Intensity of Experience over the Past Month

0 = not at all part of my life 1 = only slightly part my life 2 = distinctly part of my life 3 = very much part of my life

Conflicts with boyfriend's/girlfriend's/spouse's family

Being let down or disappointed by friends

Conflict with professor(s)

Social rejection

Too many things to do at once

Being taken for granted

Financial conflicts with family members

Figure 2.4 Inventory of College Students’ Recent Life Experiences (ICSRLE)

Source: From “The Inventory of College Students Recent life Experiences: A Decontaminated Hassles Scale for a Special Population,” by P.M. Kohn, K. Lafreniere, & M. Gurevich, Journal of Behavioral Medicine, December 1990, 13(6), pp. 619–30.

ICSRLE (2 of 5)

Having your trust betrayed by a friend

Separation from people you care about

Having your contributions overlooked

Struggling to meet your own academic standards

Being taken advantage of

Not enough leisure time

Struggling to meet the academic standards of others

A lot of responsibilities

Dissatisfaction with school

Decisions about intimate relationship(s)

Not enough time to meet your obligations

Dissatisfaction with your mathematical ability

Important decisions about your future career

ICSRLE (3 of 5)

Financial burdens

Dissatisfaction with your reading ability

Important decisions about your education

Loneliness

Lower grades than you hoped for

Conflict with teaching assistant(s)

Not enough time for sleep

Conflicts with your family

Heavy demands from extracurricular activities

Finding courses too demanding

Conflicts with friends

Hard effort to get ahead

ICSRLE (4 of 5)

Poor health of a friend

Disliking your studies

Getting "ripped off" or cheated in the purchase of services

Social conflicts over smoking

Difficulties with transportation

Disliking fellow student(s)

Conflicts with boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse

Dissatisfaction with your ability at written expression

Interruptions of your school work

Social isolation

Long waits to get service (at banks, stores, etc.)

Being ignored

ICSRLE (5 of 5)

Dissatisfaction with your physical appearance

Finding course(s) uninteresting

Gossip concerning someone you care about

Failing to get expected job

Dissatisfaction with your athletic skills

Scoring the ICSRLE

Add your total points:__________

Your score on the ICSRLE can range from 0 to 147. Higher scores indicate higher levels of exposure to hassles. From your results, focus on two key outcomes:

Determine your current level of stress by adding your score for each hassle and getting a total.

Discover which hassles play a greater part in your life. Items that you rated "3" indicate that those stressors are more of an issue for you.

Source: The Inventory of College Students Recent Life Experiences: A Decontaminated Hassles Scale for a Special Population, by P.M. Kohn, K. Lafreniere, & M. Gurevich, Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 13(6) (1990):619-630.

Ardell Wellness Stress Test

Holistic approach

Incorporates physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of health for a balanced assessment

Adapted Ardell Wellness Stress Test for College Students (1 of 3)

+3 = Ecstatic +2 = Very happy +1 = Mildly happy 0 = Indifferent

−1 = Mildly disappointed −2 = Very disappointed −3 = Completely dismayed

Choice of college

Choice of major, area of study

Marital or relationship status

Friendships

Capacity to have fun

Amount of fun experienced in the last month

Financial prospects

Current ability to meet expenses

Spirituality

Level of self-esteem

Prospects for having impact on those who know you and possibly others

Sex life

Adapted Ardell Wellness Stress Test for College Students (2 of 3)

Body—how it looks and performs

Relationship with family

Happiness with current living situation

Learned stress management capacities

Nutrition, health, and fitness choices

Life skills and knowledge of issues and facts related to your studies or future career

Ability to recover from disappointment, hurts, setbacks, and tragedies

Confidence that you currently are, or will be in the future, reasonably close to your highest potential

Achievement of a rounded or balanced quality in your life

Sense that life for you is on an upward curve, getting better and fuller all the time

Level of participation in issues and concerns beyond your immediate interest

Role in some kind of network of friends, relatives, and/or others about whom you care deeply and who reciprocate that commitment to you

Emotional acceptance of the changes the passage of time brings

TOTAL __________

Adapted Ardell Wellness Stress Test for College Students (3 of 3)

Interpretation
+51 to +75	You are a self-actualized person, nearly immune from the ravages of stress. There are few, if any, challenges likely to distract you from a sense of near total well-being.
+25 to +50	You have mastered the wellness approach to life and have the capacity to deal creatively and efficiently with events and circumstances.
+1 to +24	You are a wellness-oriented person, with an ability to prosper as a whole person, but you should give a bit more attention to optimal health concepts and skill building.
0 to −24	You are a candidate for additional training in how to deal with stress. A sudden increase in potentially negative events and circumstances could cause a severe emotional setback.
−25 to −50	You are a candidate for counseling. You are either too pessimistic or have severe problems in dealing with stress.
−51 to −75	You are a candidate for major psychological care with virtually no capacity for coping with life's problems.

Source: High Level Wellness: An Alternative to Doctors, Drugs, and Disease, by Donald Ardell, Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

Student Stress Scale (Life Events Scale)

Created specifically for college-age students based on the Life Events Scale developed by Holmes and Rahe

Underlying idea: change requires adaptation

Considers only the events that occur, not individual perceptions of these events in life

Student Stress Scale (1 of 2)

Life Event	Mean Value
1. Death of a close family member	100
2. Death of a close friend	73
3. Divorce of parents	65
4. Jail term	63
5. Major personal injury or illness	63
6. Marriage	58
7. Getting fired from a job	50
8. Failing an important course	47
9. Change in the health of a family member	45
10. Pregnancy	45
11. Sex problems	44
12. Serious argument with a close friend	40
13. Change in financial status	39
14. Change of academic major	39
15. Trouble with parents	39
16. New girlfriend or boyfriend	37
17. Increase in workload at school	37

Figure 2.6 Student Stress Scale

Source: Health Awareness Through Discovery by Kathleen Mullen and Gerald, Costello, Burgess Publishing Company, 1981. ISBN 978-0808732037.

Student Stress Scale (2 of 2)

Life Event	Mean Value
18. Outstanding personal achievement	36
19. First quarter/semester in college	36
20. Change in living conditions	31
21. Serious argument with an instructor	30
22. Getting lower grades than expected	29
23. Change in sleeping habits	29
24. Change in social activities	29
25. Change in eating habits	28
26. Chronic car trouble	26
27. Change in number of family get-togethers	26
28. Too many missed classes	25
29. Changing colleges	24
30. Dropping more than one class	23
31. Minor traffic violations	20
Total Stress Score

Score Interpretation:

Researchers determined that if your total score is:

300 or more—statistically you stand an almost 80 percent chance of getting sick in the near future.

150 to 299—you have a 50/50 chance of experiencing a serious health change within two years.

149 or less—you have about a 30 percent chance of a serious health change.

Source: Health Awareness Through Discovery, by Kathleen Mullen and Gerald Costello. Burgess Publishing Company. 1981. ISBN 978-0808732037.

Figure 2.6 Student Stress Scale

Source: Health Awareness Through Discovery by Kathleen Mullen and Gerald, Costello, Burgess Publishing Company, 1981. ISBN 978-0808732037.

Time Tip

Using a planner helps with prioritizing and planning

Added bonus: checking a task off can provide a boost to self-esteem

Stress Vulnerability Factors

Assessing vulnerability to stress is important to managing stress

Vulnerability factors

Genetics

Coping style

Thinking style

Environment

Social skills

Stress Vulnerability Questionnaire (1 of 2)

Item	Strongly Agree	Mildly Agree	Mildly Disagree	Strongly Disagree
1. I try to incorporate as much physical activity* as possible in my daily schedule	1	2	3	4
2. I exercise aerobically 20 minutes or more at least three times per week.	1	2	3	4
3. I regularly sleep 7 to 8 hours per night.	1	2	3	4
4. I take my time eating at least one hot, balanced meal a day.	1	2	3	4
5. I drink fewer than two cups of coffee (or equivalent) per day.	1	2	3	4
6. I am at recommended body weight.	1	2	3	4
7. I enjoy good health.	1	2	3	4
8. I do not use tobacco in any form.	1	2	3	4
9. I limit my alcohol intake to no more than one drink for women or two drinks for men per day.	1	2	3	4
10. I do not use hard drugs.	1	2	3	4
11. I have someone I love, trust, and can rely on for help if I have a problem or need to make an essential decision.	1	2	3	4
12. There is love in my family.	1	2	3	4
13. I routinely give and receive affection.	1	2	3	4
14. I have close personal relationships with other people who provide me with a sense of emotional security.	1	2	3	4
15. There are people close by whom I can turn to for guidance in time of stress.	1	2	3	4
16. I can speak openly about feelings, emotions, and problems with people I trust.	1	2	3	4
17. Other people rely on me for help.	1	2	3	4
18. I am able to keep my feelings of anger and hostility under control.	1	2	3	4
19. I have a network of friends who enjoy the same social activities I do.	1	2	3	4
20. I take time to do something fun at least once a week.	1	2	3	4

Figure 2.7 Stress Vulnerability Questionnaire

Source: From Hoeger. Lifetime Physical Fitness and Wellness, 10E, (Brooks/Cole, Cengage learning, 2009).

Stress Vulnerability Questionnaire (2 of 2)

Figure 2.7 Stress Vulnerability Questionnaire

Source: From Hoeger. Lifetime Physical Fitness and Wellness, 10E, (Brooks/Cole, Cengage learning, 2009).

Tombstone Test

How do you want to be remembered?

The choices you make can determine your stress to a large extent

Assess what is important

Live your life so you will be remembered for what is important to you

Daily Stress Diary

Monitor your stress the same way a food diary allows you to monitor what you eat

Watch for patterns

Conclusion

Stress can be measured from various perspectives

Physiological indicators of stress

Your perception of what is happening

Sources of stress and the frequency of hassles

Your level of satisfaction with the events in your life

Life events you have experienced

Your vulnerability to stress

Lab 2-1 Daily Stress Diary

Throughout the day, list situations or events that initiate the stress response

Source of stress; time and place

Level of perceived stress from 1 to 4

Thoughts and feelings about the stressor

Your coping strategies

At the end of the day, reflect on:

Your major source of stress and your assessment of how well you handled the day