STRESS AUB B Counselin nseling g Center er Ola Ataya - AUB - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

UNDERSTANDING & MANAGING STRESS

AUB B Counselin nseling g Center er

Ola Ataya - AUB Student Counseling Center

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OBJECTIVES OF THIS SESSION

Identifying stress factors Learning skills needed to better cope with stress Developing personalized self-care plans

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STRESS

 Stress is one of the body's natural responses to something that

is threatening or frightening.

 When you become stressed, the sympathetic branch of the

autonomic nervous system gets switched on and releases the neurochemical adrenaline.

 The problem starts when periods of stress become prolonged.

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RESILIENCE ILIENCE & COPING… FINDING EQUILIBRIUM

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Stress factors Protective factors

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 Stress: The effect of anything in life to which people must adjust. Stress

requires us to adjust our attention and behavior and makes demands on our energy.

 Stressor: Anything that has the effect of causing stress.  Stress Capacity: The amount of stress a person can carry, since each person

has some stress in their lives.

 Stress Load: This refers to the amount or quantity of stress a person has in

their lives. Red Cross, 2002

STRESS

Most people experience eustress (mild to moderate stress), which is manageable and not necessarily negative, as it can act as a motivator and energizer. However, distress (high levels of stress) is a serious problem that can result in medical and/or social problems.

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STRESS REACTIONS

What are some common stress reactions?



Physica ical (Headaches, Muscular pains/aches, Tremors of hands, Palpitation Cold sweating, Tiredness, Sleep disturbance, Decreased/ increased appetite, Gastrointestinal problems, Persistent pain without any apparent cause)



Cogni niti tive/me e/ment ntal al (Mental black-outs, forgetfulness, racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, negative thoughts, difficulty with decisions, perfectionism …)



Emoti

• tion
• nal

al (excessive fear, anxiety, worry, mood changes, guilt…)



Relati tiona

• nal/ Social

al Withdrawal, mistrust, intolerance, loneliness, changes in intimacy

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OTHER IMPACTS OF STRESS

 Job

Job Tas asks ks – Decrease in quality & quantity, lower motivation, increased mistakes, perfectionistic standards.

 Mor

Moral ale – Loss of interest, dissatisfaction with work, negative attitude, apathy, decrease in confidence, demoralization, feelings of incompleteness.

 Worl

rld d View w (Spiri ritu tual) l) – Feel sense of unfairness, lack of support, anger at Higher Power, questioning beliefs, loss of purpose.

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Physical Psychological Social Headaches, Muscular Pains/aches, Tremors of Hands Impaired Concentration Social withdrawal Palpitation Forgetfulness Inability to perform day to day tasks Cold sweating Irritability Increased conflict with family or community members Tiredness Worrying, Sadness or Crying and Loss of pleasure from regular activities Inability/difficulty in going back to work , school etc Sleep disturbance Fearfulness substances abuse Decreased/ increased appetite Anger Gastrointestinal problems Guilt/ Shame Persistent pain without any apparent cause

STRESS REACTIONS

 These stress reactions are not genetic  They are learned & can be unlearned

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DEFINING COPING

 Constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage

specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of a person (Folkman & Lazarus, 1984, p. 141)



…anything people do to adjust to the challenges and demands

• f stress… any adjustments made to reduce the negative impact
• f stress (Red Cross: Community-based Psychological Support, p.

87)

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EMOTION-FOCUSED COPING

Coping efforts that are directed toward regulating emotional states:

• - Denial/avoidance
• - Distraction or minimization
• - Wishful thinking
• - Self-control of feelings
• - Seeking meaning
• - Self-blame
• - Expressing/sharing feelings

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PROBLEM-FOCUSED COPING

Efforts to act on the source of stress to change the person, the environment, or the relationship between the two:

• 1. Planned problem solving
• 2. Confrontation

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MANAGING STRESS BEFORE EXAMS

 A simple and very practical step is to develop a

plan of action by preparing well and organizing your time and workloads. This will help address that “out-of-control feeling”.

 A second step is to begin to understand the

physiological responses going on in your body and try to adjust them.

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 Students will encounter many stressful situations during their

college years. Sometimes it may seem that there isn't enough time to do everything that they need to. This can lead to a buildup of stress.

 Successful time management can work to reduce stress in

many situations.

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WHY TIME MANAGEMENT?

Ola Ataya-Psychologist-AUB Counseling Center

 “Putting off the task at hand is an effective way of regulating low

• mood. Avoid the task, avoid the bad mood.”

…while…

 “A real mood boost comes from doing what we intend to do—the

things that are important to us” Why?

 Lack of motivation  Skill deficits  Fear of failure

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ON PROCRASTINATION

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 Achieve More  Lead a Balanced Life  Have More Free Time  Meet Deadlines  Overcome Procrastination  Reduce Stress  Improve your personal productivity

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WHY: BY LEARNING HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO-

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Effective Time management helps us attain:

 Predictability  Sense of purpose  Empowerment

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WHY TIME MANAGEMENT?

Ola Ataya-Psychologist-AUB Counseling Center

Predictability

 According to research, we humans have a primal

fear of the future when we don’t know what’s going to happen. But schedules help us deal with that anxiety by structuring an otherwise shapeless future.

 Having a schedule reduces ambiguity about future

work.

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 Second, time structure gives us a sense of purpose.

According to research, people who structure their time are more likely to have a sense of purpose in life and are less prone to anxiety and hopelessness.

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SENSE OF PURPOSE

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 Third, time structure empowers us.  “Time flies but you’re the pilot”  When people feel more in control and manage to

stay on top of things, they’re much less stressed out and more satisfied with their lives.

 The more you realize you are in charge, the more

you live your life on your own terms.

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EMPOWERMENT

Ola Ataya-Psychologist-AUB Counseling Center

 Having

effective

• rganizational

and time- management skills is beneficial to the whole process

• f studying, to your everyday life, and to future career
• prospects. Developing good strategies helps you to

look after your mental well-being and to get the most

• ut of your study, because you stay in control.

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SO,

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 Time management methods involve finding ways to work

more efficiently, so as to maximize one's use of time

 A variety of techniques and tools are typically used for

this purpose.

 Action planning is fundamental in time management.

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HOW TO MANAGE OUR TIME EFFECTIVELY?

Ola Ataya-Psychologist-AUB Counseling Center

 list making to remind you of the tasks;  prioritizing - focusing on urgent and important tasks rather

than those that are not important or don't move you towards your goals;

 organizing your work schedule;  persevering when things are not working out; positive attitude  avoiding procrastination.

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TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS

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FIGURE 1 – EISENHOWER'S URGENT/IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE

Ola Ataya-Psychologist-AUB Counseling Center

Urgent Not Urgent Important Do Now Plan to Do Not Important Reject

• Trivial requests from others
• Apparent emergencies
• Interruptions and distractions

Scrutinize and probe demands. Help originators to re-assess. Wherever possible reject and avoid these tasks. Resist

• ‘Comfort’ activities, computer

games, net surfing

• Chat, gossip, text, social

communications

• Daydreaming, doodling over long

breaks

• Unnecessary adjusting

equipment Habitual ‘comforters’ not true tasks. Non-productive, de-motivational. Minimize or cease altogether. Plan to avoid them.

THERE ARE 168 HOURS IN A WEEK

 Identifying your objectives  Setting objectives which are achievable & measurable.  Prioritizing your tasks effectively.  Identifying the steps needed to achieve your goals.  Using lists.  Being able to work effectively under pressure.  Completing work to a deadline.  Having a contingency plan

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• Use a physical planner.
• List tasks
• Prioritize your to-do list.
• Schedule time to relax.
• Expect to have roadblocks.
• Learn to say “no”.
• Evaluate how you spend your time.
• Find the right balance.

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QUICK TIPS

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YEAR CALENDAR

MONTHLY CALENDAR

WEEKLY CALENDAR

LACK OF SELF-CARE - WHAT ARE THE COSTS?

We run a risk of depletion, loosing perspective and burn out if we do not focus on activities that truly renew us.

SELF-CARE PLANNING

 Physical – The things I do to take care of my body in a healthy way.  Emotional – Things I do to take care of my feelings in healthy way.  Cognitive – Things I do to improve my mind and understand myself better.  Social – The things I do in relation to others and the world around me.  Spiritual – Things I do to gain perspective on my life.

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BUILDING A SELF-CARE PLAN

Please take a minute to share with the person next to you about positive changes you can make in your personal and academic/ professional life.

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MANAGING STRESS

 Breathing techniques offer a quick and effective method. They

are easy to learn and can be practiced any time, any place,

• anywhere. This stops shallow breathing which is linked to stress

and panicking.

 Mindfulness is a more advanced technique, focused on being

fully present in the moment and experiencing what is going in and on around you.

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ENJOY YOUR TIME AS A GRADUATE STUDENT!

IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER HELP OR IF STRESS IS TOO OVERWHELMING, VISIT US: AUB COUNSELING CENTER

West Hall – 2nd floor 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m.

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http://tiny.cc/gradexSWOUS-eval

Evaluation Form

Established in November of 2011

Facilitate and coordinate graduate education in the following ways/areas:

• Support graduate recruitment programs
• Coordinate and follow up on graduate admissions
• Follow up to ensure the implementation of graduate academic policies
• Encourage the development and success of students
• Provide mechanisms for quality control for the graduate experience

Graduate Council

aub.e .edu.lb/graduatecouncil >> >> GradEx

GradEx Events in in Fall 2018-19 19

(E (Events and Reso sources se secti tion)

Office of Student Affairs

Student Support:

Accessible Education, Outreach, & Peer Support

Remy Elias Wellness Outreach Officer

Accessible Education Office

• 1. Ensures that students with

documented special needs are provided with necessary support and accommodations.

• 2. Resource for all students who

want to develop new study skills, learning strategies, or time management techniques

Accessible Education Office

DON’T WAIT!! The earlier the better: 1) SUBMIT documentation 2) MEET with the Accessible Education Officer 3) ASK whether the AEO can be a resource to you

Student Wellness Outreach

• 1. Strives to nurture a healthy and

supportive university environment which helps enhance a student’s academic, social and personal achievements.

• 2. Provides psychosocial outreach,

education, and resources. Gathers data from various SAO units.

• 3. Aims to spread knowledge,

empowerment, and cooperation.

Peer Support Center

1. Peer Support is delivered by and for students. 2. The support can target any social, emotional, or academic issue that can negatively affect a student’s wellbeing. 3. Equipping students with a non- judgmental and non-stigmatizing perspective, helps them accept and support one another while simultaneously looking after their own mental health.

Contact Us

Accessible Education Office

Nadine Ghalayini West Hall, 314 Tel: +961-1-350000 Ext: 3246 accessibility@aub.edu.lb

Peer Support Center

Remy Elias re92@aub.edu.lb West Hall, 304

Student Wellness Outreach

Remy Elias re92@aub.edu.lb West Hall, 338 Tel: Tel: +961-1-350000 Ext: 3151

Get Connected Now!!!