Stressssssssssssin.

Brought to you by your wellness center

Group Agreements

• Respect: treat people the way that you want to be treated.

• One Mic• “I” Statements• Confidentiality• Others…?

By the end of this presentation, you will be able to:

1. Define stress, its symptoms, and effects

2. Learn the importance of reducing stress

3. Practice specific techniques to reduce stress

4. Find the Wellness Center

What is Stress?

• Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way.

Stress Warning Signs and SymptomsCognitive Symptoms Emotional Symptoms

• Memory problems • Inability to concentrate • Poor judgment • Seeing only the negative • Anxious or racing thoughts • Constant worrying

• Moodiness • Irritability or short temper • Agitation, inability to relax • Feeling overwhelmed • Sense of loneliness and isolation • Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms Behavioral Symptoms

• Aches and pains • Diarrhea or constipation • Nausea, dizziness • Chest pain, rapid heartbeat • Loss of sex drive • Frequent colds

• Eating more or less • Sleeping too much or too little • Isolating yourself from others • Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities •Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax •Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

Your Body’s Response to Stress

• Heart pounds faster • Muscles tighten • Blood pressure rises• Breath quickens• Senses sharpen

Many health problems are caused or exacerbated by stress

• Pain of any kind • Heart disease • Digestive problems • Sleep problems • Depression • Obesity • Autoimmune diseases • Skin conditions, such as eczema

Top Ten Stressful Life Events

• Spouse’s death • Divorce • Marriage separation • Jail term • Death of a close relative • Injury or illness • Marriage • Fired from job • Marriage reconciliation • Retirement Source: Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory

Things that influence your stress tolerance level

• Your support network

• Your sense of control• Your attitude and

outlook• Your ability to deal

with your emotions• Your knowledge and

preparation

So what can you do?

so what can you REALLY do….?• Learn how to

manage stress• Strengthen your

relationships• Learn how to relax• Care as much about

your wellbeing as you do about your GPA

• …?

Unhealthy ways of coping with stress

• Smoking • Drinking too much • Overeating or undereating • Zoning out for hours in front of the TV or

computer • Withdrawing from friends, family, and

activities • Using non-prescribed pills or drugs to

relax • Sleeping too much • Procrastinating • Filling up every minute of the day to

avoid facing problems • Taking out your stress on others (lashing

out, angry outbursts, physical violence)

Healthy Ways to Deal with Stress

• Exercise– Walking, running, dancing, swimming, biking– Yoga (Wednesdays after school in room S-104)

• Sleep– 7-9 Hours per night

• Get Support

Healthy Ways to Deal with Academic Stress

• Get extra help– To get a CSF tutor, go to lowellcsf.atspace.com

• Talk to your teacher• Get Organized: Use a planner, make a

schedule

MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN7am BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BREAKFAST SLEEP SLEEP

8am SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SLEEP SLEEP

9am SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL BREAKFAST BREAKFAST

10am SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOLSCHOOL/PSYCH

TEST STUDY:MATH HIKE

11am SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL BIKE RIDE HIKE

12pm LUNCH/FRIENDS LUNCH/FRIENDS LUNCH/STUDY:PSYLUNCH/STUDY:

PSY LUNCH/WALK FRIENDS LUNCH

1pm SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL FRIENDS STUDY: CHEM

2pm SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOLSCHOOL/APUSH

TEST LUNCH FAMILY TIME

3pm SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL MUSEUM FAMILY TIME

4pmHang out w/

Friends GSA MEETING YOGA FRIENDS FRIENDS MUSEUM SEE A MOVIE

5pmHang out w/

Friends STUDY: PSY STUDY: APUSH STUDY: APUSH FRIENDS STUDY:ENG SEE A MOVIE

6pm Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner DINNER DINNER

7pm STUDY: MATH STUDY: MATH LISTEN TO MUSIC STUDY: PSYCH ??? ??? STUDY:ENG

8pm GOSSIP GIRL STUDY: ENG STUDY: CHEM STUDY:ENG/MATH ??? ???FACEBOOK, IM,

ETC

9pm STUDY: APUSHFACEBOOK, IM,

ETC STUDY: ENG RELAX/SLEEP ??? ??? STUDY:PSYCH

10pm STUDY: CHEMSTUDY:

APUSH/CHEM STUDY:MATH SLEEP ??? ??? RELAX/SLEEP

11pm RELAX/SLEEP RELAX/SLEEP RELAX/SLEEP SLEEP ??? ??? RELAX/SLEEP

More Healthy Ways to Deal with Academic Stress

• Help us change the current culture of stress at Lowell

– Do your part to make Lowell a less stressful place: ENOUGH WITH THE COMPETITION

– Talk with teachers about your workload and stress levels

– Thank those teachers who are understanding and support you

– Stay tuned with the Wellness Center because we are trying to change the system

Take care of yourself, you are worth it!!!!!!

THE END