COPING WITH

STRESS IN
MIDDLE AND LATE
ADOLESCENCE
COPING WITH STRESS IN MIDDLE AND LATE
ADOLESCENCE
Stress
• Stress is defined as a reaction of the mind and body to a stimulus that disturbs
the well-being, or state of calm, or equilibrium of a person.
• It is a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension.
Stresses can be external (from the environment psychological, or social
situations) or internal (illness or from a medical procedure)
COPING WITH STRESS IN MIDDLE AND LATE
ADOLESCENCE
• Psychologists have agreed that small and sporadic amounts of stress can be
helpful and beneficial to individuals, while excessive amounts of stress sustained
over a lengthy period of time can be destructive to both physical and mental
health.
• There are three views in understanding stress: Stimulus, Response and
Relational
1. STRESS AS A STIMULUS

Stress is caused by situations that may be life threatening or life changing, such as
separation, moving into a new home, or having a new job. These situations or
events are often called stressor.
2. STRESS AS A RESPONSE

It is the way the body reacts to challenging situations. This involves the interactions
between the hormones, glands, and nervous system where the adrenal gland
drives the production of cortisol known as “stress hormone.” The production of
cortisol enables a person’s body to produce the energy it needs to gear it toward
action. Another response of the body similar to the production of cortisol is the
release of a substance called norepinephrine, which triggers the body’s reaction,
such as an increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and respiration, to prepare
the body for action.
2. STRESS AS A RESPONSE
The adolescent’s physical response to stress is faster than that of an adult simply
because the part of the adolescent’s brain, the prefrontal cortex, that assesses
danger and directs action during stress is not yet fully developed.
Prolonged or chronic situations that involve both cortisol and norepinephrine will
eventually affect the body to wear down fast. This is the reason why prolonged or
chronic stress often causes fatigue aging, and illness caused by low immune
system.
3. STRESS AS A RELATIONAL

• An example of this is a flight delay. A positive relevance to

this will have the person thinking this is one situation he has
no control of, and there may be a purpose or reason why it
is happening. A negative relevance will produce agitation
and impatience blaming the airline or whoever is
responsible for the delay, which may result in lost
opportunities.
3. STRESS AS A RELATIONAL

• An example of this is a flight delay. A positive relevance to

this will have the person thinking this is one situation he has
no control of, and there may be a purpose or reason why it
is happening. A negative relevance will produce agitation
and impatience blaming the airline or whoever is
responsible for the delay, which may result in lost
opportunities.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

Cognitive symptoms:
 Memory problems
 Inability to concentrate
 Poor judgment
 Seeing only the negative
 Anxious or racing thoughts
 Constant worrying
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

Emotional symptoms:
 Depression or general unhappiness
 Anxiety and agitation
 Moodiness, irritability, or anger
 Feeling overwhelmed
 Loneliness and isolation
 Other mental or emotional health problems
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

Physical symptoms:
 Aches and pains
 Diarrhea or constipation
 Nausea, dizziness
 Chest pain, rapid heart rate
 Loss of sex drive
 Frequent colds or flu
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

Behavioral symptoms:
 Eating more or less
 Sleeping too much or too little
 Withdrawing from others
 Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
 Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
 Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)
 CAUSES OF STRESS

The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as

stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such
as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship.
However, anything that puts high demands on you can be
stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married,
buying a house, going to college, or receiving a promotion.
 CAUSES OF STRESS

Finally, what causes stress depends, at least in part, on your perception of

it. Something that’s stressful to you may not faze someone else; they may
even enjoy it. While some of us are terrified of getting up in front of people
to perform or speak, for example, others live for the spotlight. Where one
person thrives under pressure and performs best in the face of a tight
deadline, another will shut down when work demands escalate. And while
you may enjoy helping to care for your elderly parents, your siblings may
find the demands of caretaking overwhelming and stressful.
COMMON EXTERNAL CAUSES OF STRESS
INCLUDE:

• Major life changes

• Work or school
• Relationship difficulties
• Financial problem
• Being too busy
• Children and family
COMMON INTERNAL CAUSES OF STRESS
INCLUDE:

• Pessimism
• Inability to accept uncertainly
• Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility
• Negative self-talk
• Unrealistic expectations/perfectionism
• All-or-nothing attitude
DAILY CAUSES OF STRESS INCLUDE:
• Environmental stressors – Your physical surroundings can set off the stress response.

Examples of environmental stressors include an unsafe neighborhood, pollution,

noise (sirens keeping you up at night, a barking dog next door), and uncomfortable living
conditions. For people living in crime-ridden areas or war-torn regions, the stress
may be unrelenting.
• Family and relationship stressors – Problems with friends, romantic partners, and
family members are common daily stressors. Marital disagreements, dysfunctional
relationships, rebellious teens, or caring for a chronically-ill family member or a child with
special needs can all send stress levels skyrocketing.
DAILY CAUSES OF STRESS INCLUDE:
• Work stressors – In our career-driven society, work can be an ever-present
source of stress. Work stress is caused by things such as job dissatisfaction, an
exhausting workload, insufficient pay, office politics, and conflicts with your boss
or co-workers.
• Social stressors – Your social situation can cause stress. For example, poverty,
financial pressures, racial and sexual discrimination or harassment,
unemployment,
HOW TO COPE WITH STRESS?
• Coping is the human organism’s way of bringing itself back to a state of
equilibrium which is the healthy state.
• Coping is a way for a person to deal with stress in a healthy, acceptable manner.
Coping is necessary to about psychological trauma and mental diseases. It can
be problem-focused, by dealing with the problem and finding ways to solve it or
avert through positive imagery or thoughts.
• Coping may also be a combination of both problem-focused and emotional-
focused remedies.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WAYS OF
COPING WITH STRESS:
1. Conduct creative imagery of the problem – look at the stressor as a relational situation where you can
assess and change the way you look at the stressful situation.
2. Seek group or social support – talk to people you know and trust, surround yourself with friends who
can offer you sincere understanding and empathy. Talk to an adult and share your thoughts and
feelings.
3. Get into relaxation activities like breathing exercises, regular physical exercise, meditation, yoga, self-
hypnosis, reading a good book, or listening to relaxing music.
4. Create a situation where you can feel more relaxed like a quiet environment or a comfortable position,
and project a passive attitude toward the stressor.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WAYS OF
COPING WITH STRESS:
5. Learn to manage your time – analyze how much time you are spending for studying, for being online, for
texting or calling, for watching TV, and see where you are spending more time. If you spend one hour for
studying or doing homework but you spend two hours watching TV and four hours visiting social
networking sites, then you can immediately tell that there is definitely an imbalance in your priorities and
time management. Setting your priorities is important when managing time. As a student, your priority is
your studies.
6. Eat properly by selecting nutritious, healthy food. Eat regularly and avoid skipping meals.
7. Seek spiritual growth through prayer and meditation. Be mindful of the presence of the Divine in your life,
and interpret the events and people in it as part of a bigger plan not even you can comprehend for now.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WAYS OF
COPING WITH STRESS:
8. Have a worthwhile hobby like cross-stitching singing, dancing, drawing, or collecting items.
9. Watch a movie with friends.
10. Have a nice, quiet walk with a member of your family after dinner.
11. If the stressor is one of your expectations, assess it and see if it is doable and realistic or not. Then
adjust the expectations to what you are capable of doing one step at a time.
12. Believe in yourself that you are strong and courageous, that you are capable of overcoming the
challenges that you are facing, and that any stressful situation will bring out the best in you and will
make you stronger.