Penstripe Student Planner Catalogue 24-25 - Flipbook - Page 94
Stress - how to handle it
Mental health is a hugely important consideration for young adults in today s society.
are seeing an epidemic rise in the number of teenagers being diagnosed with poor
mental health. n order to address this you need information, practical strategies and
knowledge of where to go for additional support.
e
What is stress?
he area in your brain responsible for activating stress is called the limbic system.
his is a VE Y basic part of the brain that hasn t changed much in thousands of years
in fact it is often referred to as the ancient brain. his part of the brain activates your
fight, flight or free e response to keep you safe from danger. n the past that danger
was real a mountain lion or poisonous snake. n the modern world, your brain can
perceive threat from school tests, family arguments, life changes and the same
physical responses are activated. his basic part of the brain cannot distinguish
between a real threat and a perceived threat.
t is important to remember that
not all stress is bad in fact it is
necessary to motivate you to
achieve and eeps you safe
owever, prolonged e posure to
stress can cause problems and
potentially result in an iety and
depression. eing aware of the
danger signs and addressing them
as soon as possible is essential to
maintain good mental health.
Anxiety/Panic/Anger
Inactive
Breakdown
Too little stress
(underload)
What are the signs of stress?
Optimum
Stress
Too much
stress
(overload)
Burn-out
eadache, neck ache
and backache
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Nausea, diarrhoea, constipation,
stomach ache, vomiting
Shaky hands, sweaty palms, feeling
shaky, feeling lightheaded
rouble sleeping, nightmares
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he way you talk to yourself impacts directly upon your behaviour, emotion and physical
state. earning to talk to yourself in a realistic and positive way will increase motivation,
resilience and mental well being.
I believe …
Emotional signs
New or recurring fears,
ani ety and worries
estlessness or irritability
Social withdrawal, unwilling
to participate in school or
family activities
c ting out, anger, aggressive
behaviours such as tantrums,
disorderly conduct
You may also have beliefs about certain
things or people that can be unhelpful
to you.
You can use alternative language to
describe your beliefs, thoughts and
e periences which can help you look
at them differently this in turn
changes the feelings you e perience both
emotional and physical.
am ama ing
am clever
am kind
hange is scary
hange is inevitable
hange is e citing
am beautiful
am
Your own stress indicators
t is important to be aware of what stress
feels like for you. ake a uiet few
moments and think about a time you were
stressed. Notice the physical responses
you feel they are your early warning signs
that something is not uite right.
arents are annoying
arents are there
arents are supportive
ests are frightening
ests are constant
ests are guidance
School is a waste of time
School is necessary
School is opportunity
You can change your beliefs – remember,
once upon a time you did believe in the Tooth Fairy!
e coming clingy, less
independent
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94
Positive self-talk
STRESS LEVEL
f you are regularly e periencing any of these symptoms you may have e cessive
stress that could be a problem.
Physical signs
You can also become calmer by ensuring you do practical things to help your body
cope better with stress.
hese are the two most powerful words
in the English dictionary what you add to
them can change your perspective
and e perience.
Exhaustion
Laid back
Stress can be reduced by altering your mindset or thoughts so that you do not trigger the
fight/flight/free e response. f you see things differently and have a positive viewpoint,
you can have a positive impact upon your behaviour what you do , your emotions how
you feel and your physical state what happens to your body .
I am …
STR SS UR
PERFORMANCE
Fatigue
How to reduce stress
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Stress and bein mentally healthy
