Introduction

Have you ever felt that you had way too much to do and didn’t know where to begin? Have you ever felt that the clock was more of an enemy than a friend? 

Not to worry! What you were experiencing was something called stress. We have all felt the effects of stress from time to time. The majority of the times we can, with the help of friends and family, find ways to cope and work our way out of that situation.  Some people have a harder time doing that or lack the coping mechanisms to relieve the stress and end up ill. A primary response to stress is physical illness but psychological effects can also set in. Learning and practicing basic coping skills greatly contributes to maintaining a healthy attitude, and an understanding of life’s ups and downs.

stress female student in libray

 

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Explain ways to promote psychological wellness
  • Describe physiological processes associated with stress, including hormones associated with stress responses
  • Describe Hans Selye’s general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
  • Describe the fight-or-flight response in terms of the autonomic and somatic nervous systems
  • Contrast positive and negative ways of coping with stress related to problem-focused coping, aggression, and emotion-focused coping
  • Explain approach-approach, approach-avoidance, and avoidance-avoidance conflicts.

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Psychology: Objective: 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5,4 and 5.5.

 

 

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