Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key terms.

THEME VI. MANAGING STRESS

Key Terms:alarm stage, coping, defense mechanism, displacement, distress, eustress,

exhaustion stage, general adaptation syndrome, hardiness, hyperstress, hypostress, irrational

belief, projection, psychosomatic disorder, rational belief, rationalization, reaction formation,

repression, resistance stage, self-talk, stressor, sublimation, thought-stopping, type A, type B,

type C.

Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key terms.

TEXT 1. WHAT IS STRESS?

We must understand that some stress is good and necessary; the only people who don't

have stress are dead. Stress is as necessary as food; however, when it comes to food, do you

utilize all you eat or is there some waste? Obviously, there is waste, and your body eliminates

that. If you didn't eliminate food waste on a regular basis you would have a real physical

problem. Similarly, if you do not eliminate excessive stress on a regular basis it can create

physical problems and/or behavioural changes.

Do you know that you have the power within yourself to modify both the amount of

stress in your life and your reaction to it? Stress is a general response by an organism in reaction

to any of a number of environmental events. Stress can refer to (1) challenging and potentially

threatening events and situations; (2) our immediate reactions to those situations; and (3) our

body's long-term physical reaction to continuing threatening events and situations. Stress is the

mismatch between an individual's coping skills and the demands of his/her environment. Stress

arises when the perceived demands of a situation exceed the perceived capabilities for meeting

the demands.

Positive or pleasurable events as negative or painful events can be equally stressful. How

much stress we feel depends on the amount of change required to cope with the situation.

Types of stress.

1. Eustress is defined as good stress or short term stress that strengthens us for immediate

physical activity, creativity, and enthusiasm. The secret of positive stress is a sense of

control. When we can make choices and influence the outcome of a situation, we meet the

challenge successfully and return to a normal level of functioning relatively quickly.

2. Distress is negative or harmful stress that causes us to constantly readjust or adapt. Distress

occurs when we feel no control over outcomes. However, not all negative events cause

psychological distress. Distress arises only when the stressor makes demands on the

individual that exceed the individual's ability to cope. Therefore, distress is accompanied by

feelings of tension, pressure, and anxiety rather than the concerted energy of eustress.

3. Hyperstress or overload occurs when stressful events pile up and stretch the limits of our

adaptability. It is when we have to cope with too many changes at once or adapt to radical

changes for which we are not prepared that stress can become a serious problem.

4. Hypostress or underload occurs when we're bored, lacking stimulation, or underchallenged.

This type of stress frustrated our need for variety and new experiences. People who enjoy

their work, regardless of how demanding it may be, will be less stress-ridden than people

who are bored with a job that makes few demands or is too repetitive. If you are involved in

something you like, you are much more likely to handle frustration, pressure, or conflict

effectively.

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 1140