Coping with stress

Introduction

In this unit, we shall look at the meaning of stress,explain the types of stress,identify the causes of stress, explore positive and negative ways of coping with stress. lastly, we will equip the leaner with effective ways of coping with stress.

Objectives

By the end of the session, the participants should be able to: explain the meaning of the term stress and coping with stress state types of stress identify causes of stress explain ways of coping with stress

Activity

Divide the class into groups of 5 each and ask them to discuss among themselves what they understand by the word stress

I hope in their discussion they mentioned the following terms:

• individual's response
• bodily reaction
• overwhelming
• internal and external demands

Let us now define stress

Definition

Stress is an individual’s response to overwhelming internal and external demands

Key point

When people are stressed they are unable to respond appropriately to challenging issues and situation

The youth are faced with many challenges in their day-to-day life, some of which are stressful.

Discussion

lead the class to discuss some of the causes of stress among young people

I hope the discussion was able to elicit some of the following responses

• academic pressure
• rejection by peers
• changes taking place in their bodies(biological, phsical and mental)
• Poor communication in the familu
• death of the loved ones

Examples of causes of stress among the young people include: academic pressure, rejection by peers changes taking place in their bodies (biological, physical and mental), poor communication in the family and death of loved ones among others.

Ways of coping with stress

• Recognizing onset of stress
• Identifying cause of stress
• Improving self awareness skill
• Engaging in physical exercises
• Talking to a trusted friend
• Setting realistic goals
• Good time management
• Engaging in positive leisure activities
• Being assertive
• Choosing and keeping good friends
• Making rational decisions
• Nurturing personal values

Types of Stress

• Dystress – This is the negative stress which affect ones normal functioning and requires to be managed

• Eustress – This is the positive stress which one needs in his/her daily life for normal functioning

A case study on causes of stress

Read the following case study carefully

Eva is a form three girl in a mixed day school. She is the second born in a family of five children. The mother a single parent, brews and sells changaa to earn a living for the family. Whenever Eva comes home in the evening from school she is expected to assist the mother in selling changaa until all the customers have left. More often than not, this goes on until midnight. By the time the last customer leaves, Eva is too tired to do her homework and study.

Eva hardly sleeps. She spends time pondering over the experience of having to come to a home which is overcrowded. Lately one of the regular male customers has been persuading her to become her sexual partner. Eva believes sex before marriage is wrong, besides, it is a behaviour which can expose her to HIV infection. Her mother had more than three times suggested to Eva to terminate her education, because she could not get enough money to take care of the family’s basic needs, leave alone paying her school fees. Eva is becoming anxious about this. She is aware that her first born brother dropped out of school in Form two, and no one knows his whereabouts. Fatigue every morning has become a common feeling to Eva. As she goes to school she is always worried about her unfinished assignments and the common habit of dozing in class which upsets her teachers. Eva is basically leading a miserable life and does not know what to do to make her life bearable and less stressful.

1. From this case study identify different causes of stress in Eva’s life
2. How have these problems affected Eva?
3. If you were Eva how would you respond to this stressful situation?