Learning Competency:

Esp-PD11/12DWP-Ib-2.2 identify ways that help one become capable and

responsible adolescent prepared for adult life
EsP-PD11/12CS-If-5.1 discuss understanding of mental health and psychological well-being to
identify ways to cope with stress during adolescence
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Discuss that understanding stress and its sources during adolescence may help in
identifying ways to cope and have a healthful life.
2. Identify sources of your stress and illustrate the effect of stress on your system, and
3. Demonstrate personal ways of coping with stress for healthful living.
Coping with Stress in Middle and Late
Adolescence Big Question: What is Stress and how does it affect you?
Reading: STRESS MANAGEMENT
Dictionary definitions do not quite capture the meaning of stress as it is seen and experienced in
the world of work. One of the Webster’s definitions describes it as an “…emotional factor that causes
bodily or mental tension.”
A practical way of defining stress is the feeling one gets from prolonged, pent-up emotions. If the
emotions you experience are pleasant and desirable – joy, elation, ecstasy, delight – you usually feel free
to let them show. They are not suppressed. Therefore; positive emotions do not usually cause stress.
Negative emotions, on the other hand, are more often held inside. They are hidden. You suffer quietly and
you experience stress. Do not confuse positive situations with positive emotions. A wedding, for example,
is a positive situation that often brings about the negative emotions of anxiety and tension. So stress can
exist in great situations.
Causes and Effects of Stress
Just as there is great variety in the range of emotions you might experience, there are many
possible manifestations of stress – in your private life and in your working life. Here are some words
that describe the emotions associated (as cause and effect) with stress.
Anxiety Pressure Misery Strain
Desperation Tension Anger Panic Dejection
Prolonged stress can be devastating; burnout, breakdown, and depression are some of the
potential results of long-term, unmanaged stress. By wearing a mask, you may expect to hide stress
caused by problems in your personal life and not let them influence your performance on the job. This will
probably not work. The more you try to hold your emotions in, the greater the pressure build-up will be.
Everyday frustrations cause stress build-up
From the time you wake up until you go to sleep, you may be confronted with a succession of
stressful situations. Managing to get yourself (and possibly a spouse and children) out of bed and ready
to face the day can be a challenge to your patience and ingenuity. Driving to school or work can be
harrowing – especially if you’re running late. You may experience frustration in arranging to get the car
repaired. You may face conflicts in school or at work, such as coping with unrealistic deadlines,
equipment failures, or unexpected bad weather. If part of your job is selling, you may experience feelings
of rejection when most of your customers say “no.”
A series of stressful and frustrating experiences throughout the day can cause you to lie awake at
night in an emotional turmoil – unable to get needed rest. You face the next day with less emotional and
physical stamina. After another stressful day and another night without rest, you may have even less
emotional strength and stability. Therefore, stress build-up, if not resolved, continues day after day.
Problems in our personal life can be devastating
Surviving the normal, everyday stress described above can be difficult. But far more serious and
painful circumstances can create long-term stress. More serious stressful circumstances may include
separation from loved ones, personal illness, or illness of a loved one, death of someone you care about,
or conflict with a spouse or close friend. Other major causes of stress are problems with drug and alcohol
abuse, domestic violence, care of children and elderly relatives, chronic mental illness, injury, physical
handicaps, even moving to a new home, if you’ve lived in the same place for more than 10 years. The list
goes on and on.
Managing your personal finances can be another stressful experience. This can be a problem no
matter what your income level, but it is especially difficult if you must support a family and do not earn

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enough to live comfortably. Unpaid bills, unwise use of credit, and budget limitations can make life
difficult.

A common cause of stress is dealing with life’s transitions

This is especially true when a person must cope with too many transitions all at once. For example, Ellen
has just completed a program in fashion merchandising. She is eager to get started on her new job. Her mother is
ill and requires care. Her father died a few months ago. Ellen’s new job requires that she relocate to a town 100
miles from home. The move, a new career, and a change in family relationships may cause excessive stress for her.
Too many changes have arrived at the same time.
STRESS SIGNALS
Warning signs of stress:
Physical
-headaches -stomach aches -dizziness -back pain -neck stiffness
-ulcer sores on mouth -jaw pains -weight loss -weight gain
-twitches (eyelids, face) -weakness -nausea -indigestion
-excessive sleeping -overeating -loss of appetie -inability to sleep
-skin problems -constant fatigue -cold hands or feet
-excessive sweating -chest pains -high blood pressure -rapid or difficult breathing
Emotional
-mood changes -lack of concentration -nightmares -panic attacks -anxiety
-anger -irritability -crying -thoughts of suicide
-depression -confusion -feelings of helplessness -restlessness
-racing thoughts -aggressiveness
Behavioral
-smoking -nail biting -tapping -pulling hair -grinding hair
-use of alcohol -use of medication -compulsive dieting -hair chewing
-nervous laughter -pacing -lateness -putting things off
-not caring about physical appearance -compulsive overeating
STRESS RESPONSE
Your stress response is the collection of physiological changes that occur when you face a
perceived threat—when you face situations where you feel the demands outweigh your resources to
successfully cope. These situations are known as stressors.
When your stress response is triggered, a series of changes occur within your body. They
include:
Redirection of blood away from extremities and instead to major organs
The release of cortisol and other hormones, which bring other short- and long-term changes.
The stress response is intended to give you a burst of energy so you’re able to fight off
attackers or run away from them effectively.
This helped our ancestors, who faced numerous physical threats, to stay safe. However, now our
threats tend to be less physical and more associated with our way of life—a challenge to our status, a
demand for performance, etc. In addition to giving us a set of changes that may not match our needs as
well (it might be more effective for us to have a burst of mental clarity or wisdom than a burst of physical
strength, for example), the stress response can actually cause harm if it leads to a state of chronic stress
—that is, if our stress response is triggered, and then our body doesn’t go back to its normal state via the
relazation response.
KEEP STRESS UNDER CONTROL
There are many effective ways to handle stress. Of course, you can’t avoid stress—in fact, you
wouldn’t want to avoid all stress, because you’d never grow. However, you can manage your life so that
you survive the emotional down times without allowing stress to engulf you. Also, you can work to
eliminate controllable stress factors, such as running late or not getting enough sleep. But when stress is
constant or too great, your wisest option is to find ways to reduce or control it. You need not, and should
not, live your life in emotional stress and discomfort. Stress can be successfully managed. Here are some
suggestions that may help.
Understand the Causes of Stress
Understanding why you are under stress is important. This may seem obvious, but it requires
deliberate, conscious effort to pause and simply ponder your situation. By now, you are familiar with the
stress response, the emotional or physical symptoms of uncontrolled stress. Now you need to try to
discover the stressors, the factors of which create the stress in your life.
Analyze your Stress Factors and Write Them Down
Write down your response to stress. For example, you may write down, “I feel tired most of the
time. My lower back seems to ache all through the day and night. I miss deadlines and run behind
schedule.” Analyze stress responses and consequences, and consider each item, and ask why. “Why am
I feeling tired? Why does my back ache? Why do I run behind schedule? Carefully consider each answer,
because the answers will reveal stressors, such as deadlines, anxieties, trying to do so much, managing
time or money poorly, or poor health habits.
Deal with the Stressors
Develop techniques to deal with the causes of stress. The longer you avoid dealing with the
stress factors, the more the stress will build up. If tension comes because you have put off an unfinished
task, restructure your priorities so you can get the task that you have been avoiding out of the way and off
your mind.
Learn to Work under Pressure or Unusual Conditions

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 When you can’t reduce the stressors, you need to manage your stress response. Almost
everyone, at least at some point, has to meet deadlines, keep several jobs going at once, resolve
problems that come up, and do extra work when necessary. However, when the pressure mounts, you
can relieve it. Relaxation is key—but most people must train themselves to relax when the pressure is on.
Some tips to relax when under pressure are the following:
Stop for a moment (especially when you feel your muscles tightening up) and take a few deep
breaths.
Do a relaxing exercise. Swing your hands at your sides and stretch.
Take a “power nap.” Lie down and totally relax for a few minutes.
Find time to do the things you enjoy.
Leave your study area for a while to take a brisk walk.
Find a quiet place to read a magazine or novel during break or at lunch.
If possible, look at some peaceful images such as forests, beaches, etc. These images can
initiate a relaxation response.
Look up.
Keep something humorous on hand, such as book of jokes.

Reference!

Book
Wong-Fernandez, B., Que-Legazpi, EX. Q., Quiba, C. C., Rafanan M. R., & Velasquez-Gracia Z.,
(2016) Personal Development, (First ed.). Pasig City Manila: Department of Education.

Links

https://www.aspira.org/sites/default/files/U_III_M_1_SA.pdf
https://positivepsychology.com/self-awareness-exercises-activities-test/

Disclaimer:

The contents of this module such as text, graphics, images and other materials are for general
and educational purposes. I created this module solely for non – commercial, informational and
educational purposes. There is no intention on my part to claim ownership as to the contents or make
profit out of this module.

Prepared by: REBEKAH U. GAMUTAN

SHS Faculty
Sto. Niño Mactan Montessori School
June, 2020

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