Coping Strategies By Elizabeth Kubler Ross

Psychological Strategies There are a number of psychological or cognitive-behavioral approaches to stress reduction. What they all have in common is a focus on helping you change your perceptions and attitudes toward stressful events. It is important to accept the idea that stress will be ever-present in your life before you can unburden yourself from it. Like it or not, for every stressful situation that resolves or affects you less over time, a new one will eventually crop up. Once you can embrace the inevitability of stress in your life, you can proceed with dealing with the particular stressors in your life. Remember, too, that you may need help at some steps along the way. Sometimes talking with friends or family members can help you see things from a new perspective. If you have a mentor, you might also want to talk with him or her about some issues. For problems that just seem to stick around or that repeat over and over no matter want you do, you might consider talking with a licensed professional such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or social worker. Hans Hugo Bruno Selye (Selye János, 1907 - 1982) was a Canadian endocrinologist of Austro-Hungarian origin. His mother was Austrian; his father was Hungarian. He did much important theoretical work on the non-specific response of the organism to stress. While he did not recognize all of the many aspects of glucocorticoids, Selye was aware of their role in this response. Some commentators considered him the first to demonstrate the existence of a separate stress disease, the stress syndrome, or general adaptation syndrome (GAS). His initial inspiration for GAS came from an endocrinological experiment in which he injected mice with extracts of various organs. He at first believed to have discovered a new hormone but was proved wrong when every irritating substance he injected produced the same symptoms (swelling of the thymus, atrophy of the adrenal cortex, gastric and duodenal ulcers). This, paired with his observation that people with different diseases exhibit similar symptoms, led to his description of the effects of "noxious agents" as he at first called it. He later coined the term "stress", which has been accepted into the lexicon of various other languages. To grossly oversimplify to the point of circular argument, Selye discovered and documented that stress differs from other physical responses in that stress is stressful whether the one receives good or bad news, whether the impulse is positive or negative. He called negative stress distress and positive stress eustress. The system whereby the body copes with stress, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis]], was also first described by Selye. People who suffer the loss of a loved one go through five stages of bereavement, similar to those popularised by Elizabeth Kubler Ross in the 1960s. It's something everybody dreads, but it happens to most of us; the death of a loved one. The initial shock and disbelief is followed by painful emotions that can last months; even years and in some people never goes away. Eventually though, for most people, painful emotions subside and the wounds heal after about six months. And while every person grieves in their own way, there's a similarity in their reactions – they go through set stages, say researchers from Yale University in the US. They say that a person typically experiences emotions in the following order: disbelief, yearning, anger, depression, and acceptance. Generally, the process takes six months; though it can take longer for some people.

These stages are similar to the stages a person goes through when they are dying. In the 1960s, Elizabeth Kubler Ross argued that a dying person goes through denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. A person who is going through bereavement goes through the same process, but doesn't go through a bargaining stage, say the Yale researchers. They interviewed 233 people living in New Haven, Connecticut, who'd suffered a loss of a loved one from a natural death such as cancer or heart disease (not sudden unexpected traumatic death such as a car accident or suicide). The researchers interviewed each person three times over a two-year period, usually at the person's home. The initial reaction after the death was disbelief. This was followed by a feeling of yearning for the deceased, which peaked at about four months. Anger was next; this peaked at five months; and then depression, which peaked at six months after the death. Acceptance was the final reaction and this gradually increased over the two-year period. The Elizabeth Kubler Ross stages have been criticised in the past by some bereavement counsellors as being too rigid. The researchers agree that not everyone goes through all five stages and in within this time frame. But the five-stage framework is helpful as a guide for bereavement counsellors, palliative care health workers, friends and family to understand what a bereaving person is going through, they say. If someone knows well in advance that a person is going to die and has time to prepare, then there is less disbelief and more acceptance, say the researchers. Prolonged grief For some people the depression doesn't lift – especially if the person has had a very close and dependent relationship with the deceased. Ten to fifteen per cent of the people in the study were in this category – they still felt a loss and yearning for a loved one more than six months later and didn't accept the reality of the death. People suffering from prolonged grief (sometimes called complicated grief) may have trouble working and may be at risk for other problems, such as high blood pressure, suicidal thoughts and excessive drinking and smoking. Prolonged grief is more likely to be experienced by people with poor social support, who isolate themselves and hide and suppress their feelings. It's less likely in those who open up, express their emotions, talk about the deceased, and share memories with others. Coping with Exam Stress Read more: http://student-healthissues.suite101.com/article.cfm/coping_with_exam_stress#ixzz0McOnq2 n2 Every year, students worldwide spend months worrying about upcoming exams, deadlines and finals. Here's how to avoid becoming one of the many students who let their worries and stress get the better of them. Plan Ahead for Studying It sounds simple, but one of the most common mistakes made by students is to leave everything until the last minute. If you've worked hard throughout the year, then you will be as prepared as possible – but even then, if you only start studying the day before the exam then your brain will only be able to process so much at once. Start revising early, and then

by the time you've got two days to go until the exam, you'll feel like you know most of your material already, instead of starting your panic at that point. Get Some Sleep Many students survive on energy drinks, coffee and late nights during exam periods. The truth is, however, that your brain is much more likely to remember something you read or write while it is alert and awake; caffeine products are good for meeting deadlines, but when it comes to exams and revision, you'll need to be well-rested if you're going to remember it all.

Coping with Stress and Anxiety

Easy Techniques to Reduce Feelings of Anxiety, Stress and Fear © Stress relief and anxiety management includes listening to music, visualization, and distinguishing between reality and fantasy. In daily life, stress and anxiety surrounds you: simply getting to work or school, dealing with peers and colleagues, balancing the budget, and communicating with friends and family can increase feelings of anxiety and even fear. Some feelings of anxiety are normal and healthy; extreme anxiety can be physically and emotionally overwhelming. When you learn to cope with stress and anxiety in a healthy, effective way you’ll not only breath easier, you’ll have better relationships and be more productive at work. Coping with stress and anxiety can ease specific stressful situations, such as surgery. Anxiety Information The National Institute of Mental Health cites that 40 million people in America suffer from anxiety disorders. Feelings of anxiety are not only common and treatable – they’re inevitable. Feelings of anxiety range from mild uneasiness to extreme terror. “Fear is the most powerful emotion,” says Michael Fanselow, a University of California (Los Angeles) psychologist. It’s necessary for survival, and it’ll keep you alive and healthy unless it escalates to abnormal proportions. Appropriate fear and anxiety can help you perform well, keep you alert, and even help you deal with pain. Physical Effects of Anxiety and Stress You know how anxiety and stress changes your body. Unhealthy levels of anxiety can cause intestinal problems, stomach pains, headaches, rashes, or flare ups of other chronic illnesses such as ulcerative colitis or migraines. Insomnia and fatigue can also result – as well as psychological struggles such as extreme debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.

echniques to Reduce Feelings of Stress and Anxiety Music. Be creative when you’re suffering with feelings of anxiety and stress. For instance, try music therapy: research shows that listening to relaxing music significantly reduces feelings of anxiety and fear before and during surgery. “Music therapy” doesn’t have to be complicated or

expensive. It can simply involve listening to your favorite relaxing music before a stressful event. Visualization of positive outcomes has also proved to reduce feelings of anxiety and fear. When you focus on a desired outcome, you increase the chances of it happening (The Secret involves visualization). Distinguish between reality and fantasy. Real threats are very different from perceived ones, or fantasy. For instance, feeling anxious about a meeting or exam you aren’t prepared for is a real fear that can be dealt with; feeling anxious about a hoard of birds attacking is a perceived fear that likely won’t happen. Learning to reassure yourself of the reality of a situation can help you cope with anxiety and stress. Anxiety medication. Medicating for anxiety and fear may be effective, but learning to cope with stress and anxiety naturally may be better in the long run. Talk to your doctor about anxiety remedies such as Clonazepam or Buspar, which are anxiety-reducing medications.