Stress And It's Effect On Behavior



Academic Institution

Stress and Its Effect on Behavior

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how coping strategies can help in managing stress levels in individuals.

By

Larry Williamson

Location

Date

Stress and Its Effect on Behavior

Indicate your degree of agreement with each statement by placing the number that agrees with your agreement in the blank before the number. Use the following scale:

0 = Never

1 = Almost Never

2 = Sometimes

3 = Fairly Often

4 = Very Often

4

1

How often have you been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly?

2

2

How often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?

3

3

How often have you felt nervous and stressed?

1

3

4

How often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your personal problems?

2

2

5

How often have you felt that things were going your way?

2

2

6

How often have you been able to control irritations in your life?

3

7

How often have you found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do?

1

3

8

How often have you felt that you were on top of things?

4

9

How often have you been angered because of things that were outside your control?

3

10

How often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?

Total score: 25

The stress survey scores show that I’m suffering from moderately high stress. Which needs to be managed through coping strategies.

Stress Survey Review

Stress creates a grave impact on the functioning of an individual. It consequently decreases the productivity levels in a person. The physiological effects of stress on a person are dire, it can lead to a weakening of immune systems which can consequently also result in cancer. I identified the core reasons of stress have found in the survey that the effect of stress due to cataclysmic events have a worrisome impact on me, I get anxious and scared simultaneously. Moreover, I also identified that personal stress due to ineffective decision making and has led to a decrease in my motivation to address or achieve success in gratification. I recognized that I continuously indulged in drinking coffee and smoking, and tried to divert my thoughts from stressful issues to inactive ways like playing video games, watching television and eating junk food. It has direly affected my mood, health, and behavior. I found myself having higher palpitations, anxious, being angry, restless, sleep deprived and sad CITATION DeL88 \l 1033 (DeLongis 1988).

One can always cope with stress by indulging in regular exercises or physical activities such as practicing relaxing techniques can also help in reducing stress levels in a person. Indulging in social exercises and sharing issues which bother you with family and relation in the community can be considered useful in reducing stress levels in a person moreover, integration of religion in one’s life as suggested by Martin Seligman can also help reduce the levels of stress from within us. I practiced meditation i.e. yoga. The most advantageous thing about yoga is that it combines the physical and psychological aspects of an individual together. Yoga helps decrease stress by lowering blood pressures and palpitations CITATION Par04 \l 1033 (O 2004). It helps me put my thoughts in perspective and address my problems effectively. Stress and anxiety are persistent therefore it is primary to one’s healthy existence that they control the stress level by controlling the stressors and managing the stress levels from within.

Bibliography

BIBLIOGRAPHY DeLongis, Anita, Folkman, Susan, Lazarus, Richard S. "The impact of daily stress on health and mood: Psychological and social resources as mediators." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1988: 486-495.

O, Parshad. "Role of Yoga in Stress Management." The West Indian Medical Journal, 2004: 191-194.