Chapter 16: Stress, Health and Coping
Activities
Exercises: Read & Learn
- New Evidence Shows the Calming Power of Reminiscing About Happy Times offers insight into interesting research about dealing with stress (https://digest.bps.org.uk/2017/05/12/new-evidence-shows-the-calming-power-of-reminiscing-about-happy-times/)
- The Psychology and Neuroscience of Terrorism is a timely look at the impact of the threat of terror
(http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/25/health/brain-and-terrorist-attack/index.html) - A cardiologist talks about the effect of stress and how NOT to deal with it in Proven Ways to Relieve Stress That Could be Damaging Your Heart (http://www.news1130.com/2016/03/17/video-proven-ways-to-relieve-stress-that-could-be-damaging-your-heart/)
- Where is the World’s Most Stressful City is an interesting discussion of the role our physical environment may play in our stress. (http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/oct/08/where-world-most-stressful-city-urban-life-depression-anxiety)
Exercises: Read, Watch & Learn
- Stress research has tended to focus on the impact of pretty major events (loss of a job, moving house etc) but little things can be stressful too!
This has been captured by work on the impact of “daily hassles”. Read Find Relief From the Stress of Life’s Daily Hassles which describes some of the research; then put together a list of the hassles you are typically exposed to and the things you can do that could minimize your stress and/or lift your mood on a daily basis?
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201410/find-relief-the-stress-lifes-daily-hassles) - Watch this Ted Talk which explores the possibility of How to Make Stress Your Friend
Video 16.1: How To Make Stress Your Friend,(https://www.ted.com/talks/ kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend) uploaded by Kelly McGonigal.
a) What did you think? Has the speaker convinced you?
b) Are you motivated to change your behaviour?
Exercises: Watch & Learn
- Could you be Addicted to your Cell-Phone? looks at how much Canadians are using their phones (and tablets). After watching it are you motivated to reduce your cell phone use? (https://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/2017-2018/addicted-to-your-phone)
- If you are feeling over-whelmed, read these 6 Helpful Reminders for the Overwhelmed Person!
(http://www.raptitude.com/2013/10/6-helpful-reminders-for-the-overwhelmed-person/)
References
Birch, H. (2015). Where is the world’s most stressful city? Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/oct/08/where-world-most-stressful-city-urban-life-depression-anxiety
CBC., Marketplace. (2017). Addicted to your phone? Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/2017-2018/addicted-to-your-phone
Greenberg, M. (2018, October 15). The Mindful self-express [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201410/find-relief-the-stress-lifes-daily-hassles
LaMotte, S. (2016, July 15). The psychology and neuroscience of terrorism [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/25/health/brain-and-terrorist-attack/index.html
McGonigal, K. (2013 June). How to make stress your friend [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend
Morelli, J. (2016, March 17). Proven ways to relieve stress that could be damaging your heart [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.news1130.com/2016/03/17/video-proven-ways-to-relieve-stress-that-could-be-damaging-your-heart/
Raptitude.com. (2018). 6 helpful reminders for the overwhelmed person. Retrieved from http://www.raptitude.com/2013/10/6-helpful-reminders-for-the-overwhelmed-person/
Young, E. (2017). New evidence shows the calming power of reminiscing about happy times. Retrieved from https://digest.bps.org.uk/2017/05/12/new-evidence-shows-the-calming-power-of-reminiscing-about-happy-times/
