Coping with Stress Through Communication
Coping With Stress Through Communication
University of South Carolina Aiken
Alex Cohen
March 22, 2012
“On my honor as a University of South Carolina Aiken student, I have completed my work according to the principle of Academic Integrity. I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this assignment/examination.”
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Signature Date
Coping With Stress
The pressure, responsibility, and performance expected out of individuals today can cause an intense amount of stress build up in one’s life. Stress is the process in which we cope with threats and challenges of the environment (Townsend, 2009). Shelley Lane (2010) relates the occurrence of stress with the reaction one’s body encounters simultaneously. The concept of “fight-or-flight syndrome” is said to initiate when a perceived threat is encountered. The consequences of this reaction include a faster heart rate, sweating, and a more rapid rate of breathing (Lane, 2010, p. 97-98). The reaction stress causes on the human body can lead to serious complications, therefore, it is important to identify ways to effectively cope with stress. The purpose of this paper is to introduce ways to cope with stress by means of effective communication. Mary Townsend (2009) discovered that our bodies respond to stress in three stages, called general adaption syndrome. The first stage is the alarm stage. In this stage, the body undergoes physical or emotional trauma. The second stage is resistance. Resistance is a state of the body in which the body maintains high blood pressure, temperature, and respiration. The third stage is exhaustion, which is the point where the body is very vulnerable to illness because of ongoing stress (Townsend, 2009). “Mindfulness refers to a state of kind and benevolent attention to all contents which arise in the mind. It is an attitude that can be adopted with every single mental occurrence, even if it should be a
University of South Carolina Aiken
Alex Cohen
March 22, 2012
“On my honor as a University of South Carolina Aiken student, I have completed my work according to the principle of Academic Integrity. I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this assignment/examination.”
___________________________________ ________________
Signature Date
Coping With Stress
The pressure, responsibility, and performance expected out of individuals today can cause an intense amount of stress build up in one’s life. Stress is the process in which we cope with threats and challenges of the environment (Townsend, 2009). Shelley Lane (2010) relates the occurrence of stress with the reaction one’s body encounters simultaneously. The concept of “fight-or-flight syndrome” is said to initiate when a perceived threat is encountered. The consequences of this reaction include a faster heart rate, sweating, and a more rapid rate of breathing (Lane, 2010, p. 97-98). The reaction stress causes on the human body can lead to serious complications, therefore, it is important to identify ways to effectively cope with stress. The purpose of this paper is to introduce ways to cope with stress by means of effective communication. Mary Townsend (2009) discovered that our bodies respond to stress in three stages, called general adaption syndrome. The first stage is the alarm stage. In this stage, the body undergoes physical or emotional trauma. The second stage is resistance. Resistance is a state of the body in which the body maintains high blood pressure, temperature, and respiration. The third stage is exhaustion, which is the point where the body is very vulnerable to illness because of ongoing stress (Townsend, 2009). “Mindfulness refers to a state of kind and benevolent attention to all contents which arise in the mind. It is an attitude that can be adopted with every single mental occurrence, even if it should be a
References: Chao, R. C.-L. (2011). Managing stress and maintaining well-being: social support, problem-focused coping, and avoidant coping. Journal of Counseling and Development, 89(3), 338+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.library.usca.edu:2048/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA258356876&v=2.1&u=uscaiken&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w Dryden, W., & David, D. (2008). Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy: Current Status. Journal Of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 22(3), 195-209. doi:10.1891/0889-8391.22.3.195 Lane, S.D. (2010). Interpersonal Communications and Contexts. Botson, MA: Allen & Bacon. Roberts, Shauna S. "Improve your life with positive self-talk." Diabetes Forecast May 2007: 47+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. Townsend, Mary C. (2009). Psychiatric mental health nursing: concepts of care in evidence-based practice. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis, 2009. Walach, H., Nord, E., Zier, C., Dietz-Waschkowski, B., Kersig, S., & Schüpbach, H. (2007). Mindfulness-based stress reduction as a method for personnel development: A pilot evaluation. International Journal Of Stress Management, 14(2), 188-198. doi:10.1037/1072-5245.14.2.188