Listening Comprehension:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHEPebGnahAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbOwy5M2wG0
Types of Stress - Some Good, Some Bad
Did you know that some types of stress can be good for you? That's
right! Some forms of stress can be good for you, but other types of
stress disorders can cause major health problems and even be life
threatening. Stress is a natural function of the body, but understanding
the different types of stress, such as distress and eustress, helps you
to better understand how to deal with the stress you find in your life.
Types of Stress
So, what are the major types of stress? While there are many
subcategories of stress that are being treated today, the major types of
stress can be broken down into those different categories: Eustress, Hyperstress, Hypostress, Distress and Acute Stress.
Eustress
Eustress is one of the helpful types of stress. What is the definition
for eustress? It is the type of stress you experience right before you
have the need to exert physical force. Eustress prepares the muscles,
heart, and mind for the strength needed for whatever is about to
occur.Eustress can also apply to creative endeavors. When a person needs
to have some extra energy or creativity, eustress kicks in to bring
them the inspiration they need. An athlete will experience the strength
that comes form eustress right before they play a big game or enter a
big competition. Because of the eustress, they immediately receive the
strength that they need to perform. When the body enters the fight or
flight response, it will experience eustress. The eustress prepares the
body to fight with or flee from an imposing danger. This type of stress
will cause the blood to pump to the major muscle groups, and will
increase the heart rate and blood pressure to increase. If the event or
danger passes, the body will eventually return to its normal state.
_____
Hyperstress
Hyperstress comes from being overwhelmed with workloads or something
similar. Individuals who have hyperstress may snap back at you for the
littlest reason.
_____
Hypostress
If you don´t feel challanged and you find several things boring, you are experiencing Hypostress.
_____
Distress
Distress
is one of the negative types of stress. This is one of the types of
stress that the mind and body undergoes when the normal routine is
constantly adjusted and altered. The mind is not comfortable with this
routine, and craves the familiarity of a common routine. There are
actually two types of distress: acute stress and chronic stress.
_____
Acute StressAcute
stress is the type of stress that comes immediately with a change of
routine. It is an intense type of stress, but it passes quickly. Acute
stress is the body's way of getting a person to stand up and take
inventory of what is going on, to make sure that everything is OK
Source:
http://www.psychologycampus.com/teens-children/stress.htmlTeenagers,
like adults, may experience stress everyday and can benefit from
learning stress management skills. Most teens experience more stress
when they perceive a situation as dangerous, difficult, or painful and
they do not have the resources to cope.
Some sources of stress for teens might include:* school demands and frustrations
* negative thoughts and feelings about themselves
* changes in their bodies
* problems with friends and/or peers at school
* unsafe living environment/neighborhood
* separation or divorce of parents
* chronic illness or severe problems in the family
* death of a loved one
* moving or changing schools
* taking on too many activities or having too high expectations
* family financial problems
Some teens become overloaded with stress. When it happens, inadequately managed stress can lead to
anxiety, withdrawal, aggression, physical illness, or poor coping skills such as drug and/or alcohol use.
When we perceive a situation as difficult or painful, changes occur in
our minds and bodies to prepare us to respond to danger. This "fight,
flight, or freeze" response includes faster heart and breathing rate,
increased blood to muscles of arms and legs, cold or clammy hands and
feet, upset stomach and/or a sense of dread.
The same mechanism that turns on the stress response can turn it off. As
soon as we decide that a situation is no longer dangerous, changes can
occur in our minds and bodies to help us relax and calm down. This
"relaxation response" includes decreased heart and breathing rate and a
sense of well being. Teens that develop a "relaxation response" and
other stress management skills feel less helpless and have more choices
when responding to stress.
Teens can decrease stress with the following behaviors and techniques:
* Exercise and eat regularly – take care what you eat!* Avoid excess caffeine intake which can increase feelings of anxiety and agitation* Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco* Learn relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques)*
Develop assertiveness training skills. For example, state feelings in
polite firm and not overly aggressive or passive ways: ("I feel angry
when you yell at me" "Please stop yelling.")*
Rehearse and practice situations which cause stress. One example is
taking a speech class if talking in front of a class makes you anxious* Learn practical coping skills. For example, break a large task into smaller, more attainable tasks
* Decrease negative self talk: challenge
negative thoughts about yourself with alternative neutral or positive
thoughts. "My life will never get better" can be transformed into "I may
feel hopeless now, but my life will probably get better if I work at it
and get some help"
* Learn to feel good about doing a competent or "good enough" job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others
* Take a break from stressful situations.
Activities like listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing,
writing, or spending time with a pet can reduce stress
* Build a network of friends who help you cope in a positive way
By using these and other
techniques, teenagers can begin to manage stress. If a teen talks about
or shows signs of being overly stressed, a consultation with a child and
adolescent psychiatrist or qualified mental health professional may be
helpful.
Source:
http://www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_article/types-of-stress.htm
ORAL TASK:
Imagine the following situation: English Course Landjugend
You
are a member of your local “Landjugend” organisation. Some of your friends want
to improve their English. So, you organise a weekly evening to talk about
interesting topics. This week you want to talk about happiness and stress. Make
a short introduction to lead in the topic.
- Illustrate where
people are happy and why
- Explain the term:
Work-Life-Balance
- Point out why not
enough or too much stress could be dangerous
- Recommend good stress
management strategies
Later
you take some drinks with your colleagues. There you converse about:
- the concept of Carpe
Diem/ to seize the day
- stress and pressure
for young people nowadays
- your personal stress
management strategies and concepts of happiness