30 April 2012

Speaking from Experience Crit


My statement of intent for the brief. 

 Research Board that used both primary and secondary research I had collected.



These are the ideas that I put across to the group, and overall there was some positive feedback which was useful, and gave me a bit more direction for my products. 

Speaking from Experience Primary Research

This is the research survey I created based on asking the students of the course about their experiences of stress and anxiety since studying at LCA. 
The questions I have asked are specific to the course and there were some very interesting results.

Everyone has said that they have experienced higher levels of stress since coming onto the course, and many also believe it is because of the intensity of the course and also their own time management. 
What I found most interesting was that over half of the students who answered had seriously considered leaving or transferring to another university because of the stress they have felt, which shouldn't be happening in a first year where our module grades don't even affect our final degree. 
I think it would be interesting to create a product that aims to alleviate stress and makes us students feel a little more relaxed. 









27 April 2012

Speaking from Experience Research


Taken from an online webpage specifically called STRESS


1. The Wrong Attitude Significantly Increases Your Stress Level

We all experience stress, but the pessimists, perfectionists, and those
 with 'type A' personalities (to name a few) greatly increase the level
 of stress they experience in a given event, and even bring more
 stressful events into their lives with their self sabotage thought 
and behavior patterns. If you have some of these tendencies, 
you can significantly reduce the level of stress you experience 
with these resources on stress and self sabotage.

2. Some Types of Stress Can Be Beneficial

A certain type of stress, eustress, is actually necessary and 
beneficial for a balanced and exciting life. Eustress is the 
type of stress you experience when you're riding a roller-coaster 
(if you enjoy fast rides), are playing a fun game, or are falling 
in love. Eustress makes us feel vital and alive. 
(Chronic stress, however, is another story!) If you're 
interested in learning more about the differenttypes of stress 
and how they affect your health, read this article on stress and health.

4. Even Small Amounts of Stress Can Affect Your Health

You may be aware that months spent in a stressful life situation can 
leave you vulnerable to illness, but did you know that relatively 
short periods of stress can also compromise your immune system, 
elevating your risk of illness? Sadly, it's true. Learn more about 
the ways that stress, especially job stress, can impact your health.

5. The Wrong Attitude Can Make You Sick

Negative thought patterns and emotional stress can lead to
 psychosomatic illness, a condition that's caused at least in part by 
stress, but has physical symptoms that need to be treated as any 
other illness does. If you're concerned about your thoughts and 
emotions taking a physical toll, read more on psychosomatic illness 
and staying healthy.


6. You Can Prevent A Significant Amount Of Stress In Your Life From Occurring

Some stress is inevitable, but you can structure your life in ways 
that buffer you from stress and stressful events. For example, 
maintaining a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and having 
at least a few close friendships are all important ways to relieve
stress and stay healthy. Find more ways to relieve daily stress in 
your life, and prevent some of your stress from ever occurring!

7. Stress Can Age You Prematurely in Many Ways

It may be surprising, but stress can be more of a factor in determining 
your physical age than the number of candles you blow out each year. 
Stress actually speeds up wear and tear on many, many areas of your 
body and at all levels, inducing many of the changes we refer to 
when we talk about 'aging'. Read more about recent research on this here.

8. Not Everyone Experiences Stress In The Same Way

Certain inborn personality traits and learned thought patterns can 
cause two people who live through the same event to experience it 
very differently, with one person finding it extremely stressful and 
the other finding it only mildly stressful or not at all. Some of these 
traits you can't change, but others you can alter to a large degree. 
Read more about mental traits contributing to burnout and stress, 
and find resources for altering your experience of stress.

Speaking from Experience Research





Stress: Signs and Symptoms, Causes and Effects
Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.
If you frequently find yourself feeling frazzled and overwhelmed, it’s time to take action to bring your nervous system back into balance. You can protect yourself by learning how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.
What is stress?

The Body’s Stress Response

The Body’s Stress ResponseWhen you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action.
Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.
Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response.
The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life – giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident.
The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV.
But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

How do you respond to stress?

Learn about changes you can make in responding to stress


Watch 4-min. video: Quick Stress Relief

It’s important to learn how to recognize when your stress levels are out of control. The most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to feels familiar even normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, even as it takes a heavy toll.
The signs and symptoms of stress overload can be almost anything. Stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently.

Stress doesn’t always look stressful

Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people respond when they’re overwhelmed by stress:
  • Foot on the gas – An angry or agitated stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable to sit still.
  • Foot on the brake – A withdrawn or depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and show very little energy or emotion.
  • Foot on both – A tense and frozen stress response. You “freeze” under pressure and can’t do anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.

Signs and symptoms of stress overload

The following table lists some of the common warning signs and symptoms of stress. The more signs and symptoms you notice in yourself, the closer you may be to stress overload.
Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms
Cognitive SymptomsEmotional Symptoms
  • Memory problems
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Poor judgment
  • Seeing only the negative
  • Anxious or racing thoughts
  • Constant worrying
  • Moodiness
  • Irritability or short temper
  • Agitation, inability to relax
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Sense of loneliness and isolation
  • Depression or general unhappiness
Physical SymptomsBehavioral Symptoms
  • Aches and pains
  • Diarrhea or constipation
  • Nausea, dizziness
  • Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
  • Loss of sex drive
  • Frequent colds
  • Eating more or less
  • Sleeping too much or too little
  • Isolating yourself from others
  • Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
  • Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
  • Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)
Keep in mind that the signs and symptoms of stress can also be caused by other psychological and medical problems. If you’re experiencing any of the warning signs of stress, it’s important to see a doctor for a full evaluation. Your doctor can help you determine whether or not your symptoms are stress-related.

How much stress is too much?

Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it’s important to know your own limit. But just how much stress is “too much” differs from person to person. Some people roll with the punches, while others crumble at the slightest obstacle or frustration. Some people even seem to thrive on the excitement and challenge of a high-stress lifestyle.
Your ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors, including the quality of your relationships, your general outlook on life, your emotional intelligence, and genetics.

Things that influence your stress tolerance level

  • Your support network – A strong network of supportive friends and family members is an enormous buffer against life’s stressors. On the flip side, the more lonely and isolated you are, the greater your vulnerability to stress.
  • Your sense of control – If you have confidence in yourself and your ability to influence events and persevere through challenges, it’s easier to take stress in stride. People who are vulnerable to stress tend to feel like things are out of their control.
  • Your attitude and outlook – Stress-hardy people have an optimistic attitude. They tend to embrace challenges, have a strong sense of humor, accept that change is a part of life, and believe in a higher power or purpose.
  • Your ability to deal with your emotions – You’re extremely vulnerable to stress if you don’t know how to calm and soothe yourself when you’re feeling sad, angry, or afraid. The ability to bring your emotions into balance helps you bounce back from adversity.
  • Your knowledge and preparation – The more you know about a stressful situation, including how long it will last and what to expect, the easier it is to cope. For example, if you go into surgery with a realistic picture of what to expect post-op, a painful recovery will be less traumatic than if you were expecting to bounce back immediately.

Am I in control of stress or is stress controlling me?

  • When I feel agitated, do I know how to quickly calm and soothe myself?
  • Can I easily let go of my anger?
  • Can I turn to others at work to help me calm down and feel better?
  • When I come home at night, do I walk in the door feeling alert and relaxed?
  • Am I seldom distracted or moody?
  • Am I able to recognize upsets that others seem to be experiencing?
  • Do I easily turn to friends or family members for a calming influence?
  • When my energy is low, do I know how to boost it?

Causes of stress

The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that puts high demands on you or forces you to adjust can be stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to college, or receiving a promotion.
What causes stress depends, at least in part, on your perception of it. Something that's stressful to you may not faze someone else; they may even enjoy it. For example, your morning commute may make you anxious and tense because you worry that traffic will make you late. Others, however, may find the trip relaxing because they allow more than enough time and enjoy listening to music while they drive.

Common external causes of stress

Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated:
  • Major life changes
  • Work
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Financial problems
  • Being too busy
  • Children and family

Common internal causes of stress

Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated:
  • Inability to accept uncertainty
  • Pessimism
  • Negative self-talk
  • Unrealistic expectations
  • Perfectionism
  • Lack of assertiveness

What's Stressful For You?

What's stressful for you may be quite different from what's stressful to someone else. For example:
  • Karen is terrified of getting up in front of people to perform or speak, while her best friend lives for the spotlight.
  • Phil thrives under pressure and performs best when he has a tight deadline, while his co-worker, Matt, shuts down when work demands escalate.
  • Anita enjoys helping her elderly parents. Her sister, Constance, helps out as well but finds the demands of caretaking very stressful.
  • Richard doesn’t hesitate to send food back or complain about bad service when eating out, while his wife, Miranda, finds it much too stressful to complain.

Effects of chronic stress

The body doesn’t distinguish between physical and psychological threats. When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be “on” most of the time. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the easier it is to trip and the harder it is to shut off.
Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Many health problems are caused or exacerbated by stress, including:

  • Pain of any kind
  • Heart disease
  • Digestive problems
  • Sleep problems
  • Depression
  • Obesity
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Skin conditions, such as eczema

Dealing with stress and its symptoms

While unchecked stress is undeniably damaging, there are many things you can do to reduce its impact and cope with symptoms.

Learn how to manage stress

You may feel like the stress in your life is out of your control, but you can always control the way you respond. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. Stress management involves changing the stressful situation when you can, changing your reaction when you can’t, taking care of yourself, and making time for rest and relaxation.

Learn how to relax

You can’t completely eliminate stress from your life, but you can control how much it affects you. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. When practiced regularly, these activities lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels and a boost in your feelings of joy and serenity. They also increase your ability to stay calm and collected under pressure.

Learn quick stress relief

Everybody has the power to reduce the impact of stress as it’s happening in that moment. With practice, you can learn to spot stressors and stay in control when the pressure builds. Sensory stress-busting techniques give you a powerful tool for staying clear-headed and in control in the middle of stressful situations. They give you the confidence to face challenges, knowing that you have the ability to rapidly bring yourself back into balance.