UNIT 5: Encountering Stress as Part of Adolescence

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UNIT 5: Encountering Stress as Part of

Adolescence

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Lesson 1: Sources of Stress and Its Effects

Jump Start 4

Learn about It! 5

Check Your Understanding 13

Explore Your World! 15

Lesson 2: Coping Techniques

Jump Start 19

Learn about It! 20

Check Your Understanding 27

Explore Your World! 29

Real-world Challenge 32

My Reflection 33

Wrap Up 34

Answers to Check Your Understanding 35

Bibliography 39

Glossary 41


GRADE 11/12 | Personal Development

UNIT 5

Encountering Stress as Part of

Adolescence

“It’s not stress that kills us; it’s our reaction to it.”

- Hans Selye

They say that growing up as an adolescent is one of the best years in a person’s life.

To some extent, it can be true but not without much effort on being able to handle

the changes and challenges that come with it. Stress is part of your life, and it

cannot be avoided or ignored. Knowing how to deal with it will make you stronger

and more able to face your years as an adult in the future.

Diane’s Stress in School

When the school year started, Diane was so eager and excited to try out so many

things. Since it was her senior year, she wanted to take advantage of every

opportunity that came her way. She ran for student council president and won by a

landslide. Diane also had a passion for dancing, and so, she joined her school’s

dance club and got accepted. Since she had her eyes set on a journalism course in

college, she wanted to enhance her writing skills by joining the team of her school

newspaper. Her parents supported every decision she made, but they warned her

that her extracurricular activities might get in the way of her goal of graduating with

honors. Diane assured them that she would be able to manage everything well and

that they had nothing to worry about.


However, as the year

progressed, she found herself

getting weighed down by the

different demands of her

interests. She was struggling

and juggling with meetings,

practices, and deadlines. To

top it off, she seemed to have

very little time left for her

friends and her family. All

her free time was consumed

by these activities, and she

felt so overwhelmed with the

number of tasks on her to-do

list every day. Diane felt like

she was on auto-pilot on most days, dragging herself out of bed just to get through

her hectic day. She did not want to fail nor quit and was determined to finish what

she started. However, the stress eventually took a toll on her body making her sick

most of the time. There were also many moments while going through her

mountain of work, where she would question her choices and wonder if it were still

all worth it.

Essential Questions

What is stress?

Where does stress come from?

What are the effects of stress?

How can one cope with stress?


Learning Targets

In this unit, you should be able to:

● discuss that understanding stress and its sources during adolescence may

help in identifying ways to cope and have a healthful life;

● identify sources of one’s stress and illustrate the effect of stress on one’s

system; and

● demonstrate personal ways of coping with stress for healthful living.

Lesson 1: Sources of Stress and Its

Effects

One would commonly hear adults say that you have nothing to be stressed about

at this age since you are young and have not faced the harsh realities of the world.

However, studies show that you at this age experience stress patterned to those of

adults. You face many challenges that may have long-term effects if not

acknowledged and understood well. What are your sources of stress?

Jumpstart

Recall one of the most stressful situations you have ever experienced. Think about

what made it very stressful. What made you say you were under stress? What did

you do when you were in this situation? What have you become and what have you

learned about yourself after the experience?


Share your experience with the class. Why do you feel stress even at a young age?

Learn about It!

Stress

In 1936, a doctor named Hans Selye conducted a study on hormonal changes in

rats. While having his experiments, he discovered that the rats not only responded

to the hormones and substances injected but were also reacting to the stress

brought about by their experience. He was the first to define stress as we know it

today and became known as the “Father of Stress Research.”

Stress, as defined by Selye, is the non-specific response of the body to any

demand. It is your body’s reaction to certain pressure or challenge or situation –

whether physical, mental or emotional. This stimulus that triggers the body to

respond is called a stressor.

REMEMBER ME!

Stress – your body’s response to any demand or challenge.

Stressor – the stimulus that triggers the body to respond.


Positive and Negative Stress

Both your good and bad

experiences can create

stress. Depending on the

stressor and the response

that your body make,

either positive stress or

negative stress may result.

Stress is positive or

helpful when your

response to a stimulus is

that one which makes you

more alert, more

productive and more motivated. In some cases, stress heightens your senses and

increases your strength and stamina - which can then allow you to “fight or flee”

from potential dangers to keep yourself from harm. When stress pushes you to

rise to a challenge, you become more focused, more energetic, and even more

efficient and creative. When you can accomplish a task due to this positive stress,

you become more confident in facing future stressful situations that you may

encounter.

More often than not, however,

negative stress eventually occurs

when you have reached a tipping

point or when stimuli go on for too

long when your responses cause

damage to your health,

relationships, productivity, and other

aspects of your life. This threshold

for stress varies for everyone

because stress is subjective. This

PAUSE FOR A THOUGHT

What situation do you consider as

positive stress? as negative stress? Are

you aware of your tipping point when

it comes to stress?


means that what you consider as stressful may not necessarily be stressful for

another person. And because of this, you must always be aware and sensitive to

the symptoms and signs of negative stress.

Kinds of Stress

It is important to note that stress is not always bad. It is, however, only meant to be

temporary. It is supposed to push you to respond to a stressor and then have that

person back to your normal state. However, with the many factors that affect you,

the stressors and stress and how we address and manage it now becomes a bit

more complicated.

Acute Stress. This is the most common and most recognizable kind of stress. Its

nature is those of everyday situations that you encounter, making it very

manageable. Acute stress is only short-term for it is your body’s immediate

response to the demands and pressures of the recent past and the near future.

Therefore, it cannot do long-term, extensive damage to you. It can be positive or

negative, thrilling or exciting, again, depending on how you perceive the stressor to

be.


Episodic Acute Stress. Individuals who suffer

from this kind of stress are those who

experience acute stress very frequently. These

people are usually impatient, always in a hurry,

have very short tempers, and display high

irritability and anxiety. Those who suffer

episodic acute stress are usually the individuals

who are either “worry warts” (who focus on the

negative side of things; always foresee or

expect something unfortunate to happen, and

who pointlessly worry so much about the past

and the future) or Type A personalities (those

who are overly competitive; overly driven and highly aggressive individuals who

have the incessant need to be in control of everything).

Chronic Stress. This kind of stress is the most damaging of all for it is the stress

that consumes you over a very long time unless you seek professional help right

away. Chronic stress destroys your health and well-being and is manifested later

on as physical illnesses or diseases that can cause death. People who suffer from it

no longer seek for solutions or hope for a better disposition, as it is embedded

EXAMPLE

Joel’s project for English class is due tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. Just when

he was about to print his final work, he discovered that his printer was out of

ink. It was almost 2 a.m., and he knew that the computer shops nearby were

closed and will open at noon the next day. He also won’t be able to refill the

ink of his printer until the following day, when shops are open. He suddenly

felt his sweat trickle down his forehead as he tried to get in touch with

friends who were hopefully awake and can help him out.

TIP!

Kinds of Stress:

Acute - most common

and short-term only.

Episodic Acute -

persistent acute stress.

Chronic - most damaging

type with long-term

effects.


already in their everyday life. Chronic stress may have been brought about by

traumatic experiences in the past that continue to haunt and affect their belief

systems and daily activities.

Adolescents and Stress

Adolescence is a period that is marked by many challenges and changes. It is no

surprise then that you may encounter stress as you cope and try to get through

these difficulties. Stress is an undeniable part of your growing up years.

Even adults experience stress but what is important to note is that they manage

stress differently from how you address stress. When you experience stress, you

are more prone to mental health issues and suicides due to the developmental

stage you are in. You seem to be more vulnerable to stress and need more

guidance in dealing with it. Studies have shown that there is a reason why you are

more predisposed to suffer from the stress, as compared to most grownups.

EXAMPLE

Lena used to come from a rich family. However, her dad lost his job and

had to let go of all their luxuries so that they could pay their debts. Lena’s

family moved from an exclusive subdivision to a small apartment in a bad

neighborhood. She had to stop schooling to find a job to help with the

finances, and her younger siblings had to transfer to cheaper schools as

well. Lena believes there is no more way out of this miserable situation for

her family. She grudgingly goes to work in the canteen down the street to

wash dishes every day, thinking that this is the end. For years, she has

come to believe and accept that this is the fate of their family. Lena is

bitter towards rich people and has acted depressed since then.


Biological Foundations

When you encounter a stressor, the nervous system is activated to respond to it.

The hypothalamus releases the hormones adrenaline and cortisol into the

bloodstream, which allows a quick physical response addressed towards the

stressor – such as increased blood pressure, heart rate and energy, and more

focus. Compared to adults, a physical response is much quicker in adolescents

because the prefrontal cortex - which is the part of the brain that can calmly

assess the situation and delay this kind of physical response from the brain – is not

yet fully developed. This prefrontal cortex - known for its functions in decision-

making, being able to adapt and be flexible to new situations, making judgments,

organizing and planning, goal-setting, and controlling impulses – is not yet

connected to the emotional centers in the brain and is studied to be among the last

to be established.

Without full maturity of the brain in place, you have limited capacity to deal with

stress and manage your thoughts and emotions in a stressful situation. Your brain,

therefore, is much more vulnerable and sensitive to stress than an adult brain. This

may explain why it is so, that as you are repeatedly exposed to such stressors, you

are affected by them in more heightened ways. This implies that you are more

vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression, etc. It is your development

that predisposes you to such conditions.

REMEMBER ME!

Prefrontal Cortex is the part of the brain that is known for its functions in

decision-making, being able to adapt and be flexible to new situations, making

judgments, organizing and planning, goal-setting, and controlling impulses.


Sources of Adolescent’s Stress

Given that your brain is more susceptible to stress, it is more crucial that you know

and understand what causes stress to be able to effectively cope with it.

Social Pressures. You, who are in the process of finding yourself and forming your

identity, encounter a lot of stress in your struggle to conform to pressure you’re

your peers. Competition and comparison with peers occur as you try to belong,

stand out and be well-liked all at the same time. With all the pressures given to you

(to have the coolest and latest possessions; to try out alcohol, sex and drugs; to be

in a relationship or at least liked by the opposite sex; and to look and be a certain

size and weight) you definitely face a lot of stress in dealing with all of these

demands. The stress comes from being pushed outside of what is comfortable to

you to be able to avoid rejection and isolation.

EXAMPLE

Dan wants to be part of the basketball varsity team because they’re the

coolest group in school. He wants to be popular and wants to get the

attention of the prettiest girls. He practices hard and makes it to the

team. However, there is one last activity that is supposed to solidify his

team membership. It is part of the team’s tradition that those who want

to join must smoke a cigarette inside the campus for one week – an act

that is strictly prohibited. He feels stressed and is pressured to break

the rules, even if he knows it is wrong just for him to be accepted by

these people.


Family Relationships. Changes in family dynamics cause you stress. At this stage,

you are struggling between being independent while maintaining a healthy

relationship with your parents and siblings, which can cause emotional stress.

Rules and expectations are now being questioned, and arguments and

disagreements may now be more frequent than before. Other possible conflicts

that can be a source of stress would be the parents’ divorce, a birth or death in the

family, migration, financial troubles, etc.

Academic Pressure. Stress may also come

from the pressure to succeed in school. This

success not only means regarding grades but

also translates to being a well-rounded student

who excels in other things aside from grades.

There is pressure you place on yourself, that

may sometimes be reinforced by your parents,

which automatically causes a lot of internal

stress. There is the struggle to juggle school

priorities and family obligations. The stress

comes from the fear of failing or having to quit.

Self-Doubt. This is the stage where you begin to wonder if you can have it all.

There is the fear that you don’t have what it takes to be the best student or

son/daughter or friend. If you do not achieve the status that you aspire to, self-

doubt enters, and stress takes over. With all the changes happening, you begin to

feel that you are losing yourself and your self-worth is put into question.

TIP!

Sources of Stress:

Social Pressures.

Family Relationships.

Academic Pressure.

Self-Doubt.


Check Your Understanding

A. Read each sentence carefully. Complete the sentence by providing the

correct word/s on the blank.

1. __________________________ is the body’s response to a given stimuli.

2. Stress is __________________________ if it damages one’s health, relationships

and well-being.

3. __________________________ stress is the most common and most

manageable kind of stress.

4. The __________________________ is not yet fully developed in the adolescent’s

brain.

5. In __________________________, stress comes from being pushed outside

one’s comfort zone to be able to avoid isolation and rejection.

B. Answer each question briefly.

1. What is the biological reason behind adolescents’ vulnerability to stress?


2. How do family relationships create stress in an adolescent?

3. Why is chronic stress the most damaging kind of stress?

C. Read each situation carefully. Answer well.

1. Jack wants to try out for the debate team, the soccer team, the yearbook

club and graduate with honors this year. What advise can you give him?

2. Poch woke up late and missed his bus ride to school. Because of this, he

was late and was not able to attend his first class. What kind of stress did

Poch experience?

3. Robbie does not like to experience stress. He thinks stress is unhealthy.

Why is his thinking wrong?


Explore Your World!

Task 1: Rate Your Stress

Materials: pen, paper, red, yellow, and blue crayons/markers

Instructions:

Think about the situations in your life that make you experience stress. Write down

at least ten, from the tiny stressors to the major stressors in your life. Rate the

situations according to how much stress you feel when you encounter them. Mark

them as follows:

BLUE – mildly stressful

YELLOW – stressful

RED – very stressful

Analyze and explain your answers. What do you notice about the things that stress

you out? What kinds of situations give you the most or least stress? Why do you

experience stress in those situations? Share answers to the class.

Criteria for Scoring Points

At Least 10 stressful situations given 3

Ratings for each stressor given 3

Depth of analysis and explanation 3

Grammatically correct sentences and

confidence during presentation

1

Total 10


Task 2: Stress Cards

Materials: hard paper/cardboard, scissors, markers/pens

Instructions:

Pair up with a classmate. Individually, think of at least 10 stressful situations that

girls or boys your age encounter. (You may use some of your examples from Task

1). Write each situation on a small card to make up one deck of cards. Write a

healthy reaction to each situation on a separate card, making up another deck of

cards. Shuffle each deck well. After 5 minutes, have your partner read each

situation you wrote and try to match the healthy reaction from the other deck for

that specific stressful situation. Do the same with your partner’s work. Share some

of your work with the class and explain well.


At Least 10 stressful situations given 3

At Least 10 healthy reactions given 3

Accuracy of matching situations and reactions 2

Depth of explanation 2

Total 10


Task 3: Stress Jar

Materials: 1 glass jar per group, rocks/stones/pebbles of different sizes, markers

Instructions:

Your class should form groups of 6. Make sure each group has one glass jar and

rocks/stones/pebbles of different sizes. You must come up with different sources

of stress that you encounter. Each source of stress or stressful situation must be

written on a specific rock, depending on how stressful you perceive it to be. For

example, if the group thinks it is a huge source of stress, you must write it on a big

rock. If it is not that stressful, you may write it on a smaller rock.

Explain each situation in the jar and why your group decided to put it on that rock

size to the class.


Varying stressful situations given 3

Ability to categorize stress 3




2

Total 10


In 2017, a study was made of 150 cities to show the most stress-free

cities in the world. The study considered factors such as traffic

congestion, ease and availability of public transport, access to green

spaces, hours of sunlight in a year, and the financial, physical and

mental health of the citizens.

Here are the Top 10 cities on the list with the least stress:

1. Stuttgart, Germany

2. Luxembourg

3. Hanover, Germany

4. Bern, Switzerland

5. Munich, Germany

6. Bordeaux, France

7. Edinburgh, United Kingdom

8. Sydney, Australia

9. Graz, Austria and Hamburg, Germany

10. Seattle, USA



You face a lot of stress on a daily basis as part of growing up. Understanding why it

happens and what causes it is just half of the battle. The more crucial part of the

process is to know how to manage it effectively to be able to get through it and deal

with stressful situations successfully in the future. How can you cope with the

stress you encounter?

Jump Start

Do a meditation exercise. The room will be set up with soft, gentle music playing in

the background. Find a comfortable position on the floor. You may choose to sit or

lie down on a mat. Close your eyes the entire time. Focus on your breathing.

Breathe in gently in 5 counts, and breathe out in 5 counts as well. As you focus on

your breathing, think of all your worries and the things that stress you out. Imagine

holding all of these in the palm of your hand. At the count of 3, release all of these

gently into the air. Breathe in and breathe out. Focus on every part of your body,

starting with your feet. Relax your toes and your ankles. Next, focus on your legs,

and feel the tension melt away as you surrender yourself to the floor. Next, focus

on your hips, your back, your spine, your shoulders, and your neck, and release all

the stress that you feel. Let all the tightness you feel drain away and allow yourself

to be relax. Lastly, focus on your breathing once more, and enjoy the quiet stillness

of the moment. In 5 counts, prepare yourself to awaken and open your eyes.

How did you feel before and after the exercise? How did the exercise help you?

What did it feel when you released all the worries and tension you were feeling?

After this activity, what can you do to manage the stress and anxiety you feel?


Learn about It!

In the previous lesson, it was discussed how stress is subjective. What may be

stressful for some, may not necessarily be stressful for others. This is why it is

important to watch out for signs of stress in individuals to be able to address it right

away and get them through it.

Signs of Stress

There are several manifestations of stress in an individual. It can be in the physical,

cognitive and behavioral/emotional form.

Signs Of Stress

Physical

Constant fatigue.

Increased complaints of pain and ache.

Weight changes.

More instances of specific pains: a headache, upset stomach,

shortness of breath, back pains, nausea, racing heart,

constipation.

Cognitive

Lack of focus.

Forgetfulness.

Difficulty in processing information.

Negative thoughts.


Emotional/

Behavioral

Change in eating and sleeping habits.

Withdrawing from usual activities and people.

Constant worrying, anxiety, rushing.

Burnout or feeling of hopelessness.

Increased anger, frustration or irritability – shorter temper,

more impatient.

Increased feelings of fear and panic.

More instances of crying.

Strain on relationships.

Increased impulsivity.

Long-Term Effects of Stress

In most cases, the signs of stress mentioned above may

also be an effect of the stress already. If the source of

stress is constant, it will take a toll on your physical and

mental health.

REMEMBER ME!

An individual experiencing stress may show physical, cognitive and

emotional/behavioral manifestations of it. One must be aware of these signs to

be able to address it properly.


Physical Health

Musculoskeletal System. When your body encounters stress, the common reflex

is for muscles to tighten up and feel tense. Once the stressful situation is

overcome, the muscles then relax and go back to its original state. However, if the

body is repeatedly exposed to a constant source of stress, the muscles remain

guarded and become stiff and tense for long periods of time – which eventually

causes you to suffer from stress-related musculoskeletal conditions.

Respiratory System. It is common for a person under stress to experience

difficulty in breathing. It can sometimes trigger asthma or panic attacks. However,

constant exposure to a stressful situation can worsen lung problems. Lung

diseases such as emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic

bronchitis may become more complicated due to the long-term stress surrounding

a person.

Cardiovascular System. Under stress, your heart rate increases, as well as your

blood pressure and levels of stress hormones. However, if you continuously

experiences constant stress, your coronary arteries may swell which can lead to a

heart attack. Other long-term heart and blood vessel problems may also arise.

Long-term exposure to stress increases fat levels. The body responds to

EXAMPLE

Arlene’s parents have been fighting and bickering for as long as she can

remember. She grew up hearing them shout at each other and throw things at

each other. It wouldn’t be a normal day if she didn’t witness them fight over

the smallest things. She knew it wasn’t a healthy relationship, but she has

gotten so used to the situation that she thought it was a normal occurrence in

their household. Because of this constant exposure to this stressful situation,

Arlene has a migraine that never seems to go away. Her neck, shoulders and

head muscles always feel tense and stiff.


cholesterol, which can block blood vessels, and increases the probability of heart

disease to strike. One also becomes at risk for hypertension and stroke.

Endocrine System. The brain produces the hormone cortisol and the adrenal

glands near the kidneys produce epinephrine as a response to stress. When this

happens, the liver produces more glucose (blood sugar) for energy, to help you

react to the stress. However, continuous exposure to stress may expose you to

suffer from diseases such as diabetes.

Digestive System. People under stress may experience an increase in appetite or

a loss of it. If continuously exposed to stress, this may eventually lead to obesity or

its extreme, which is malnutrition. Stress makes your brain more sensitive to your

stomach, and so a continuous experience of stress may lead to the development of

ulcers or chronic stomach pain.

Reproductive System. Continuous stress may harm the male reproductive system

by affecting the testosterone and sperm production which may eventually cause

impotence or erectile dysfunction. For women, ongoing stress may lead to

irregularity in the menstrual cycle, or menstrual disorders, which may also cause

infertility.

Other Physical Problems. In general, the constant presence of stress does not

benefit you. Aside from worsening skin conditions, hair loss and a yet-to-be-proven

vulnerability to cancer, chronic stress also take a toll on your immune system.

Continuous stress may overstimulate the release of disease-fighting hormones,

making them less effective than they are supposed to be, or it may also inhibit the

release of certain chemicals that the body needs to fight illnesses.

Mental Health

In the previous lesson, it was discussed how the adolescent brain is vulnerable to

the effects of stress because it is at the stage where it is continuing to develop and

mature. Because the prefrontal cortex is not yet fully developed, the brain cannot


calm down and shut down the stress responses of the body, which causes you to

experience the stress more quickly and for longer periods of time. Recent studies

show that because of this, there are indeed links between continuous exposure to

stress and mental health issues in adolescents, such as depression, bipolar

disorders, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders.

Coping Strategies

Manage your time. The feeling of being overwhelmed with tasks can be addressed

by managing your time wisely. One must learn to set goals, standards, and limits

when planning your days and weeks. Be smart and realistic about what you want.

Although it is good to want to accomplish many things, you must leave space in

your schedule for unexpected things

to happen. Try to foresee what

challenges you might encounter and

come up with a Plan B or a Plan C to

lessen the frustration and stress in

case things don’t go as smoothly. At

this time and age, there are also

apps and other resources that can

help you be efficient with your time.

EXAMPLE

Bobby’s dad suddenly passed away due to a heart attack. His death was so

sudden that Bobby was not able to cope and adjust well to this tragic

change. He was very close to his dad, and he feels at a complete loss on

what to do without him in his life. Bobby has turned to alcohol to help him

deal with this loss. He feels that drinking numbs him of any pain and allows

him to escape his new reality. From one bottle of beer a day to almost five

every day, he has become so dependent on it and finds no other way of

helping him deal with this stress he faces every day.

PAUSE FOR A THOUGHT

How do you manage your stress? What

is your go-to coping technique

whenever you encounter a stressful

situation?


Talk it out. When you are feeling at a loss or overwhelmed with life, it is always

best to let it out and talk to someone you can trust and who you know can give you

sound advice. Whether it be your closest buddy or your parents or your siblings,

sharing with them your worries and anxieties can ease the burden you are carrying.

It is not a healthy habit to always keep all the stress inside. Find someone who can

listen to you and understand you. In fact, if you need to, do not hesitate to seek

professional help. Some are still stuck in the dark ages where talking to a

professional is frowned upon or avoided. However, it is not the case anymore

during these times. There is nothing embarrassing or degrading about asking for

help from those who are best equipped to give it. You don’t have to face everything

alone.

Laugh. Enjoy yourself and have a good laugh. Studies have shown that laughter

relieves stress by stimulating your organs, soothing tension in your body and just

making you feel relaxed all over. Every time you laugh, the brain releases “happy

hormones” called endorphins which helps improve your mood and relieve you from

pain.

Rest. Learn to listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. Take a break

because you need it. Sleep allows you to recharge and gives you a better chance at

accomplishing your goals because you can function well. Rest gives you a chance to

look at situations from another perspective, with a clearer eye, and helps you deal

with the stress that comes with it more healthily.

Move. Exercise not only takes your mind of stress, but it also gives you a positive

feeling all over. It has been discovered in researches that when a person exercises,

the brain releases endorphins – hormones associated with feeling good.

Endorphins create the perception that pain is reduced and therefore, reduces

stress and decreases anxiety and depression in individuals.


Be positive. Dealing with stress is mostly an internal battle, and so it is important

to train yourself to think positively. It can be a matter of perspective at times, which

means that one must try to see the good things in challenging situations. Try to ask

yourself, “What is this moment teaching me?” or “How do I come out as a better

person from this?” Positive self-talk also helps in this process. Instead of putting

yourself down or planting seeds of doubt in

your mind, encourage and motivate yourself to

succeed. Tell yourself that you can do it and

push yourself to rise to the challenge.

Meditate. Studies have shown that meditating

at the beginning, during, and at the end of the

day have positive results in helping you manage

stress. Meditation can be done anywhere and

at any time. It brings you the sense of calmness

and peace needed to get through a busy day.

By focusing on your breathing, visualizing the

positive, and counting your breaths, you can eliminate the thoughts that cause you

stress and allows you to reach a state of balance. Because of this state of peace,

you can now see a stressful situation from a different point of view, and you can

work on reducing the negative emotions that go with it.

EXAMPLE

It was Monday, and Rita’s major exam in Math was on Friday. She was feeling

anxious and worried about it because she needed to get a good grade to pull

up her average. She has been studying all weekend and has planned on

setting aside time every day of that week to study. All her reviewers were

there in front of her already, but she still can’t seem to focus and shake off

her anxiety. She decided to go for a quick jog around her village to clear her

head. Upon returning, she felt recharged and ready to look at those math

problems again.

TIP!

Coping Techniques:

Manage your time.

Talk it out.

Laugh.

Rest.

Move.

Be positive.

Meditate.


Check Your Understanding

A. Read each sentence carefully. Complete the statement by providing the correct

word.

1. Forgetfulness is a _____________________________ manifestation of stress on an

individual.

2. When the body encounters stress, muscles feel _____________________________

as a response.

3. An emotional manifestation of stress would be a change in sleeping and

_____________________________ habits.

4. Long-term stress may cause harm in the _____________________________ system

because it inhibits the release of disease-fighting hormones in the body.

5. _____________________________ can bring a sense of calm and peace to a

cluttered mind.

B. Answer each question briefly.

1. How does laughing help one cope with stress?

2. What is the link between stress and mental health?

3. How does long-term stress affect the musculoskeletal system?


C. Read each situation carefully. Answer well.

1. Jon meditates at the bus on his way to school. When he arrives in school, he

feels positive throughout the entire day. Why is this so?

2. Tina would want to see a psychiatrist to help her deal with the challenges she

faces at home and in school. However, she feels ashamed to do so. What

can you advise her?

3. Mark’s dad has been stressed with work for a long period. He eventually

suffered a heart attack. How did this happen?


Explore Your World! Task 1: My Body Feels Stress

Materials: paper, markers/crayons

Instructions:

Make a paper doll or draw yourself (whole body) on a piece of paper. Recall specific

stressful situations in the past that you encountered and write them down. For

each stressful experience, try to remember the physical manifestation of the stress

on your body. What body part was affected by the stress you experienced?

Color/Mark the body part of that situation. Make sure the color you use is different

for each stressful situation.

Show and explain your visual representation in class.

Task 2: Stress Jokes

Materials: paper, pen

Instructions:

Pair up with a classmate. Come up with ten funny jokes about stress in 15 minutes.

The goal is for you to lessen the stress that your classmates are feeling through

laughter. Share this with the class.


Stressful situations given 3

Presence of marked body parts 3




2

Total 10


Task 3: Stress Management

Materials: any material available to students

Instructions:

Form groups of 5. Together, come up with a creative stress management device (or

a prototype of this device) that you think will help boys and girls of your age to

manage stress on a daily basis. Let your imagination take over. Explain how you

came up with your invention and why you think it will be helpful to your peers.


10 jokes given 3

Creativity and relevance to topic 3

Audience appeal 2



2

Total 10


Creativity and uniqueness of device 3


Relevance to topics discussed 2



2

Total 10


A study by the researchers at Nestle Research Center in Switzerland has

discovered that eating dark chocolates may lower the levels of stress

hormones in people who are experiencing high levels of stress and

anxiety. Anxiety levels of participants were measured, and blood and

urine samples were analyzed as well in the beginning. The study shows

that the participants who ate 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate every day for

two weeks had lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and

catecholamines (the fight or flee hormone).


Real-world Challenge

Stress Buster

Materials: whatever is available to the group

Individual Roles:

Leader – facilitates all activities of the group

Secretary – notes down all tasks of each member and tracks progress of each

Editor – compiles and edits the final work of the group

Reporter – presents the completed work of the group to the class

Instructions:

You must be able to present a final output that shows how adolescents can deal

with or manage stress.

The final output can be in the form of a book, video, magazine, app, board

game, song (with lyrics and notes), or dance (with video). You can be creative

and explore other options.

You will work in groups of five.

You must use topics discussed in the final output and research some more on

their own when necessary.

Include a wide variety of strategies for coping that are appropriate for your

peers.

Reporting of information will be done in front of the class. Make sure to provide

a background on how you came up with the idea.


Criteria for Scoring Score

Creativity and uniqueness of final output 3

Accuracy and appropriateness of strategies

presented

3

Depth of analysis/explanation 3

Inclusion of research and topics discussed in

class

3

Impact of presentation 3

Total 15

My Reflection

What have you discovered about yourself when it comes to handling stress? What

can you improve on when faced with a challenging situation? Write two paragraphs

in the box to answer the questions.


Wrap Up

Stress is your body’s response to any demand or challenge. Good and bad

experiences can create stress.

Depending on the stressor and the response your body makes, either positive

stress or negative stress may result.

There are three kinds of stress: acute (short-term and manageable), episodic

acute (those who suffer acute stress frequently), and chronic (most damaging

with long-term effects).

The prefrontal cortex of your brain is not yet fully developed, which makes you

vulnerable to stress.

Some of your sources of stress come from social pressures, family relationships,

academic pressures, and self-doubt.

There are physical, cognitive and emotional/behavioral manifestations of stress

in a person.

Constant exposure to stress may also have long-term effects on your physical

and mental health.

Some ways to cope with stress would be to: manage one’s time, talk it out,

laugh, rest, move, be positive and meditate.


Answers to Check Your Understanding Lesson 1: Sources of Stress and Its Effects

Part A.

1. Stress

2. negative

3. Acute

4. prefrontal cortex

5. social pressures

Part B

1. The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for functions such as decision-

making, being able to adapt and be flexible to new situations, making

judgments, organizing and planning, goal-setting, and controlling impulses, is

not yet fully developed. Without full maturity of the brain in place, an

adolescent has limited capacity to deal with stress and manage his thoughts

and emotions in a given stressful situation. The adolescent brain, therefore, is

much more vulnerable and sensitive to stress than an adult brain.

2. Changes in family dynamics cause stress in adolescents. Adolescents at this

stage are struggling between being independent while maintaining a healthy

relationship with their parents and siblings, which can cause emotional stress.

Rules and expectations are now being questioned, and arguments and

disagreements may now be more frequent than before. Other possible

conflicts that can be a source of stress would be the parents’ divorce, a birth or

death in the family, migration, financial troubles, etc.

3. This kind of stress is the most damaging of all for it is the stress that consumes

an individual over a very long period of time unless he seeks professional help

right away. Chronic stress destroys a person’s health and well-being and is

manifested later on as physical illnesses or diseases that kill. People who suffer

from it no longer seek for solutions or hope for a better disposition, as it is


embedded already in their everyday life. Chronic stress may have been

brought about by traumatic experiences in the past that continue to haunt and

affect their belief systems and daily activities, with or without them meaning to.

Part C.

1. One can advise him to think very well about his plans. He must be warned

that not being able to juggle all the demands of his activities can be a source

of stress for him later on. Although he feels passionate about all these, he

must learn to manage his time well to avoid feeling burnt out and exhausted.

2. Poch experienced acute stress. This is just short-term and very manageable.

It has no long-term effect on his mind, body, and life.

3. Not all stress is bad. Good stress pushes a person to rise to the challenges of

life. Stress can be a way to motivate a person to be more focused, more

creative and more productive. This enables him to be more confident in

facing stressful situations in the future.


Answers to Check Your Understanding


Part A

1. cognitive

2. tight or tense

3. eating

4. immune

5. Meditation

Part B

1. Studies have shown that laughter relieves stress by stimulating your organs,

soothing tension in your body and just making you feel relaxed all over.

Every time you laugh, the brain releases “happy hormones” called

endorphins which helps improve your mood and relieve you from pain.

2. Because the prefrontal cortex is not yet fully developed, the adolescent brain

cannot calm down and shut down the stress responses of the body, which

causes him to experience the stress more quickly and for longer periods of

time. Recent studies show that because of this, there are indeed links

between continuous exposure to stress and mental health issues in

adolescents, such as depression, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, substance

abuse, and anxiety disorders.

3. When the body encounters stress, the common reflex is for muscles to

tighten up and feel tense. Once the stressful situation is overcome, the

muscles then relax and go back to its original state. However, if the body is

repeatedly exposed to a constant source of stress, the muscles remain

guarded and become stiff and tense for long periods of time – which

eventually causes the individual to suffer from stress-related musculoskeletal

conditions.


Part C

1. Studies have shown that meditating at the beginning, during, and at the end

the day have positive results in helping a person manage stress. Meditation

can be done anywhere and at any time. It brings you the sense of calm and

peace needed to get through a busy day. By focusing on your breathing,

visualizing the positive, and counting your breaths, you can eliminate the

thoughts that cause you stress and allows you to reach a state of balance.

Because of this state of peace, you can now see a stressful situation from a

different point of view, and you can work on reducing the negative emotions

that go with it.

2. It would be best to advise her to let it out and talk to someone she can trust

and who she knows can give her sound advice. It is not a healthy habit to

always keep all the stress inside. She should not hesitate to seek

professional help. There is nothing embarrassing or degrading about asking

for help from those who are best equipped to give it. She doesn’t have to

face everything alone.

3. Under stress, a person’s heart rate increases, as well as his blood pressure

and levels of stress hormones. However, if a person continuously

experiences constant stress, his coronary arteries may swell which can lead

to a heart attack. Long-term exposure to stress increases fat levels, and how

the body responds to cholesterol, which can block blood vessels thereby also

increases the probability of heart disease to strike.


Bibliography

American Psychological Association. Stress Effects on the Body.

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body.aspx

BBC. What is Stress? http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/21685448

Bergland, Christopher. Why is the Teen Brain So Vulnerable.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201312/why-is-the-teen-

brain-so-vulnerable

Harvard Health Publishing. The Adolescent Brain: Beyond Raging Hormones.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the-adolescent-brain-beyond-

raging-hormones

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stress-type#is-all-stress-bad

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health/_includes/_pre-redesign/Teen_Stress_Standalone.pdf

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negative-stress/

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Glossary

Acute Stress – It is the kind of stress that is most recognizable, common and

manageable with no long-term effects on an individual.

Chronic Stress – It is the most damaging stress that can affect an individual in the

long-term, and may also be physically manifested later on like a disease or illness.

Episodic Acute Stress – It is the kind of stress experienced by those who suffer

from acute stress frequently.

Prefrontal Cortex – It is the part of the brain that can calmly assess a stressful

situation, and is known for its functions in decision-making, being able to adapt and

be flexible to new situations, making judgments, organizing and planning, goal-

setting, and controlling impulses.

Stress – It is the body’s response to any demand.

Stressor – It is the stimulus that triggers the body to respond.

https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/news/20091113/dark-chocolate-takes-bite-out-of-stress

https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/news/20091113/dark-chocolate-takes-bite-out-of-stress

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UNIT 5: Encountering Stress as Part of Adolescence

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