Stress and Tension, Research Paper Example

Personal Stress Management Plan

Preparation

My main stressors

Table 1

Top three stressors

Developing the plan

Step 1: Goals – What do I want to accomplish?

Body scanning exercise made me feel tranquil and attentive. I tried to discover the ways in which I internalize stress. My muscles are the main victims of stress and tension. Especially the muscles of hands and face. Signs and symptoms that I often experience are stiffness in the neck, the trembling of fingers and hands, muscle tension, quivering voice and feeling of anxiety. The symptoms tell me that my stress response in general is focused on the defense. My body is ready to run from the stressor and that’s why my muscles are strained. According to my stressor profile presented in Appendix A, my main ongoing stressors have the following self-assessment scores:

1. new acquaintances (score: 40-35-30-35-30-250-25-25-10)
2. queuing in supermarkets (score: 35-30-20-20-15-200-35-25-35)
3. people touching me while talking (score: 35-25-25-20-10-200-30-20-30)

I have chosen these stressors because all the three are connected with my irritation and anxiety caused by interaction with people I do not know well. I want to change this situation and be friendlier to strangers. I need to clean my thoughts and try to see the bright side of things and people instead of searching for danger or unpleasantness. Avoiding prejudices will reduce negative thoughts and should have a positive effect on my mood and health.

Step 2: How will things be different or better in my life?

Next step is to motivate myself by visualizing the new behavior and see how life will be different and better than it was with the old one. Practicing new behavior in Outcome Visualization exercises, I try to imagine free and easy conversations with new people, situations when I need to ask a stranger in the street for some information, being in public places when I need to wait and have nothing to do etc. I see that effective communication makes the situation easier and being friendly to people around me makes my everyday life better. These visualizations are rather vivid and clear but I should add that I feel difficulties connected with the phenomenon of secondary gain.  To be honest, I discovered that my stressful behavior was subconsciously encouraged by my excessive distrustfulness and desire to maintain control of life. But now I understand that I don’t need this false alarm and I feel ready for changes.

 Step 3: What will I accept as proof of outcome?

The ways I can prove to myself that I have achieved my stated outcome are:

1. Raising the threshold of time I can spend with new people before I get tired.
2. Positive reaction of new people to my behavior.
3. Making more successful acquaintances.
4. Reducing the number of automatic defensive gestures I make when people stand near or try to touch me.

Step 4: What are my useful resources?

My internal useful resources are my personal characteristics such as willpower and sensible self-examination and also my Resource State – a positive life experience called Sunshine Walk which I have chosen to remind me of the sense of fulfillment and joy to cope with a stressful situation. My external resource is the support of my friends and family.  In spite of my coping skills score being relatively low (75), I use only adaptive coping skills and avoid maladaptive ones. My intent is to change my score for the better in the nearest future. The three most commonly practiced coping tactics for me are:

1. a hobby
2. physical exercises
3. a place in my home where I can go to relax and be on my own.

Personal resources that will help me achieve my goal can be described in affirmative statements such as:

Affirmation 1: I’m reasonable and I can improve myself for my own benefit.

Affirmation 2: I have the taste for life and it helps me to avoid irritation.

Step 5: What are my blocks to success?

The most frequent block to success is the fear of failure. I have to admit that it may become my problem because the improvement of communication skills requires much practice and depends on a number of external circumstances. But I feel my fear level as moderate.

Another possible block to success is the problem of fulfilling my old need for self-protection. For prevention I am going to practice relaxation techniques. It is also important to always bear in mind goals from step1 and motivation from step 2.

Devising the Personal Stress Management Plan

Outcomes I want to achieve

I want to change the way I feel and behave dealing with people I do not know well.  I do not feel comfort in crowds, and public places irritate me. I do not want to be so irritable, my goal is to be a more assertive and steady person and also I want to improve my self-discipline.

Stress management techniques and planning

Technique 1: Stretch relaxation

How I will use it: Every morning when I feel tightness in muscles

Technique 2: Breathing exercises

How I will use it: Every evening to summarize my state and feelings

Technique 3: Meditation and Resource State

How I will use it: Three times a week when I have enough time for a deep introspection.

Also I will use self-talk, physical activity, socialization and visual imagery to make my stress management program many-sided and complex.

Monthly Stress Management Calendar. February 2010

First week’s outcomes: I have no desire for socialization, but feel less stressful. Sleep better. No tiredness in the morning.

Second week’s outcomes: I am not so tired of talking with people. Feel more comfortable in public places.

Third week’s outcomes: I feel ready for socialization. Recognize positive reaction to me and my new behavior.

Fourth week’s outcomes: I feel my body free from automatic defense.

Stress-Response Diary