WHAT IS STRESS?

Stress is a response to an inappropriate level of pressure.

Stress may encounter from a number of sources including: Personal Stress:
which may be caused by the nature of your work, changes in your life or personal
problems. Next, stress in family or friends: which in turn may affect you. Then,
stress in your colleagues: which also may affect you.
Stress can be described as the distress that is caused as a result of demands
placed on physical or mental energy.

WHAT IS MENTAL ILLNESS?

A mental illness is a health problem that significantly affects how a person

thinks, behaves and interacts with other people. It is diagnosed according to
standardized criteria.
One in 5 Australians will suffer from a mental illness in any given year.
Mental illnesses are of different types and degrees of severity. Some of the
major types are:

anxiety

schizophrenia

bipolar mood disorder

personality disorders

eating disorders

depression

These illnesses may also be referred to as a mental disorder, mental impairment

or psychiatric disability

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

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 Symptoms

Emotional Symptoms

Memory problems

Moodiness

Inability to concentrate

Irritability or short temper

Poor judgment

Agitation, inability to relax

Seeing only the negative

Feeling overwhelmed

Anxious or racing thoughts

Sense of loneliness and

Constant worrying

isolation

Depression or general
unhappiness

Physical Symptoms

Behavioral Symptoms

Aches and pains

Eating more or less

Diarrhea or constipation

Sleeping too much or too little

Nausea, dizziness

Isolating yourself from others

Chest pain, rapid heartbeat

Procrastinating or neglecting

Loss of sex drive

Frequent colds

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 or medical problems. If youre experiencing any of the warning signs
of stress, its important to see a doctor for a full evaluation. Your doctor can help
you determine whether or not your symptoms are stress-related.

WHAT ARE 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.
Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be selfgenerated, for example, when you worry excessively about something that may or
may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic thoughts about life.
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

Major life changes

Financial problems

Work or school

Being too busy

Relationship difficulties

Common internal causes of stress

Children and family

Chronic worry

Unrealistic expectations/Perfectionism

Pessimism

Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility

Negative self-talk

All-or-nothing attitude

EFFECT OF CHRONIC STRESS

The body doesnt distinguish between physical and psychological threats.
When youre 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 bodys
stress system is activated, 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

Depression

Heart disease

Weight problems

Digestive problems

Autoimmune diseases

Sleep problems

Skin conditions, such as eczema

DEALING WITH STRESS

While unchecked stress is undeniably damaging, you have more control over
your stress levels than you might think. Unfortunately, many people cope with
stress in ways that only compound the problem. You might drink too much to
unwind at the end of a stressful day, fill up on comfort food, zone out in front of the
TV or computer for hours, use pills to relax, or relieve stress by lashing out at other
people. However, there are many healthier ways to cope with stress and its
symptoms.
Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no one size fits all
solution to dealing with it. No single method works for everyone or in every
situation, so experiment with different techniques and strategies. Focus on what
makes you feel calm and in control.

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 cant, taking
care of yourself, and making time for rest and relaxation.
Remember the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.

Avoid unnecessary stress. Not all stress can be avoided, but by learning how
to say no, distinguishing between should and musts on your to-do list,
and steering clear of people or situations that stress you out, you can
eliminate many daily stressors.

Alter the situation. If you cant avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Be
more assertive and deal with problems head on. Instead of bottling up your
feelings and increasing your stress, respectfully let others know about your

concerns. Or be more willing to compromise and try meeting others halfway

on an issue.

Adapt to the stressor. When you cant change the stressor, try changing
yourself. Reframe problems or focus on the positive things in your life. If a
task at work has you stressed, focus on the aspects of your job you do enjoy.
And always look at the big picture: is this really something worth getting
upset about?

Accept the things you cant change. There will always be stressors in life that
you cant do anything about. Learn to accept the inevitable rather than rail
against a situation and making it even more stressful. Look for the upside in a
situationeven the most stressful circumstances can be an opportunity for
learning or personal growth. Learn to accept that no one, including you, is
ever perfect.

You can also better cope with the symptoms of stress by strengthening your
physical health.

Set

aside

relaxation

time. Relaxation

techniques such

as

yoga,

meditation, and deep breathing activate the bodys relaxation response, a

state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response.

Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and

preventing the effects of stress. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing
pent-up stress and tension.

Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with
stress. Start your day with a healthy breakfast, reduce your caffeine and
sugar intake, and cut back on alcohol and nicotine.

Get plenty of sleep. Feeling tired can increase stress by causing you to
think irrationally. Keep your cool by getting a good nights sleep.

THINGS THAT INFLUENCE YOUR STRESS TOLERANCE LEVEL

Your support network A strong network of supportive friends and family

members can be an enormous buffer against lifes stressors. On the flip side,
the more lonely and isolated you are, the greater your vulnerability to stress.

Your sense of control It may be easier to take stress in your stride if you
have confidence in yourself and your ability to influence events and
persevere through challenges. If you feel like things are out of your control,
youre likely to have less tolerance for stress.

Your attitude and outlook Optimistic people are often more stress-hardy.
They tend to embrace challenges, have a strong sense of humor, and accept
that change is a part of life.

Your ability to deal with your emotions Youre extremely vulnerable to

stress if you dont know how to calm and soothe yourself when youre feeling
sad, angry, or overwhelmed by a situation. The ability to bring your emotions
into balance helps you bounce back from adversity and is a skill that can be
learned at any age.

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.

STRESS FACTS

STRESS RELATED FACTS AND STATISTICS

The Stress in America survey results show that adults continue to report high
levels of stress and many report that their stress has increased over the past
year American Psychological Association.

75% of adults reported experiencing moderate to high levels of stress in the

past month and nearly half reported that their stress has increased in the
past year American Psychological Association.

Approximately 1 out of 75 people may experience panic disorder National

Institutes of Mental Health.

Stress is a top health concern for U.S. teens between 9th and 12th grade,
psychologists say that if they dont learn healthy ways to manage that stress
now, it could have serious long-term health implications American
Psychological Association.

80% of workers feel stress on the job and nearly half say they need help in
learning how to manage stress. And 42% say their co-workers need such
help American Institute of Stress.

Stress levels in the workplace are rising with 6 in 10 workers in major global
economies experiencing increased workplace stress.

With China (86%)

having the highest rise in workplace stress The Regus Group

Alarmingly 91% of adult Australians feel stress in at least one important area
of their lives. Almost 50% feel very stressed about one part of their life
Lifeline Australia.

Australian employees are absent for an average of 3.2 working days each
year through stress. This workplace stress costs the Australian economy
approximately $14.2 billion Medibank

An estimated 442,000 individuals in Britain, who worked in 2007/08 believed

that they were experiencing work-related stress at a level that was making
them ill Labour Force Survey.

Approximately 13.7 million working days are lost each year in the UK as a
result of work-related illness at a cost of 28.3 billion per year National
Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide World

Health Organization

Fewer than 25% of those with depression world-wide have access to effective
treatments World Health Organization.

ARTICLE

What is stress?
Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened
or upset your balance in some 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 youre 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.
When you sense dangerwhether its real or imaginedthe body's defenses
kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the fight-or-flight-orfreeze reaction, or the stress response.
The stress response is the bodys way of protecting you. When working
properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert.

The Bodys Stress Response

When 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 focuspreparing you to
either fight or flee from the danger at hand.

-http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-causes-and-effects.htm

ENGLISH 2123
QUESTION B
STRESS LEVEL AND MENTAL PROBLEM ARE INCREASING AMONG MALAYSIANS.
ACCORDING TO THE STATISTICS 8 OUT OF 10 PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING FROM
STRESS. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THIS, WHAT EFFECTS COULD THIS
HAVE ON THE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY MEMBERS?

Prepared by:
1. Nur Farhana Dayana Binti Razali (6031141001)
2. Rashidatul Asmin Binti Rosli (6031141006)

3. Aisyah Binti Mohd Hambali (6031141014)

4. Nur Aishah Binti Jusnaidi (6031141012)

Prepared for:
Mrs. Nuratiqah Binti Ahmad Zaki

Submission date:
5th May 2015
CURRENT ISSUES

A) Stress among teachers

Growing stress is the leading reason for teachers taking time off work or
leaving the profession entirely, new data has revealed.
In fact, stress amounts for more than double the figures of days taken off for
sickness, numbers from an insurance firm specializing in covering schools against
members of staff being off work showed.
The analysis of its claims showed that 55 per cent its 1,800 schools made
stress-related claims in 2015. It also revealed academies experienced the highest
proportion of lost teaching days as a result of stress.
Stress in teachers is caused largely by heavy workload, a particularly
pressurized environment, tight workforces and additional pressures not directly
related to teaching like Ousted inspections, said the firms Harry Cramer.
According to the company's analysis of 138,500 absence days taken by
31,900 staff within the education sector, 3.5 per cent of school staff takes a stress
related absence every year. The average length of a stress related absence is 26.9
working days, over twice the length of an average staff absence which is 13 working
days. The analysis was commissioned by the BBC Radio 4s File on 4.

Separately, a preliminary online survey of 3,500 members of the NASUWT

teachers union revealed stress and poor mental health. It found 67 per cent of
teachers said their job was having an adverse effect on their mental health.
The report, which is to be published at the unions annual conference over
Easter, found 76 per cent of teachers said they are seriously considering leaving
their job in the last year, compared to 69 per cent in 2015. Separately, 68 per cent
said they considered leaving the profession entirely.
As in Malaysia itself, teachers were stress by the rule of the system which is not
consistent all the time. Which make a burdened for the teachers and students as
well. In this 2015, as we can see the system of examination such as PMR is convert
into PT3 system where it make a big different and difficult to teachers. As a result
teachers become more stress and lead to early retirement. The statistic shows that
whose SPM leaver less prefer to be in this profession.
B) Stress among students
Psychological stress among college students has been getting a lot of
attention recently. Student stress research seems to have really become vigorous in
the 2013, however.
Think
family home,

about what
feeling

many college

intense

pressure

students

go

to obtain

high

through.

Leaving

grades in

the

connection

with career aspirations, taking final exam, trying to establish a romantic/social life,
dealing with (often very high) costs of college and possibly working at a job during
the school year. What kind of jobs students can get after college also remains
tenuous given the multi-year recession. On top of all that, student in Nepal today
recently must deal with earthquake and subfreezing temperatures. They have to
focus on how to survive their lives rather than their studies.
Question now, considering the above, how can college students not are highly
stressed out?

Some will argue that college students are in many ways advantaged,
compared to those who don't or can't attend a university. Point well taken, but that
shouldn't diminish the stress experienced by students.
Research Institute said that based on students' reflections on their senior
year of high school showing record levels of poor emotional health among incoming
first-year undergraduates.
Researchers understandably want to keep their questionnaires as short as
possible, to encourage participation. Because the research survey probes many
different areas, the measures of stress and emotional health are limited to isolated
items. On a checklist of feelings and behaviors experienced during the past year, for
example,

appears

the

item

"Felt

overwhelmed

by

all

had

to

do,"

to

which participants reply "frequently," "occasionally," or "not at all." Elsewhere in the

survey, respondents were asked to rate themselves on a set of traits, including
"Emotional health," compared to what they would see as the average person their
age. Though brief measures may be necessary in some studies.
In addition to sources and experiences of stress, there is also a great deal of
research on how people attempt to cope with and manage the stress they're under.
One general

typology

divides

coping

into

two

broad

categories: problem-

focused (attempting to tackle a problem directly at its source, such as asking one's
dormitory Resident Assistant for a room change to escape a bothersome roommate)
and emotion-focused (attempting to manage one's emotions, e.g., by putting
things in perspective, when one cannot or chooses not to address the underlying
source of the problem).
What can be done about stress? The University of Georgia's University Health
Center offers an online resource entitled Managing Stress: A Guide for College
Students. It offers modules on several specific topics, such as sleep, healthy
relationships, and time-management.
With the help of family, friends, and perhaps campus stress-management
resources, many students are able to keep their stress levels relatively under control

or even thrive in the college setting. However, for some students, the challenges
and frustrations of campus life appear to lead to severe emotional problems.
While in Malaysia, the students are stress dealing with high-living cost,
especially after the announcement of GST early April. They already feel pressured
by their studies, assignment, and examination and proposal and sum up by the GST
issue. Students are most affected by the GST issue because most of them have no
true income. They are mostly depends on scholarships where it only enough for the
fees. Students have to buy the books which costly by using their own money. This
led to many other problems such as suicide, criminal case and give up in study.

REFERENCES

a) http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/pub/worklife/selfscreeningtools/st
ress-test-_3_.pdf

b) http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/lifestresstest.pdf
c) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4t1xqZ78C0 Robin Williams
video
d) http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-causes-andeffects.htm
e) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpQrMqDoqE Brain
Management video
f) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress_%28biology%29
g) http://www.stress.org/stress-effects/
h) http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-kinds.aspx

HISTORY

The term stress was borrowed from the field of physics by one of the fathers of
stress research Hans Selye. In physics, stress describes the force that produces

strain on a physical body (i.e.: bending a piece of metal until it snaps occurs
because of the force, or stress, exerted on it).
Hans Selye began using the term stress after completing his medical training
at the University of Montreal in the 1920s. He noticed that no matter what his
hospitalized patients suffered from, they all had one thing in common. They all
looked sick. In his view, they all were under physical stress.
He proposed that stress was a non-specific strain on the body caused by
irregularities in normal body functions. This stress resulted in the release of stress
hormones. He called this the General Adaptation Syndrom (a closer look at
general adaptation syndrome, our body's short-term and long-term reactions
to stress).

The Great Debate

Selye pioneered the field of stress research and provided convincing

arguments that stress impacted health. But not all agreed with his physiological
view of stress as a non-specific phenomenon though. What about psychological
stress?(i.e.: loss of the beloved, frustration, tending to an ill child, or work
problems)? Could these situations also be stressful? Many physicians, psychologists,
and researchers thought so.
A physician named John Mason conducted an experiment in which two groups
of monkeys were deprived of food for a short period of time.
In group 1, monkeys were alone, while in group 2, monkeys watched others
receive food. Even though both groups of monkeys were under the physical stress of
hunger, those that saw others eat had higher stress hormone levels. He therefore
showed that psychological stress was as powerful as physical stress at inducing the
bodys stress response.
Many argued that if stress was a non-specific phenomenon then everyone
should react the same way to the same stressors. BUT this did not seem right. Many
were also convinced that there had to be common elements that would elevate
everyones stress hormone levels.

In one interesting experiment, researchers measured the stress hormone

levels of experienced parachute jumpers.
Jumping out of a plane surely had to be stressful! Strangely, their stress
hormone levels were normal.
Stress hormone levels were then measured in both people jumping for
the first time and their instructors. They found a big difference! On the day before
the jump, students levels were normal while instructors levels were very high. On
the jump day, students levels were very high, while instructors levels were normal.
They concluded that 24 hours before the jump, the
instructors anticipation resulted in higher stress hormone levels because they knew
what to expect. The students were oblivious!
But on jump day, the novelty and unpredictability of the situation made the
students stress hormone levels sky rocket!
Over the next 30 years researchers conducted experiments showing that
although the type of stressors resulting in the release of stress hormones are
different for everyone there are common elements to situations that elevate stress
hormones in everyone.

Comedian Death

The death of actor and comedian Robin Williams has officially been ruled a
suicide, the coroner in Marin County, California, said Friday.
Alcohol and illegal drugs were not involved, the statement from the
coroner's office said. Prescription drugs were found in "therapeutic concentrations,"
the statement added.
Williams was found dead in his Tiburon, California, home August 11 from
what investigators suspected was a suicide by hanging. He was 63 years old.
The death certificate, obtained by CNN on August 21, says his ashes were
scattered off the coast one day later.
Investigators believe Williams used a belt to hang himself from a bedroom
door, Marin County Assistant Deputy Chief Coroner Lt. Keith Boyd said at the time.
Williams was sober but struggling with depression, anxiety and the early
stages of Parkinson's disease when he died, his widow, Susan Schneider, said in a
statement in August.
"Robin spent so much of his life helping others," she said. Whether he was
entertaining millions on stage, film or television, our troops on the front lines, or
comforting a sick child -- Robin wanted us to laugh and to feel less afraid."
Williams had "a recent increase in paranoia" and was sleeping in a stepson's
bedroom because of insomnia and anxiety associated with Parkinson's, according to
the coroner's report.
A pathology report released Friday said Williams was diagnosed with
Parkinson's disease in November 2013, several years after he first noticed
symptoms such as tremors in his left arm and a slowing of his left-hand movements.

Last call made to wife

The coroner's report said his body was found about 11:45 a.m. by a personal
assistant, who used a paperclip to open the locked door of the bedroom where
Williams had been sleeping. Williams was found in a seated position on the floor of
the bedroom with a belt secured around his neck and the other end of the belt
wedged between a closet door and door frame.
The actor was wearing black jeans and a black short-sleeve T-shirt, the
coroner's report said.
A cellphone recovered from Williams' pants pocket was dead. After recharging
the phone, the coroner searched through its texts and emails and found no
messages referencing suicide, the report said. The last call on the phone was made
the night before to Williams' wife, Susan, and lasted 38 seconds.
In one incident the evening before he died, Williams took several wristwatches
and put them into a sock and took them to someone's house for safekeeping, an
indication of his paranoia, his wife suggested. Also noteworthy, according to
Williams' wife, is that he may have learned of the suicide technique from a movie
role in which a character Williams portrayed died from autoerotic asphyxiation.