5. Build your physical reserves.

- Exercise for cardiovascular fitness three to four times a week (moderate, prolonged rhythmic exercise is best, such as walking, swimming, cycling, or jogging).

- Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals.

- Maintain your ideal weight.

- Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine, and other stimulants.

- Mix leisure with work. Take breaks and get away when you can.

- Get enough sleep. Be as consistent with your sleep schedule as possible.

6. Maintain your emotional reserves.

- Develop some mutually supportive friendships/relationships.

- Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful to you, rather than goals others have for you that you do not share.

- Expect some frustrations, failures.

- Always be kind and gentle with yourself — be a friend to yourself.

ЕXERCISE 1

Questions to the text:

1. What kind of stress is related to most illnesses?

2. How can you become aware of your stressors?

3. How can you recognize what you can change in the stressful situation?

1. How can you reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress?

2. What are some examples of moderating one's physical reactions to stress?

3. What are some recommendations that can help you to build physical reserves?

4. How can one maintain one's emotional reserve?

Interesting facts

A three-year study conducted by a large corporation showed that 60 percent of employee absences were due to psychological problems such as stress.

- Many studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees little control over the work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

- On the basis of research it is widely believed that job stress increases the risk for development of back and upper- extremity musculoskeletal disorders.

- Several studies suggest that differences in rates of mental health problems (such as depression and burnout) for various occupations are due partly to differences in job stress levels.

Dicsussion

Share your view with your group mates

How do you manage stress? Describe one of the stressful situations you experienced last week and explain how you managed the proper level of stress.

JOKES

Stress management: visualization

1. Picture yourself near a stream.

2. Birds are singing in the crisp, cool mountain air.

3. Nothing can bother you here.

4. No one knows this secret place.

5. You are in total seclusion from that place called the world.

6. The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air.

7. The water is clear.

8. You can easily make out the face of the person whose head you're holding under the water.

9. There now, feeling better?

Expressions for high stress days

1. You! Off my planet!!

2. Well, this day was a total waste of makeup.

3. Allow me to introduce my selves.

4. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.

5. Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't fallen asleep yet.

6. Nice perfume. Must you marinate in it?

7. Earth is full. Go home.

8. Is it time for your medication or mine?

9. When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you.

TEST

Self-test on mental distress

Have you ever experienced the conditions listed below in the past month?

1. Have too much work to do, and feel it hard to manage.

2. Pressed for time. Always in haste when walking and speaking in order to save time.

3. Obsessed with work and have no leisure time.

4. Lose your temper.

5. Worry about how others evaluate your performance

6. Feel unpopular with your boss and family folks.

7. Anxious about personal financial condition.

8. Troubled with persisting headache and stomachache.

9. Calm down your anxiety with the help of cigarette, wine, medicine snacks.

10. Sleep with the help of sleeping pill.

11. Tend to interrupt others in conversation.

12. Obsessed with too much worry in bed and unable to fall into sleep.

13. Work too much and unable to make everything perfect.

14. Feel guilty even for a moment of leisure.

15. Reckless, stubborn when acting and always feel regretful later.

Scoring: 0 point for "zero occurrence", 1 for "rare occurrence", 2 for "frequent occurrence".

0—10: low-level mental distress. It may show that you are leading an uneventful or even a boring life and inactive in taking actions.

11—15: middle-level mental distress. Pressure feels heavy sometimes but still manageable.

Above 16: high-level mental distress. You should check where the pressure comes from and seek a solution.

UNIT 12. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY