Handling Stress During Covid-19
This week’s Psychology Update presents three articles related to stress. The current covid-19 outbreak has upended many of our lives and created a great deal of stress. These articles look at some of the consequences of stress and offer some empirically tested means to manage the stress.
ARTICLE #1
TITLE
Here’s Why You’re Stress Eating And How to Stop Doing It
DESCRIPTION
This is a great article on “stress eating” that touches many of us at this time. The article provides a brief video along with data about stress from an APA survey. The article points out what may be going on neurologically as well. “Eating can even spark some of the same neurological reactions that drugs do, albeit to a lesser extent. Brain imaging research has shown that when people binge on carbohydrates and sugars, “it can actually activate the pleasure centers of the brain. Research has shown that sugar, like heroin or cocaine, can cause the feel-good chemical dopamine to flood the nucleus accumbens, the part of the brain responsible for pleasure and reward. Sugar can also release endogenous opioids, the body’s natural painkillers, which creates a pleasant effect.” The last part of the article provides real solutions to handle the stressors and to stop the stress eating. The article can be combined with text chapters on motivation, stress, health psychology, and abnormal psychology as well.
SOURCE
Time, July 31, 2018, by Jamie Ducharme
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/t5udttn
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ARTICLE #2
TITLE
In Stressful Times, Make Stress Work for You
DESCRIPTION
This recent article is a direct focus on how the current covid-19 affects our lives in terms of stress. “We can actually use that stress to improve our health and well-being. Over a decade of research — ours and that of others — suggests that it’s not the type or amount of stress that determines its impact. Instead, it’s our mind-set about stress that matters most.” The article details a number of studies and provides real solutions to lower stress for better health and well being. The article can be combined with text chapters on motivation, stress, health psychology, and abnormal psychology as well.
SOURCE
New York Times, April 1, 2020, by By Kari Leibowitz and Alia Crum
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/wty36l2
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ARTICLE #3
TITLE
4 Ways to Become Stress-Free Just About Anywhere
DESCRIPTION
This is a clearly written article that offers ways to handle stress. It offers four ways to handle stress in a number of simple ways. It is aimed at working on immediate physical relief that will lead to psychological and emotional relief.
SOURCE
Time, August 6, 2017, by Eric Barker
LINK TO RESOURCE
https://time.com/4845674/stress-free-rituals/
(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/uwub49a
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CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
•What is stress? How does the body respond to stress? What are the emotional and psychological reactions to stress?
•What is stressed induced eating? How does eating (for some) activate the same circuitry in the brain as addictions? What are the steps to stop this type of eating?
•According to the second and third articles: what advice would you give a person about handling their own stress? How would you provide a brief “lecture” on the management and techniques?
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