WHAT PRODUCES STRESS?

Numerous situations can produce the stress reaction. Having demands that seem as though they are too much to cope with is a frequent source of stress in everyday life.

Physical danger or the threat of physical danger triggers stress. With competition, or performance of any type, comes social evaluation. This means that an individual and his or her performance is ranked, or assessed, or scored by others. Performance stress (where there is not physical danger) comes from social evaluation and the feeling of threat to one' ego that evaluation brings.

The pressure on an individual builds as the number and significance of the demands increase. Each additional demand that is placed on you and each time the importance of the situation increases adds another layer of pressure.

STRESS REACTIONS

Stressful conditions produce different types of physical, bodily reactions.

The physical signs of stress are many and varied. They include clammy hands, shallow breathing, upset stomach, shakiness or tremors, weakness in the knees. There is a whole array of physical stress indicators.

Some people experience mental symptoms, such as irritation, confusion, distractibility, loss of concentration, and loss of confidence. Individuals differ in terms of which of these reactions they experience under pressure.

Individuals act or behave in certain ways once they experience these stress symptoms. Typical stress behaviors are choking or becoming nervous and overwrought. The behaviors in response to stress and anxiety are patterned and habitual.

Controlling your response to stressful situations is a formidable task. The very best and smartest strategies are needed for this challenge.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS

Individuals use a variety of different strategies to cope with pressure. Listening to music, taking a walk, turning to drugs and/or alcohol, talking with a friend are some of the typical strategies that people use to deal with pressure.

How well does your way of dealing with stress work? If you experience a number of negative symptoms, such as worry, fear, and anxiety, if you choke or if you lose your focus under pressure, it is time to find a new way for handling the pressures in your life.

Residual effects (such as tension) from stressful conditions stay in the body and accumulate when ineffective stress managing methods are used. The build up of residual effects hampers a person’s ability to deal with new stressful events. The net effect is a lower “resistance” to stressful circumstances. Consequently, more pronounced negative reactions to pressure and demand occur. Signs of negative effects of stress include the following:
• low self-confidence
• negative comments about yourself, more self-critical
• consistently performing under your ability especially when it counts
• trouble sleeping the night before an event
• difficulty getting loose before a competition
• feeling ill or upset before an event

MODELING: THE WINNING SOLUTION TO PRESSURE

One strategy for dealing with pressure rates five stars. This method involves self-regulation of your stress level. When needed, you heighten your stress level to create an activated, psyched up state. Also as needed, you reduce your stress level.

This strategy of self-regulation involves assuming responsibility for setting and for changing your level of stress. Self-regulation requires learning mental skills. The specific mental skills necessary for dealing effectively with pressure make up the content of the Stress Control program that is available on CD-ROM.

Through self-regulation you reproduce or model the mental processes that allow top performers to be resistant to pressure. Taking this path allows you to conquer pressure.

One of the most effective methods for creating change is modeling. Change occurs by modeling the best. The procedure of modeling involves finding people who are excellent at what they do. Then, discovering the mental processes they go through to produce excellent results consistently. Breaking these mental processes down in detail allows others to follow a similar process.

For developing greater pressure-handling ability, we can examine individuals who are excellent at handling risk and pressure. The question is what they do mentally that allows them to perform so well under pressure.

To change an individual’s reaction to pressure requires making changes in two main areas: 1) thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of stressful situations, and 2) the physical, bodily responses to stressful conditions. These two areas of differences between effective and ineffective pressure handlers set up the differences in performance and behavior.

Using the approach of modeling means that individuals learn to duplicate the reactions of the effective pressure performers in relations to thoughts and feelings and in relation to physical, bodily reactions. Each of the strategies for learning to perform under pressure is directed at changing either thoughts or perceptions about stressful events or at changing the physical, bodily response to stressful conditions.

For more information on Stress Control, look at:

	Stress Control CD-ROM. Learn to control your stress level so that you can be more effective, healthier and at peace. Information on Stress Control is presented using graphics, animation, narration, video clips and special effects.
	Stress Control manual. This manual presents a step-by-step approach for developing the skill of regulating stress level.

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