My Module 3 Reflection on Stress and Therapeutic Responses

 Stress is part of life and without stress, life will be monotonous. However, “some are more susceptible to the impact of stress than others”. (Science Daily, 2020, para. 1). It is in this view that stress will be defined and described as well as be given insights as to how it will be dealt with as a future HOA.

Stressed is Desserts spelled backward

          Stress is being in a mental or emotional strain caused by physical, physiological, and psychological stimuli. Written in combined symbols, the Chinese expressed it in two – danger and opportunity. (Tamparo & Lindh, 2019, p. 135) Stress can be good (eustress) or bad (distress). Eustress helps us cope with the demands of everyday life as it keeps us on our toes and drives us to perform. On the other hand, prolonged exposure or experience of stress causes distress that greatly affects one’s performance and effectiveness.

          Although there are different schools of thought regarding stress, one emerged as a key theory. It is Hans Selye’s general adaptation syndrome (GAS) belief that there are nonspecific reactions to stress. (Tamparo & Lindh, 2019, p.137) The figure below will describe the stages of such a theory.

                                                                      Figure 1.

       In the alarm stage, a signal is made and is making it known when there is perceived stress. The most obvious sign is pain. Next is the fight or flight stage when a person either escapes or confronts the stress. The third is exhaustion when fatigue becomes present. Lastly, the return-to-normal stage when the automatic nervous system’s craniosacral division kicks in and things get back to normal. (Tamparo & Lindh, 2019, p.139)

Stressed and then what

          The awareness of stress and its stages is imperative for future HOA because it will provide them with the understanding and the skill on how to deal with it, whether personally or professionally. The different stages of the adaptation to stress will allow the HOA to use appropriate therapeutic communication responses. For instance, when a client is in the alarm stage, it is vital to ask them where the pain is and let them describe it. The HOA’s ability when to provide detailed instructions or not, provision of privacy to clients when needed, maintaining eye contact, use of gentle and soft voice etc., are some of the concrete responses and skills that need to be learned and master which personally I deem very vital for my future career. To be more effective and efficient in adapting to stress, self-care is encouraged. Getting quality sleep is a sure-fire stressbuster, too.  One need not be guilty to have some time off and recharge. Therefore, self-awareness of what causes stress personally will help me deal with it as well as will be more emphatic towards the clients thereby attend to them efficiently.

 

                                                             References

Science Daily. (2020 November 23). Virtual reality helps measure vulnerability to stress. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119124637.htm

Tamparo, C. & Lindh, W. (2019) Therapeutic Communication for Health Care Professionals (4th Edition) [2.5.8484.0] Retrieved from http://texidium.com