Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Assignment # 3 Holmes-Rahe Life Changes Inventory

Please take the following brief inventory of major life changes/events and see where you fall on the stress/ illness forecast. Remember, this test does not absolutely predict physical ailments. But studies have shown that a correlation exits between the accumulation of these events and physical ailments. You'll note the "points" for certain life changes are fixed. In fact, people vary in the relative importance of a given event. We're dealing with overall averages of impact. Respond on-line by Thursday with an observation of how you deal with managing the stress of certain events in your life.

The following students will provide a brief oral summary in class Thursday of the survey itself, their  stressful experiences/responses, or any related observation you think we'd appreciate hearing (3-5 minutes is fine):

Evan, Dana, Shannon, Rachel, Dennis

Holmes & Rahe Self-Inventory

19 comments:

  1. Dealing with stress from certain events in life is tough. I have found several ways to try to keep myself from getting too stressed out. I just do the things that I enjoy the most such as going out hunting or just shooting my bow, going fishing, or even just going on long walks down home on the back roads or through the woods. Another good way that I help manage stress is to sometimes listen to music. Music never lets you down and there's always a song that explains just how you feel. Anything relaxing that people enjoy will help them manage their stress.

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  2. I think everyone deals with stress in their daily lives. It can be caused from anything and anyone. If I ever get over stressed about something, i first take a minute to myself and a just take deep breaths saying it will all be alight. I'll take a break to what is making me stress. Since I live on campus, i usually go to the rec and work out. But if its on a Tuesday i will go play volleyball at the rec or if its Thursday I will go to church. On other days I just go running on the track or shoot some hoops with my ipod. Exercising makes my mind just empty and its great. When i get done working out, i then go back to what i was doing either and most of the time it will be fine. To end my day i then listen to music to relax, and then watch tv to fall asleep. That helps my mind not stress or worry. But all people need to do if they are stressing is just do something they love to do and it will get there mind off things and make them healthier.

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  3. Ashley Lonczak
    Human Relations
    November 2, 2010

    I deal with stress on a day to day bases differently. We all experience stress in our life, whether that be good or bad, and we all have our different ways of dealing with it. For me, lately, I’ve been having a lot of stress with school and work. This point in the semester the work load seems to double, and being scheduled to work 20 hours a week was just getting to be way too much. I decided that school was definitely more important to me, and decided to cut back on working so much. I had to better time manage everything. I now write down when everything is due and leave lists of things I need to accomplish for the day. For me, this is a much better way of handling everything I have to get done in the week so therefore I can go into work and do a good job there as well without my mind being on school. Making a list of things has always been a way for me to remember and get everything accomplished. If I were to not get something done in a day that I needed to, that would then add a lot of stress onto me. With other stress-related issues, like parents or friends, I usually like to go work out, take a nap, or take time to myself in my room. I like to get away from the situation for a little and clear my mind before returning to it, and usually by then the stress is gone.

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  4. Deanna Lees
    Human Relations
    November 3, 2010

    Everyone has their ways of coping with life-changing events, or even just events that can change your day. I think the best way to deal with the stresses in life is to turn them into something positive, even if it seems impossible. We dont always have the control over the things we wish we did, but it's important to try and get back on your feet when stress get's you down. For me, taking a drive, listening to some music (there's something for any mood) or simply talking things over with someone you're close to can take some of the pressure off.

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  5. Kyle Steiner

    I have been very blessed to not get stressed out or have any enormous life changing events that would cause me to have stress. Going away to college was big life changing event for me because I was away from my family and friends who miss very much. Homework and studying can stress me out a little but I try to start all my school work early and I have a schedule that helps me to get everything done. I have been known by my family and friends to be a very optimistic person. I stay very positive and always look on the bright side. My religion helps me a lot to stay positive and I remember that every thing happens for a reason. That statement helps me out a lot when things are getting tough. I work out and lift weights a lot, and that helps me from getting stressed out. Everyday I go to the rec center and it is just personal time for myself. After a workout I always feel good because I know that I am helping myself stay fit and healthy. Talking and hanging out with my friends and family members also play a huge role in way I do not get too stressed out. When I am either hanging out or talking to them I am always having a good time and laughing. Stress is a very big issue in today’s society, but I think if people stay positive, remember that everything happens for a reason, and do activities they enjoy, they will be a less stressful person in the long run.

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  6. I learned a long time ago that our interpretation of events, or stressors, is what actually causes us to feel stressed. Stress also depletes energy fast! I think we can train ourselves to not allow stress to burn us out. ‘Self talk” through situations is helpful. Reminding ourselves that we are able to cope effectively, and that whatever the stressor is, it is not going to unravel our whole day. If you can do anything to change a stressful situation, you should do it! But if not, you just have to accept the fact that you worked through it the best that you can. I don’t allow myself to get too overly stressed. I just do the best that I can do in any situation. Unplanned stressful events happen all the time and I ask myself what I can do to change the outcome and if worrying will do anything productive to make a better outcome. If there is nothing I can do to change the outcome I just accept it as a life experience and hopefully in the future get a good laugh about it.

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  7. Usually i deal with stress by joining team sports ones that mainly involve contact.I played volleyball, basketball, and then i started track. I would say doing sports or just exercising period can relieve a lot of stress.While you're working out you can just be free and breathe. It doesnt taking much concentration you can just do it for fun. Rather you spike a volleyball and let anger out or you shoot a ball knowing it will go in, or just running on a track by yourself stress can just fall off you.Reality may smack you back in the face when you return to the area of stress but the more you use your stress reliever the better you will feel and pretty soon things wont bother you as much or even at all.

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  8. Shovonna Hills
    Assignment #3
    We’ll I can say having many different events going on in your life that was ask on the survey can be really stressful. When I’m facing these different situations that cause me to be stressful I usually listen to music, or may just go for walk to clear my head. Sometimes it may be a friend or family that will do something funny to cheer me up from worrying about my problems. One major event that took place this summer that was very stressful was losing my grandmother. My family was very emotional and couldn’t believe this had happen. Even though this was a tough time, we still manage to get through and come closer together. My family knows that my grandmother will always be in our hearts and watching over us. Knowing this can help us to be able move on and not be as stressful.

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  9. Christina Robison
    Assignment #3
    11-3-10

    I think that stress can happen to anybody at any time through out their life time. For me stress has been really bad lately. I think that school this semester has put a lot of stress on me. I know at point I was ready to drop out of school and give up on everything that had do with school. What helped me was listening to music and I also took one day off of school to get my mind of things. I seemed to help but only for a short time. I felt better when the assignment I was working on was turned in. I know that I am always going to have some sort of stress, and I can not always take a day off. So I think that I need to figure out some other way to deal with stress better. What I think that I could do is look at what I have to do in school and decide what is most important and get it done first. I also think that will help me manage my time with school work. Anybody can manage their stress but how they do manage their stress is up to the person. It can all depend on how much stress they are under and what they think works best for them.

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  10. Dennis Gearhart
    Assignment #3
    November 3, 2010

    Dealing with the stress in our lives is difficult and also very important. If we do not deal with it the stress can cause physical problems. I deal with stress in several different ways. Sometimes just spending time alone is the best for me. Time to contemplate on problems and figure out solutions has worked in the past. Sometimes reading helps, the Bible is often a source of strength and inspiration for me. You can find passages to deal with most any problem you can imagine. At other times anything that will clear my mind works. This could include music, exercise or just talking to a friend.

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  11. I don't believe there is a whole lot in life that one should stress about. I usually look at situations with the mindset that the world isn't going to end. People need to relax and realize that what they are stressing about most likely won't affect their lives a whole lot. My dad always told me not to cry over something that wouldn't cry over me; I think that is so true in life. People need to realize that they only have one life and they need to look at it as the glass half full instead of half empty. Any day above ground is a good day.

    Evan Frankovits

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  12. It varies from situation to situation. Depending on the level of stress the event would cause me. Being a musician a lot of my stress is put out through music, whether it be writing a song or just playing an instrument helps me relax. Exercising would probably help but I just dont seem to have the time. I have found that if I just write down my thoughts everything seems to be a little clear. There a million ways to deal with stress and not all of mine are good or healthy but everyone feels different levels of stress

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  13. Andrew Baxter
    Assignment 3
    Nov 3, 2010

    I believe everyone has their own ways of dealing with stress. I generally handle stress by either trying to just shove it off as something I can handle later, or just forget about it. Other times I need a few minutes by myself to 'unwind'. When I go to unwind it depends on what I am stressing about. School is a major one with trying to learn all of my Medic courses while working. This I can generally handle by taking my dogs out to the field and letting them run while I relax and watch them hunt for birds. Other times, like when my Grandmother died, I let it bottle up until I cant stand it anymore. When that happens, happened, I just need five minutes to go by myself and cry, shake or sit and think and let it out that way on my own. On a general basis though, I try to just let things roll of my back. This works for the day to day things that are not a major life event and keeps my stress to a relative low 90 percent of the time

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  14. Joe Kieffer
    assignment 3

    I personally deal with stress by listening to music or just relaxing with friends. The past two months have for sure been the most stressful months in my entire life. So in order to deal with that I went into the bathroom got in my jacuzzi and took a bubble bath while listening to relaxing music. For the most part it helped for about a day. Most people in my family can not deal with stress and thus I think thats what causes other peoples stress.

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  15. Tiffani Ross
    Assignment 3

    I can say up front that I am terrible dealing with stress. It seems like to me, "When it rains, it pours." I get so stressed out that I just want to hide from the world. Usually I talk to my doctor about everything I'm going through or my fiance. I used to go to the gym and that would help, but even now I feel like I don't have the time for that so it's stressful. To actually get over things that are stressful to me, I just have to give it time. Things usually get better. I could definitely learn how to manage my stress better.

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  16. I think that everyone deals with stress in their own way. Runners may run a alot to relieve stress, while others play or listen to music. I mostly get my stress from school work. When i start to feel overwhelmed i either go to the rec to workout, go tanning, or play volleyball. Those things just help to keep my mind off other things that are going on that cause me to stress.
    Stacy Heatherington

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  17. Jeff Hathaway

    I think people have their own way to manage stress. I would say that I deal with stress by either going to the gym and playing basketball or just hanging out with my friends. I feel that the most important thing that helps cure stress is just by talking with other people or doing something that takes your mind off of the situation. Listening to music also helps because it makes you relax. What stresses me out the most is schoolwork, especially this half semester. I guess the best way to deal with the stress is to just do it, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed. I usually just like to take breaks between subjects. Also, making a list of all the things have to do seems to help too. Coming from a family with a (seemslike) crazy Italian mother stresses me out too, but in the end I know she just cares about me, even though her mouth may not be saying that. I believe stress is the main building block for what makes people unhealthy and gives people gray hairs. Everyone has to manage stress, without it life would probably be boring.

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  18. I don't like the negative connection affiliated with an event. Since the topics of negativity and positivity or even stress are held in suspense of personal preference and in reaction to. I attempt to seek out the resolution or the lessons learned from many experienced events, and be on my way. Or while a stressful event is underway I attempt to observe it as it is, an event. Which usually disrupts any emotional ties to the even, objective observation. When certain events challenge my principles and philosophy I than attempt to understand and if the conditions call for it, I reevaluate my principles and philosophies that I've accumulated over my years to be more broad in range and durable.

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  19. Cordell Midgett-Crosby

    We all deal with stress diffrently. I tend to deal with stress by turning my negative into a positive, some people tend to let stress break them or destroy them. I think the inventory questions were more so directed to older people instead of people my age, because they ask events like marriage something I tend to do but yet experience most of they're question was things I never experience yet

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