Page 33 - UNIT 8 Signs of Stress

What does this teach us?

WHEN STRESS CHEMICALS ARE RELEASED INTO OUR BODY, WE NEED STRONG
CONTROL CENTRE SKILLS TO MANAGE.

WITHOUT THESE, OR IF THE STRESSOR IS TOO BIG, WE MAY GO INTO AUTOMATIC
STRESS RESPONSE OR SUBCONSCIOUSLY FIND WAYS TO FEEL GOOD AGAIN

▪ The stress response is automatic.

▪ We need strong Control Centre Skills to manage when stressors get high.

▪ If stress levels are already high and our Control Centre Skills are weak, it is likely we will show
signs of stress and go into unhelpful stress responses such as flight, fight, flock, fawn, find, flop

or freeze.

▪ Alternatively, we may subconsciously seek to fill our needs in any way possible – and this may not
be a helpful way.

▪ When we experience stressors day after day, stress levels rise in our body.

▪ If there are no emotional buffers to help us to become calm each day, our stress levels can set
permanently on high.

▪ At times such as these, we are likely to fall into powerless positions and blame, feel helpless or try

to ‘fix’ others.