Introduction
Stress refers to situations that people face in their daily lives, but they exceed the ability of how people can cope with them. He states that stress can be caused by positive and negative factors and the two impacts the life of an individual when the stressors are not addressed. The assignment will be a case study of James, a friend of mine who had difficulties in coping with stress. When Nike Company dismissed James from his position of an Operations Assistant, it happened that his newly wedded wife left him too. It was a double loss for him, and by observing how he tried to cope up with the situation, I could tell he was stressed and was unable to cope with the scenarios.
Causes of Stress
A lack of direct control about a situation is one of the causes of stress. James had no control of the circumstances, he was facing. After being fired, there was no way that he was going to be reporting to his usual workplace. His wife had walked out of him, and it would be difficult to manage all household chores alone. The second cause is frustration, which takes place when scenarios interfere with what you want to do. James had grand plans to use his source of income to buy a new home and support his ailing mother. Now he was frustrated since the loss of the job was already interfering with his plans. Lastly, a life change is a variable that causes stress. The need to adapt to a new life or change can be stressful, especially when the direction to follow is not specific. My friend suffered stress as he hardly could move on and seek a new job. He kept narrating of the love he had for his wife a sign that he was still stuck in his former life.
Managing Stress
In the event of stress, it is necessary to manage it to evade severe complications. Stress reaction involves coping with the stressor. It also refers to techniques to address and manage a stressful event. To avoid stress, one has to practice a healthy lifestyle. However, it was not the case with James, whom everything seemed to have stopped and would club until late in the night. To prevent the stressor, he ought to have practiced a healthy lifestyle, for example, by having a good night sleep. The second reaction would be time management. A stressful life can be avoided by having a schedule, which would ensure little or no time is spent on the stressor. James was undoubtedly not managing his time since he would wake up late only to concentrate on gaming for the rest of the day. Lastly, socialization helps to cope with stress. An individual has to find room for his friends and share with them what is going on. By opening up, you get help and advice on how to live after stressful events have occurred. James was open to discuss his problems with me and his church members, a situation that was assisting him to cope with the aftermath of his dismissal and walking away from the wife.
Coping Techniques
People can use different techniques to counter stressful situations. One such method is applying a problem-focused approach. The problem-focused method requires one to address the source of the stressor head on and getting rid of it. James should start seeking a new job by reassuring himself as capable, and he has to fulfill his plans. On the other hand, People can utilize the emotion-focused approach get rid of stress by managing how they respond to the variables that cause stress. James can meditate on positive thoughts that bring relaxation and peaceful ideas instead of concentrating on the stressors. Peaceful thoughts of how he can use the skills he learned from his previous job in a new role can bring relaxation. Stress needs to be managed to lead a pleasant and meaningful life that brings happiness.
