SHS

Personal Development
Quarter 1 – Module 9:
Causes and Effects of Stress

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Personal Development 11/12
Quarter 1 – Module 9: Causes and Effects of Stress

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any
work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government
agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such
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the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
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Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials
from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent
nor claim ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writers: Jorge E. Tejada
Editors: Frankie T. Turalde, Randy P. Bacares, Gloria E. Fontelar
Reviewers: Sheila C. Bulawan
Illustrator:
Layout Artist: Jogene Alilly C. San Juan
I. Introduction
This module discusses about the causes and effects of stress that
challenges young adolescents. Most teens today face various stressors that
affect their way of living and understanding current life situations. Hence,
this module can greatly help a senior high school student like you.

II. Objectives
At the end of the module, you will be able to identify causes and
effects of stress in one’s life.

III. Vocabulary List

Before going through the module, please familiarize first with the
vocabulary terms listed below:
1. Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried
thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure. People
with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or
concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry.
2. Chronic is continuing or occurring again and again for a long time.
3. Depression is a common mental disorder affecting more than 264 million
people worldwide. It is characterized by persistent sadness and a lack
of interest or pleasure in previously rewarding or enjoyable activities. It
can also disturb sleep and appetite; tiredness and poor concentration
are common.
4. The word endorphin comes from putting together the words
“endogenous,” meaning from within the body, and “morphine,” which is
an opiate pain reliever. Since endorphins act on the opiate receptors in
our brains, they reduce pain and boost pleasure, resulting in a feeling of
well-being.
5. Fatigue is a condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and
reduced efficiency of accomplishment, usually accompanied by a feeling
of weariness and tiredness. Fatigue can be acute and come on suddenly
or chronic and persist.
6. The term 'fight-or-flight' represents the choices that our ancient
ancestors had when faced with danger in their environment. They could
either fight or flee. In either case, the physiological and psychological
response to stress prepares the body to react to the danger.
7. Nausea is a stomach distress with distaste for food and an urge to
vomit

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IV. Pre-Test
Direction: Answer the questions below. This assessment will determine
your prior knowledge about the topic of this module. Choose from the
given choices and write your answers on your journal.
1. What is defined as a feeling of emotional strain and pressure?
a. Anxiety
b. Depression
c. Stress

2. Coping up with stress entails various means and mechanisms. Why is

this so?
a. Because people have different stressors
b. Because people’s level of stress varies from person to person
c. Because people are unique in so many ways

3. Does stress brings positive effects also to individuals?

a. Yes
b. No
c. No, because stress brings negative effects only.

4. There are plenty of ways and activities for an individual to deal with
stress, which is not?
a. Listening to good music
b. Mingling with friends around a bottle of liquor
c. Jogging and exercise

5. The following are effects of stress to individuals, which is not?

a. Headache and vomiting
b. Irritability and anger
c. Having a good night sleep

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V. Learning Activities
ACTIVITY 1
Directions: The best approach is to answer fairly quickly. That is, don’t try
to count up the number of times you felt a particular way; rather indicate
the alternative that seems like a reasonable estimate.
Direction: For each question choose from the following alternatives:
0 - never 1 - almost never 2 - sometimes 3 - fairly often 4 - very often

________1. In the last month, how often have you been upset because of
something that happened unexpectedly?
________ 2. In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable
to control the important things in your life?
________ 3. In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and
stressed?
________ 4. In the last month, how often have you felt confident about your
ability to handle your personal problems?
________ 5. In the last month, how often have you felt that things were
going your way?
________ 6. In the last month, how often have you found that you could not
cope with all the things that you had to do?
________ 7. In the last month, how often have you been able to control
irritations in your life?
________ 8. In the last month, how often have you felt that you were on top
of things?
________ 9. In the last month, how often have you been angered because
of things that happened that were outside of your control?
________ 10. In the last month, how often have you felt difficulties were
piling up so high that you could not overcome them?

Figuring Your PSS Score

You can determine your PSS score by following these directions:

• First, reverse your scores for questions 4, 5, 7, and 8. On these 4

questions, change the scores like this: 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1,
4 = 0.
• Now add up your scores for each item to get a total. My total score is
___________.
• Individual scores on the PSS can range from 0 to 40 with higher
scores indicating higher perceived stress.

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 ► Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low stress.

► Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate stress.

► Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived
stress.
(Disclaimer: The scores on the following self-assessment do not reflect
any particular diagnosis or course of treatment. They are meant as a tool
to help assess your level of stress.)

Perceived Stress Scale

A more precise measure of personal stress can be determined by
using a variety of instruments that have been designed to help measure
individual stress levels. The first of these is called the Perceived Stress
Scale.
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a classic stress assessment
instrument.
The tool, while originally developed in 1983, remains a popular
choice for helping us understand how different situations affect our feelings
and our perceived stress. The questions in this scale ask about your feelings
and thoughts during the last month. In each case, you will be asked to
indicate how often you felt or thought a certain way. Although some of the
questions are similar, there are differences between them and you should
treat each one as a separate question.
The Perceived Stress Scale is interesting and important because
your perception of what is happening in your life is most important. Consider
the idea that two individuals could have the exact same events and
experiences in their lives for the past month. Depending on their perception,
total score could put one of those individuals in the low stress category and
the total score could put the second person in the high stress category.

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 Identifying Stress

Stress can be defined as any type of

change that causes physical, emotional, or
psychological strain. Stress is your body's
response to anything that requires attention or
action. Everyone experiences stress to some
degree. The way you respond to stress,
however, makes a big difference to your overall
well-being.
In psychology, stress is defined as
a feeling of emotional strain and pressure.
Stress is a type of psychological pain. Small
amounts of stress may be desired, beneficial,
https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/461809-mental-disorder-and-
and even healthy.
stress-icons-set

Sometimes, the best way to manage your

stress involves changing your situation. At other times, the best strategy
involves changing the way you respond to the situation.
Developing a clear understanding of how stress impacts your
physical and mental health is important. It's also important to recognize how
your mental and physical health affects your stress level.

Stressed out?
Stress can be short-term or long-term.
Both can lead to a variety of symptoms, but
chronic stress can take a serious toll on the
body over time and have long-lasting health
effects.
Stress is not always easy to
recognize, but there are some ways to identify
some signs that you might be experiencing too
much pressure. Sometimes stress can come
from an obvious source, but sometimes even
small daily stresses from school, family, and
friends can take a toll on your mind and body.
https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/461809-mental-disorder-
and-stress-icons-set

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 If you think stress might be affecting you, there are a few things you
can watch for:
• Psychological signs such as difficulty concentrating, worrying, anxiety,
and trouble remembering
• Emotional signs such as being angry, irritated, moody, or frustrated
• Physical signs such as high blood pressure, changes in weight, frequent
colds or infections, and changes in the menstrual cycle and libido
• Behavioral signs such as poor self-care, not having time for the things
you enjoy, or relying on drugs and alcohol to cope

What Causes Stress?

Stress is different for everyone. What stresses you out may not
even bother your best friend and vice versa. Still, your bodies react the same
to stressors. That’s because the stress response is your body’s way of
dealing with tough or demanding situations. It causes hormonal, respiratory,
cardiovascular, and nervous system changes. For example, stress can
make your heart beat faster, make you breathe rapidly, sweat, and tense
up. It can also give you a burst of energy.
This is known as the body’s “fight-or-flight response.” It’s this
chemical reaction that prepares your body for a physical reaction because
it thinks it’s under attack. This type of stress helped our human ancestors
survive in nature.
The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as
stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an
exhausting school schedule. However, anything that puts high demands on
you can be stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married,
buying a house, going to college, or receiving an obligation.
Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can
also be internal or self-generated, when you worry excessively about
something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic
thoughts about life.
Finally, what causes stress depends, at least in part, on your
perception of it. Something that’s stressful to you may not faze someone
else; they may even enjoy it. While some of us are terrified of getting up in
front of people to perform or speak, for example, others live for the spotlight.
Where one person thrives under pressure and performs best in the face of
a tight deadline, another will shut down when school demands escalate.

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Common external causes of stress include:
• Major life changes
• Work or school
• Relationship difficulties
• Financial problems
• Being too busy
• Children and family

Common internal causes of stress include:

• Pessimism
• Inability to accept uncertainty
• Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility
• Negative self-talk
• Unrealistic expectations / perfectionism
• All-or-nothing attitude

Good Stress
Sometimes you can feel stressed for a short period of time.
Usually it’s nothing to worry about. Like when you need to hand in a
project, or you have to talk in front of a group of people. Maybe you feel
“butterflies” in your stomach and the palms of your hands get sweaty.
These types of positive stressors are short-lived, and your body’s
way of helping you get through what could be a tough situation.

Bad Stress
Sometimes, however, negative feelings can be very stressful.
Maybe you’re worried, angry, scared, or frustrated. This kind of stress
isn’t good for you, and over the long-term can cause serious problems.
Stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and
feelings, and your behavior. Being able to recognize common stress
symptoms can help you manage them. Stress that's left unchecked can
contribute to many health problems.

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 Effects of Stress
Stress symptoms may be affecting your health, even though you
might not realize it. You may think illness is to blame for that irritating
headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased performance at
school. But stress may actually be the cause.

Common Effects of Stress

On your body On your mood On your behavior

Overeating or
Headache Anxiety
undereating
Muscle tension or
Restlessness Angry outbursts
pain
Lack of motivation or Drug or alcohol
Chest pain
focus misuse
Fatigue Feeling overwhelmed Tobacco use
Stomach upset Irritability or anger Social withdrawal
Sadness or
Sleep problems Exercising less often
depression

Long-Term Stress
If you let your stress spiral on for
too long, it can have damaging effects
on your physical, mental, and emotional
health, especially if it becomes chronic.
You need to be aware of the warning
signs of chronic stress so you can take
care of it.
Physical effects of stress include: https://www.sleephealthsolutionsohio.com/blog/10-
effects-of-long-term-sleep-deprivation/
• Headache
• Trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much
• Muscle pain or tension
• Digestive issues
• High blood pressure

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 Emotional effects of stress include:
• Feeling you can’t get things done
• Moodiness
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Lack of motivation
• Irritability
• Sadness or depression

Stress Overload
Sometimes you may feel like you have too much stress to handle. If
you think you just can’t cope any longer, you may want to seek help from a
specialist. Talk to your primary care doctor to see if she can help you
determine whether what you’re experiencing is stress or an anxiety
disorder.
Signs of stress overload include:
• Panic attacks
• Worrying all the time
• Feeling you’re under constant pressure
• Drinking or doing drugs to deal with your stress
• Overeating
• Smoking
• Depression
• Withdrawal from family and friends

VI. Application
The Happiness Meter
A scale of one to ten, or scale from one to ten, is a general and
largely vernacular concept used for rating things, people, places, ideas, and
so on. The scale has 10 as a maximum score, as a denotation of
exceptionally high quality or of another attribute, usually accompanying 1 as
its minimum, although some common variants have a minimum of 0. Such
a scale is similar in function to other rating scales, such as star ratings which
are typically out of five.

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 Below is a happiness meter. Assess your level of happiness this past
week, of course considering the level of stress you’ve been through. 10
being the highest and 1 as the lowest scale. Elaborate your response on the
space provided below.

In today’s fast-paced world, chronic stress is common, but your mind

and body can pay a high price. Learn to recognize overwhelming stress—
and what you can do about it.

VII. Post-Test
Direction: Answer the questions below. This assessment will determine
what have you learned about the topic of this module. Choose from the
given choices and write your answers on your journal.
1. What is defined as a feeling of emotional strain and pressure?
a. Anxiety
b. Depression
c. Stress

2. Coping up with stress entails various means and mechanisms. Why is

this so?
a. Because people have different stressors
b. Because people’s level of stress varies from person to person
c. Because people are unique in so many ways

3. Does stress brings positive effects also to individuals?

a. Yes
b. No
c. No, because stress brings negative effects only.

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 4. There are plenty of ways and activities for an individual to deal with
stress, which is not?
a. Listening to good music
b. Mingling with friends around a bottle of liquor
c. Jogging and exercise

5. The following are effects of stress to individuals, which is not?

a. Headache and vomiting
b. Irritability and anger
c. Having a good night sleep

VIII. Assignment/Additional Activities

Direction: There are two (2) given activities below. Select your desired
activity as an assignment for this module and write your output in your
journal.
1. Find for the Youtube video with the help of the hyperlink provided
below, entitled: How stress affects your body - Sharon Horesh
Bergquist. Try to summarize the content of the video and add your
personal experiences with the effects of stress in your body. Share it
to your class the next session. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-
t1Z5-oPtU)
2. Compose an acrostic (a composition usually in verse in which sets of
letters – initial or final letters of the lines – taken in order to form a word
or phrase) that can summarize your learning with this module.

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Key to Correction

Pre-test
1. B
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. C

Post-test

1. B
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. C

References
https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/461809-mental-disorder-and-stress-icons-set

https://www.sleephealthsolutionsohio.com/blog/10-effects-of-long-term-sleep-deprivation/

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