Unit VI Reflection Paper

Unit Vi Reflection Paper

Throughout this unit, you have learned that certain links exist between emotions, motivation, and stress. In fact, if one does not handle his or her stress effectively, numerous health issues could arise. For this assignment, you are to compose a two-page reflection paper in which you examine a current or former stressful event in your life. You must embrace Selye’s general adaptation syndrome (GAS), and describe your reactions to the stressful event during each stage. Be sure that you recount the various facial expressions that you displayed as you progressed through each stage.

What coping strategies did you embrace to help solve the problem? Additionally, how was your professional work impacted by the stressor? Furthermore, did you experience additional conflicts with other individuals as you endured this life trial? You must effectively examine each of the areas listed above. Furthermore, you may visit the CSU Online Library to identify a source that provides specific information on how this stressful issue could impact your health, future goals, and motivation.

You must at least integrate the textbook as a source. Tips for writing your Reflection Paper: ï‚· Introduction: This is meant to give a concise overview of the featured stressful event and is usually one paragraph in length. In your introduction, you will reveal the featured stressful event that you will examine for this paper. ï‚· Summary: This contains your description of the required areas listed above in the opening statement, including Selye’s GAS, your facial expressions, coping strategies, professional impact, and relationship conflicts. ï‚· Analysis: In this portion of the paper, you should provide information from the textbook and an additional source identified from the CSU Library to analyze the impact that the stressful event could have placed upon your health, future goals, and motivation. ï‚· Conclusion: This summarizes your final reflections for the featured topic. For instance, what implications have you uncovered during your research that you will apply to future stressful events? Note: Do not forget to double space your response and use Times New Roman 12 pt. font. This written assignment should have a cover page, two full pages of content in which you organize the four sections of the reflection based on the guidelines as listed above, and a references page. You are required to utilize the textbook and it should be included on your references page along with any additional sources you may have used. You should also have accompanying in-text citations for each source that you have used throughout your response.

Paper For Above instruction

The phenomenon of stress is an inherent part of human existence, impacting individuals across various life domains, including health, motivation, and emotional regulation. This reflection explores a stressful event I experienced recently—a significant workload combined with personal commitments—that elicited a profound emotional and physiological response, exemplifying Selye’s general adaptation syndrome (GAS). By examining my reactions during each GAS stage, my facial expressions, coping strategies, and the effects on my professional and personal relationships, I aim to understand the intricate interplay between stress and human functioning.

The stressful event I faced involved an intense period of professional deadline pressures coinciding with personal family obligations. At the outset, my initial response was shock and anxiety, characterized by widened eyes, furrowed brows, and a tense jaw—signs of the alarm stage, where the body prepares to confront or escape the stressor (Selye, 1936). As the deadlines drew nearer, I entered the resistance stage, manifesting in sustained alertness but also irritability and frustration—my facial expressions reflected clenched jaw, furrowed brow, and occasional frowning. During this phase, I employed coping strategies such as prioritization, time management, and seeking social support, which helped mitigate the physiological and emotional toll. Nonetheless, prolonged resistance led to exhaustion, evident in fatigue, decreased motivation, and a sense of burnout, aligning with the final exhaustion stage of GAS (McEwen, 2007).

My professional work was considerably impacted by the stressor. Initially, my productivity decreased due to distraction and emotional distress, resulting in missed deadlines and reduced quality of work. Over time, however, the use of adaptive coping strategies facilitated a recovery in performance, although lingering fatigue persisted. Additionally, the stress event strained my personal relationships, especially with colleagues and family members, as my irritability and preoccupation created conflicts and miscommunications. Recognizing these patterns underscored the importance of effective stress management, not only for health but also for maintaining harmonious relationships and professional efficacy.

Analyzing the impact of chronic stress from a health perspective, literature indicates that prolonged activation of the HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system can lead to adverse outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, immune suppression, and mental health disorders (McEwen, 2007). Moreover, stress can undermine motivation and goal setting by impairing cognitive functions like decision-making and memory (Lupien et al., 2009). From a future-oriented perspective, sustained stress without adequate coping can jeopardize career advancement and personal development (Cohen et al., 2016). In my case, recognizing these risks has motivated me to adopt healthier stress management techniques, including mindfulness and physical activity, to buffer physiological impacts and enhance resilience (Goyal et al., 2014).

In conclusion, reflecting on this stressful episode has reinforced the critical role of effective stress management in safeguarding health and motivation. Future stressful events can be better navigated by employing adaptive coping strategies, maintaining social support, and being mindful of physiological responses. This awareness, coupled with insights from the literature, provides a foundation for proactive stress management that promotes well-being, professional success, and personal fulfillment.

References

• Cohen, S., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Miller, G. E. (2016). Psychological stress and disease. JAMA, 316(16), 1645–1646.
• Goyal, M., Singh, S., Sibinga, E. M., et al. (2014). Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(3), 357–368.
• Lupien, S. J., McEwen, B. S., Gunnar, M. R., & Heim, C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behaviour, and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 434–445.
• McEwen, B. S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: Central role of the brain. Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873–904.
• Selye, H. (1936). A syndrome produced by diverse nocuous agents. Nature, 138(3479), 32.