TED Talk - Kelly McGonigal - How to Make Stress Your Friend

Kelly McGonigal discusses new research on stress and presents a new way to think about stress to improve your health.

Should you choose to complete this activity for credit for blog comments, please complete the following:

• Watch Kelly's TED Talk here.
• Kelly is a health psychologist.  What is health psychology?
• Discuss the relationship between stress and cardiovascular health. (You may wish to look for additional information elsewhere)
• How does oxytocin play a role in stress? (You may wish to look for additional information elsewhere)
• Around the 10:40 mark in the video, she begins describing a research study looking at the relationship between stress and time spent helping others.  Describe what the researchers did and what they found.  If you completed the blog during Week 2 (Do Good, Feel Good), how do these findings relate to this assignment?
• Did watching this TED Talk change the way you view stress?  If so, why.

Stress and Pinterest/Social Media

"Social media anxiety disorder may not be a recognized mental health issue (yet), but for some moms, social network-inflicted stress has added considerable pressure to parenthood."

Here's a (more) fun blog for all you Pinterest/Social Media buffs!  Users are spending an abundant amount of time on social media sites (see this link for some interesting stats), but are not always aware that these sites are a source of stress.

Should you choose this topic for course credit this week, please complete the following:

• Read this article.
• Give an overview of what you read.
• Do you think you spend too much time on social media sites?  Does social media distract you from work that needs to be done?  If so, do you place restrictions on your use?  For example, do you tell yourself you can get on Facebook after you study for an hour, etc.?
• How has social media caused stress in your life?  What can you do to reduce this stress?

Optimism and Stress

"Ever wondered how it is your optimistic friend always seems to be unfazed by stress? Scientists may have pinpointed a possible reason for why."

Being positive pays off!  Among other benefits, optimism may play a role in the way of which one handles stress.  Should you choose this topic for course credit, please complete the following:

• Read this article.
• Read this article, too! (They are both fairly short)
• Give an overview (in your own words) of what you read.
• Optimism plays a role in other health related areas aside from handling stress.  Describe these other areas.
• Look on the bright side, smile, and treat yourself to something awesome today!

Suicide Prevention

"Suicide is a leading cause of death among college students."

Suicide Prevention Week is observed from Sept. 8 - Sept. 14.  Since this overlaps with our course discussion of stress, I thought it would be a good way to raise awareness while applying course topics.

Should you choose to complete this assignment for course credit, please do the following:

• Read this information, courtesy of the Minnesota 4-H.
• Also, read this information posted through your myU portal.
• How are stress and suicide related?
• What are some warning signs of suicidal ideation?
• What can you do to help someone with suicidal ideation?

If you're interested, here is a really great video from somebody struggling with depression and has contemplated committing suicide.  I think this video is great because it shows you that what you see on the outside is not always what somebody is feeling on the inside.  He also discusses the stigma surrounding depression.  Give it a look!

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If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal ideation, please utilize the resources and services available on the bottom of the myU portal link or below:

Psychological Services Center (free for USD students)
South Dakota Union #112
Department of Psychology
Phone: 605.677.5354

Student Counseling Center (free for USD students)
Cook House
Vermillion, SD 57069
Phone: 605.677.5777
Fax: 605.677.6226
scc@usd.edu 

National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 1.800.273.8255
Emergencies - call 911 (if on campus, dial 9-911)
University Police Department - 605.677.5342

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has a projected lifetime risk (according to DSM-IV-TR criteria) of 8.7%, meaning 8.7% of the population will develop PTSD.  Because of this, it is important to be knowledgeable about PTSD's causes, symptoms, and who's at risk.

Should you choose to complete this assignment for course credit, please do the following:

• Read this article from the National Institute of Mental Health.
• Watch this short YouTube clip.
• What is PTSD?
• Describe the signs, symptoms, and causes of PTSD. (See the "please note" at the bottom of this post)
• What types of incidences can contribute to the development of PTSD?
• How do children and adults differ in their experiences of PTSD?
• In the video, Dr. Davidson describes some of the physical symptoms associated with PTSD. What are some of these symptoms?
• Describe a few of the treatment options for PTSD.
• Do you have a personal connection with PTSD (i.e., does someone you know have PTSD)?  How has PTSD affected their social relationships? **Please de-identify this person when writing - do not include a name, you can simply write that you know a person.**

Please Note: The article you'll be reading groups the symptoms of PTSD into 3 categories (re-experiencing, avoidance/numbing, hyperarousal).  This categorization is based on DSM-IV-TR criteria, but the field is now in transition to using criteria from the DSM-5 which was released earlier this summer.  Among other changes, they have placed the symptoms of PTSD into 4 categories as opposed to 3.  These categories are very similar, they have just essentially broken the avoidance/numbing into 2 categories.  The categories for the DSM-5 are as follows:

Re-experiencing
Avoidance
Persistent negative alterations in cognition and mood (this is the numbing aspect)
Arousal

Can Football Make You Fat?

"Here's something to chew on as the National Football League prepares to kick off a new season Thursday night: sports fans turn to junk food to console themselves when their team goes down to defeat, new research suggests."

The unofficial start of fall is here - professional football season!  But can watching football make you fat?  Check out what a research study found.  This assignment is a fun way to use your psychology knowledge to everyday life.

Should you choose to complete this assignment for course credit, please do the following:

• Read this article posted on WebMD.
• What is meant by emotional eating?  How can emotional eating relate to *next week's* topic of stress?
• Are you a victim of emotional eating? (Only respond to this particular question if you feel comfortable with others seeing your response).  If yes, what can you do to kick the habit?
• If you're a football fan, are you going to gain weight this season (granted these results hold true)?  In other words, how is your team looking this year?  

Happy football watching!  May the odds be ever in your favor :)