Life Events
Stress can come from positive and negative events. Obviously, how events affect you may be different than how they affect someone else….or they may have more or less impact on you than outlined below. But use this guide that researchers (Holmes & Rahe) have developed to get an idea of how stressful a year have you had. Respond for the last twelve months.
Life Events Test
Life Event: How many times? x Mean Value = Your Stress Index
Death of spouse _____ x 100 = ______
Divorce _____ x 73 = ______
Marital Separation _____ x 65 = ______
Jail term _____ x 63 = ______
Death of a close family member _____ x 63 = ______
Personal injury or illness _____ x 53 = ______
Marriage _____ x 50 = ______
Fired at work _____ x 47 = ______
Marital reconciliation _____ x 45 = ______
Retirement _____ x 45 = ______
Change in health of family member _____ x 44 = ______
Pregnancy _____ x 40 = ______
Sex difficulties _____ x 39 = ______
Gain of new family member _____ x 39 = ______
Business readjustment _____ x 39 = ______
Change in financial state _____ x 38 = ______
Death of close friend _____ x 37 = ______
Change to different line of work _____ x 36 = ______
Change in number of arguments with spouse _____ x 35 = ______
Mortgage over $90,000 _____ x 31 = ______
Foreclosure of mortgage or loan _____ x 30 = ______
Change in responsibilities at work _____ x 29 = ______
Son or daughter leaving home _____ x 29 = ______
Trouble with in-laws _____ x 29 = ______
Outstanding personal achievement _____ x 28 = ______
Spouse beginning or stopping work _____ x 26 = ______
Begin or end of school _____ x 26 = ______
Change in living conditions _____ x 24 = ______
Revision of personal habits _____ x 24 = ______
Trouble with boss _____ x 23 = ______
Change in work hours or conditions _____ x 20 = ______
Change in residence _____ x 20 = ______
Change in schools _____ x 20 = ______
Change in recreation _____ x 19 = ______
Change in church activities _____ x 19 = ______
Change in social activities _____ x 18 = ______
Mortgage or loan less that 90,000 _____ x 17 = ______
Change in sleeping habits _____ x 16 = ______
Change in number of family get-togethers _____ x 15 = ______
Change in eating habits _____ x 15 = ______
Vacation _____ x 13 = ______
Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanza _____ x 12 = ______
Minor violations of the law _____ x 11 = ______
Total = ______
To calculate your number of life change units, add the points for each life event that happened to you during the last twelve months.
POINTS
300 plus indicates a highly stressful year
200-299 indicates a moderately stressful year
150-199 indicates a mildly stressful year
Also consider what daily hassles you may be tolerating. Then consider cutting yourself a little slack and doing some extreme self-care. Don’t get what I mean? Contact me. Let’s talk about how what you are tolerating may be sucking up your energy. Let’s talk about what self-care means for you and why it is important.