Self-study curriculum from the Colorado School
Public Health

Pregnant mother on couch holding her stomach

Introduction to the Curriculum & General Info

Researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health spent months poring over thousands of published articles to create a self-study curriculum for The Tea on THC™. See how much you know about why young people are using high-concentration cannabis, how they're getting it, and what it may be doing to their mental and physical health.

Discover what cannabis is and understand the significant impacts on your physical and mental health, all backed by the latest scientific evidence. Dive in to gain a deeper understanding and prioritize your well-being.

By participating in this lesson, expecting and new parents will be able to:

  • Understand stress and its influence on parents, fetuses, and children.

  • Build healthy coping skills to manage everyday stress and reduce or limit substance use, including use of high concentration cannabis.

  • Identify resources for substance use prevention and treatment.

  • Pregnant Women: Lesson 2 - Balanced Beginnings: Stress Management for Expecting and New Parents
  • Road map: Welcome to a lesson on stress and stress management tools. You will learn about stress and its influence during pregnancy and early parenthood. You will hear about healthy coping skills to manage everyday stressors during pregnancy and early parenthood.
  • Chapter 1: What is Stress?
  • Introduction: What is Stress? Stress is how the brain and body respond to pressures and demands. It is a normal reaction the body has when changes or challenges occur, and it causes physical, emotional, and mental responses.
  • What is stress? Everyone experiences stress at different points in their lives. Stress is commonly triggered when something new or unexpected happens or in situations where you feel you have little or no control. Stress can cause: headache, dry mouth, heart palpitations, digestive upset, rash, insomnia, increased blood pressure, fatigue, muscle tension
  • What is stress? Stress can be positive or negative. Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood can be large sources of stress even when positive and expected.
  • What is stress? Positive life events that can cause stress could be preparing your home for your new child, hosting family for holidays or large family events, or an exciting development at work.
  • What is stress? Negative life events can also cause stress, like being sick, taking care of a sick child, or having a conflict with a family member or a friend.
  • Three types of stress. Let's talk about stress: 1. everyday stress: You may experience different kinds of stress. One kind is everyday stress. This is the stress that’s just part of life, like chores, work deadlines, family issues, or even just dealing with everyday annoyances. These things can add up and make you feel tense or overwhelmed.
  • Three types of stress - 2. Sudden stress: This is the kind that comes out of nowhere and hits you like a ton of bricks. Think unexpected news from the doctor, bad news from your family, a surprise car issue, or having something stolen from you. This kind of stress makes your heart race and leaves you feeling shaken.
  • Three types of stress - 3. chronic stress: This one’s the long haul. It’s the stress that sticks around, like ongoing family problems, constant pressure at work, or dealing with health issues that don’t go away.Chronic stress is like a nagging feeling that won’t leave you alone, and it can really wear you down over time.
  • When you are pregnant or after the birth of your child, this can be a time when you are trying to figure out how you’re going to manage all of the changes, what you are going to need, and how you can adapt to the physical, mental, and emotional issues you may be experiencing. Stress can feel like: feeling upset, tasks feel tough, feeling under the weather, trouble sleeping, not able to focus, anxiety and concern, getting irritated easily, worrying a lot
  • Stress can feel like - Pregnancy and parenting themselves can cause a lot of stress. The constant worrying, preparation, and the pressure from others can feel overwhelming. It can feel like everyone expects you to be perfect.Some of us face even more stress because of things like discrimination, money problems, or not having the same opportunities or resources as others. This stress isn’t just in our heads—it affects our bodies too, making us more likely to have health problems at some point in our lives.
  • Managing stress
  • Managing stress - The way you handle stress is unique to you. It’s influenced by two main factors: 1. Whether you see something as stressful or not. 2. How you deal with it when it does cause you stress.
  • Managing stress - Your past experiences, the culture you were raised in, and the support you have from the people around you all shape how you handle stress.Consider this: The traditions, values, and beliefs you grew up with all shape the lens through which you view the world. They also influence how you deal with tough situations.
  • Managing stress - For example, in some families and cultures, openly discussing emotions or seeking help from a professional is encouraged. In others, expressing feelings may be considered a private matter. And in some communities, guidance from family members is often trusted more than advice from professionals.
  • Managing stress - These experiences influence the strategies you use to cope with stress. So, depending on where you come from, managing stress might feel easier or harder. If you’ve been through some tough times, like trauma, managing stress can feel even more challenging.
  • How stressed are you?
  • How stressed are you? Stress assessments are designed to help you understand and measure the amount of stress in your life. They can provide valuable information about your stress level and help you understand when you need to take steps to manage your stress.

  • How stressed are you? How stressed are you? Take this short assessment to find out, then return here to find out what your score means: https://www.bemindfulonline.com/test-your-stress
  • How stressed are you? The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores can range from 0 to 40, and the higher your score, the more stress you’re likely experiencing.
  • How stressed are you? If your score falls between 0 and 13, that means you’re experiencing low stress levels.You might be feeling pretty relaxed and able to handle whatever comes your way without feeling too overwhelmed.
  • How stressed are you? If your score falls between 14 and 26, that puts you in the moderate stress category. This means you’re feeling a bit more pressure and tension in your life. You might be dealing with some challenges or responsibilities that are starting to weigh on you.
  • How stressed are you? If your score is between 27 and 40, that’s a sign that you’re experiencing high perceived stress. This means you’re likely feeling very overwhelmed and stretched thin by everything going on in your life. It might feel like you’re juggling too many things at once and struggling to keep up.
  • How stressed are you? Remember, everyone experiences stress differently, and it’s good to reach out for help if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Knowing your PSS score can help you understand your stress levels better and take steps to manage them effectively.
  • Chapter 2: Dealing with stress
  • How do we deal with stress? Managing stress is an important skill, and coping strategies can make a big difference. Coping strategies are the actions you can use to handle stress in your life in hard times. Coping helps you regulate your emotions, reduce stress, and adapt to difficult circumstances.
  • Understanding coping strategies - Consider This Scenario: You’re feeling stressed about your pregnancy, and all of the things you need to get for your new baby. Or, maybe you are adjusting to life with a newborn and can’t ever seem to get enough sleep. There’s too much to be done and so little time.
  • Understanding coping strategies - What will you do? Do you stay up late to try and get everything done? Do you distract yourself by eating, scrolling through social media, or watching TV? Do you ignore the stress and try not to think about it?
  • Understanding coping strategies - Which strategies are better? Well, this can depend on a lot of different things: what works for you, what the situation is, and how the strategy makes you feel.
  • Understanding coping strategies - Healthy strategies reduce your stress, help you move forward, and make things better in the long run. Unhealthy strategies can cause more harm to your physical or mental health or make things worse in the long run.
  • Understanding coping strategies - Imagine you just finished work for the day, later than you planned, but have several things you need to get done to prepare for the new baby. There are laundry and dishes to be done and you know you won’t have time to do these things tomorrow. Your stress levels start to rise.Instead of addressing what’s causing you stress, you binge-watch your favorite show for a couple of hours, and ignore the responsibilities entirely.
  • Understanding coping strategies - At first, it feels like a relief to escape from the stress. But, as time goes on, you start feeling anxious about it. You feel overwhelmed, realizing you have even more to catch up on. This coping strategy might provide short-term relief but ultimately it’s bad for your mental health and makes the situation worse in the long run.
  • Understanding coping strategies - This is an example of an unhealthy coping strategy, but in a different context, it could be perfectly healthy! Here is another take on the same strategy:
  • Understanding coping strategies - This time, imagine you’re in the same scenario. To manage your stress and recharge, you decide to take a break and binge-watch your favorite show for a couple of hours. This break helps you relax and clear your mind.
  • Understanding coping strategies - Afterward, you feel refreshed and more focused. You return to your to-do list with more energy, making better progress and feeling more capable of handling the demands of life.
  • Understanding coping strategies - In this case, taking a break to watch the show was a coping strategy that helped you manage your stress and improve your overall well-being in the long run.
  • Coping strategy activity - Take a moment to think about what you typically do when you’re stressed out. Think about something that stressed you out recently and your response to it.
  • Coping strategy activity - Answer the following questions to determine whether your coping strategy was healthy or unhealthy for you. Write your answers down on a piece of paper.copIng1.Identify the event that caused you stress. Why was this event stressful for you?
  • Coping strategy activity - 2.What did you do to cope with the stress? (e.g., journaling, taking a break, eating, avoiding the problem, exercising)
  • Coping strategy activity - 3.Did your coping strategy help reduce your stress?
  • Coping strategy activity - 4.How did you feel after using this strategy?
  • Coping strategy activity - 5.Did it help you move forward and improve the situation in the long run?
  • Coping strategy activity - 6.Did your coping strategy have any negative effects on your physical or mental health? (e.g., lack of sleep, increased anxiety)
  • Coping strategy activity - 7. Did it make the situation worse or better over time?
  • Coping strategy activity - Based on your answers, consider whether your coping strategy was healthy or unhealthy. What are some tried and true healthy coping strategies you turn to? Looking for more ideas? You will explore those next.
  • Coping strategy activity - People use different coping strategies depending on their personality, experiences, and the support they have. There are a lot of different coping strategies that people find useful. As you explore these strategies, watch out for what techniques resonate with you and feel like a good fit for you. The point of this section is for you to learn and try some of these techniques to put in your toolbox next time you’re feeling stressed.Click into each one to learn some techniques you can add to your toolbox for next time you’re feeling stressed
  • Chapter 3: Mindsets and strategies for stress

  • Mindfulness - Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment. It can help reduce stress and make you feel better.

  • Connecting with nature - Taking a walk outside and noticing the world around you can be a great way to feel better and reduce stress.

  • Emotional awareness - Understanding your emotions can help you manage stress and communicate better.

  • Practicing gratitude - Taking time to write down what you’re thankful for can help you appreciate the present and stay mindful.

  • Staying active - Getting active boosts your mood and reduces stress. Discover fun ways to stay active!

  • Creativity and play - Doing creative activities like crafting or playing games can help you relax and reduce stress.

  • Getting good sleep - Good sleep habits help you recover from stress and feel rested. Learn how to sleep better!

  • Social connection and support - Building strong friendships helps you stay healthy and gives you support.

  • Embracing a growth mindset - Seeing challenges as opportunities helps you bounce back from stress.

  • Discovering values - Knowing what makes you happy helps you handle stress better. Discover what matters to you!
  • Chapter 4 - When stress pushes us toward substances. Feeling overwhelmed by stress can feel like carrying a heavy load that gets heavier each day. This can lead some people to seek relief, sometimes through drugs or alcohol.
  • If you’re dealing with challenging situations, like arguments with your partner or financial problems, it can cause even more stress. Also, if you’re already struggling with mental health issues like anxiety or depression, stress can make those feelings even worse.
  • Sometimes, it’s the people around us who can lead us toward risky choices like using substances. They may see it as a way to bond or cope, especially when everyone seems to be dealing with stress. However, relying on substances to cope is like applying a temporary fix to a deeper issue.
  • You may hear talk of using cannabis to manage stress and anxiety during pregnancy or the postpartum period. However, studies found that THC, a chemical in cannabis, can actually increase feelings of anxiety or paranoia, making things worse. Plus, more and more research is showing that cannabis use can be harmful for the baby’s development.
  • Cannabis use, especially heavy use, is linked to an increased risk of developing psychotic disorders like schizophrenia.
  • Since studies about CBD use during pregnancy are limited for safety, we don’t know how it affects pregnant or postpartum individuals. It’s essential to consult a medical professional before trying CBD.
  • The good news is there are many healthy coping strategies you can use. Coping strategies are deeply personal. They are shaped by who you are, what you have experienced, and the support network you have. The ultimate aim is to manage your stress in ways that will help you in the long run.
  • If you find yourself still turning to substance use to cope with stress, it may be time to seek professional help. There is no shame in asking for support; everyone needs help sometimes.
  • Seeking professional help is a sign of strength, not weakness. It shows you are taking proactive steps to improve your well-being. Professionals can offer the tools and guidance necessary to help you manage stress effectively.

  • If you feel like you need more support, making an appointment with your doctor is a good place to start. In addition, you can review some resources here that you may find helpful related to preventing or treating problematic substance use.
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