3: Managing Stress and Coping with Life's Challenges Flashcards
a series of mental and physiological responses and adaptations to a real or perceived threat to one’s well-being
stress
a physical, social, or psychological event or condition that upsets homeostasis and produces a stress response
stressor
stress that presents opportunities for personal growth - positive stress
eustress
stress that can have a detrimental effect on health - negative stress
distress
short-term physiological response to an immediate perceived threat
acute stress
state of regularly reacting with wild, acute stress about one thing or another
episodic acute stress
an ongoing state of physiological arousal in response to ongoing or numerous perceived threats
chronic stress
physiological and mental response that occurs for a prolonged period of time after experiencing violence, disaster, assault, etc.
traumatic stress
balanced physiological state in which all the body’s systems function smoothly
homeostasis
physiological adjustments the body makes in an attempt to restore homeostasis
adaptive response
pattern followed in the physiological response to stress (alarm, resistance, exhaustion)
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
physiological arousal response in which the body prepares to combat or escape a real or perceived threat (alarm phase)
fight-or-flight response
portion of peripheral nervous system that regulates body functions that a person does not normally consciously control
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
branch of autonomic nervous system responsible for stress arousal
sympathetic nervous system
branch of autonomic nervous system responsible for slowing systems stimulated by the stress response
parasympathetic nervous system
structure in the brain that controls the sympathetic nervous system and directs the stress response
hypothalamus
AKA adrenaline - hormone that stimulates body systems in response to stress
epinephrine
hormone released by the adrenal glands that makes stored nutrients more readily available to meet energy demands - the “stress hormone”
cortisol
wear and tear on the body caused by prolonged or excessive stress responses
allostatic load
ability of the immune system to respond to attack
immunocompetence
theory proposed by psychologist Richard Lazarus, saying that our reaction to stress is about the interaction between perception, coping ability, and environment - appraisal, secondary appraisal, coping, postassessment
transactional model of stress and coping
theory positing that minority groups’ stress may be partially explained by disparities and the chronic stress inherent in populations for which rejection, alienation, and hostility persist
minority stress perspective
theory suggesting that when arousal or stress increases, performance goes up to a point, after which it declines
Yerkes-Dodson law of arousal
total of one’s stressor exposure, including complex trauma
cumulative adversity
study of the interrelationship between mind and body on immune system functioning
psychoneuroimmunology
inability of lower-income groups to sustain the same lifestyle as higher-income groups in the same community, often resulting in feelings of anxiety and inferiority
relative deprivation
condition in which a person feels overly pressured by demands
overload
state of physical and mental exhaustion resulting from unrelenting stress
burnout
environmental stressors of which people are often unaware (noise/air pollution, tobacco smoke, pollen)
background distressors
interpretation and evaluation of information provided to the brain by the senses
appraisal
Susan Kobasa’s term for a personality trait characterized by control, commitment, and the embrace of challenge
psychological hardiness
capacity to maintain or regain psychological well-being in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress
psychological resilience
cognitive, affective, and behavioral tendencies toward anger, distrust, and cynicism
hostility
personality type defined as hard-driving, competitive, time-driven and perfectionist
Type A personality
personality type defined as relaxed, noncompetitive, more tolerant of others
Type B personality
personality type defined as stoic, stuffing feelings down and comforting to wishes of others
Type C personality
personality type defined by tendency toward excessive negative worry, irritability, gloom, and social inhibition
Type D personality
strategy of reframing appraisals of current stressors and focusing on a meaningful future that protects a person from the negative effects of too much stress
shift and persist
managing events or conditions to lessen the physical or psychological effects of excess stress
coping
an acute tuning in and awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and reactions, focused on finding nonjudgmental views of situations
dispositional mindfulness
stress management technique in which a person consciously anticipates and prepares for potential stressors
stress inoculation
the modification of thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that contribute to stress
cognitive restructuring
food substances that can produce stress-like physiological responses (ex. caffeine)
sympathomimetics
to intentionally put off doing something
procrastinate
a series of goals to accomplish toward a specific end
implementation intentions
AKA voluntary simplicity - taking a step back and simplifying a lifestyle that is hectic and stressful
downshifting
technique in which a machine is used to self-monitor physical responses to stress
biofeedback
