Ch. 3 Flashcards
stress
A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension; an internal state of arousal, or the physical state of the body in response to various demands
Stressors are things that upset or excite us
- Tangible (e.g., dealing with an angry friend)
- Intangible (e.g., emotions that arise when you are participating in an athletic competition)
categories of stressors
- acute time-limited
- brief
- life changing
- chronic
- distant
eustress
positive stress that challenges us to grow, adapt, and find creative solutions (eg, births, reunions, weddings)
distress
negative effects of stress that can deplete or destroy life energy
neustress
neutral stress - not good or bad
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
our bodies constantly strive to maintain homeostasis
describes the body’s response to a stressor in 3 distinct stages
slide 6
adaptive response
the body’s attempt to restore homeostasis
F3
fight flight freeze
- Fight: when faced with a challenge or fearful situation, hormones and physiological changes initiates a fight response
- flight: when fight is not an option
- freeze: cannot move, think or react
cognitive transitional model of stress and coping
- Looks at relationship between stress and health
- Psychological stress is a relationship between a person and his or her environment and the power to deal with the demands of that relationship without unreasonable or destructive costs
- Planful problem solving might have a healthy effect on the emotion response
- Confrontive coping and distancing may make things worse
- An event may be a stressor for one person but not for another
cognitive transitional model of stress and coping: during an event
- A primary appraisal process will be triggered
- A secondary appraisal process will take over
- Coping responses will be initiated
- Stress outcomes will feed back into the cognitive appraisal stage if more needs to be done to resolve the situation
stress and physical health
Stress contributes to approximately 80% of all major illness, including: -Cardiovascular disease -Cancer -Endocrine and metabolic disease -Skin rashes -Ulcers -Ulcerative colitis -Emotional disorders -Musculoskeletal disease -Infectious ailments -Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) -Uterine fibroid cysts -Breast cysts
stress and the immune system
-stressors cause the body to prepare for “fight or flight”
-Emotional response stimulates autonomic nervous system (ANS)
-Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) “speeds things up”
-Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) “slows things
down,” restoring homeostasis
psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)
focuses on the relationship between the brain’s response to stress and the immune system
hypothalamus
“control centre” of the brain that reacts to stress hormones that have been released by the SNS
epinephrine
a hormone that initiates an increase in blood flow and allows for more oxygen to be taken in and a rise in breathing rate
adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)
released by the pituitary gland and causes release of cortisol, which helps to release nutrients the body has stored for energy
compromised immune system could be a result of
- Our body staying at high levels of stress for long periods of time
- Denying your own feelings over a long period of time
- Prolonged stress
- Traumatic stress
effects of stress on the body
slide 15
stress and the heart
- Stress can increase the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems because of its link to negative lifestyle choices
- Stress can be an inherited risk factor in people who develop heart disease at a young age
- Studies of Type A and Type B behaviours: Type A character traits can lead to heart disease
- altering type A behaviour reduced cardia morbidity and mortality in heart attack patients
stress and the digestive system
- Eating on the run, overeating under stress, and gulping food can result in an overworked stomach and increased abdominal pressure
- Drinking lots of water replenishes lost fluids and prevents dehydration
- Fibre-rich foods counteract common stress- related problems
- Increased amounts of cortisol (stress hormone) released is related to abdominal obesity
stress and psychosocial health
-Relationships affect and are affected by stress
-Mild stressors can interfere with intellectual
health
-Stress becomes distress when moodiness, irritability, depression, and anxiety become everyday occurrences
common stressors among students
- Test pressures
- Academic failure
- Financial problems
- Relationship problems
- Daily hassles
- Pressures as a result of competition, deadlines, etc.
- Losses (e.g., breakup or death of a loved one)
general student stressors
- Highest student stressors are self-imposed
- Students bring complex psychological problems with them to campus (e.g., learning disabilities and mood disorders)
- Excessive stress linked to headaches, sleep disturbances, and colds
- Social support, time management, close friendships can help reduce stress
financial stress
- Concern about covering tuition, books, accommodation, food, and accumulated debt during college or university
- There are many proactive strategies for managing financial obligations
academic stress
-Writing papers, reports, group work, mid-terms and final exams result in high levels of stress
-High incidence of colds and flu during finals
-Dips in immune function and a higher rate of
infections when under exam stress
-Prepare for papers, mid-terms and finals early
defusing exam stress
- Get organized
- Take clear notes and go to class
- Maintain a realistic perspective and be positive Study in 30–60 minute intervals
- Organize study groups with classmates
- Get an adequate amount of sleep
- Be satisfied with doing your best
relationship stress
-Relationships may end because of betrayal, differences in expectations, and/or varied degrees of readiness for commitment
complicated grief
complicated grief
intense and extended period of grief often linked to the loss or death of a family member, friend, or acquaintance
-Characterized by disbelief, anger, bitterness, recurrent intrusive thoughts, preoccupation of thoughts of the person
discrimination
-form of biased and unjust treatment of people on the unfair justification of age, culture, race or sex
-a societal stressor
-apparent on college and university campuses
Homo-negative behaviour
Cultural discrimination
Women’s issues
Physical and mental challenges
environmental stress
natural and human made disasters can leave deep psychological scars
acts of terrorism
can cause high levels of anxiety, deep sadness, fear, irritability, anger, sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating
learning challenges and illness
emotional stress of coping with chronic disease
-Learning disabilities are common sources of stress for students
technostress
inability to manage with new computer tech in a healthy way
- Struggle to embrace computer technology or overexposure to computer technology
- Many reasons for use and overuse of technology but concerns about digital dementia
workplace stress
mental, physical and emotional health impacted when there is no work and study balance
stress survival
- defence mechanisms
- perception of and response to a stressor are crucial
- reframing can make a difference
defence mechanisms
mental processes sometimes used to help us cope with personal problems
Common Defence Mechanisms
slide 29
how to manage stress
Relaxation Techniques include:
- Breathing exercises
- Biofeedback
- Meditation or guided imagery
- Mindfulness
- Progressive relaxation
- Visualization
Other creative stress reduction strategies include:
- Nature therapy
- Overcoming procrastination
- Pet therapy
- Time management
- Use of mobile apps
sleep
- Sleep is a necessity and important for proper function of the immune and nervous systems
- 7-9 hours of sleep per night recommended for people 18-64 years
- sleep quality is important
- affects overall health
- -cardiovascular health
- -immunity/cancer prevention
- -mental health and quality of life
- -metabolism and weight
- -sleep apnea
-sleep influences leaning and memory as well as safety
non-REM sleep
the first four
stages of sleep
-Stage 1 - lightest stage of sleep lasting a few minutes
-Stage 2 - deeper level of light sleep lasting 5-15 min
-Stages 3 and 4 - deep sleep stages
REM sleep
the 5th stage of sleep; brain waves similar to when we are awake
