Ch 3 Flashcards
What are the sources of stress for post-secondary students?
Academic, interpersonal, time-related, or financial pressures.
Job-related stress is common
particularly for employees who have little control over decisions relating to their jobs. If stress is severe or prolonged, burnout may occur.
What are the examples of interpersonal and social stressors.
New and changing relationships, prejudice, and discrimination
Social support systems
help buffer people against the effects of stress and make illness less likely.
Good communication skills
foster healthy relationships.
What are the wellness behaviours that reduce stress and increase energy.
Exercise, nutrition, sleep, and time management
Cognitive techniques for managing stress involve
developing new and healthy patterns of thinking
such as practicing problem-solving
monitoring self-talk,
cultivating a sense of humour.
What is the opposite of the fight-or-flight reaction?
The relaxation response
What triggers the Relaxation Response?
progressive relaxation
imagery
meditation
and deep breathing, counteract the effects of chronic stress.
Bad coping strategies to Stress are
smoking, drinking, and unhealthy eating.
A Successful individualized plan for coping with stress includes
- use of a stress journal or log to identify and study stressors and inappropriate behavioural responses.
- Completing a contract and recruiting a friend can help your stress-management plan succeed.
Additional help in dealing with stress is available from
self-help books, peer counselling, support groups, and psychotherapy.
Stressor
is a situation or event that triggers physical and emotional reactions.
Stress response
is the physical and emotional changes associated with stress or a stressor.
Physical Response to Stress
Nervous System (the brain, spinal cord, and nerves)
Endocrine System (glands, tissues, and cells)
The Nervous System is a
Autonomic System - this is a automatic system and not under voluntary control
Nervous System has 2 Divisions
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
Sympathetic
Activated in times of arousal: emergency, fear or anger, respond to a crisis
Uses the neurotransmitter norepinephrine
Parasympathetic
Relaxation
Doing the opposite action of the Sympathetic system
Actions of the Endocrine System
Releases hormones into the bloodstream
Influences metabolism and other body processes
Prepares the body to respond to the stressor
Cortisol and Epinephrine
Are chemical messengers (hormones) released by the nervous and endocrine system working together.
What are the Physiological changes caused by Cortisol & Epinephrine
Heart and respiration rates accelerate to speed oxygen through the body.
Hearing and vision become more acute.
The liver releases extra sugar into the bloodstream to boost energy.
Perspiration increases to cool the skin.
The brain releases endorphins—chemicals that can inhibit or block sensations of pain—in case you are injured.
fight, flight, or freeze reaction
driven by the adrenaline (epinephrine) neurotransmitter
Part of our biological heritage
Common response is flight
Freezing may occur as a result of previous trauma
Aggression may display fewer freezing reactions
Homeostasis
Parasympathetic system takes over and halts the stress response
Restoration of homeostasis
Calms your body and resumes normal functioning
Extra glucose is reabsorbed
Cognitive Responses
Appraisal of a potential stressor influences how you respond to it
Two factors:
1. Successful prediction of the outcome
2. Perception of control
Related to Emotions
What does this mean for me?
Who, what, where when?
Can I do anything about it?
Will it improve or worsen?
Psychological Responses to Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Fear
Controlled by the somatic nervous system
- Entirely under our control
Effective behavioural responses are:
Laughing
Exercising
Meditating
Time management skills
Ineffective behavioural responses are
Overeating
Expressing hostility
Using tobacco, alcohol or other drugs
Factors influencing emotional and behavioural responses to stressors?
Personality
Cultural Background
Gender
Experience
Personality
is the sum of cognitive, behavioural and emotional tendencies
Trait anxiety
People with higher trait anxiety are more vulnerable to stress than those that score low on this trait
Effective behavioural responses can
lessen stress
Ineffective responses may
make it worse
Strategies to manage stress are:
Building greater social support systems
Contributing to your family and community in productive manners
Building life skills such as decision making
Set high but realistic expectations for yourself
Avoid the urge to control every situation
Know your limits
Trust others
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
Believed to be a universal response to stressors in our lives
First describe by Hans Selye
A pattern of
stress responses
consisting of three
stages: alarm,
resistance, and
exhaustion.
Three stages of the GAS are
Alarm
Adaptation
Exhaustion
eustress (GAS)
stress triggered by a
pleasant stressor is called eustress
distress (GAS)
stress brought on by an unpleasant stressor is
called distress.