Chapter 12- Stress, Coping and Health Flashcards
Stress
The tension, discomfort or physical symptoms that arise when a situation, called a stressor, a type of stimulus strains our ability to cope effectively
Traumatic event
Is a stressor that’s so severe it can produce long-term psychological or health consequences
Primary appraisal
Initial decision regarding whether an event is harmful
Secondary appraisal
Perceptions regarding our ability to cope with an event, following a primary appraisal
Problem focused coping
Coping strategy in which we problem solve and tackle life’s challenges head on
Emotion focused coping
Coping strategy that features a positive outlook on feelings or situations accompanied by behaviours that reduce painful emotions
Corticosteroids
Stress hormone that activates the body and prepares us to respond to stressful circumstances
General adaption syndrome (GAS)
Stress response pattern proposed by Hans Selye that consists of three stages
- Alarm
- Resistance
- Exhaustion
- Alarm reaction
Involves extraction of the automatic nervous system, the discharge of the stress hormone adrenaline, and physical symptoms of anxiety
Fight or Flight response
Physical and psychological reaction that mobilizes people and animals to either defend themselves (fight) or escape (flee) a threatening situation
Tend and befriend
Reaction that mobilizes people to nurture (tend) or seek social support (befriend) under stress
Oxytocin
Counters stress and promotes the tend and befriend response
- Resistance
In this stage people adapt to the stressors and find ways to cope with it
- Exhaustion stage
If our personal resources are limited and we lack good coping measures, our resistance many ultimately breakdown, causing our levels of activation to bottom out
Hassles
Minor annoyance or nuisance that strains our ability to cope
Social support
Relationship that people and groups can provide us with emotional comfort and personal financial resources
Gaining control: 5 steps
- Behavioural control
- Cognitive control
- Decisional control
- Informational control
- Emotional control
- Behavioural control
Is the ability to step up and do something to reduce the impact of a stressful situation or prevent it’s recurrence
- Cognitive control
Is the ability to cognitively restructure or think differently about negative emotions that arise in response to stress- provoking events
- Decisional Control
Is the ability to choose among alternative courses of action
Informational control
Informational o trip is the ability to acquire information about stressful events. Such as knowing what type of questions are on a standardized test
Emotional control
Emotional control is the ability to suppress and express emotions
Catharsis
Contrary to the popular notion that expressing what we feel is always beneficial, disclosing and a painful feeling
Proactive coping
Anticipation of problems and stressful situations that promotes effective coping
Crisis debriefing
Designed to help with PTSD. Crisis debriefing is a single session procedure, typically conducted in groups that usually lasts three to four hours
Hardiness
Set of attitudes marked by a sense of control over events, commitment to life and work, and courage and motivation to confront stressful circumstances
Optimism
Optimistic people are more productive, focused, persistent and better at handling frustration that pessimists
Spirituality
Search for the sacred, which may or may not extend to belief in God
Ruminating
Focusing on how bad we fell and endlessly analyzing the causes and consequences of our problems
Immune system
Is our body’s defence against invading bacteria, viruses and other potentially illness-producing organisms and substances
Antigens
Our first shield from these foreign invaders, is the skin
Pathogens
Blocks the entry of many disease- producing organisms
2 types of white blood cells
- Phagocytes
- Lymphocytes
- Phagocytes
When people have an infection, this cell eats the invader
- Lymphocytes
Are activated in the night and day battling to keep us healthy
- T cells
- B cells
- T cells
A substance called cytokines, moves through the body and attaches to proteins on the surface of the-virus and cancer infected cells, popping them
- B cells
Produce proteins called antibodies, which stick to the surface of invaders, slow their progress, and attract other proteins that destroy the foreign organism
Acquired immune defensive syndrome (AIDS)
A life threatening, incurable, yet treatable condition in which the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks and damages the immune system
Psychoneuroimmunology
The study of the relationship between the immune system and the central nervous system
Peptic ulcer
An inflamed area in the gastrointestinal tract that can cause pain, nausea, and loss of appetite
Helicobacter pylori
An unusual bacterium that thrives in stomach, acid, which is the cause of about 90% of stomach ulcers
Psychophysiological
Illnesses such as asthma and ulcers in which emotions and stress contribute to maintain or aggravate the physical condition
Bio psychological perspective
The view than an illness or medical condition is the product of the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors
Key risk factors of coronary heart disease
Stress and personality traits
Coronary heart disease
Damage to the heart from the complete or partial blockage of the arteries that provide oxygen to the heart
Cholesterol
A waxy, fatty substance that travels in the bloodstream, collect in the walls of the arteries, narrowing and blocking the coronary arteries, which creates a condition called atherosclerosis
Type A personality
Personality type that describe people who are competitive, driven, hostile and ambitious
Hostility
Is the most predictive of heart disease, among type A traits
Health psychology
Filed of psychology, also called behavioural medicine, that integrates the behavioural sciences with the practice of medicine
Heavy episodic drinking
Five or more drinks on one occasion for men and four or more drinks on one occasion for women
Body mass index
An index that consists of height and weight
Aerobic exercise
Promotes the use of oxygen in the body
Alternative medicine
Health care practices and products used in place of conventional medicine
Complementary medicine
Health care practices and products used together with conventional medicines
Natural commonplace
Just because something is natural does not mean that it is necessarily safe or healthy for us
Biofeedback
Feedback by a device that provides almost an immediate output of a biological function, such as heart rate or skin temperature
Meditation
A variety of practices that train attention and awareness
Acupuncture
Ancient Chinese practice of inserting thin needles into more than 2,000 points in the body to alter energy forces believed to run through the body
- also helps relive nausea
Meridians
Specific spot in which it is believed, channels subtle energy or life forces called qi
Homeopathic medicine
Remedies that feature a small dose of an Illness-inducing substance to activate the body’s own natural defences
