Chapter 12 - Stress, Coping And Health Flashcards
Stress as a stimulus
Something happening to us
-major or minor e
Stress as a response
Fight or flight
-variety of emotions
-continous thinking about
Stress as a transaction
An event, and our perception of that event
-stress is appraisal of situation, and how we deal/cope
Primary appraisal
Decide if it is actually stressful
Secondary appraisal
Determine wether we can cope with this problem
-sympathetic nervous system is activated (alarm phase)
Appraisal process can be
Unconscious or involuntary
-cognitive economy
Steps of stress
- Event (minor or major)
- Primary appraisal
- Secondary appraisal
- Cope or freak out depending on stage 3
Problem focused coping
Change the situation or reinterpretation
Emotion focused coping
Change your reaction
Diaphragmatic breathing
Relaxation procedure
-exhaling activates parasympathetic via vagus
-opposes stress response of quick, shallow breaths (activates sympathies system)
How to do diaphragmatic breathing
- Inhaling = belly extend, for count of three
- Exhaling = push all air out of your lungs, count of five
- Do this for one minute
Sleye’s general adaptation syndrome
Prolonged periods of stress, animals developed stomach ulcers and large adrenal glands
-people who are ill show a similar stress pattern
-these two findings show that prolonged stress leads to physical illments
Sleyes general adaptation syndrome three stages
- Alarm
- Resistance
- Exhaustion
Stage 1: Alarm reaction
Excitations of autonomic and limbic systems
-fight or flight
-adrenaline + cortisol
Stage 2: resistance
Threat acceptance, attempting to cope
-processing threat—> cope
-learning takes place
Stage 3 : exhaustion
Prolonged periods of stress
-chronic
-deplete all personal rescources, left with little to no coping
-immune system weakens, depression, anxiety, organ damage (stomach ulcers)
