Chapter 12 - Stress, Coping And Health

Question 1

Stress as a stimulus

Answer 1

Something happening to us
-major or minor e

Question 2

Stress as a response

Answer 2

Fight or flight
-variety of emotions
-continous thinking about

Question 3

Stress as a transaction

Answer 3

An event, and our perception of that event
-stress is appraisal of situation, and how we deal/cope

Question 4

Primary appraisal

Answer 4

Decide if it is actually stressful

Question 5

Secondary appraisal

Answer 5

Determine wether we can cope with this problem
-sympathetic nervous system is activated (alarm phase)

Question 6

Appraisal process can be

Answer 6

Unconscious or involuntary
-cognitive economy

Question 7

Steps of stress

Answer 7

1. Event (minor or major)
2. Primary appraisal
3. Secondary appraisal
4. Cope or freak out depending on stage 3

Question 8

Problem focused coping

Answer 8

Change the situation or reinterpretation

Question 9

Emotion focused coping

Answer 9

Change your reaction

Question 10

Diaphragmatic breathing

Answer 10

Relaxation procedure
-exhaling activates parasympathetic via vagus

-opposes stress response of quick, shallow breaths (activates sympathies system)

Question 11

How to do diaphragmatic breathing

Answer 11

1. Inhaling = belly extend, for count of three
2. Exhaling = push all air out of your lungs, count of five
3. Do this for one minute

Question 12

Sleye’s general adaptation syndrome

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Sleyes general adaptation syndrome three stages

Answer 13

1. Alarm
2. Resistance
3. Exhaustion

Question 14

Stage 1: Alarm reaction

Answer 14

Excitations of autonomic and limbic systems
-fight or flight
-adrenaline + cortisol

Question 15

Stage 2: resistance

Answer 15

Threat acceptance, attempting to cope
-processing threat—> cope
-learning takes place

Question 16

Stage 3 : exhaustion

Answer 16

Prolonged periods of stress
-chronic
-deplete all personal rescources, left with little to no coping
-immune system weakens, depression, anxiety, organ damage (stomach ulcers)

Question 17

Long lasting stress reactions

Answer 17

-vivid flashbacks
-resilience in children in this stage (adults not as much0

Question 18

Tend and befriend

Answer 18

Nurture and befriend people to get support
-Socially based: women experience more than men
-oxytocin released with attachment and trust (calms us down)

Question 19

Benefits of stress

Answer 19

-may help to excel as motivation
-moderates self and amplifies self awareness
-helps you grow, learn

Short term stress-> assists us

Question 20

Coping and gaining control: social support

Answer 20

Provides emotional conformation, financial assistance, knowledge, or even solve the problem for you

Question 21

Coping: behavioural control

Answer 21

Problem focused, taking action to reduce stress
-more effective than avoidance

Question 22

Coping: cognitive control

Answer 22

Changing the way we think about the negative emotions
-emotion focused
-good for situations where we have no control

Question 23

Coping: decisional control

Answer 23

Making a choice between alternative courses of action
-not changing situation or emotions

Question 24

Coping: information control

Answer 24

Learning about a stressful event
-proactive, anticipating the event

-getting a serious diagnosis

Question 25

Coping: emotional control

Answer 25

Managing emotions by suppressing or expressing them

Question 26

Catharsis +problem

Answer 26

Expressing negative emotions in a way that helps you cope -helpful to get rid of emotions -but doesn’t necessarily give you an answer to stress or learning moment (would make things worse)

Question 27

Crisis debriefing +problem

Answer 27

Discussing and processing a traumatic event shortly after it happens -force people to talk? Just talking about an event isn’t necessarily a help for cope -might interfere with PTSD bc it doesn’t allow for natural processing

Question 28

Hardiness

Answer 28

Attribute of resilient people, view change as a challenge rather than a threat -committed to their life and work, believe they can control events

Question 29

Optimism

Answer 29

More productive, focused, persistent, better at handling frustration -positive health outcomes

Question 30

Spirituality

Answer 30

The search for the sacred -correlated to positive health outcomes -difficult to measure

Question 31

Psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 31

The study of our mind, brain and immune system -things that happen in our mind can influence our physical response in brain and immune system

Question 32

Inc stress = ___ colds

Answer 32

Increased

Question 33

Why is there a relationship between stress and colds

Answer 33

-more inflammation -more likely to engage in behaviours that reduce immune system (lack of sleep, unhealthy foods)

Question 34

Psychophysiolgocial stress related illnesses

Answer 34

Ulcers, coronary heart disease, AIDS

Question 35

peptic ulcers and stress

Answer 35

Stress plays a role in ulcer developing because it reduces effectiveness of immune system -inc vulnerability

Question 36

coronary heart disease

Answer 36

Caused by cholesterol, fat or immune system cells sticking to walls connected to the heart -creates plaque reducing blood flow to heart -angina (blockage chest pain) -heart attack

Question 37

CHD (direct, indirect, easily stressed, extreme stress)

Answer 37

Direct effect : inc heart rate, blood pressure, once you have a heart attack then you are more likely to have another Indirect effects: exercise less, eat unhealthy foods Easily stressed effect (hassles): more likely to develop CHD —> stressed more of the time Extreme stress effects (fewer): instantly have a heart attack bc extreme levels

Question 38

What else plays a role in CHD

Answer 38

Type A (more anger and hostility) and type B -socioeconomic status—> less coping opportunities

Question 39

Alternative medicine for stress lowering

Answer 39

-vitamins, herbs, foods -chiropractic, yoga, acupuncture

Question 40

How to have good health and less stress

Answer 40

-stop smoking -curb alcohol -health weight -exercise