Chapter 13: Stress and Coping Flashcards
Compare the impact of stressful events and chronic stress
Stressful events are one time events (positive or negative) that can cause stress
Chronic Stress is a source of stress that occur continuously/repeatedly. People with more daily hastes have more physical and psychological symptoms.
Identify the importance of perceived control
Events are most stressful when there is nothing we can do to fix them.
Study showed that people who had the option to turn off the loud music performed better while completing the tasks.
Explain physical responses to stress
- Fight of Flight
- Stress Speeds aging and negatively impacts health
- General Adaptation Syndrome
- Cause Immune Response
Fight or Flight
1.Hypothalamus
2. Releasing Factor
3. Pituitary Gland
4. ACTH through blood
5. Adrenal gland
6. Cortisol (increase glucose in blood to fuel muscles) and Catecholamines (increase sympatric NS and decrease paratympanic NS so more oxygen can go to muscles)
General adaptation Syndrome
- Alarm Phase - fight or flight
- Resistance Phase- body ties to cope with stressors by shutting down unnecessary processes
- Exhaustion Phase: body’s resistance shuts down
Stress and Aging
chronic stress can decrease telomer length, speeds up aging
Immune Response
Stress can cause release of hormones (glucocorticoids) to flood brain and wear down immune system so you get sicker easier
relates to social status
Cardiovascular Health
chronic stress can lead to increase blood pressure with will gradually damage blood vessels, type A men more likely to have heart attack, hostility is good for predicting heart attacks
Identify possible psychological responses to stress
Primary Appraisal: is this stressful or not?
Secondary Appraisal: is this a threat or a challenge?
chronic stress can lead to burnout
Repressive Coping
avoiding things that remind you of stressors to maintain artificial positive viewpoint
Rational Coping
facing stressor and working to overcome it
1. accept stressor exists
2. exposure (think about stressor)
3. understand the stressor
Reframing
find a new way to think about the stressor
Mediation
internal contemplation
improve control over attention
teach how to accept immediate experience
increase telomer length
Relaxation
consciously relax muscles to reduce tension
Biofeedback
external device to gain control over body functions
Aerobic Exercise
increase heart rate and oxygen intake
decrease depressive symptoms
Social Support
aid gained by interaction with others
female tend to respond to stress by tend-and-befriend (women live longer)
isolation = hit harder by flu
Religious Experiences
associated with positive health outcomes
lead to stronger social network
follow health teachings
Humor
more tolerant to pain while laughing
Scheduling and Activating
increased procrastination = increased stress
Describe the interrelationship between the mind and body relating to illness.
We see that negative people tend to report more symptoms, but lots of people also underreport symptoms because they deny being sick
Illness can be prompted by stress
Type A and B personalities
Type A: competitive orientation towards achievement, sense of urgency about time, strong tendency to fell anger/hostility
Type B: low levels of competitiveness, not urgent about time, not hostile
Hardiness
sense of Commitment rather than alienation
Control rather than powerlessness
problems seen as Challenges not threats
hardy people are more stress resistant
Optimism
healthier than pessimist
engage in healthier behaviors
can be learned
