Chapter 13- Stress and Health Flashcards
What is a stressor?
A stressor is any person, object, situation or event that produces stress. This means that virtually anything can be a stressor and therefore a cause of stress to an individual.
Give examples of psychological stressors, and physical stressors.
Psychological stressors may include an argument with a friend, running late for a class, failing an exam, changing schools, being bullied, etc.
Physical stressors may include extreme temperatures, intense light, loud noise, a heavy object etc
What are internal and external stressors?
An Internal stressor originates within the individual (eg experience of physical pain that may be perceived as signalling an untimely illness, fearing consequences etc)
An external stressor originates outside the individual from situations and events in the environment (eg too much homework, being nagged by parents etc)
What is stress?
Stress is a state of physiological and psychological arousal produced by internal or external stressors that are perceived by the individual as challenging or exceeding their ability or resources to cope. It is a subjective experience and depends on our personal interpretation of a potential stressor.
What things do we consider when looking at the biopsychosocial framework for stress?
Biological:focuses on physiological changes associated with stress, most of which are involuntary
Psychological: focuses on the Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping to help explain individual differences in the stress response and the role of the individual in determining their experience of the stress response.
Social: focuses on cultural and environmental influences
What are three biological factors/influences on stress
- Fight-flight response
- HPA axis
- Allostasis
What are three Psychological factors/influences on stress?
- Transactional model of stress and coping
- biofeedback
- coping strategies
What are three Social factors/influences on stress?
- Major life events
- Cultural (eg acculturation)
- Environment (eg crowding)
What is a stress response?
A stress response is a reaction that involves the physiological and psychological changes people experience when confronted by a stressor.
What are the three categories of stress classification?
Mild, acute and chronic. Mild stress can be stimulating, exhilarating, motivating, challenging and sometimes even desirable. An Acute stress response is a sudden level of high arousal for a short period of time. A Chronic stress response produces an increased arousal level that persists over a relatively long time.
What is the fight-flight response ?
The fight-flight response is an involuntary reaction resulting in a state of physiological readiness to deal with a sudden and immediate threat by either confronting it or running away to safety
What systems does the fight-flight response use, and what are some of the changes that occur?
This response uses both the sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine (hormone) system. Changes such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, increases respiration rate, increased glucose secretion by the liver, dilation of pupils and suppression of digestion and sexual drive can occur
How does the fight-flight response become initiated on a biological level?
When a threat is perceived the hypothalamus (located above the brainstem) is activated. This then activates the sympathetic nervous system within milliseconds. The sympathetic nervous system then stimulates the adrenal medulla (inner part of the adrenal gland located above each kidney). When the adrenal glands are stimulated, they secrete hormones called catecholamines into the bloodstream. Two of these hormones are called adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones circulate the bloodstream and activate various organs resulting in the physiological reaction of FF.
What is the HPA axis?
The HPA axis(system) stands for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. The HPA axis is used if the stressor is not removed or we need to deal with it over time as the body cannot maintain the intensity of the fight-flight response for a prolonged period.
How does the HPA axis become initiated on a biological level?
The hypothalamus (located above the brainstem) is stimulated when a stressor is present, this then stimulates the nearby pituitary gland. The pituitary gland then secretes hormones such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the bloodstream. The ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex (outer surface of the adrenal glands) to secrete additional stress hormones called corticosteroids, one of which is called cortisol and its main effect is to energise the body.
What is the time difference between the HPA axis and the fight-flight response?
The HPA axis takes seconds to minutes to activate, but lasts over a much longer time; minutes to hours. Unlike the fight-flight response that takes milliseconds-seconds to activate but only lasts between seconds and minutes.
What are some symptoms of prolonged stress and cortisol exposure?
- Impaired/slowed immune system
- Dizziness
- Heart palpitations
- Fatigue
- Development of digestive disorders
- Increased likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, immunosuppression and diabetes
What bodily systems are affected by stress?
- Nervous system
- Musculoskeletal system
- Respiratory system
- Cardiovascular system
- Endocrine system
- Gastrointestinal system
- Reproductive system
What is Eustress ?
Eustress is a positive psychological response to a stressor, as indicated by the presence of positive psychological states such as feeling enthusiastic and motivated, excited, active and alert
What is Distress?
Distress is a negative psychological response to a stressor, as indicated by the presence of negative psychological states such as anger, anxiety, nervousness, irritability or tension.
How do you tell if stress is eustress or distress?
Generally, when stress is beneficial or desirable it can be described as eustress. When stress is objectional or undesirable, it can be described as distress.
Does the body recognise and react differently to eustress and distress?
No, the body (not including the mind and thoughts) reacts in the same way under any kind of stress. All kinds of stress and stressors produce a non-specific stress response.
What are the three major categories of Psychological change in response to stress.
Emotional change: which influence the way a person feels
Cognitive change: influence a person’s mental abilities, such as their perceptions of their circumstances and environment, their ability to learn and how they think. Often perceptions are distorted or exaggerated.
Behavioural change: apparent in how a person looks, talks, acts and so on.
What is the name of the phenomenon listed under cognitive changes of stress?
Catastrophising, which is considered to occur when we dwell on and overemphasise the potential consequences of negative events
