Chapter 15: Stress, Health and Coping Flashcards
daily hassles
A regular occurrence that leads to minute cortisol release
- eg. daily commute, parental stress, work stress
life stressor
A single event that leads to sympathetic activation
- eg. major events like marriage, death of a person
types of stressors
- catastrophic events
- major negative events
four aspects of the appraisal process
- primary appraisal = demands of the situation (what do I have to do?)
- secondary appraisal = resources available to cope (how can i cope?)
- judgments of consequences of situations (what are the ‘costs to me?)
- personal meaning - what does the outcome imply (what does this say about my beliefs in myself? world?)
General Adaptation Syndrome = GAS || Hans Selye model
- physiological reaction to prolonged stress
three phases:
1. alarm: the shift to sympathetic dominance causes increased arousal
2. resistance: the adrenal glands, release epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol to maintain increased arousal
3. exhaustion: the adrenal glands lose their ability to function normally
Alarm Phase
1st phase
- activation of sympathetic nervous system
release of Cortisol: increase in blood sugars, suppresses immune system, heighten sense, sends blood to certain systems
- flight and flight (sympathetic system) tries to restore homeostasis but can’t last forever so if stressor persists, so does the response
Resistance
2nd phase
- continue recruitment of resources
- can last for a long time but once resources are depleted and the glands are tired, no longer sufficient
Exhaustion
3rd Phase
- resources dangerously depleted
- more immune to disease and cardiovascular problems
Stress and Psychological Well-being: Neuroticism
high neuroticism can have a heightened tendency to experience negative emotions and get themselves into stressful situations through their maladaptive behaviors
eg. anxiety to take a final but the process for a deferral is/has more stress than just taking the exam itself
Stress and Psychological Well-being: PTSD
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- symptoms include: sever anxiety, emotional numbing and avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma (eg. avoiding loud noises or using certain tools), intense survivor guilt
Stress and Psychological Well-being: Residential school syndrome
- generational trauma
- increased risk of alcohol and drug abuse as a coping response
- emotional detachment, relationship difficulties
- loss of and avoidance of cultural knowlegde
How does stress correlate with illness?
Stress can cause an increase in chronic conditions such as arthritis, bronchitis and emphysema
- stress can increase chance of health problems, and increases with the # of stressors
- decrease immune function and worst pre-existing conditions
deterioration of hippocampus and memory impairment
Protective Factors: Social Support
- blunts impact of stress
- give sense of idneity and meaning, also adds to collective identity too
- may prevent maladaptive ways of coping
- shown among cancer patients, it enhance the immune system
Protective Factors: Optimism
- Hardiness: having commitment and control of the situation and views the situation as a challenge
- high internal locus of control
- views negative life events as a challenge instead of a threat
- belief things will work out
Describe Type A personality
- high levels of competitiveness and ambition
- can be aggressive and hostile
- experience a constant sense of time urgency
