Coping with chronic illness Flashcards
What is required in order to cope?
Management of stressors and achieving adaptation.
What was the early model of Canon’s fight of flight for coping suggesting?
A threat caused an increased arousal in order to escape
What was the early model of Selye’s GAS for coping suggesting?
Alarm - increases activity
Resistance - In an attempt to cope
Exhaustion - When resistance can no longer be maintained
What is the issue with the early models?
Doesn’t address the individual variability, psychological, behavioural or emotional factors. The response was considered to be an automatic, physiological and consistent response in all.
What are the 3 new models of coping?
- Transitional model of stress (Lazarus)
- Problem focused coping
- Emotion focused coping
What is the transitional model of stress?
Composed of a primary appraisal to determine if the threat is relevant or harmful and a secondary appraisal to evaluate the internal coping strategies and ability to cope with the threat.
The appraisal and interaction with the external world determines if stress occurs.
What is problem focused coping?
Taking actions to reduce demands of stressors or to increase resources for management e.g. plan, counselling, support groups, expert management
What is emotion focused coping?
Attempt to manage emotions caused by stressors e.g. support, denial, praying, exercising, alcohol, drugs, DSH
What influences coping?
Coping is context dependent and dynamic between situations and individuals. Personality (psychological factor) influences coping.
What are the 3 types of personality?
Type A behviour - Competitive, impatient, driven, focused, irritated easily
Type C behaviour - Laid back, compliant, patient, cooperative, use emotion focused mechanisms for coping.
High N personality - Neuroticism. Anxiety, introsepctive, -ve outlook. More likely to develop depression.
What are the effects of stress on health?
Stress can cause
- Hypertension
- Physical symptoms
- CHD
- MI
- Increased mortality
- Chronic stress affects the immune system
- Can alter behaviours towards unhelpful coping strategies e.g. smoking, alcohol
How can chronic illness impact the individual and their lives?
- Emotional distress
- Restricts and disrupts life
- Need to learn how to manage illness and learn to adapt to new tasks
- Modification of RF to prevent progression
- S.E of treatment
- Loss of self
How can chronic illness impact the family?
- Increases pressure on the family to care
- Physical, social and financial consequences of informal care
- Carers receive low priority
- Objective and subjective burden of the ability to manage
What can be provided by HCP to improve stress management?
- Provide information e.g. expert Pt, helplines, leaflets, good communication
- Social support to increase self esteem, provide advice and companionship
- Self management training to gain internal control
- Stress management training for problem solving and behaviour change
- Psychotropic medication or behavioural therapy
What is the aim of coping mechanisms?
To reduce stress and help manage the illness effectively, minimising the impact on daily life. Reducing stress helps to prevent progression and minimise risk of further problems.
