HealthPsych Session 3

Question 1

What are the physiological effects of the fight or flight response?

Answer 1

Increased RR and haematocrit
Liberation of glucose, protein breakdown, increased insulin resistance
Fluid conservation, coagulation, endogenous analgesia, increase immune and inflammatory response
Increased CO, BP and muscle responsiveness
Decreased digestive system and sexual response
Enhanced sensory awareness and alertness

Question 2

Why is a moderate level of stress sometimes necessary?

Answer 2

To perform well

Question 3

What happens in long-term stress?

Answer 3

Optimum performance surpassed –> disorganisation –> damage

Question 4

What is general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 4

Alarm–> resistance –> exhaustion

Question 5

What happens in the alarm stage of the general adaptation system?

Answer 5

Initial autonomic symptoms are seen

Question 6

What happens in the resistance stage of the general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 6

Initial autonomic symptoms but body still runs above homeostasis

Question 7

What happens in the exhaustion stage of general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 7

Initial autonomic symptoms recurr

Question 8

What renders the physiological response to stress ill suited in today’s environment?

Answer 8

More frequent, less acute daily stressors and hassles

Question 9

How can stressors be used to measure stress?

Answer 9

Consider how many stressful life events experienced in the last year and how stressful these were perceived to be
Can also include daily hassles for greater range

Question 10

What does using stressors as a measure of stress not take into account?

Answer 10

That same event may cause different levels of stress in different people
Stress response in absence of direct threat

Question 11

What is the transactional model of stress?

Answer 11

Demands and stressors are appraised and if demands>stressors then stress response occurs

Question 12

What resources are considered in the transactional model of stress?

Answer 12

Personality
Social support
Coping skills

Question 13

What is primary appraisal in the transactional model of stress?

Answer 13

Is the event a threat and how bad could it be?

Question 14

What is secondary appraisal in the transactional model of stress?

Answer 14

Do I have the resources to cope?

Question 15

What is reappraisal in the transactional model of stress?

Answer 15

Reconsider event afterwards and decide whether it was more or less stressful than anticipated

Question 16

What are the S/S of a stress response?

Answer 16

Memory problems
Lack concentration
Poor judgement
Moodiness,agitation
Aches and pains, diarrhoea, constipation, disrupted eating habits, loss of sex drive
Change in sleeping habits
Procrastinating
Nervous habits

Question 17

Where does physical damage from physiological response to stress primarily occur?

Answer 17

CVS

Question 18

What physical damage can occur in the CVS due to the physiological response to stress?

Answer 18

Mechanical trauma from high BP
Ischaemia
Atherosclerosis

Question 19

What effects do short/medium term stress have on the immune system?

Answer 19

Increase lymphocytes, antibodies and B cells

Question 20

What effects does long term stress have on the immune system?

Answer 20

Feedback loop is disrupted so cortisol levels remain high and act as an immunosuppressant and to decrease inflammation

Question 21

What effects does stress have on unhealthy behaviours?

Answer 21

Increases engagement of maladaptive strategies which help in the short term but may cause damage in the long term

Question 22

What effects does stress have on mental health?

Answer 22

Thinking becomes more rigid an extreme
Prone to cognitive distortions e.g. overgeneralisation, catastrophising, personalisation, rumination
Learned helplessness –> anxiety and depression

Question 23

How do cognitive strategies manage stress?

Answer 23

Focus on appraisal with cognitive restructuring, hypothesis testing

Question 24

How do behavioural strategies manage stress?

Answer 24

Decrease likelihood of stressor and provide resources to cope with skills training e.g. assertiveness, time management

Question 25

What emotional strategies can help manage stress?

Answer 25

Counselling
Emotional disclosure
Social support

Question 26

What physical strategies can help manage stress?

Answer 26

Relaxation training
Biofeedback
Exercise

Question 27

What non-cognitive strategies can be used for managing stress?

Answer 27

Drugs in initial Tx for PTSD

Question 28

What is biofeedback?

Answer 28

Physical strategy to manage stress by training to control physiological stress processes e.g. BP, HR

Question 29

What is used mainly to bring about short-term changes to mobilise energy for activity in the fight or flight response?

Answer 29

Catecholamines