module 2 Flashcards
what are 3 main factors that influence individuals well-being, mental healh and resilience
3 S’s: sleep, stress, self-regulation
“that which does not kill us makes us stronger”
- friedrich nietzsche tries to make the point that struggle or discomfort makes us build and realize your strength
problems with “that which does not kill us makes us stronger” saying
- over simplistic view
- finding a balance between challenging yourself and stress is important because chronic or overwhelming stress is associated with emotional and physical health
“like tiny seeds with potent power to push through tough ground and become might tress, we hold innate reserves of unimaginable strenghth. we are resilient”
- from catherine DeVrye: in the gift of nature anthropomorphizes seeds to describe the resilient tendencies people have
about level of strength is innate
many resilient characteristics are not innate, and are a product of experiences
what does the feelings of being stressed come from
- biological mechanisms
- hormones (fight-flight-fright) response
fight-flight-fright response
- involves changes in HR, breahting, sweating, muscle tension
- uptight, on edge, easily irritated
what is stress
short term
- adaptive and helps you keep safe
what is small doses of stress
eustress or “good” stress are also important for being successful in day-to-day activities and building resilience so you can cope better with challenging situations
exam stress
- stress about not doing well, or failing can motivate you to spend more time stuydying
- more time studying might make you feel happier with yourself, effective, and confident and prepared
financial stress
- can motivate you to avoid over-spending so that you have enough money to pay for important things like rent, groceries, tuition
- good decisions can improve self-esteem, feeling competence and well-being and protect you from stressful situations such as recieving a large credit care bill
what is good about reducing financial stress
make descison more confidently, and be happier
social stress
- leaving good friends and family to attend uni might motivate you to meet new friends and make new associations
inverted U theory
illustrates the relation between pressure and performance and is good example of when stress shifts from being helpful to harmful
low pressure : inverted U theory
results in boredom and weak performance
- as the pressure begins to increase you can see increased attention and interest
optimal performance : inverted U theory
- more pressure or stress can improve performance up to certain point by preparing us to cope effectively with a challenge
high pressure : inverted U theory
- when stress become too high performance ultimately decreases
- high anxiety is associated with impaired performance and distress
- if effective coping strategies are not in place, high stress can lead to complete meltdown
responding to stress
whether is it adaptive or problematic can also be determined by how you respond to stressful events
2 factors that influence your response to stress and whether its adaptive or problematic
thinking
action
thinking
- the way you think can influence your stress
- focusing on the negatives, overthinking problems, and worry can exacerbate and prolong stress, whilst keeping things in perspective and active problem-solving tend to reduce stress
action
the way you act influence your stress
- being pro-active and tackling problems head-on tends to be more helpful than avoiding them and putting them off
flow theory
- intense concentrarion
- perfrom very good
- in the zone
- tune out distractions and focus
- effort when facing extreme challenge
- present but not
- so engaged in a task you loss time
- optimal experiences
5 factors for flow theory
- intrinsically rewarding
- clear goals and sense of progress
- clear and immediate feedback
- match of challenge and skill
- intense focus on the present moment
what are flow states good for
for increasing happiness and well-being and strongly counteract worry and stress, so it can be really helpful to build up those activities that you find really absorbing
flow states are more likely when you:
- intensely focus on the task and the present moment
- only do one thing at a time
- remove distractions
- focus on the process rather than the outcome
- practice this activity or skill a lot so it becomes automatic
- try something that is not easy, not to hard, but challenges yourself
- activity has clear goals and immediate continuous feedback
- you find the activity intrinsically rewarding
maladptive stress
- stress that has shifts from helpful to harmful and can overwhelm your coping resources and result in significant distress
symptoms of overwhelming stress
irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, disorganized thoughts, trouble sleeping
COVID good stress
- feeling worried and stressed about the pandemic might make you more likely to flow guidlines
- check in on family and friends
- remaining vigilant and respecting social distancing
COVID bad stress
- prolonged stress affect their well-being and mental health of many people
- worry about old people, relatives, losing jobs and businesses, having someone close to you being hospitalized
sleep
is state of the mind and body characterized by altered or reduced consciousness
good quality sleep
consists of falling asleep in 30min or less, sleeping through the night and easily falling back to sleep if woken up within 20min
why is good quality sleep important
essential to your survival and plays a crucial role in both physical and mental health
what is an example of a benefit of sleep
involved in repairing cells in the body, especially in the heart and blood vessels
- brain functions, such as emotional regulation and thinking (cognitive functioning)
self-regulation
refers to control over behaviour, thoughts, and emotion which can interact with each other
what are the different levels of self-regulation
- behavioral level
- cognitive level
- emotional level
behavioral level
- setting a healthy rhythm to your day
- includes keeping a balanced routine that incorporates activities such as focused school/work, physical exercise and mindfulness, socializing with friends and family, other self-care activities or hobbies
cognitive level
- involves managing difficult, negative, or instructive thoughts, and worries and using cognitive strategies to manage stress
- includes spotting the thoughts that impact your mood, checking to see if they are accurate and realistic, shifting from worry to problem-solving and planning, looking for positive interpretations and mentally reframing
emotional level
- includes slowing yourself down, calming and relaxing yourself when stressed or tense, and pausing and thinking before acting, and acting in accordance with your values
routines
sleep, exercise, help emotional regulation and vice versa
- working with your thoughts also helps emotional self-regulation and vice versa
overall self-regulation
behavioral, emotional, and cognitive all interact in influencing your overall self-regulation
what are brain regions important for initiation and termination of stress
adrenal gland
hypothalamus
pituitary gland
adrenal gland
is an endocrine gland located about the kidney.
- produces hormones that help regulate a number of bodily functions
what does the adrenal gland produce
cortisol, major hormonal mediator of the stress response
hypothalamus
- small portion of the brain
- controls and release of hormones from the pituitary gland and links the endocrine system to the nervous system
pitutuary gland
- pea sized gland attached to the base of the brain
- major role in growth and development and controls the functioning of the other endocrine glands
what is the pituitary gland divided into
2 parts
- anterior and posterior pituitary
what is the HPA axis
biological stress response
hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis
step 1 of the HPA axis
- the sudden onset of stressor (or sudden threat of embarrassment and/or fear) trigger the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus
step 2 of HPA axis
CRH stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary
step 3 of HPA axis
the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol is secreted from the adrenal gland as the end product axis
step 3 HPA axis : acute stress
- during acute stress HPA axis response will deal with the problem
- the sudden changes (increase HR) will help you think clearly and quickly and assess the situation,
step 4: HPA Axis
- once the threat is assessed to be minial and you have retrieved some recollection of your assignment and decide flight is not required, cortisol inhibts (the CRH from being released) the loop through negative feedback
how is your response to stress influenced
- your thoughts
- bodily sensations
- feelings
- behaviours
unhelpful responses to stress
thought: i might do bad, what if i mess up? i going to ruin my life”
bodily sensations: tense, poor sleep, tired
feelings: anxious, panicky
behaviour: withdrawal, procrastination, distraction, less revision
help response to stress
thought: “how do i prepare for this? what is the first step i can do?
bodily sensation: reasonably calm, relaxed, decent sleep
feelings: mild anxiety, motivated to do well
behaviour: make plans, regular revision schedule with breaks
what else can influence stress
social and environmental factos
social factors that increase stress
- early history or trauma or neglect
- feeling excluded or marginalised
- being discriminated against
- feeling trapped or hopeless
- poverty
- limited social support
who are most affect by social factors increasing their stress
- black, indigenous, people of colour
- LGBTQ2+
- disability ppl
- refugees and asylum seekers
- lower socioeconomic backgrounds
social factors that reduce stress
- having a supportive social network
- having strong social identity
- sense of agency
- feeling a sense of belonging
- feeling heard and listened to
- access to opportunities
inter-individuial
refers to the differences between different ppl
intra-individual
refers to the differences within a person at different times
example of inter-individual differences
hair
- everyone have hair but everyone will have different hair characteristics
- and it can change everyday is not always the same
stress
- the is no “right” level of stress hormones
- someone’s biological reaction to stress can be influenced by a variety of factors
someone’s biological reaction to stress can be influenced by a variety of factors:
- time of day
- hormones
- diet
- lifestyle (exercise, sleep, quality/routine, alcohol, recreational drug use)
- coping strategies
- the impacting of intra-individual differences’
perfectionism and self-criticism
- perfectionism is the tendency to set unrealistically high expectations for yourself and/others, everything is a failure if not done perfectly leads to high self-criticism, fear of failure, procrastination, and concerns about what others will think
what does perfectionism increase
vulnerability for anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems, and looks to be increasing in young people
imposter syndrome
when you compare yourself to other people and think you aren’t good enough or don’t belong
useful ways to tackle perfectionism, self-criticism, and self-doubt
- focus on strengths
- avoid comparisons
- mindfulness and self-compassion
- good enough
- challenge your beliefs
- growth mindset
focus on strength
- remind yourself of your successes and strengths
- we are human and make mistakes
anyone who has never made a mistake has never tired anything new- albert einstein
avoid comparisons
- try not to compare yourself with others
- especially on social media
- try to talk to trusted others about your thoughts and feelings to get another perspective
good enough
try and do things reasonably well but not trying to get it perfect
- aiming to get 2:1 essay done and complete will be more realistic and more likely to be done than trying to write the perfect essay
challenge your beliefs
- self criticism and perfectionism can come from a belief that you need to get things together and right all the time to be successful or else your a failure
- what is the evidence for this belief
- does it help me achieve my goals
- what might someone i respect say
growth mindset
you can get stuck in the self-criticism if you believe that your abilities, skills, and intelligence are fixed
- however, if you believe that you can develop your abilities, set back are not so abd
what does having the mindset of “growth mindset” proven
increase productivity, resilience, and persistence with difficulties and is more accurate way of looking at how your brain work
effects of stress including chronic/overwhelming stress
- physical and mental health impacts
known as allostatic load
equilibrium or allostatic
the process of responding to a challenge or stressor by triggering various biological and chemical processes to maintain balance
example of equilibrium or allostasis
a brief triggering of the HPA axis and negative feedback to reset
wear- and - tear or allostatic load
- the wear and tear on the body and brain that results from chronic or overwhelming stress
example of wear and tear or allostatic load
overactivity or sensitivity of the HPA axis- always firing and difficulty finding equilibrium
common signs associated with chronic stress
- cognitive changes
- emotional changes
- physical changes
- behavioral changes
cognitive changes examples
diffulity with concentration, sustained attention, memory problems, difficulty with problem solving, constant worrying
examples of emotional changes
- moodiness
- mood swings
- irritability
- feeling sad
- hopeless or helpless
- agitated feeling
- anxious or tense
- cant relax
examples of physical changes
muscle tension, stomach/gastrointestinal problems, change in appetite, rapid HR, high BP, headaches, fatigue, loss of sex drive, problems with sleep
examples of behavioral changes
- changes in sleep
- eating/hunger
- social withdrawal
- changes in productivity/performance
- nervous habits
- reliance on substance such as drugs
what are the 2 basic types of sleep
non rapid eye movement (REM) (stage 1-3) sleep
and rapid eye movement (REM) (stage 4) sleep
stage 1 : non REM sleep
- includes change from being awake to being asleep
- reieft, lasting only several minutes
- light sleep
what might stage 1 include
- a slowing down of your heartbeat, breathing, eye movements
- relaxation of the muscles
- brainwaves begin to slow
stage 2 : non- REM
- period of light sleep before you enter a deeper sleep
what does stage 2 involve
- further slowing down of your heartbeat and breathing
- eye movements stop
- deeper muscle relaxation
- body temperature drops
- brainwaves slow even more but slow brief bursts of activity
stage 3: non-rem
- involves the type of sleep that you need to feel awake and refreshed the next day
- occurs longer periods during the first half of the night
what does stage 3 involve
- further slowing down of your heartbeat and breathing (the slowest they’ll be)
- deeper muscle relaxation
- brainwaves slow even more
- difficult to wake you up
stage 4 : REM sleep
- first stage involving REM
- first occurs after the three non-rem stages (90min after you fall asleep)
what does stage 4 involve
- rapid eye movements
- breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure increase to be close to waking levels
- brainwaves have mixed frequencey and start to resemeble brain waves when you are awake
- most (not all) dreaming occur in REM
- you limbs become temp paralyzed so that you do not act out in your dreams
what is the importantance of REM sleep
- resetting your mental state and dispelling highly emotionally charged memories
- over the night REM get longer in duration with most REM happening in the last third of the night
- older people spend less time in stage 3 and 4 they wake up a lot interrupting their sleep cycle
benefits associated with good quality of sleep
- cognitive benefits
- emotional benefits
- physical benefits
- behavioral benefits
cognitive benefits of sleep
- improved memory
- improved attention
- improved problem-solving
emotional benefits of sleeping
- increased positive emotions
- decreased negative emotions
physical benefits of sleep
- keeping your heart healthy
- lowering BP
- aiding your immune system
- regulating hormones associated with food cravings
- coping with pain
behavioral benefits of sleep
improved productivity
what are circadian rhythms
naturally occurring process, which forms a biological clock that your body naturally wants to follow
what does circadian rhythms ensure
your body is optimized at the correct time of the day through biological processes such as regulation of the sleep-wake cycle, energy levels, brainwave activity, and others
what is circadian rhythms based off
24 hour day and involve differenct cycles that rely on biological mechansims and the secretion of different hormones
example of circadian rhythms
sleep stages
examples of cognitive changes to a disrupted biological rhythm
- feeling fatigued
- problems with attention
- increased impulsivity
- slower thinking
examples of emotional changes to a disrupted biological rhythm
lower mood and increased feelings of stress, emotional reactivity, and irritability
examples of physical changes to a disrupted biological rhythm
reduced energy, changes in metabolism, difficulty maintaining a healthy weight, reduced immune functioning and increased risk for a variety of illnesses and diseases
examples of behavioural changes to a disrupted biological rhythm
decreased productivity, difficulty falling asleep and/or waking up, difficulty maintaining a balanced routine
self care
- refers to any activity that takes care of your personal needs and well-being
examples of self care
- engaging in a relaxing activity that you enjoy
- reading
- walking
- listening to music
- experiencing or creating art
- positive routine for yourself that balances school/work with healthy choices
- spending time with friends
- family
what has participating in activities shown to do
decrease stress levels and have positive effects on self-esteem and well-being
people who have stress tend to____from their social support
pull away, while people who have a socail support tend to have lower levels of stress
the talk process
- first stage
- talk about talking
- tell a person you trust that you want to talk about your problems
- tell them how you want the conversation to go
example: “i would like to talk about my stress. i need you to listen and provide support through reassurance and understanding. i don’t need you to solve my problems- just be there for me”
identification of a specific problem
- second stage
- providing real-life examples of your problems
- if you are experiencing the signs of anxiety, depression, mental health problems what are the signs?
- more details the better
- what does the mental health problem feel like? what are the visible symtpms?
suggestions for ways they can help
telling people what your are looking for from the conversation
- the people you open up to might not know how to help
- make this easier by detailing what you want
- do you only want someone to let off stream or vent to?
- do you want help (suggestions)
take a break
- feeling overwhelmed, it is okay to take a break from what you are doing
- allow time to calm down
- nice walk, run outside, relaxing on the couch or cathcing up with friends
research about taking a break (Blasche et al 2018)
found that in the context of academic courses, short breaks that consist of either relaxation and/or exercise may not only reduce fatigue but also enhance participation and learning during lectures
practice mindfulness
- being present through awareness of your immediate environment both outside (temp, sounds, smells) and inside (awareness of thoughts, feelings as they happen moment to moment without judgement)
mindfulness and university students
help uni students manage their stress
- was effective coping strategy to help reduce stress levels during the exam period compared to general mental health support
examples of practicing mindfulness
- focusing on external object
- focusing on breathing
limit avoidance
- stress can give you the urge to avoid or numb your feelings through maladaptive coping strategies, such as excessive alcohol or drug use
- “band-aid solution” in the short term and in the medium to long term this can worsen existing and cause new problems and add to your stress
research about avoidance
accepting your emotional state during stressful or negative solutions, rather than avoiding your feelings may protect against negative affect and even depressive symptoms
negative effect
experiences of negative emotions and poor self-concept
tackling problems
is more beneficial and helpful than avoiding and putting them off
recognize when you need further help
- too much stress can lead to distress
- while adaptive coping and resiliency to manageable stress is part of a healthy life experience
- if you are very stressed hard to do day-to-day activities its important to tell someone
- recognizing you need the help is an important step in reducing stress
self compassion
- its easy to become self-critical, blame yourself- and to focus on your mistakes and faults however this makes stress worse
why is self compassion important for reducing stress
- helpful to be kind, supportive, and encouraging to yourself
- useful to think what we would say to support someone we care about going through similar stress and to say that to ourselves
how to talk to your self
- positivitly
- same tone of voice
- point out successes, strengths, progess, encourage yourself to take the next steps
what is self compassion proven to help
make you feel calmer and to be less emotionally reactive to stressful events
overthinking
- too much worrying can make you stress
- overthinking can lead to overgeneralization when you think that one difficulty applies to lots of other situations
concrete problem-solving
- check if you are worrying about a real problem or whether it is a hypothetical problem
- second; if it is real as best be active, specific, concrete: focus on the specific sensory details of the difficult situation and its particular context and circumstances, to put it into perspective and to make plan
example of concrete problem-solving
if you had an argument with a friend and you are dwelling on why it happened and what it means about you and your friendship, it is more helpful to replay in detail what you said and did and how it unfolded to learn what you could do differently
healthy strategies for sleep
- routine
- environment
- consumption
- exercise
- mindfulness
- support
- reduce worry
routine
- create a relaxing and consistent bedtime routine
- going to bed + waking up at the same time every day help with circadian rhythms
- easier to fall asleep and get up
- let your body know you are going to bed
- incorpate activities you find relaxing into your bedtime routine
environemnt
- environment that promotes sleep
- avoid bright lights, loud sounds, make your bed comfortable and keep your room at a comfortable temp
- routine that involves relaxation, mindfulness, calming atmosphere helps promote sleep
consumption
avoid intense exercise, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, recreational drugs before bed
- keep you up and distrupt your natural rhythms and sleep-wake cycles
-
exercise
- aim to be active everyday avoid prolonged inactivity
- recommened minimin 150 per day of moderate intensity or 75 min of vigorous exercise per week
mindfulness
- create a mental space to faciliate sleep
- clearing your mind
- meditate on what you are thankful for or a positive affirmatin to settle your mind often goes with physical relaxation and deep breathing to calm the nervous system
additional support
- if sleep problem are consistent and impairing day to day seek help
- pharmacological interventions and non-pharmacological interventions
reduce worry
- tackle worries set specific times aside earlier in the day to write down your worries and then see how many are either not important, go away over time , or can be tackled
strategies for maintaining healthy behavioural self-regulation
- daytime/bedtime routine
- avoid shifted sleep
- avoid disruptions
daytime/bedtime routine
- consistent and balanced routine may involve waking up and going to sleep the same time everyday and eating meals same time
- daily rhythm or routine does not mean that everyday has to be same but important for some consistency and healthy balance of work/acitivites
avoid shifted sleep
- some careers require you to reverse your night and day
- however, can impact circadian rhytms and is associated with an increased risk of various health problems
avoid disruptions
avoid falling into a pattern of frequently staying up all night to study or partt
- even a couple times a week can influence your body circadian rhymes
cognitive skills
reframing : help regulate emotions and develop a healthy level of distress tolerance
- be nice to your self
- be understanding
- be versatile
- be a good communicator
