Module 38: Stress and Illness Flashcards
stress
The process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening and challenging.
- Stress appraised as threats can lead to strong negative reactions
- Extreme or prolonged stress can cause harm
catastrophes
Unpleasant, large-scale events that affect lots of people
significant life changes
Personal events; life transitions
daily hassles
day-to-day challenges
Cannon’s view of a stress response?
stress response as a “fight-or-flight” system
Selye’s view of a stress response
proposed a general three-phase (alarm, resistance, exhaustion) general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
How do women/men typically respond to stress?
women may have a tend-and-befriend response
men may withdraw socially, turn to alcohol, or become aggressive.
psychoneuroimmunology
studies mind-body interactions
- emotions (psycho)
- affect your brain (neuro)
- which controls the stress hormone that influences the disease-fighting immune system
what is the immune system affected by?
affected by age, nutrition, genetics, body temperature, and stress
autoimmune disorder
our body attacks ourself rather than the virus
reacting too strongly (immune system malfunction)
self-attacking diseases
- some forms of arthritis, allergic reaction
underreacting (immune system malfunction)
bacterial infections flare up, dormant herpes virus erupt, cancer cells multiply
how do stress hormones interact with the immune system?
stress hormones suppress the immune system. stress does not make people sick but does reduce the immune system’s ability to function optimally
- slower surgical wound healing; increased vulnerability to colds; decreased vaccine effectiveness
stress and AIDS
stress cannot give people AIDS, but it may speed the transition from HIV infection to AIDS and the decline in those with AIDS
stress and cancer
stress does not create cancer cells, but it may affect their growth by weakening natural defenses
stress and heart disease
▪ 630,000 American coronary heart disease-related deaths yearly
▪ Stress is related to the generation of inflammation, which is associated with heart and other health problems.
▪ Meyer and colleagues (Stress predicts heart attack risk for tax accountants, Type A men are more likely to have heart attacks.)
▪ Conley and colleagues (Stress is related to everyday academic stressors in students.)
Type A
Friedman and Rosenman’s term for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people
Type B
Friedman and Rosenman’s term for easygoing, relaxed people.
stress, pessimism, and depression
pessimists are more likely than optimists to develop heart diseases
depression increases the risk of death, especially from cardiovascular disease
happy and consistently satisfied people tend to be healthy and outlive their unhappy peers
having a happy spouse predicts better health
stress and inflammation
chronic stress triggers persistent inflammation, which increases the risk of heart disease and depression
