Psychology of Stress Flashcards
What is stress?
- psychological and bodily response to stimulus that alter’s persons’ equilibrium (avg functioning)
- requires adjustment or adaptation
Stress Response
- body’s response to stress
- flight or fight response
- Throwing your body out of equilibrium
Type of Stressors
Physical, social, psychological -combo of all 3 -physical apply to most (ex. running) -psych and social are subjective Ex) hassles for college students Acute (short term), Chronic (long term), traumatic stressors
General Adaptation Syndrome
Alarm phase, resistance phase, exhaustion phase
-What’s happening to us physically?
Alarm Phase
- mobilization of flight or fight
- sympathetic NS activated
- breathing, HR, and BP increase
Resistance Phase
- PNS system kicks in
- mobilize resources for equilibrium
- cortisol returns body to normal state/equilibrium
Exhaustion Phase
- limited resources depleted
- stress response damages body
- increased cognitive functioning -> increased psychological stress
Why is perception the key to stress
-perception determines whether something is perceived as stressful
-actual control isn’t important, perception of control is important
-locus of control
Ex) Test: perceive that you can study long enough to do good on a test and then won’t be stressed about the test
Perception of control
-amount of control people want differs
-increased sense of control = increased health
-lower income people believe they have less control and tend to have poorer health
Other factors: nutrition, healthcare
-catastrophic stressors can increase stress because people feel responsible
Floods, tornadoes
Learned Helplessness: Seligman & Maier
-repeatedly shocked groups of dogs:
1st group in harness
2nd group in harness, but could push button with nose to stop
3rd group couldn’t control shock
When released- 1st two groups figured out how to escape while the 3rd group did not attempt to escape
Learned Helplessness: Academics
Intelligence
- tend to believe nothing they do will change the outcome
- no matter what they do they won’t be able to change…blame internally
Personality can reduce stress
Cognitive hardiness -challenge -commitment -control Optimism -generally believe good things will happen Resilience -capacity to adapt and achieve well-being
Stress Effects on Immune System
White blood cells -critical for immune system functioning Glucocorticoids -released during stress -hinder or kill white blood cells Effects time wound takes to heal Major events effect immune (ex. after 9/11) Racism: subtle racism has more of an effect b/c not prepared for it and think about it longer than blunt racism
Stress Effects on Cancer
- Stress doesn’t cause cancer, but effects growth of cells
- white cells not preventing spread
- physical stress = increase in capillaries
- more capillaries to supply tumor
- High perception of control and social support play a role in higher survival rates
- Interpret results with caution b/c diff types of cancer have diff outcomes/treatments and genetics are also another factor
Stress Effects on Heart Disease
Atherosclerosis
-narrowing of arteries
-stress increases BP… which damages arteries
Depression
-treatment for depression can decrease stress response
-benefits from depression treatment; helps with heart disease
Anxiety
-increases BP
-stress response kicks in, constant.
Sleep & Stress
-can’t sleep when you want to so stress response kicks in and you cannot sleep and a lack of sleep increases stress
-problems with lack of sleep:
Attention & performance drop, Mood, Increase cortisol, Learning decreases
Sleep Disorders
Insomnia: increase sympathetic nervous system activity (may be related to stress or SNS may be working harder than average person, or both)
Sleep Apnea: effects learning, memory, decision making, stop breathing while sleeping and can’t stay in REM level
Sleep Paralysis: stress alters sleep patterns, body & mind are usually in sync but in this case body stays paralyzed while your mind is awake; due to stress
Coping Strategies
Problem-focused Emotion-focused Negative coping strategies Social support Mind-body intervention
Problem-focused Coping
- changing the environ.
- actions effect stress
- Strategies: active (get assignment done), planning (organizing), instrumental social support (seeking others that can help with task), suppression of competing activities (linked with active)
Emotion-focused Coping
- change emotional response
- alter perception and response
- Strategies: emotional social support (seek someone supportive), venting emotions (let it out), positive reinterpretation (think of mistake as learning experience), mental and behavioral disengagement (walk away and do something else to stop thinking about issue for short period of time)
Negative coping methods
Harmful
- thought suppression: push thoughts into unconsciousness and never deal with it
- aggression
- self-mutation: relief only for short period of time until pressure builds up again
- external: substance abuse/dependence and drug use
Social Support
- buffer against depression
- quality and variety, more important than quantity
- perceived social support is more important than enacted (believe that parent/friend will definitely be there whenever need be even tho they might not be able to answer right away)
Mind-body intervention
Natural methods -relaxation methods -meditation -benefits depend on individuals views -calm the mind -> body follows Intervention used by physically ill -pain control (less of a need for meds when using relaxation techniques) -decrease emotional distress -improve mood
Placebo effect
-believing one is receiving a remedy…body shows improvement
Administration matters:
-injection more effective than oral med
-capsules more effective than pills
-more pills work better
-color of capsule matters (Day/Nyquill)
-enthusiasm of presentation (how your doc reacts)
