Sherpath Ch 37 Stress and Coping

Question 1

Distress

Answer 1

stress that does not serve a beneficial purpose) can be accompanied by anxiety and feelings of powerlessness

Question 2

eustress

Answer 2

stress that serves a beneficial purpose

Question 3

allostasis

Answer 3

means by which homeostasis is reestablished, and the purpose of allostasis is to assist the body in maintaining stability

Question 4

Roy’s Adaptation Model

Answer 4

people adapt to stress by:

Meeting their physiologic needs
Developing a positive identity
Performing social role functions
Balancing dependence and independence

Question 5

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Answer 5

the body responds in the same way to any demand, whether it be:

Physical or emotional
Pleasant or unpleasant

Question 6

sympathetic nervous system responds by

Answer 6

raising blood pressure, heart rate, respirations, and cardiac output,
decreasing gastric motility and blood flow to the skin, and
dilating the pupils

Question 7

Selye’s GAS theory is comprised of three stages

Answer 7

alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Question 8

Sympathetic-Adrenal Medulla (SAM)

Answer 8

In SAM, the sympathetic nervous system is activated when vital signs increase. Blood shunts away from the digestive tract and kidneys to the muscles, heart, and lungs. Glucose is dumped in the bloodstream for more energy, pupils dilate to take in stimuli, hearing increases, and oxygen to the brain facilitates cognition. This all happens in a split second, explaining why people can dodge an attack or an oncoming car when the body has perceived a threat.

Question 9

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis

Answer 9

As the initial surge of epinephrine subsides, the HPA axis is activated. Nonessential bodily functions are decreased. The intensity of the alarm stage makes it unsustainable for long periods of time. Once the threat has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system allows the body to rest. If the threat does not pass, the next stage (resistance) in the GAS model occurs.

Question 10

GAS—Resistance and Exhaustion Stages

Answer 10

Resistance: sustained and optimal resistance to the stressor occurs. Usually, stressors are successfully overcome and the body enters a state of recovery, repair, and renewal.

Exhaustion: If stressors are not overcome successfully, the exhaustion stage occurs. The body’s resources are depleted, and stress may become chronic. The toll that long-term increases in cortisol takes on the body can lower immunity and contribute to other types of vulnerability that have significantly detrimental physical effects on the body.