Stress

Question 1

Short Form Health Survey

Answer 1

Psychometric tool that focuses on social functioning and role limitation
Social functioning:
- emotional problems interfering with normal social activities with friends, family, and loved ones
Role limitation: emotional problems interfering with daily activites and work

Question 2

Motivation and Locus of Control

Answer 2

Motivation is either intrinsic (comes from within) or extrinsic (comes from external sources)
Locus of control
Internal - choices and behaviours determine your fate
External - choices and behaviours guided by fate, luck, or higher powers

Question 3

High Internal Locus of Control vs High External Locus of Control

Answer 3

Internal
Advantages:
- self motivated
- higher self esteem
- higher academic achievement

Disadvantgaes
- psychological problems (anxiety and depression)
- more likely to be arrogant
- poor risk management

External
Advantages
- less stressed in short-term by negative events

Disadvantgaes
- anxiety and hopelessness in the long term
- tends to blame failures on external factors
- less likely to set goals and be an underachiever

Question 4

What is Stress?

Answer 4

Non-specific response of the body to any demand put upon it

Question 5

Positive vs Negative Stress

Answer 5

Positive - Eustress
- things you look forward to (ex. going on a date)
Negative - Distress
- stress as a result of trauma
- things you do not look forward to (ex. death of a family member)

Question 6

Can a distress become a eustress?

Answer 6

Changing your mental perspective can achieve this

Question 7

Stress axis

Answer 7

Stress activates the hypothalomo-pituitary adrenal axiss (HPA) to eventually produce cortisol (stress hormone)

Question 8

When is your HPA normally activated?

Answer 8

• as soon as you wake up
• during exercise
• during times of stress

Question 9

Acute stress

Answer 9

Fight or Flight
- increase blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing
- increased blood flow to the muscles, away from the brain, skin, and digestion (increase circulation of glucose)
- increased stress hormones

Question 10

Acute stress can lead to…

Answer 10

Chronic stress
- increased cortisol levels overtime can lead to chronic stress

Question 11

Disease associated with chronic stress

Answer 11

Cushing’s Syndrome
- obesity caused by stress hormones storing fat and activating the reward system in the brain
- can lead to heart disease, diabetes, etc.

Question 12

Mental Health Effect on Health

Answer 12

Mental health is just as impactful as conditions and diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity
- more of an effect than lifestyle factors

Question 13

Disease associated with no stress hormones

Answer 13

Addison’s Disease
- muscle weakness/fatigue
- weight loss/decreased appetite
- low blood pressure
- low blood sugar
- nausea
- depression

Question 14

Stress Relaxation Skills

Answer 14

• breathing exercises
• imagery (replace bad thoughts with good ones)
• progressive relaxation therapy
• physical exercise

Question 15

Symptoms of acute vs chronic stress

Answer 15

Acute
- alert
- decreased blood flow
- increased heart rate & blood pressure
- blood directs away from brain, skin, and digestion to muscles
- decreased appetite
- increased circulating glucose

Chronic
- anxiety
- headaches
- disrupted sleep
- poorer cognition and learning
- increased appetite and fat storage
- hypertension, diabetes, decreased immune function, reproductive problems
- upset stomach and ulcers
- eczema and psoriasis