Stress Flashcards
What is the Law of Arousal?
State of being reactive to stimuli
U-shaped relationship between arousal & performance (some arousal needed to provide motivation to change/learn)
Describe the fight or flight response. Outline the organs involved in initiating this response.
Cannon
Catecholamines trigger short term changes to mobilise for activity
Amygdala -> hypothalamus -> pituitary -> adrenal gland -> cortisol & adrenaline
What is General Adaptation Syndrome?
Selye
Long term stress response is damaging (hunter-gatherers adapted to acute stresses, not chronic stresses)
Alarm ——————-> Resistance ————> Exhaustion
(fight/flight response) (adaptation to stressor) (depletion of resources)
Causes endocrine & immune damage
How can stress be measured?
Holmes & Rahe: Stressful Life Events = life events requiring adaptation rated by stress e.g. divorce, bereavement, moving house/job
Kanner et. al: Daily Hassles & Uplifts = e.g. losing keys, missing bus
(increased daily stress -> less likely to cope with life events)
Criticisms: different individuals react to stress differently
What are the different ways in which stress can be managed?
PHYSICAL e.g. relaxation, exercise
COGNITIVE e.g. cognitive restructuring, hypothesis testing
BEHAVIOURAL e.g. time-management, assertiveness
EMOTIONAL e.g. counselling, emotional disclosure, social support
NON-COGNITIVE e.g. medication
Describe the transactional model of stress.
(control & social support)
DEMANDS RESOURCES
| |
\ /
\ /
APPRAISAL (resources) ————————> STRESS RESPONSE
Demands: life events, daily hassles, chronic stressors
Resources: personality, social support, coping skills
PRIMARY APPRAISAL: event a threat?
SECONDARY APPRAISAL: resources/skills to cope?
REAPPRAISAL: reconsider the situation once have tried to cope with it
Give some examples of the impact stress has on health.
PHYSICAL: damage to cardiovascular system (prolonged/intense stress —-> ischaemia/atherosclerosis —–> cardiac death)
IMMUNE: short/medium term stress = increases immune system
long term stress = reduces immune system (inflammation & cortisol)
- factor in common cold, UTIs, herpes, autoimmune, cancer, AIDS
LIFESTYLE: increased stress -> increase in unhealthy behaviour (maladaptive coping mechanism)
MENTAL HEALTH (Beck): prone to cognitive distortions (e.g. overgeneralisation, catastrophising, personalisation, rumination), lack of control —-> learned helplessness (Seligman & drug experiment)
Give some examples of illness-related and other life events which require coping.
Illness-related:
- diagnosis (emotional response)
- physical (pain, limited mobility, other symptoms)
- hospitalisation (loss of autonomy/privacy/status)
- adjustment (biographical disruption, change in identity, chronic illness, acknowledgement of mortality)
- socioeconomic (financial, social, relationships)
Other life-events:
- family (divorce, bereavement)
- personal (imprisonment, achievement)
- workplace (dismissal)
- financial (change in finances)
Contrast coping styles.
Emotion-focused:
Behavioural = do something e.g. distraction, alcohol
Cognitive = change thinking (denial)
Problem-focused:
Behavioural = reduce demands
Cognitive = expand resources e.g. motorised wheelchair
note: active coping associated with better adjustment but chronically ill patients tend to report more passive coping strategies
How can coping be aided?
Increase/mobilise social support (community resources, social services, etc.)
Increase personal control (pain management, choices, cognitive control)
Prepare for stressful events to reduce ambiguity & uncertainty (effective communication, peer contact, responsive to individual preferences, consider special cases)
Stress management techniques