Stress and Health Exam 4 pt1 Flashcards
Health psychology
subfield that studies how psychological processes influence physical illness and promotes health & well-being
Stressors
environmental events that place demands on a person. The things that push our buttons. Both positive and negative that have some kind of disruption in
the external world (having a job, having a test, getting engaged, starting a new job, having a child….)
Significant life changes also have an impact such as having a baby or getting married even though they might be positive things.
Daily hassles:
An added hassle that you must deal with. They can significant life changes and they can be chronic little changes that can add up.
annoying coworker, having to take the bus every day, discrimination against women or people of color
Stress
The process by which we perceive and respond to stressors. Stress is a response. Stressors are what we experience; what is out in the environment.
Stress is something out there and is influenced by stressors.
Appraisal
a cognitive evaluation. It can be a challenge giving you some motivation and making you more focused.
Flight or fight response:
to produce this response the hypothalamus activates two pathway which are the sympathetic nervous system and the HPA axis. Sympathetic uses nerve pathways to initiate reactions in the body and the adrenal cortical (HPA system uses the bloodstream.
Sympathetic nervous system
prepares us for potential action especially one that is
supposed to happen in the next 15t to 20 min. Pupils dilate, forget about hunger since we have care about something more important such as fighting.
Hormones that make us more anxious are secreted.
The HPA axis:
It is a little slower than the sympathetic system. Prepares us for actions that are little later, that come maybe in 8 hours. Helps us preserve our energy more efficiently. If we are under constant stress our hormone release for cortisol do not shut off, hormonal overload can lead to an exertion over our bodies and health. Cortisol is good for the short run only, it helpes use energy more
efficiently.
Tend-and-befriend response:
Tending to care for the vulnerably and work together.
Under stress people especially women often provide support to others, bond and seek support from others.
Tend
When we perceive something as threating, we tend to look at the things that are more vulnerable.
Befriend
we get together in social groups we have the ability to work with each other in groups. Social support.
GAS General adaptation syndrome – alarm, resistance, exhaustion
The body’s adaptive response to stress in three phases alarm, resistance and exhaustion.
Alarm
: the flight or fight response were our sympathetic system activates
Resistance
coping with stress
Exhaustion
Can’t physically be mobilized/ under with stress for long periods of time so we get depleted.
Psychoneuroimmunology
How do psychological and neural processes interact to affect our immune system, and health.
Immune system ;Lymphocytes
They are part of white cells that fight off invaders. Stress can lead to a decrease in lymphocytes production leading to health issues. Stress leads to a reduced immune system
Cardiovascular system; Type A personality
Tend to have 3 types of elements: competitive, time urgency (feel like they always have stuff going on, I have places to go to..) and tended to be hostile. People who have Type A personality have a higher risk to have heart attacks. Anything that narrows your arteries or restricts them to expand have higher rates of cortisol impairing their arteries leading to cardiovascular issues. People who tend to be more hostile are like this.
Coronary heart disease is the clogging of vessels that nourish the heart muscle.
Type B
less hostile, more relaxed, basically the opposite of A.
b. Physiology Happy and consistently satisfied people tend to be healthy and outlive their unhappy peers, predicting longer life.
