Stress And Health I and II

Question 1

What is stress?

Answer 1

1. We use the word stress to refer to circumstances that threaten well being or refer to the response people have to threatening circumstances.
2. a process of evaluating & coping with threatening circumstances.
3. the experience of being threatened by challenging circumstances.

Question 2

The two pathways of stress

Answer 2

• Physiological pathways

- Psychological pathways

Question 3

Discuss Stress and the nervous system - Physiological pathways.

Answer 3

Nervous system and endocrine system preserve homeostasis.
Central Nervous system is main control center: somatic nervous system which has nerves & receptors concerned [sense] with changes to your external environment. Those that regulate internal environment are autonomic

Question 4

Autonomic nervous system

Answer 4

Sympathetic nervous system and Parasympathetic. It participates in involuntary activities of the body. controls the heart,glands,blood vessels and internal organs.

Question 5

Sympathetic nervous system

Answer 5

(“FLIGHT or FIGHT” - “Accelerator)

Question 6

Parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 6

(“REST & DIGEST” system- “Brake”)

Question 7

Describe a stress response:

Answer 7

When people say things like “ My hands felt clammy”, “my heart was pounding so fast I felt it would burst out of my chest”. “ I felt keyed up and started breathing fast”. The muscles in my body felt tight….” During those times the body is ready to deal with any threat in order to survive, the muscles get ready to supply oxygen, blood and sugar , etc. the brain produces endorphins to block out pain and the person becomes all geared up to deal with stressor physically – “flight – fright – fight”

Question 8

Endocrine system

Answer 8

endocrine glands secrete hormones to regulate the activities of various tissues and organs. Hormones act as “messengers” to influence functioning of various organs. Some secretions are: estrogen, cortisol, adrenaline, epinephrine, norepinephrine. Continuous exposure to stress releases hormones constantly - leads to wear and tear of organs -> eg. cardiovascular disease [heart problems]

Question 9

CT/PET scans shows?

Answer 9

that people with a highly active Amygdala have a higher risk of cardiac diseases and stroke.

Question 10

Stress causes extra white blood cells to be made

Answer 10

in the bone marrow.

Question 11

General adaptation syndrome:

Answer 11

GAS, nonspecific response of the body to any demand made on it.

Question 12

What are the 3 stages of stress response?

Answer 12

(i) Alarm stage
(ii) Resistance
(iii) If stress is prolonged: Exhaustion/collapse/death

Question 13

Alarm stage-

Answer 13

organism recognizes a threatening situation. Sympathetic nervous system activates – digestive processes slow down, blood pressure and heart rate increases, adrenal hormones (nor/epinephrine) are released, blood is drawn from skin to muscles. Immediate psycho-physiological response (fright-flight)

Question 14

Resistance

Answer 14

when stress continues , where an adaptation response occurs and /or a return to equilibrium replaces alarm. Resistance cannot go on indefinitely. If alarm happens all the time, energy is depleted

Question 15

If stress is prolonged leads to

Answer 15

: Exhaustion/collapse/death occurs as body’s resources run out. Physiological arousal decreases. Organisms become more susceptible to diseases.

Question 16

Whats the appropriate amount of stress?

Answer 16

The appropriate amount is called Eustress or Healthy stress. The normal healthy stress leads to clear thinking and good planning, Adequate amounts of energy.

Question 17

Physiological responses

Answer 17

contains physical and emotional responses which act to prepare your body for actions

Question 18

Psychological responses

Answer 18

involves responses which occur when you perceive and evaluate the stressors.

Question 19

Stress and the body-Mind connection

Answer 19

Our minds and bodies don’t function as separate entities.

1. Health is not the absence of disease
2. Health is a complete state of physical, psychological and social well being and when all these three are optimised, people function best!!!

Question 20

Discuss the psychological pathway

Answer 20

Lazarus and Folkman [1984] define stress as: “ a particular relationship between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding their resources and endangering their well being”

Question 21

• This definition ^ of stress by lazarus highlights two important processes

Answer 21

:

1. Cognitive appraisal = is an evaluative process that determines why and to what extent a particular transaction/s between a person and the environment is stressful. “Men are disturbed not by things themselves, but by the views they take of things” (Epictetus, as quoted by Fontana,1989
2. Coping = this is process through which the individual manages the demands of the person - environment relationship that is perceived /appraised as stressful and the emotions they generate.

Question 22

coping can be Adaptive and Maladaptive

Answer 22

• Adaptive coping strategies: involve confronting problems directly, making reasonable realistic appraisals of problems, recognizing & changing unhealthy emotional reactions , & trying to prevent adverse effects on the body.
• Maladaptive coping includes using alcohol or drugs to escape problems.

Question 23

Simple Psychological pathway.

Answer 23

Behavior produces emotions/ feelings which produce thoughts which produce perception. And vice versa.

Question 24

There are three parallel systems that function to maintain a person & provide means to deal with stressors over one’s lifetime:

Answer 24

i) Physical/physiological (genetic, prenatal or developmental factors)
ii) Psychological (Personality, motivation, self-esteem, etc.)
iii) Social (financial resources, social support, values, religious beliefs, etc)

Question 25

What is a stressor?

Answer 25

The term “stressor” is used to describe a wide range of exogenous and endogenous stimuli ranging from minor frustrations to major disasters.

Question 26

3 categories of stressors:

Answer 26

i) cataclysmic events or extreme stressors . natural disasters.
ii) Personal stressors or negative life events. These can range from death of a loved one, loss of a job, divorce, adjustment to a new academic environment.
iii) Daily hassles: chronic, low intensity minor events & daily frustrations or difficulties eg. losing/misplacing things, traffic delays etc.

Question 27

Coping mechanisms:

Answer 27

Coping refers to the efforts used to manage (master/minimize/reduce or tolerate) a troubled person-environment issue.

1. Vigilant, Problem-solving.
2. Avoidant, denying problems.
3. emotional regulating.

Question 28

Role of mediators

Answer 28

Mediators are variables which are generated within encounters and which change the relationship between the stressor and the outcome. As a mediator ,coping arises during the encounter and changes.

Question 29

Role of moderators

Answer 29

Moderators are conditions such as age, gender, socioeconomic status or personality traits which interact with other conditions to produce outcomes.

Question 30

Coping flexibility

Answer 30

is the hallmark of a resilient individual. Resilience is the ability to “bounce back” from the knocks of life.

Question 31

Most commonly studied personal coping resources are:

Answer 31

i) Personal control or mastery over life
ii) Self-esteem
iii) Optimism

Question 32

Personal control/mastery

Answer 32

“Human beings are not just interested in
avoiding pain and seeking pleasure but are
motivated to achieve mastery”
• Control is the ability to regulate or influence
outcomes through selective responding
• It refers to expectations of having the power to
participate in decision making to achieve
desirable consequences

Question 33

Self-esteem

Answer 33

• Defined as an individuals total positive and
negative thoughts about himself /herself
themselves that is stable over time
• Self-esteem affects the stress and coping process
by preventing people from becoming
overwhelmed by stressful events

Question 34

Optimism

Answer 34

• Optimism- a tendency to believe that one will
generally experience good versus bad outcomes
• The differences in outcome derive partly from
the differences between optimist’s and
pessimist’s in the manner which they cope with
life’s adversity

Question 35

Stressors [summary?]

Answer 35

1. coping mechanisms (appraisal )
2. coping strategies (cognitive, emotional)
3. coping resources ( self esteem, optimism, social support, finances, gender, age, etc.)
4. Perceived stress —Benign stress
5. Stress outcome=Physical ill health ,Psychological ill health, Well being

Question 36

Take home message about stress.

Answer 36

Stress affects our thoughts, emotions, behavior
and our body’s reactions
• It is a circular process and the physical cannot
be divorced or separated from emotional
/psychological
• All work hand-in-hand to keep human beings
functioning

Question 37

Stress impact on patients?

Answer 37

• Stress can lead people not to take care of their
health: eg. overeating especially a poor diet rich
in salty, fatty foods, etc., can lead to obesity,
hypertension, back problems, diabetes,
cardiovascular diseases.
• Poverty can lead people to experience high levels
of stress which may leave them susceptible to
illness/diseases, delay access to healthcare, can
lead to nonadherence to treatment regimens