Stress and illness (class 2)

Question 1

Stressors

Answer 1

Event capable of producing physical or emotional stress

Question 2

Hans Selye

Answer 2

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) = sequence of reactions in response to stressors.

Question 3

General Adaptation Syndrome

Answer 3

Any event requiring readjustment, positive or negative, will produce stress.
* Eustress = positive or good stress.
* Distress = damaging or unpleasant stress.

Question 4

Three stages of GAS

Answer 4

Alarm stage

Resistance stage

Exhaustion stage

Question 5

Alarm stage

Answer 5

Sympathetic nervous system releases hormones; emotional reaction – defense forces mobilized to respond to the stressor

Question 6

Resistance stage

Answer 6

Physiological efforts to resist or adapt to stressor

Question 7

Exhaustion stage

Answer 7

If organism fails in efforts to resist stressor

Question 8

Stress response 4 Fs

Answer 8

Walter Cannon
Fight: facing any perceived threat aggressively.
* Flight: running away from danger.
* Freeze: unable to move or act against a threat.
* Fawn (or appease): immediately acting to try to please to avoid any
conflict

Question 9

Effects of stress

Answer 9

Prolonged exposure results in damaging influences from the sympathetic nervous
system.
* Immune system suppression
* Cardiovascular disease
* Increases the risk of atherosclerosis and hypertension and LDL cholesterol
* Some forms of cancer
* Shortening telomeres

Question 10

PTSD

Answer 10

Typically results from experiencing extreme trauma (acute or chronic)

4 Primary characteristics:
* Intrusive re-experiencing event
* Negative Mood and Cognitions
* Avoidance of triggers
* Hyper-arousal/vigilant – always on alert