Stress & Health Psychology Flashcards
Stress
Nonspecific response of the body to any demand made on it; the arousal, both physical and mental, to situations or events that we perceive as threatening or challenging
Stressor
The trigger that prompts the stressful reaction
Eustress
Pleasant, desirable stress
Distress
Unpleasant, threatening stress
Seven major sources of stress:
Life changes Chronic stress Job stress Hassle Frustration Conflict Cataclysmic events
Chronic stress
State of ongoing arousal in which the parasympathetic system cannot activate the relaxation response
List the 3 basic types of conflict:
Approach-Approach
Avoidance-Avoidance
Approach-Avoidance
Approach-Approach Conflict:
Choosing between two or more favorable alternatives.
Avoidance–Avoidance Conflict:
A forced choice between two or more unpleasant alternatives both of which lead to negative results
Approach-Avoidance Conflict:
Choosing between alternatives that will have both desirable and undesirable results
SAM System
Body’s initial, rapid-acting stress response, involving the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal medulla; also called the Sympatho-AdrenoMedullary (SAM) system
HPA Axis
Body’s delayed stress response, involving the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal cortex; also
called the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical (HPA) system
Homeostasis
Body’s tendency to maintain a relatively balanced and stable internal state, such as a constant internal temperature
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
Selye’s three-stage (alarm, resistance, exhaustion) reaction to chronic stress
Type A Personality
Behavior characteristics include intense ambition,
competition, exaggerated time urgency, and a cynical, hostile outlook
Type B Personality
Behavior characteristics consistent with a calm, patient, relaxed attitude
Hardiness
Resilient personality with a strong commitment to personal goals, control over life, and viewing change as a challenge rather than a threat
Hardiness 3 distinctive attitudes:
Commitment
Control
Challenge
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Anxiety disorder following exposure to a life-threatening or other extreme events that evoked great horror or helplessness; characterized by flashbacks, nightmares, and impaired functioning
Primary symptoms of (PTSD)
- Reexperiencing the events through vivid memories or flashbacks
- Feeling emotionally “numb”
- Feeling overwhelmed by what would normally be considered everyday situations
- Showing diminished interest in performing a normal task or pursuing an unusual interest
- Crying uncontrollably
- Isolating one’s self from family and friends and avoiding social interaction
- Relying increasingly on alcohol or drugs to get through the day
- Feeling extremely moody, irritable, angry, suspicious, or frightened
- Having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, sleeping too much, and experiencing nightmares
- Feeling guilty for surviving the event or being unable to solve the problem, change the event, or prevent the disaster
- Feeling fear and sense of doom about the future
Five Important tips for coping with a crisis
- Recognize your feelings about the situation and talk to others about your fears. Know that these feelings are a normal response to an abnormal situation.
- Be willing to listen to family and friends who have been affected and encourage them to seek counseling if necessary.
- Be patient with people. Tempers are short in times of crisis, and others may be feeling as much stress as you.
- Recognize normal crisis reactions, such as sleep disturbances and nightmares, withdrawal, reverting to childhood behaviors, and trouble focusing on work or school.
- Take time with your children, spouse, life partner, friends, and coworkers to do something you enjoy.
Health Psychology
Studies how biological, psychological, and social factors interact in health and illness
