Stress Responses and Management (Week 4)

Question 1

What are the three stages of General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

Answer 1

Hans Selye’s GAS

1st stage is Alarm or Acute Stress Stage:
Mobilizes resources
-Includes fight-or-flight response.
-Very first initial reaction, results in adrenal stimulation and SNS activation.

2nd stage is Resistance or Adaptation Stage:
Cope with stressor
-Either sustained, healthy resistance to stress is managed, or valuable system resources are used up and we move on to the next stage.

3rd stage is the Exaustion Stage:
Reserves depleted
-Resources are used up and a person succumbs to stressors and/or remains in a chronic stressful state (not good for long-term health)

Question 2

Immune system stress response steps, and the effects they have on the organ?

Answer 2

Interaction between the nervous system and body during alarm phase of GAS.
The Hypothalamus send a nerve impulse down to the Adrenal gland.
The Adrenal gland releases catecholamines into the blood stream and they:

Heart: Increase heart rate.
Liver: Converts glycogen to glucose.
Digestive system: Decrease its activity.
Blood vessels: Increase blood pressure.
Lungs: Dilate the bronchioles.

Question 3

What is distress and eustress?

Answer 3

Distress is a negative, it drains energy causing anxiety, depression, fatigue; Stressors include losses, demands, worries, etc.

Eustress is positive, its beeficial to energy that motivates you and results in hope, joy and purposeful movement. Causes of eustress are any uplifting, fun or fulfilling event.

Question 4

Physical effects of EXCESSIVE stress are…

Answer 4

Lowered immune response
Increased inflammation

Question 5

What are some factors that modify our stress response?

Answer 5

1) The type of stressors, whether its perceived or actual. They can be physical or psychological.

2) Perception of the stress, what is considered stressful varies among individuals.

3) Individual temperment.

4) Social support, a person with a strong social support will most likely stress less than those without.

5) Culture, stress can be viewed as normal to some.

6) Spirituality and religious beliefs.

Question 6

What are some things to assess as a nurse in regards to stress?

Answer 6

Assess stress levels via anxiety rating scales.

Assessing four coping styles:
1) Health-sustaining habits such as medical adherance, exercise, diet, work-life balance.
2) Life satisfactions such as hobbies, family, social groups, spirituality.
3) Social supports such as friendships, family, therapists.
4) Effective and healthy responses to stress…
-What are your patients responses to stress?
-What are their unhealthy responses?

Question 7

What are stress managing, relaxation techniques?

Answer 7

1) Biofeedback (kinda like physical CBT therapy)
2) Deep breathing exercises
3) Guided imagery
-Effective for pain management as well.
4) Progressive relaxation
-Scripted, serial muscle contractions followed by total relaxation.
5) Meditation/mindfulness
-Focus on bringing mental state back to center, to present moment.
6) Physical exercise
7) Cognitive reframing
-Comes from practices of CBT.
-Reframing thoughts from learned unhealthy, irrational responses to more realistic responses.
8) Journaling
9) Humor

Question 8

What are the three most important catacholamines?

Answer 8

Norepinephrine
Epinephrine (adrenaline)
Dopamine