U3AOS1 - Stress, Coping Strategies And Models Flashcards
stressor
where a situation or any circumstance that is perceived to be a threat… or which causes or promotes stress
- it can be positive / negative, environmental, social or psychological
stress
a psychological or physical response to internal or external sources of tension (stressors) that challenge a persons’ ability to cope and adapt to challenging conditions, either real or perceived
distress
negative stress
- too little or too much stress
eustress
positive stress
too little stress
impaired attention
confusion
apathy
too much stress
impaired selectivity
excitement
burn-out
disorganised behaviour
physical signs of stress
- rapid heart rate
- headaches
- chest pain
- fatigue
- visual difficulties
cognitive signs of stress
- poor concentration
- memory impairment
- blaming others
- racing thoughts
emotional signs of stress
- apprehension / anxiety
- fear
- anger
- panic
- hopelessness
- denial
behavioural signs of stress
- sleep disturbances
- anti-social behaviour
- inappropriate use of humour
- substance use
sources of stress
daily pressures
life events
acculturative stress
major stress / catastrophes
daily pressures
- we all experience eustress and distress in our daily lives
- examples include lack of sleep, traffic jams, gossip, excess noise, car breakdown and social media issues
life events
- can include life events such as starting a new job or the death of a loved one
acculturative stress
- learning a new language and adapting to customs and laws very differently from their own (acculturation)
- can also be affected due to seperation, feeling overwhelmed, relationships, status difficulty, social and cultural change, resettlement issues and religion changes
major stress / catastrophes
- affects a whole population or group
- extreme stressors can lead to a person developing PTSD or anxiety disorders
models of stress as a biological process
flight-freeze-fight response
flight-freeze-fight response
- controlled by the sympathetic nervous system
- its classified as an adaptive response
- can either freeze and do nothing // fight it or take flight and leave
cortisol
a stress hormone // it plays an essential role responding to stress
HPA Axis
when a stressor is present the following occurs:
- Triggers release of corticotropin (CRH) from the hypothalamus
- The pituitary gland in turn releases adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) into the bloodstream
- ACTH gets to the adrenal glands and then this releases stress hormones includes adrenaline, noradrenaline and CORTISOL
cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline actions
- increase in respiration and heart rate
- oxygenated blood travels around our body faster causing extreme alterness
- glucose is released to provide us with more energy to respond
- pupils dialate to allow more light in for greater detail in our vision
prolonged stress impacts
can cause immune system suppression and make us more vulnerable to major and minor illnesses
when the cause of stress is removed
- acetylcholine is released and cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline levels return to normal
homeostasis and allostasis
allostasis is the process of change that needs to occur to return the body to homeostasis
homeostasis is a state of balance
- internal biochemical stability to others in our allostatic load
allostatic load
frequent flight-fight-freeze response can lead to an increase in our allostatic load
- when we can’t deal with all the pressure and our physical resources are depleted we go into allostatic overload
physiological responses
- environmental stressors, major life events, trauma and abuse lead to perceived stress
- perceived stress (threats, helplessness, vigilance) causes a physiological response based on individual differences and behavioural responses
- allostasis and adaption kicks in and contributes to our allostatic load
General Adaption Syndrome
The three stage physiological process that occurs regardless of the stressor that is encountered
- GAS is non-specifc and will occur whatever the source of the stressor
GAS stages
alarm - shock - countershock resistance exhaustion
stage 1 : alarm
- made up of shock and countershock
shock
- occurs when a person or animal first becomes aware of the stressor and the body going into a temporary state of shock
- ability to deal with the stressor falls below its normal levels
- physiologically the body reacts as if it were injured, blood pressure drops and temporary muscle loss may occur
- symptoms include fatigue and heart attack
countershock
- sympathetic nervous system is activated
- body’s resistance to stressor increases
- organises response to flight-fight-freeze response
- becomes highly aroused and alert to deal with the stressor
- adrenaline is released into the bloodstream and the organisms respiratory system and heart
- this supplies muscles with more energy (glucose) allowing the organism to fight or flee until needed
stage 2: resistance
- body’s resistance to stressor rises above normal
- intense reaction of alarm diminishes but psychological arousal remains above normal
- all unnecessary physiological processes are shut down
- chemicals such as cortisol are released into the bloodstream to energise the body and repair any damage which may have occurred
- if effect to deal with the internal stressor in the resistance stage is successful the organism will have adapted to a stressor and the body returns to homeostasis
stage 2: resistance - symptoms/signs
- resistance to other stressors such as illness or disease may decline
- increases social withdrawal // absences from school or work are characteristic
- the person may appear withdrawn, fearful or angry
stage 3: exhaustion
- if the stressor is not dealt with successfully during the resistance stage, and it continues the organism enters an exhaustion stage
- during the exhaustion stage, some of the alarm reaction changes may reappears but the body cannot sustain its resistance and the effects of the stressor cannot be dealt with anymore
- because the organism has been trying to deal with the stressor for a prolonged time its resources have been depleted, its resistance to disease is very weak and it becomes more vulnerable to physical and mental illnesses
- brings about physical wear and tear especially if organs have been constantly trying to deal with the stressor
stage 3: exhaustion - symptoms/signs
- stress is characterised by extreme fatigue, high levels of anxiety and symptoms of depression and impaired sexual performance
- physical disorders such as hypertension, gastrointestinal problems and heart disease
- in some cases if stress continues the organism may die
GAS model positives
- as a model it provides more info about the physiological processes associated with stress
- it provides laboratory evidence for the role of the brain, endocrine system and peripheral nervous system in stress
- also establishes a strong connection between extreme, prolonged or chronic stress and certain diseases
- results also showed prolonged stress could also lead to death in lab rats
GAS model negatives
- overemphasis on biological processes
- model predominantly based on research with lab rats and not humans
- rats responses to stress are less varied and less complex
- has not applied to humans or considered physiological or environmental factors
- has not recognised the role of emotions and cognitions in the stress response
- generalisations of the theory are limited
transactional model - overview
- stressor undergoes a primary appraisal, secondary appraisal and then the coping resources either are greater than the demand or they aren’t and there is stress
- a reappraisal may occur after a secondary appraisal and start the flow chart again
primary appraisal
- rapid analysis of the stressor
- classifies the situation as harm/loss, threat, challange or neutral
harm/loss
there is some type of damage that can been done
threat
there may be future harm of loss from the stressor
challange
there is an opportunity for personal growth
neutral
an assessment made stating the stressor is of limited personal importance
secondary appraisal
made at a more conscious level
- personal assesses what resources and energy is needed to deal with the event // the strategies they need to cope
- this leads into either that the resources are adequate and problem/emotional coping can be used or they aren’t and the situation becomes more stressful
problem focused coping
- constructive type of coping which reduces stress by using behaviour modification
- includes: taking control, evaluating pros and cons and information seeking
emotion focused coping
- involves trying to reduce negative feelings associated with the stressor
transactional model - strengths
- it uses human subjects in developing the model
- focused on the psychological aspects of stress
- the response to the stressor is viewed as transactional between the individual and the environment
- takes both mental processes and emotions into account
- acknowledges responses to stress are individualised
- provides a framework in which there is opportunity or possibility for the person to reappraise and adjust their response accordingly
transactional model - weaknesses
- initial assessment may not be clear cut // person may experience a stressor and not be conscious of its origins
- due to the subjective manner in which everyone experiences stress it is hard to test
- pre-existing conditions aren’t taken into account
coping with stress
active coping
negative coping
active coping
- seeking solutions
- finding acceptance
- focus on the facts
- set priorities
negative coping
- withdrawal
- denial
- projection
- suicidal thoughts
- blaming
negative feelings
shame guilt panic disappointment anxiety depression sadness
context specific effectiveness
- considers the unique characteristics of a situation or environment that the person is required to adapt to
coping flexibility
- refers to the individual ability to adapt effectively to a range of stressful situations
- develop a repertoire of both problem focused and emotion focused coping strategies
strategies for coping with stress
exercise
approach vs avoidance
exercise
- physical activity that is usually planned and performed to improve of maintain physical condition
benefits of exercise
- physical exercise increases demands on the body for energy and in the processes uses up stress hormones
- can help work out built up tension in muscles
- increases efficiency of cardiovascular system, increases strength, flexibility and stamina for encountering future stressors
- many people experience short term psychological benefits during or immediately after exercising (from endorphins)
- provides opportunity for time out from a stressor
- people who exercise with others experience long term psychosocial benefits
approach
move towards
avoidance
move away
approach strategies
involve effects to deal with a stressor, its causes and a situation that will address the underlying problem, issue or concern and minimise or estimate its impact
- include strategies which engage with the stressor
approach strategies - benefits
- generally considered more adaptable
- people using approach strategies generally experience fewer physiological symptoms that avoidance
approach strategies - limitations
- initially or in the short term whilst the individual is directly engaged with the stressor and its causes
- requires the individuals energy and focus to deal with the stressor neglecting other aspects of their lives
avoidance strategies
- involve effects that evade the stressor and there is no attempt to actively confront the stressor and its causes
- strategies include behavioural or emotional disengagement
avoidance strategies - benefits
- selectively avoiding dealing with the unchangeable aspects of a stressor by ‘switching off’ may be considered adaptive
- allows for conversion of energy to focus on other stressors
- disengagement might be appropriate in a situation where nothing can be done
- can provide ‘time out’ from the stressor
avoidance strategies - limitations
- tend to be maladaptive
- excessive reliance on avoidance strategies leads to be associated with a number of negative consequences
- long term use of avoidance strategies can also contribute to other problems
- tend to only be helpful in short term
- delaying the stressor longer may have increased negative consequences
