Unit 2, Stress Management

Question 1

Stress

Answer 1

something that makes you worry and is determined by the balance between perceived demands of the environment and the individual’s resources to meet those demands

Question 2

Homeostasis

Answer 2

a balanced and stable environment - the “unstressed” state

Question 3

Stress, Stressor and Stress Response

Answer 3

• the collective physiological and emotional responses to any stimulus that disturb’s an individual’s homeostasis
• any physical and pyschological changes associated with stress (acute or chronic)
• the physiological changes associated with stress (acute or chronic)

Question 4

Recipe for Stress (4)

Answer 4

novelty, unpredictability, threat to ego and sense of loss of control

Question 5

Stress - Types

Answer 5

environmental stressors and physiological stressors
and emotional stressors - major and minor stressors

Question 6

Stress - Categories

Answer 6

acute: short-term, single event (flight or fight response)
episodic: series of events (transient - comes and goes)
chronic - long-term, always present

Question 7

Eustress

Answer 7

good stress, stress triggered by a pleasant stressor

Question 8

Distress

Answer 8

bad stress, stress triggered by an unpleasant stressor

Question 9

Stages of GAS (general adaptation syndrome)

Answer 9

alarm = flight or fight reaction (release of hormones)
resistance (adaptation) = new level of homeostasis characterized by increased resistance to stress, improved ability to cope with stress
exhaustation = inability to cope

Question 10

Responses to stress (everyone responds differently)

Answer 10

inherited predispositions - provide you with a blueprint on how to do things, how to deal with behavioural responses
experience - upbringing, direct experience with stress (past)
personality - ex. highly sensitive, energetic

Question 11

Personality and Stress (types)

Answer 11

Type A = easily upset, react explosively to stressors
Type B = react more calmly to stressors
Type C = exaggerated stress responses
Hardy = view stressors as challenges and oppurtunities of growth

Question 12

Three major responses to stress

Answer 12

physical/physiological response: fight or flight
emotional response
behavioural responses that are controlled by the somatic nervous system

Question 13

Autonomic nervous system

Answer 13

branch of peripheral nervous system that controls basic body processes

Question 14

Sympathetic and parasympathetic division

Answer 14

• reacts to danger or other challenges by accelerating body processes (flight, fight, freeze, fawn)
• moderates the excitatory effect of the sympathetic division (moderating effects that rile you up, rest and digest)

Question 15

Endocrine system

Answer 15

system of glands, tissues and cells that secrete hormones into the bloodstream, influence metabolism and body processes
main players: hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal glands

Question 16

Hypothalamus

Answer 16

body’s control and coordination centre and acts as a link between endocrine and nervous systems

Question 17

Pituitary gland

Answer 17

pea-sized, underneath hypothalamus, “master gland” that assists in growth, metabolism and reproduction (targets lots of tissues)

Question 18

Adrenal gland

Answer 18

medulla (inner part, middle): secrets epi and norepi
cortex (outer part): secrete cortisol and mineralcroticoids
- it responds to messages from the pituitary gland and responds to sympathetic division

Question 19

SAM & HPA

Answer 19

sympathetic-adrenal-medullary axis (short-term responses to stress) (epi or nor-epi)
hypothalamic-pituratary-adrenocortical axis (acute and long-term response to stress)

Question 20

Norepinephrine

Answer 20

neurotransmitter released by the sympathetic division to increase body functions and a hormone released by adrenal gland

Question 21

Epinephrine

Answer 21

hormone secreted in the inner core (medulla) of the adrenal gland and also a neurotransmitter in the medulla oblongata

Question 22

Cortisol

Answer 22

steroid hormone that is secreted by an outer layer (cortex) of the adrenal gland

Question 23

Endorphin

Answer 23

pain-inhibiting effects (produced by pituitary gland (hormone) and hypothalamus (neurotransmitter, dopamine))

Question 24

Catecholamine

Answer 24

hormones made by your adrenal glands, hormones are released in response to physical or emotional stress and the main types of catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.

Question 25

Allostatic load

Answer 25

the cumulative burden of chronic stress and live events, the wear and tear on the body, from spending long periods of time in a state of sympathetic nervous activation (overall picture of stress)

Question 26

Major responses to problems

Answer 26

emotional, cognitive and avoidant coping

Question 27

Emotional-focusing coping (stress management)

Answer 27

consists of actions taken to migrate the negative emotions associated with the problem and may be seen as the only realistic option when a source of stress is outside a person’s control (less effective than problem-focused strategies)

Question 28

Problem-facing coping (stress management)

Answer 28

targets the causes of stresses in practical ways which tackles the problem and this strategy aims to remove or reduce the cause of the stressor

Question 29

Problem-focused coping strategies (3)

Answer 29

taking control, information seeking and evaluating the pros and cons

Question 30

Ways to manage stress

Answer 30

exercise, nutrition, sleep, social support and communication, spiritual wellness and laughter yoga