10 29 2008 Chapter 12 STRESS HEALTH COPING STRESS AND HEALTH Psychology The study of the links between p psychological y g factors and p physical y health h l h and d Stress What is stress Pattern of responses to something that blocks our assess to a goal stressor Stressors range from people who talk too slowly Stress is normal and natural to Without the experience of stress we wouldn t work so hard to get things Learning Objective 1 1 10 29 2008 Stressful Life Events Life events positive or negative to which you believe you must adjust events Life changes having to adapt Social Life Change Units Rating Scale Chronic stressors Daily hassles Frustrations Conflict Pressure to or conform events Catastrophes Up to of adults in U S have experienced at least one major extreme stressor in their lives Examples serious accident natural disaster rape or criminal assault combat exposure child sexual or physical abuse and or severe neglect hostage imprisonment torture of a loved one sudden unexpected Learning Objective 1 2 2 10 29 2008 stress disorder Psychological disorder occurring in a minority of people who experience a event Rape Rape war war concentration camp Not normal Flashbacks Intense distress Otherwise low levels of emotion Life How many of you have moved in the last year illness in the family Life 3 10 29 2008 Life Changes Include any alteration in one s living circumstance that require The Social Rating Scale SRRS includes both positive and negative and large and small events People with higher scores on the SRRS tend to be more to physical illness Chronic Stressors Daily Hassles Frustrations 4 10 29 2008 Conflict Two or more impulses compete motivations or Can only chose one of the two Don t want to do either Chose a goal that has positive and negative aspects Mary s Story Mary achieved one of the first scholarships given to a woman to play on a university water polo team She moved across the country to begin her studies at a prestigious school Once there she took on a large load of challenging pre med courses 18 hours h It is i the th middle iddl off the th semester t For F weeks k she h has complained of being extremely stressed out She was considering leaving as she doesn t get along with one of the assistant coaches but she likes the academic possibilities here In addition she was given no parking permit and has to drive around for about a half an hour each morning searching for a place to park Last week she went to the counseling center in crisis after a violent date rape Now she is considering dropping out of school Mary s Stressors Catastrophic events Conflict doesn t get along with coach considering leaving Life athletic team moving starting college new Chronic stressors heavy academic work load Daily hassles frustration problems 5 10 29 2008 Stress Responses response Physical response Emotional response appraisal i l Physiological Stress Response nervous system activate the autonomic Heart rate increases blood pressure rises breathing deeper and slower digestion stops secretion of adrenaline Stress can provoke which impairs performance stress raises risk of illness Physiological Effects of Stress General Adaptation Syndrome Learning Objective 2 6 10 29 2008 Phase 1 Alarm Alarm caused by a sudden activation of your sympathetic nervous system Mobilizes energy in stressful situations So your body recognizes danger and mobilizes for a fight or flight fight or flight situation situation System is activated but since you are in temporary shock your resistance drops below normal usually minor and short term May show various symptoms of headaches fever fatigue sore muscles shortness of breath diarrhea upset stomach etc Learning Objective 3 Phase 2 Time to fight the challenge Your body responds to the challenge with an outpouring of stress hormones causing your temperature blood pressure heart rate and respiration all remain high Everything is in full force to help you cope with the stressors As body defenses stabilize the symptoms of alarm seem to disappear The adjustment to stress and the outward appearance of normality are maintained at high cost During this stage the body is more able to cope with the original stress However its to any other stress is lowered 7 10 29 2008 Phase 3 During this phase the individual reservoir of resources is becoming The person is especially vulnerable to diseases and in extreme cases collapse and death immune system is being challenged by the long term stress Example Stress Response Emotional responses irritability anxiety anger annoyance rage grief fatigue etc Can interfere with ability to cope with stress Affects Decision making Chronic stress Appraisal Some stress is unavoidably bad But a lot of stress is He wasn t being rude just his way of being friendly In the eye of the beholder You don t need his approval Controllable for that anyway Or at least an illusion of control Maybe you can convince yourself it s his way of being friendly 8 10 29 2008 Cognitive of stress Stage 1 Evaluate the threat Is it really a threat How bad is it Stage 2 resources to combat threat Can I cope with h this h Highest stress comes from biggest threats for which we have least resources to combat People in these cognitive appraisals And consequently in their long term stress response Cognitive Appraisal cognitive appraisal makes situation worse thinking Recurring intrusive thoughts about stressors Thinking Dwelling on possible negative consequences of stressors Catastrophic Thinking If I fail the SAT I m not going to get into college and I ll end up with some crap job and I ll have to marry someone who is stupid and ugly and then my kids will be stupid p and ugly g y and myy life will jjust be over Dwelling on possible negative consequences of stressor May increase incidence of depression 9 10 29 2008 Stress Response Changes in expression voice etc of stressors Quit job school Take it out on family Coping strategies Defensive coping Constructive coping problem focused Stress and Health Stress and An aversive state of arousal triggered by the perception that an event threatens the ability to cope effectively Although stressful events have effects on the body the way people cope can health or illness Personality Heart Disease Two Personality Types Type Has a chronic sense of time urgency Rushed and hurried this person is always on edge Has quick and abrupt Often f interrupting others h Is very competitive Even in noncompetitive situations Is a hard driving