Stress any circumstance that threatens or is perceived to threaten one s well being Stress has both psychological and physiological components Frustration the pursuit of a goal is presented Conflict two or more competing and incompatible goals occur Three General Types of Conflict 1 Approach Approach Conflicts A choice must be made between two desirable goals The least stressful type of conflict Deciding between studying abroad over the summer or having an internship in DC both desirable 2 Avoidance Avoidance Conflict a choice must be made between two unattractive goals A boy wants to break up with his annoying girlfriend but the thought of breaking up with her is just as annoying 3 Approach Avoidance Conflict a choice must be made about to achieve a goal which has both positive and negative attributes On a cold morning do you stay in bed since its freezing and it will be awful to walk to class or miss the notes from class Change any notable difference in one s life which requires adaptation Both positive and negative life changes can be stressful Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Scale Death of a Spouse 100 Points Marital Reconciliation 45 Points Change in Financial Status 38 Points Pressure expectations or demands that one behave in a particular manner General Adaptation Syndrome Selye All types of stressful situations lead to a similar stress response consisting of Three Stages 1 Alarm the body releases adrenal hormones sympathetic nervous system is activated Realizing there is an exam next week in orgo I haven t studied yet 2 Resistance body is on high alert Body doesn t get the chance to settle down because after Orgo is the Stats exam and then the psych paper is due 3 Exhaustion increased physiological vulnerability to stress After the resistance the body is over worked more vulnerable to getting sick Kanner also studied stress in terms of the daily hassles said the sum of total mundane life tasks combine to create significant levels of stress Parents think did I pay the water bill I haven t picked up stamps and I need to help my kids with math homework but I can t multiply fractions and I need to get dinner for tonight but Johnny won t eat chicken and I already made the chicken Coping What strategies you use to buffer against the stress cycle Active efforts to master reduce or accept the demands created by stress Adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies exist Not everything people do to help them when they are stressed are the best solutions Maladaptive Coping Strategies Displaced Aggression harmful to some who is verbally physically targeted who is not actually the object of the hostility Go to dinner at the Mother in Law s and she says mean things to you but you don t say anything in return the next day at work you project your anger on a co worker Catharsis the release of emotional tension Taking the anger out on a pillow only temporarily helpful Self Indulgence compensate for deprived frustrated feelings by trying to promote a feeling of satisfaction in another area When oreos make you feel less stressed Or going shopping for shoes May make someone feel better but does not solve the problem Defense Mechanisms Compensation counteracting a real or imagined weakness by emphasizing desirable traits or seeking to excel in other areas Denial protecting oneself from an unpleasant reality by refusing to perceive it Fantasy fulfilling unmet desires in imagined achievements or activities Identification taking on some of the characteristics of an admired person usually as a way of compensating for perceived personal weaknesses Constructive Coping Strategies healthy efforts to deal with a stressful event making one more resilient to the stressor s Problem Focused Coping how to change the situation that has created the problem What do you do to get the kids to school on time Mornings are always stressful with kids running around getting ready Instead we don t go to bed at night unless bags are packed and next to the door and outfits are picked out Emotion Focused Coping how to change perceptions reactions to the situation Its only elementary school lets stop worrying about it lets find your shoes and its not that big of a deal Optimism people with more positive outlooks handle stress better Its better to see the glass as half full People who are optimistic handle stress better trying to help pessimists find optimism Social Supports presence of social support provide adaptive coping release from pressures Having a friend help you out on a crummy day Sense of self efficacy tools to respond to stressors and feeling of being stressed Variables that indicate how kids will do in stressful situations Individual Variables gender males are more vulnerable age younger kids more than older kids temperament Familiar Variables whether or not a child has loving supportive parents strong financial abilities or not External Variables whether or not a child has a good teacher looking out for them or a member of a sports team what other variables in the community are there Personality traits are styles also impact response to stressful situations Type A Personalities competitive impatient and more prone to aggression Molly Type B Personalities more relaxed easy going and less quick to anger Stress and Personality Styles interact with health Type A Personalities have 2x the risk of disease Stress in general lowers decreases the body s immune response Additional health issues associated with stress smoking poor nutritional habits lack of exercise and alcohol drug use Road Rage Stress Public health issues related to road rage Theraputic Interventions deep breathing used to identify and reduce stress can be effective Exercise can reduce stress serves to improve both physiological and psychological well being Pets and Plants have been shown to reduce stress Petting an animal has been shown to reduce high blood pressure Post Traumatic Stress Disorder the enduring psychological disturbance attributed to the experience of a major traumatic event war car accident tornado abuse rape and chronic stress conditions now included Replaying or recurrent thoughts of trauma Phobic avoidance of similar places Oversensitivity to sounds increased startle reaction did you hear that Jump if you tap them high alert phase Nervousness Increased irritability or aggressiveness Blunted Emotion numbness or helplessness Sleep disturbance Cognitive misperceptions Decreased sense of trust Less future oriented If I grow up A