Chapter 16 : Stress and Health

I.                   Experiencing Stress

 

·        Stress:

 

·        Stressors:

 

A.   The Stress Response

 

1.    Physiological Reactions

 

·        General Adaption Syndrome – biologically programmed to react

 

·        Activation of the sympathetic nervous system

 

2.    Psychological Reactions

 

·        Emotional and Behavioral Components

 

·        Not necessarily negative

 

3.    Gender Differences

 

·        Physical reaction the same

 

·        Behavioral differences

 

B.   Cognitive Appraisal

·        Defined as: perceiving a threat and conclude you don’t have adequate resources

 

C.   External Sources of Stress

 

1.    Significant Life Events

 

·        Examples: death, natural disasters, catastrophes

 

·        Long-term effects

·        Social Readjustment Rating Scale (Holmes & Rahe, 1967)

 

ü     Change

ü     Positive change

 

2.    Daily Hassles

 

·        Cumulative effect

 

·        Hassles Scale

 

3.    Environmental Factors

 

·        Noise

 

·        Crowding

 

·        Family social environment

 

·        Peer interactions

 

·        Workplace

 

·        Socioeconomic status

 

·        Succumb to stress when forced to live in situations of:

ü     Excessive stimulation

 

ü     Movement is constrained

 

ü     Resources are limited

 

D.   Internal Sources of Stress

 

1.    Perceived Control

·        Your amount of influence

 

·        Prolonged

 

2.    Explanatory Style

 

·        Attributions

 

ü     Internal

 

ü     Stable

 

ü     Global

 

3.    Personality Characteristics

The set of unique psychological characteristics that differentiate us from others and lead us to act consistently across situations

 

·        Optimism

 

·        Type A

Hard working, drive, ambitious, easily annoyed, impatient

Immersed in self-imposed stress

Too busy to notice and enjoy

Engaged in relentless pursuit of success

 

ü     Heart disease – twice as likely

 

ü     Rated on competitiveness, ambition, hostility, anger, expression of anger

 

·        Type B

People who lack type A attributes

 

Put themselves under less pressure and appear more relaxed

 

II.                Reacting to Prolonged Stress

Not able to reduce or eliminate perceived threat

 

A.   Physical Consequences of Stress

 

·        Correlational evidence

 

1.    The Immune Response

 

·        Stress can lower the immune system response

 

·        Chronic illnesses

 

2.    Cardiovascular Disease

 

·        High cholesterol levels

   

·        High blood pressure

 

B.   Psychological Consequences of Stress

Feelings of anxiety, feeling out of control, emotionally drained, depressed

 

1.    Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

·        Trauma based anxiety disorder, Reaction to traumatic event

ü     Flashbacks

 

ü     Avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma

 

ü     Chronic arousal symptoms

 

2.    Burnout

State of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion

 

III.             Reducing And Coping with Stress

Coping: defined as efforts to manage or master conditions of threat

 

A.   Relaxation Techniques

Stress incompatible with relaxation

 

ü     Progressive muscle relaxation

 

ü     Autogenic relaxatio

 

ü     Meditation

 

1.    Biofeedback

Defined as specific physiological feedback

B.   Social Support

Defined as resources from others in the form of comfort, caring, or help

 

C.   Reappraising the Situation

 

·        Interpretation

 

·        Stress management

 

IV.            Living A Healthy Lifestyle

 

A.   Get Fit: The Value of Aerobic Exercise

Defined as high intensity activity that increases heart rate and oxygen consumption

 

·        Positive impact

ü     Improves mood

 

B.   Don’t Smoke: Tobacco and Health

 

·        Smoking or oral ingestion

 

·        Addictive

 

·        Drop in % of people who smoke in past two – three decades

 

C.   Eat Right: The Value of Proper Nutrition

 

·        Dietary habits: high fat, high cholesterol

 

D.   Avoid Risky Behavior: Protect Yourself from Disease

 

·        Prevention programs

ü     Primary prevention: educate public/children

 

ü     Secondary prevention: early identification of risk factors

 

ü     Tertiary prevention: handle or contain an illness or habit once acquired

 

1.    AIDS