Stress. Stress and stressors Behavioral medicine Stress response system

Transcription

1 Stress AP Key Concept: Discuss theories of stress and the effects of stress on psychological and physical well-being. Stress and stressors Behavioral medicine Stress response system Modified from the work of Sarah Saunders at Lindbergh High School in Missouri.

2 Stress Stress is an emotional response to demands that are perceived as threatening or exceeding a person s resources or ability to cope. A stressor is a trigger that prompts a stressful reaction. The physical and emotional response is called a stress reaction.

3 Stress and Stressors Stress is a slippery concept. At times it is the stimulus (missing an appointment) and at other times it is a response (sweating while taking a test).

4 Stress Appraisal Stress arises less from the event itself than from how we appraise it. (Lazarus, 1998)

5 Stress and Illness Stress can be adaptive (motivates us in constructive ways) in a fearful, stresscausing situation we can run away and save our lives. Stress can be maladaptive (causes health risks) if it is prolonged, chronic stress it increases the risk of illness and health problems.

6 Stress and Stressors When short-lived, or when perceived as challenges, stressors can have positive effects. Hans Selye referred to this as eustress, or positive stress. He said individuals need some level of eustress in order to be productive, happy, and inspired. Mobilizing the immune system to fend off infection and heal wounds. Arousing and motivating us to conquer problems. Championship athletes, successful entertainers, and great teachers and leaders all thrive and excel when aroused by a challenge. Having survived a life challenge, some people emerge with stronger self-esteem and greater sense of purpose. Some stress early in life can lead to later emotional resilience.

7 Stress and Stressors Extreme or prolonged stress can harm us and bring about health issues. Hans Selye referred to this as distress, or negative stress. This involves high levels of tension, resulting in impaired decision making, negative physical consequences, appetites or sleep disturbances, or negative coping mechanisms. Abused children Troops who survived heavy combat Post-traumatic stress disorder Loss of a job

8 Stressors: Things that Push Our Buttons Catastrophes Unpredictable large-scale events, such as wars, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and famines. Some respond to catastrophes by relocating which often increases the stress. Significant Life Changes Graduating from high school, leaving home to go to college, getting married, losing a job, having a loved one die. Studies show that people recently widowed, fired, or divorced are more vulnerable to disease. Daily Hassles Traffic, fighting with siblings or friends, long lines, too many things to do, frustration with family Money, work, and the economy (research from the Recession)

9 Stress: Age and Gender

10 Stress: Age and Family

11 The Stress Response System There are two types of instinctive stress response that are important to how we understand stress and stress management: the short-term Fight-or-Flight response and the long-term General Adaptation Syndrome. The first is a basic survival instinct, while the second is a long-term effect of exposure to stress.

12 Fight or Flight Response Walter Canon proposed that stress response (fast) was a fight-or-flight response marked by two tiers. First, the sympathetic nervous system activates the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine from inner adrenal glands increasing heart and respiration rates, mobilizing sugar and fat and dulling pain.

13 The Stress Response System Second, the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland also respond to stress (slow) by triggering outer adrenal glands to secrete glucocorticoids (cortisol the stress hormone).

14 General Adaptation Syndrome (Selye ) Hans Selye extended Cannon s findings while researching recurring responses to stress that he called the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) He discovered various chemicals caused stress reactions in animals He proposed that when a person undergoes chronic or severe stress, the body will go through a three-stage physical response. Alarm Resistance Exhaustion

15 General Adaptation Syndrome Alarm Reaction nervous system activated in response to stressor Resistance body responds with physiological reactions to cope with the stressor; excessive amounts of epinephrine and other stress hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure. Exhaustion body s resistance to stress is depleted (physical deterioration) Diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart disease become likely. Long periods of stress can result in accelerated aging, illness, permanent organ damage, even death.

16 General Adaptation Syndrome

17 General Adaptation Syndrome

18 General Adaptation Syndrome

19 High Stress Job 19

20 Uplifts Opposed to daily hassles, we experience uplifts Pleasant, satisfying experiences May serve as buffers against hassles According to Lazarus, stress neither resides in the person nor the situation; it depends on the transaction between the two. 20

21 Personality Types The impact of stress is also related to dispositional factors and individuals may react to stress in one of two broad ways (Friedman and Rosenman, 1974) Type A are competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people. They usually rush and respond to increased stress by working more, competing harder, or with aggression. Type A s may be intolerant of slowness. Type B are easygoing, relaxed people. They allow stress to roll off their backs and are generally less driven.

22 Personality Types Type As are more severely affected by stress. They have a higher incidence of heart attacks, ulcers, and other stress-related diseases. Type A traits of anger and hostility are the most significant risk factors of heart disease.

23 Stress and health Stress and the heart Stress and the immune system Stress and the brain

24 Stress and the Heart Stress that leads to elevated blood pressure results in Coronary Heart Diseases clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle. Plaque in coronary artery Artery clogged

25 Pessimism and Heart Disease A Harvard University study found that pessimistic adult men are twice as likely to develop heart disease over a 10 year period (Kubzansky et al., 2001).

26 Stress and the Immune System B lymphocytes fight bacterial infections, T lymphocytes attack cancer cells, viruses, microphages ingest foreign substances and NK cells (natural killer) pursue diseased cells. During stress energy is mobilized away from the immune system making it vulnerable. Lennart Nilsson/ Boehringer Ingelhein International GmbH

27 Stress & Susceptibility to Disease Psychophysical illness is any stress-related physical illness, such as hypertension or headaches. Hypochondriasis misinterpreting normal physical sensations as symptoms of disease.

28 Stress and Colds People with highest life stress scores were also most vulnerable when experimentally exposed to a cold virus.

29 Stress and AIDS Stress and negative emotions may accelerate the progression from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). UNAIDS/ G. Pirozzi

30 Stress and Cancer Stress does not create cancer cells. Researchers disagree on whether stress influences cancer progression. They do agree that avoiding stress and a hopeful attitude cannot reverse advanced cancer.

31 Stress and the Brain Stress affects reward pathways (dopamine) and the way we experience pleasure Stress also affects the limbic system, in particular the hippocampus (memory) It can kill the neurons responsible for relaying messages and building neural networks Your brain has difficulty encoding information during periods of prolonged stress (Selye s exhaustion phase) Why you shouldn t cram the night before the AP exam.

32 Health-Related Consequences Kathleen Finlay/ Masterfile Stress can have a variety of health-related consequences.

33 Coping With Stress Types of coping Control and explanatory styles (Rotter, Seligman) Managing and relieving stress

34 Strategies For Alleviating Stress Reducing stress by changing events that cause stress or by changing how we react to stress is called problem-focused coping. When we cannot change a stressful situation, and respond by attending to our own emotional needs it is called emotion-focused coping.

35 Sense of Control (Rotter) The sense of control or influence one has over stressful events in one s life Most studies suggest the lower the perceived control the larger the potential for health-related problems Lower perceived control leads to a lowered immunity to disease.

36 Explanatory Style (Seligman) People with optimistic (compared to pessimistic) explanatory style tend to have more control over stressors, cope better with stressful events, have better moods and have a stronger immune system.

37 Social Support Bob Daemmrich/ Stock, Boston Supportive family members, marriage partners, and close friends help people cope with stress. Their immune functioning calms the cardiovascular system and lowers blood pressure.

38 Managing Stress Having a sense of control, optimistic explanatory style, social support can reduce stress and improve health.

39 Aerobic Exercise Can aerobic exercise boost the spirit? Many studies suggest that aerobic exercise can elevate mood and well-being, because aerobic exercise raises energy, increases self-confidence, lowers tension, depression and anxiety.

40 Biofeedback, Relaxation and Meditation Biofeedback system uses electronic devices to inform people about their physiological responses, and gives them the chance to bring their response into a healthier range. Relaxation and meditation have similar effects in reducing tension and anxiety.

41 Life-Style Ghislain and Marie David De Lossy/ Getty Images Modifying Type A lifestyle can reduce recurrence of heart attacks. 41

42 Spirituality & Faith Communities Regular religious attendance has been a reliable predictor of a longer life span with a reduced risk of dying. 42

43 Intervening Factors Investigators suggest three factors that intervene between religious involvement and better health. 43

44 Your turn Stress in America survey results Methods for managing stress 44