Health, Stress, and Coping Chapter 13

Transcription

1 Health, Stress, and Coping Chapter 13

2 Health Psychology Uses behavioral principles to prevent illness and death, and promote health

3 Stress is a condition in which an organism is subjected to external conditions to which it must adjust or adapt to our environment. We all deal with stress differently. How we cope with it and what effect does it have on our health?

4 Depending on how many stressors we have in our lives, and what kind of stressor, will determine how we handle and learn to deal with stress. How we perceive a situation will determine the stress factors. Some of us enjoy something that others would find very stressful. Example: Skydiving

5 Most of us feel more stress when we have little control over a situation. The less control in our lives, the more stress we tend to feel.

6 Psychoneuroimmunology The study of the links among behavior, stress, disease, and the immune system. Immune system: Mobilizes bodily defenses, like white blood cells, against invading microbes and other diseases

7 Two major causes of psychological stress: 1. Frustration 2. Conflict

8 1. Frustration is caused by a continual lack of an ability, power, or knowledge to get what you want or need. This can be external (problems outside the individual) or internal (personal or internal conflicts).

9 The major reaction to frustration is aggression. Many studies have been done that says frustration leads to aggression. The classic example is the father or husband who comes home from work and displaces his aggression and frustration about his work or boss onto his family.

10 Often people pick someone to displace their frustration onto. This person is called the scapegoat. A scapegoat is the regular target of displaced frustration.

11 2. Conflict: occurs when two things are not compatible. It can be needs or internal conflicts, or external conflicts with other people or things.

12 There are 4 basic forms of conflict that psychologists talk about: 1. Approach-Approach Conflict: Is choosing between two desirable or positive alternatives. This conflict is not usually very stressful. 2. Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict: The choice between two negative, undesirable alternatives. More stress will be generated by conflict. You don t want to do either. 3. Approach-Avoidance Conflict: This conflict is being attracted to, and repelled by, a goal or activity at the same time. Being on a diet and staying thin. 4. Double Approach- Avoidance Conflict: Each alternative has both positive and negative qualities.

13 People can escape and withdraw when frustration and conflicts are stressful. Some of the destructive reactions to stress: 1. Defenses behavior- defense mechanism 2. Drugs and alcohol- drinking too much, etc. 3. Burnout - A physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion.

14 Learned Helplessness: A learned inability to overcome environmental obstacles or to avoid punishment. When people experience outcomes that are independent of their responses, they come to expect that their efforts to gain control will be futile. They become depressed and suffer stress, rather than trying to reduce it.

15 Effects of Stress: Stress produces adverse physical effects. We cope with this using our fight or flight response. This causes wear and tear on the body and can cause psychosomatic disorders. Ex. Ulcers, Asthma, Hair Loss, Hives, Headaches, etc. Studies show that the immune systems were weakened while students were studying for a major exam.

16 Table 13-4, p. 441

17 Type A and Type B Personalities The main characteristics of the type A personality: 1. Time urgency 2. A preoccupation with productivity and achievement. 3. A chronic activation always on 4. Competition drive 5. They are chronically harried, are in competition with the clock. 6. They move, talk, walk, and eat fast. 7. They will finish sentences for people. 8. They have a hard time waiting. 9. They try to do more than one thing at a time.

18 Type B personality: healthier personality: 1. Work in a calm and unhurried manner 2. Can relax and have fun without guilt. 3. They can play without the need to win. 4. Not preoccupied with achievement and aggressive competition. 5. Can enjoy life.

19 Constructive reaction to stress would be to face the problems and work out your part as well as other parts of the problem. Find ways to deal with stress: 1. relaxation- we all use different outlets 2. meditation- different types 3. exercise 4. others???

20 Psychosomatic Disorders Psychological factors contribute to actual illnesses (bodily damage) or to damaging changes in bodily functioning Hypochondriacs: Complain about diseases that appear to be imaginary Certain kinds of ulcers are not psychosomatic Most common complaints: respiratory and gastrointestinal

21 How to Recognize Depression (Beck) You have a consistently negative opinion of yourself You engage in frequent self-criticism and selfblame You place negative interpretations on events that usually would not bother you The future looks grim You can t handle your responsibilities and feel overwhelmed