Chapter 14: Stress and Health
Studying the Effects of Stress on Health n Behavioral Medicine: field that combines knowledge of biomedical perspec6ve and behavioral perspec6ve to study and treat health and illness. Term is o<en used interchangeably with Psychiatry. n Health Psychology: subfield of psychology that is used to contribute to behavioral medicine. Looks at psychological causes of illness and stress (cogni6ve, environment, social, biological, etc.)
Killers of Yesterday and Today Percentage U.S.deaths 30 Percentage U.S.deaths 30 20 20 10 10 0 0 Tuberculosis Pneumonia Diarrhea/ enteritis 1900 Heart disease Heart disease Cancer Strokes Chronic lung disease 1991
What is Stress? Stress is the process by which we respond to events, that we appraise as threatening or challenging. Stressors: are the events/things that stress us out!
Stress Can Be Harmful or Helpful Depending on Your Stress Appraisal Appraisal Response Threat ( Yikes! This is beyond me! ) Panic, freeze up Stressful event (tough math test) Challenge ( I ve got to apply all I know ) Aroused, focused
Biology of Stress? What is Activated When You Feel Stress? Stress- Response Cycle Includes: 1. Sympathe6c N.S. prompts the release of adrenaline (epinephrine) from the inner part of the adrenal glands 2. Cerebral cortex (through hypothalamus and pituitary gland) directs the outer part of the adrenal glands to release a glucocor6coid stress hormone (cor6sol). Epinephrine works faster!
Animals and Humans Tend to React To Stress In the Same Pattern. Hans Selye discovered the responsive cycle for how we react to stress which he named the: General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) Phase 1: Alarm: activation of sympathetic nervous system. Phase 2: Resistance: arousal remains high as you attempt to cope with the stressor. Fight or Flight. Phase 3: Exhaustion: body becomes run down with constant stress which can leave you more vulnerable to illness or even death.
Stressful Life Events Can Create Serious Health Risks Categories of Stressful Life Events: 1. Catastrophes: unavoidable natural disasters, etc. 2. Significant Life Changes: loss of loved one, leaving home, loss of job, etc. 3. Everyday Hassles: traffic, long lines at Best Buy, etc.
Perceived Control s Effect on Health and Stress Stressful events are especially harmful if they are perceived as negative and uncontrollable. Those who feel stressful events are beyond their control are also more susceptible to illness and disease.
The Rat With No Control Over the Shocks Develops Ulcers Executive rat Subordinate rat Control rat To shock control To shock source No connection to shock source
Persistent Day to Day Stress May Lead to Burnout Burnout: physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion brought on by persistent job-related stress. Often common in teachers, nurses, and police officers.
Stress and Heart Disease Although relatively rare in 1900, by the 1950s coronary heart disease has become the leading cause of death in America. Coronary Heart Disease: when vessels of heart are clogged which stops heart muscles from being nourished. Many behavioral factors help contribute to this disease but stress is also a major factor.
Hopelessness and Heart Disease Hopelessness scores 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Men who feel extreme hopelessness are at greater risk for heart attacks and early death Heart attack Death Low risk Moderate risk High risk
Personality Type and Heart Disease n Type A Personality: compe66ve, hard driving, impa6ent, verbally aggressive, and anger prone people. n Type B Personality: easy- going and relaxed people. Whose at greater risk for heart disease?
Stress Related Illnesses Psychophysiological Illnesses: mindbody illnesses. Physical illnesses caused by stress. Ex: Hypertension and some headaches. Blood pressure also increases due to too much stress. Are also referred to as psychosomatic disorders. This does not mean that symptoms are not real, it just means they have psychological causes.
Problems with Immune System Immune System can either react too strongly or under react to harmful bodies. Over-reaction causes body to attack its own tissues. Ex: arthritis, allergies, lupus, M.S. Under-reaction causes harmful bodies to spread. Ex: cancer Stress can divert energy away from the immune system making illnesses more likely.
Promoting Health Aerobic Exercise has positive psychological and physical benefits. Increases heart and lung fitness and may also help alleviate depression and anxiety. Depression 14 score 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 No-treatment group Aerobic exercise group Relaxation treatment group Before treatment After treatment evaluation evaluation
Using Biofeedback to Improve Health n Biofeedback: system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back informa6on regarding a subtle physiological state like blood pressure and muscle tension in order to allow a person to control autonomic func6ons like heart rate.
Promoting Health A strong social network which offers support strongly promotes health during an illness and when healthy. % with high support
Promoting Health n Spirituality and Faith CommuniEes has a strong correla6on with posi6ve health and enhancing medical treatment. n Possible reasons behind correla6on with religion? Religiously ac6ve people: drink and smoke less tend to have a larger support network may have a greater sense of peace about the future (hope)
Tendency toward Health Illness Overview of Healthy and Unhealthy Tendencies Life events Personal appraisal Challenge Threat Easy going Nondepressed Optimistic Personality type Hostile Depressed Pessimistic Personality habits Nonsmoking Regular exercise Good nutrition Smoking Sedentary Poor nutrition Level of social support Close, enduring Lacking