fw190 stress

Chapter

10

Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved.

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Ahead:

What Is Stress?

Stress and Wellness

Common Sources of Stress

Managing Stress

Getting Help



Stressor: any physical or psychological

event or condition that produces physical and

emotional reactions

Stress response: the physical and emotional

reactions to a stressor

Stress: the general physical and emotional

state that accompanies the stress response



Actions of the nervous system

Nervous system consists of brain, spinal cord,

and nerves

Autonomic nervous system: the branch of

the nervous system that controls basic body

processes; consists of the sympathetic and

parasympathetic divisions




Parasympathetic division: a division of the

autonomic nervous system that moderates the

excitatory effect of the sympathetic division, slowing

metabolism and restoring energy supplies

Sympathetic division: a division of the autonomic

nervous system that reacts to danger or other

challenges by almost instantly accelerating body

processes




Norepinephrine: a neurotransmitter released by

the sympathetic nervous system onto specific

tissues to increase their function in the face of

increased activity; when released by the brain,

causes arousal (increased attention, awareness,

and alertness); also called noradrenaline



Actions of the endocrine system

Endocrine system: system of glands, tissues, and

cells that secretes hormones into the bloodstream to

influence metabolism and other body processes

Hormone: chemical messenger produced in the

body and transported in the bloodstream to targeted

cells or organs for specific regulation of their

activities



The two systems together

Physiological changes occur as the result of

the release of key hormones

Cortisol: a steroid hormone secreted by the cortex

(outer layer) of the adrenal gland; also called

hydrocortisone

Epinephrine: a hormone secreted by the medulla

(inner core) of the adrenal gland that affects the

functioning of organs involved in responding to a

stressor; also called adrenaline



The two systems together

Endorphins: brain secretions that have

pain-inhibiting effects

Fight-or-flight reaction: a defense reaction that

prepares a person for conflict or escape by triggering

hormonal, cardiovascular, metabolic, and other

changes



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The return to homeostasis

Homeostasis: a state of stability and consistency in

a person’s physiological functioning

▪ After stressful situation ends, parasympathetic division takes

command and halts stress response

Fight-or-flight reaction in modern life

Part of our biological heritage

Inappropriate for most modern stressors



Cognitive appraisal of a potential stressor

strongly influences response

Two factors that can reduce the magnitude of

the stress response

Successful prediction

Perception of control

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Effective and ineffective responses

Ineffective behavioral responses: overeating;

expressing hostility; and using tobacco, alcohol, or

other drugs

Somatic nervous system manages behavioral

responses that are under our control

▪ Somatic nervous system: the branch of peripheral

nervous system that governs motor functions and sensory

information, largely under our conscious control



Personality and stress

Personality: sum of

behavioral, cognitive,

and emotional tendencies

▪ Type A

▪ Type B

▪ Type C

▪ Type D

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Personality and stress

Some personality traits enable people to better

handle stress

Hardiness

Resilience

▪ Nonreactive

▪ Homeostatic

▪ Positive growth



Gender and stress

Gender role affects experience of stress

Strict adherence to gender roles limits one’s

response to stress and becomes source of stress

Women report a higher level of stress than men

▪ Unequal gendered division of labor



Cultural background

Clash of cultures can be a source of stress

Stress reactions are influenced by family; culture

Experience

Past experiences dramatically influence the

perception of a potential stressor

▪ Effective behavioral responses can lessen stress;

ineffective ones only worsen it



PHYSICAL

SYMPTOMS

Dry mouth

Excessive

perspiration

Frequent illnesses

Gastrointestinal

problems

Grinding of teeth

Headaches

High blood

pressure

Pounding heart

Stiff neck or

aching lower back

EMOTIONAL

SYMPTOMS

Anxiety

Depression

Edginess

Fatigue

Hypervigilance

Impulsiveness

Inability to

concentrate

Irritability

Trouble

remembering

things

BEHAVIORAL

SYMPTOMS

Crying

Disrupted eating

habits

Disrupted sleeping

habits

Harsh treatment of

others

Problems

communicating

Sexual problems

Social isolation

Increased

use of tobacco,

alcohol, or other

drugs

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No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

General adaptation syndrome (GAS):

a three-stage pattern of stress response

Alarm

▪ Body is more susceptible to disease or injury, because it is

geared up to deal with a crisis

Resistance

▪ New level of homeostasis in which body is more resistant to

disease and injury than normal

Exhaustion

▪ Life-threatening type of physiological state characterized by

distorted perceptions and disorganized thinking



Allostatic load: long-term negative impact of

the stress response on the body

Describes long-term wear and tear of stress

response on an individual

High allostatic load is linked to heart disease,

hypertension, obesity, and reduced brain and

immune system functioning



Stress and the immune system

Increased levels of stress hormones are linked to

decrease in number and functioning of immune cells

▪ Linked to increased vulnerability to colds and other

infections, asthma and allergy attacks, flare-ups of chronic

diseases

Mood, personality, behavior, and immune function

are intertwined



Cardiovascular disease

During the stress response, heart rate increases

and blood vessels constrict, causing blood pressure

to rise

Chronic high blood pressure is a major cause of

atherosclerosis

People who respond to stressors with extreme

increases in heart rate and blood pressure may face

increased risk of cardiovascular problems



Other health problems

Many health problems can be worsened by stress

▪ Digestive problems

▪ Tension headaches and migraines

▪ Insomnia and fatigue

▪ Injuries

▪ Menstrual irregularities, impotence, pregnancy complications

▪ Psychological conditions



Major life changes

Any major change in life that requires adjustment

and accommodation can be a source of stress

▪ Early adulthood and the college years are associated with

many significant changes

▪ Even positive changes can be stressful

Clusters of life changes, particularly negative

changes, may be linked to health problems in some

people



Daily hassles

Daily hassles can be a big source of stress

Can contribute to a decrease in wellness

College stressors

Academic stress

Interpersonal stress

Time pressures

Financial concerns

Worries about the future



Job-related stressors

When people shape how their job is performed,

their job satisfaction rises and stress levels drop

Burnout is possible if stress is severe or chronic



Relationships and stress

First relationships outside family are friendships

▪ Often more stable and longer lasting than intimate

partnerships

Intimate love relationships are among the most

profound human experiences

Communication is key to developing and maintaining

any type of relationship



Other stressors

External or environmental stressors include loud

noises, unpleasant smells, industrial accidents, and

violence and natural disasters

Internal stressors include pressures we place on

ourselves and our physical or emotional states



Exercise

People who exercise regularly react with milder

physical stress before, during, and after exposure

to stressors

Even light exercise can have a beneficial effect, but

an integrated fitness program can have a significant

impact on stress

People who exercise compulsively risk overtraining



Nutrition

A healthy, balanced diet

can help cope with stress

▪ Eating wisely enhances feelings

of self-control and self-esteem

▪ Limit or avoid caffeine

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Sleep and stress

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night

Stress hormone levels in the bloodstream are

related to sleep patterns

Lack of sleep has the greatest impact on stress

Extreme sleep deprivation

can lead to hallucinations

and other psychotic

symptoms, and increase

heart attack risk

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Sleep disorders

According to the National Sleep Foundation’s

2013 Sleep in America Poll, adults average just

under 7 hours per night of sleep during the week

As many as 70 million Americans suffer from chronic

sleep disorders

▪ More than 50% of adults suffer from at least one symptom

of insomnia

▪ Sleep apnea



Social support

Sharing fears, frustrations, and joys makes life

richer and seems to contribute to the well-being of

the body and mind

One study of college students living in overcrowded

apartments found that

those with a strong social

support system were less

distressed by cramped

quarters

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Communication

Good communication in relationships:

▪ Self-disclosure

▪ Listening

▪ Feedback



Conflict resolution

Basic strategies:

▪ Clarify the issue

▪ Find out what each person wants

▪ Determine how you both can get what you want

▪ Decide how to negotiate

▪ Solidify the agreements

▪ Review and renegotiate



Striving for spiritual wellness

Spiritual wellness is associated with greater coping

skills and higher levels of overall wellness

▪ Linked to longer life expectancy, reduced risk of disease,

faster recovery, and improved emotional health

Confiding in yourself through writing

Keeping a diary



Time management

Set priorities

Schedule tasks for peak efficiency

Set realistic goals, and write them down

Budget enough time

Break up long-term goals into short-term ones

Visualize your goals

Keep track of the tasks you put off

Consider doing your least-favorite task first

Consolidate tasks when possible



Time management

Identify quick transitional tasks

Delegate responsibility

Say no when necessary

Give yourself a break

Avoid your personal

“time sinks”

Stop thinking or talking

about what you’re going

to do, and just do it

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Cognitive techniques

Changing destructive thinking:

▪ Monitor self-talk and try to minimize hostile, critical, and

self-deprecating thoughts

▪ Modify expectations

▪ Live in the present

▪ “Go with the flow”

Cultivate your sense of humor



COGNITIVE DISTORTION NEGATIVE SELF-TALK POSITIVE SELF-TALK

Focusing on negatives School is so discouraging—nothing but one hassle

after another.

School is pretty challenging and has its difficulties, but

there certainly are rewards. It's really a mixture of

good and bad.

Expecting the worst Why would my boss want to meet with me this

afternoon if not to fire me?

I wonder why my boss wants to meet with me. 1 guess

I'll just have to wait and see.

Overgeneralizing [After getting a poor grade on a paper] Just as I

thought—I'm incompetent at everything.

I'll start working on the next paper earlier. That way, if I

run into problems I'll have time to talk to the TA.

Minimizing I won the speech contest, but none of the other

speakers was very good. I wouldn't have done

as well against stiffer competition.

It may not have been the best speech I'll ever give, but it

was good enough to win the contest.

Blaming others I wouldn't have eaten so much last night if my

friends hadn't insisted on going to that

restaurant.

I overdid it last night. Next time I'll make different

choices.

Expecting perfection I should have scored 100% on this test. I can't

believe I missed that one problem through a

careless mistake.

Too bad I missed one problem through carelessness, but

overall I did very well on this test. Next time I'll be

more careful.



Relaxation techniques

Relaxation response: a physiological state

characterized by a feeling of warmth and quiet

mental alertness

▪ Heart rate, breathing, and metabolism slow down

▪ Blood pressure and oxygen consumption decrease, and

blood flow to the brain and skin increases as brain waves

shift from an alert beta rhythm to a relaxed alpha rhythm



Relaxation techniques

Progressive relaxation: involves tensing and relaxing

muscles one by one

Visualization: imagine yourself floating on a cloud,

sitting on a mountaintop, or lying in a meadow

Deep breathing: deep, slow breathing associated

with relaxation

Listening to music: influences pulse, blood pressure,

and electrical activity of muscles



Other stress-management techniques

Biofeedback, hypnosis and self-hypnosis, and

massage require a partner or professional training

or assistance

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Counterproductive strategies for

coping with stress

Alcohol

Tobacco

Other drugs

▪ Caffeine



Listen to your body

Self-help guides are available

Peer counseling and support groups

Support groups are typically organized around a

particular issue or problem

Professional help

Psychotherapy, especially a short-term course

of sessions, can be helpful in dealing with

stress-related problems



Symptoms that may indicate a more serious

problem:

Problems begin to interfere seriously with school

or work performance or with relationships

Suicide is seriously considered or attempted

Hallucinations, delusions, incoherent speech,

or loss of memory

Alcohol or drugs are used to the extent that they

impair normal functioning



Depression: a mood disorder

characterized by loss of interest,

sadness, hopelessness, loss

of appetite, disturbed sleep,

and other physical symptoms

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• Endorphins are released to block any distracting pain.

• Pupils dilate to admit extra light for more sensitive vision.

• Hearing becomes more acute.

• Mucous membranes of nose and throat shrink, while muscles force a wider opening of passages to allow easier airflow

• Secretion of saliva and mucus decreases; digestive activities halt in an emergency.

• Bronchi dilate to allow more air into lungs.

• Heart rate accelerates and strength of contraction increases to allow more blood flow where it is needed.

• Digestion, an unnecessary activity during an emergency, halts.

• Spleen releases more red blood cells to meet an increased demand for oxygen and to replace any blood lost from

injuries.

• Perspiration increases, especially in armpits, groin, hands, and feet, to flush out waste and cool overheating system by

evaporation.

• Adrenal glands stimulate secretion of epinephrine, increasing blood sugar, blood pressure, and heart rate; also spur

increase in amount of fat in blood. These changes provide an energy boost.

• Liver releases sugar into bloodstream to provide energy for muscles and brain.

• Pancreas decreases secretions because digestion has halted.

• Muscles of intestines stop contracting because digestion has halted.

• Fat is removed from storage and broken down to supply extra energy.

• Bladder relaxes. Emptying of bladder contents releases excess weight, making it easier to flee.

• Voluntary (skeletal) muscles contract throughout the body, readying them for action.

• Blood vessels in skin and viscera contract; those in skeletal muscles dilate. This increases blood pressure and delivery

of blood to where it is most needed.

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