StressStress and Health and Health PsychologyPsychology

Health, Illness, and CopingHealth, Illness, and Coping

StressStress

A nonspecific response of the A nonspecific response of the body to any demand made on it; body to any demand made on it; the arousal, both physical and the arousal, both physical and mental, to situations of events mental, to situations of events that we perceive as threatening that we perceive as threatening or challengingor challenging

StressStress

Eustress—Eustress—pleasant, desirable pleasant, desirable stressstress

Distress—Distress—unpleasant, unpleasant, objectionable stressobjectionable stress

Sources of StressSources of Stress

Life changes—any life change, Life changes—any life change, even if it is positive and even if it is positive and anticipated, brings about stressanticipated, brings about stress

Social Readjustment Rating Social Readjustment Rating Scale—developed by Holmes & Scale—developed by Holmes & Rahe (1967) to investigate the Rahe (1967) to investigate the relationship between change relationship between change and stress—measured in Life and stress—measured in Life Change UnitsChange Units

Sources of StressSources of Stress

Chronic Stressors—chronic Chronic Stressors—chronic (from the Greek (from the Greek chronoschronos——”time”) stressors are those ”time”) stressors are those that affect our lives over long that affect our lives over long periods of time, these may periods of time, these may range from low intensity to high range from low intensity to high intensity (i.e., job stresses, long intensity (i.e., job stresses, long battles of soldiers in wartime)battles of soldiers in wartime)

Sources of StressSources of Stress

Hassles—small problems of Hassles—small problems of daily living that accumulate and daily living that accumulate and sometimes become a major sometimes become a major stress.stress.

Burnout—Physical, emotional, Burnout—Physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion and mental exhaustion attributable to long-term attributable to long-term involvement in emotionally involvement in emotionally demanding situationsdemanding situations

Sources of StressSources of Stress

Frustration—unpleasant tension, Frustration—unpleasant tension, anxiety and heightened sympathetic anxiety and heightened sympathetic activity resulting from a blocked goalactivity resulting from a blocked goal

Conflict—having to choose between Conflict—having to choose between two or more incompatible goals or two or more incompatible goals or impulsesimpulses Approach-Approach ConflictApproach-Approach Conflict Avoidance-Avoidance ConflictAvoidance-Avoidance Conflict Approach-Avoidance ConflictApproach-Avoidance Conflict

Stress and the BodyStress and the Body

When under stress, the body When under stress, the body responds to increase heart rate, responds to increase heart rate, available energy and heighten available energy and heighten awareness.awareness.

The body acts to release fat and The body acts to release fat and glucose from the body’s stores glucose from the body’s stores in order to make this energy in order to make this energy available to the bodyavailable to the body

Stress and the BodyStress and the Body

Sympathetic Nervous System—Sympathetic Nervous System—stress activates the stress activates the hypothalamus which signals the hypothalamus which signals the sympathetic nervous system, sympathetic nervous system, which then activates the central which then activates the central part of the adrenal gland to part of the adrenal gland to release large amounts of release large amounts of norepinephrine and epinephrine norepinephrine and epinephrine (fight or flight)(fight or flight)

Stress and the BodyStress and the Body

HPA (Hypothalamus, Pituitary, HPA (Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal) Axis—stress activates Adrenal) Axis—stress activates the hypothalamus which the hypothalamus which activates the pituitary gland activates the pituitary gland which in turn activates the core which in turn activates the core of the adrenal gland to release of the adrenal gland to release the hormone the hormone cortisolcortisol

CortisolCortisol

Long-term, high levels of cortisol Long-term, high levels of cortisol have been linked to increased have been linked to increased depression, post-traumatic depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), memory stress disorder (PTSD), memory problems, substance abuse, problems, substance abuse, impairment of immune systemimpairment of immune system

General Adaptation SyndromeGeneral Adaptation Syndrome

In the face of severe stressors:In the face of severe stressors: Alarm reaction—body is mobilized to Alarm reaction—body is mobilized to

defend (sympathetic nervous system)defend (sympathetic nervous system) Resistance stage—arousal remains high Resistance stage—arousal remains high

as body tries to defend against and as body tries to defend against and adapt to the stressor (cortisol)adapt to the stressor (cortisol)

Exhaustion stage—resources are very Exhaustion stage—resources are very limited; ability to resist may collapselimited; ability to resist may collapse

Stress and Serious IllnessStress and Serious Illness

Cancer—stress is linked to the Cancer—stress is linked to the development in cancer through the development in cancer through the suppression of the immune system suppression of the immune system that accompanies release of cortisolthat accompanies release of cortisol

Cardiovascular disease—in stress, Cardiovascular disease—in stress, the increased heart rate and release the increased heart rate and release of fat and glucose into the of fat and glucose into the bloodstream cause stress on the bloodstream cause stress on the heart and fatty deposits of unburned heart and fatty deposits of unburned fat may developfat may develop

Personality TypesPersonality Types

Type A—behavior Type A—behavior characteristics including intense characteristics including intense ambition, competition, ambition, competition, exaggerated time urgency, and exaggerated time urgency, and a cynical, hostile outlooka cynical, hostile outlook

Type B—behavior Type B—behavior characteristics consistent with a characteristics consistent with a calm, patient, relaxed attitude calm, patient, relaxed attitude toward lifetoward life

HardinessHardiness

Commitment—strong sense of Commitment—strong sense of commitment to myself and my work, commitment to myself and my work, purposeful activity and problem purposeful activity and problem solvingsolving

Control—I see myself as being in Control—I see myself as being in control of my life rather than a victim control of my life rather than a victim of circumstancesof circumstances

Challenge—change is an opportunity Challenge—change is an opportunity for growth and improvement. I for growth and improvement. I welcome the challenge because I welcome the challenge because I welcome the growthwelcome the growth

Post-traumatic Stress Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)Disorder (PTSD)

Anxiety disorder following Anxiety disorder following exposure to a life-threatening or exposure to a life-threatening or other extreme event that evoked other extreme event that evoked great horror or helplessness; great horror or helplessness; characterized by flashbacks, characterized by flashbacks, nightmares, and impaired nightmares, and impaired functioningfunctioning

Health PsychologyHealth Psychology

Studies the relationship between Studies the relationship between psychological behavior and psychological behavior and physical health and illnessphysical health and illness

Health Psychology and Health Psychology and Current IssuesCurrent Issues

SmokingSmoking Physical addiction (ACh)Physical addiction (ACh) Psychological addiction—social Psychological addiction—social

stimulistimuli

Health Psychology and Health Psychology and Current IssuesCurrent Issues

Binge Drinking: MisconceptionsBinge Drinking: Misconceptions Binge drinkers think they are Binge drinkers think they are

average or moderate drinkersaverage or moderate drinkers Binge drinking is harmlessBinge drinking is harmless It’s part of the “college experience”It’s part of the “college experience”

Health Psychology and Health Psychology and Current IssuesCurrent Issues Pain Control—psychological factors Pain Control—psychological factors

can increase paincan increase pain Behavior modification (daily exercise, Behavior modification (daily exercise,

diet and relaxation)diet and relaxation) Biofeedback—individual learns to Biofeedback—individual learns to

control biological functions, muscle control biological functions, muscle tension, etc. to control paintension, etc. to control pain

Relaxation techniques—meditation, Relaxation techniques—meditation, yoga, focus away from pain, etc.yoga, focus away from pain, etc.

Coping with StressCoping with Stress

Emotion-Focused—coping Emotion-Focused—coping strategies based on changing strategies based on changing one’s perceptions of stressful one’s perceptions of stressful situationssituations

Defense mechanisms—Defense mechanisms—unconscious strategies used to unconscious strategies used to distort reality and relieve anxiety distort reality and relieve anxiety and guiltand guilt

Coping with StressCoping with Stress

Problem-Focused—coping Problem-Focused—coping strategies that use problem-strategies that use problem-solving strategies to decrease or solving strategies to decrease or eliminate the source of stresseliminate the source of stress

Resources for CopingResources for Coping

Health and energyHealth and energy Positive beliefsPositive beliefs Social skillsSocial skills Social supportSocial support Material resourcesMaterial resources Personal controlPersonal control

Loci of ControlLoci of Control

External—believing that chance External—believing that chance or outside forces beyond one’s or outside forces beyond one’s control determine one’s fatecontrol determine one’s fate

Internal—believing that one Internal—believing that one controls one’s own fatecontrols one’s own fate

Dealing with StressDealing with Stress

ExerciseExercise RelaxationRelaxation