Stress!

Stress

What is Stress?

How is Stress Related To Disease?

What Systems of the Body Are Involved in the Stress Response?

How Can We Effectively Reduce The Stress In Our Lives?

Constant Stress Can Lead to..

Nervous Tension Aches and Pain Infectious and Chronic ….DISEASE

and Possible DEATH!!

Balancing Demands….

Stress:   "The Nonspecific response of the body to any demand"

Body's Biological Response increased heart rate & blood

pressure

� cold hands & feet

� release of stress hormones

� bladder & intestines relax

� sweats - dry mouth

� hair stands on end

Body's response to stress is limited to these physiological changes no matter what the stressful situation

Stressors - stress producing factors

Stress Response - the physiological & emotional changes

depression diabetes hair loss heart disease hyperthyroidism obesity obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder sexual dysfunction tooth and gum disease ulcers cancer (possibly)

Stress-Related Diseases

What is stress?

Stress is defined as “the general and emotional state that accompanies stressful events.”

There are many causes of stress.

No two people are alike. Either in how they

experience stress, or how they respond to stress.

Eustress - (coined by Dr. Hans Selye)Pleasant and beneficial

 The stimultion that helps the mind &

body function properly

 ExercisePositive emotional response

IN Fact….Two Terms for STRESS and TWO TYPES of STRESS….

Eustress…..

Eustress

Distress

Distress - unpleasant

Negative effects rejection discriminationfailure persecutionloss ridicule apprehensionpain helplessness

Distress….

Fear

Distress….

Fear

Distress….

Conflict

 

Eustress Physiologicaleffects are the same.

Distress Emotional component differs

The point is..... Selye identifies the two kinds of stress......

The emotional component can have a profound effect on what is otherwise the same physiological function.

How do you know when you are over-mobilizing?

Physical Signs…..  1. Pounding heart

2. Trembling w/ nervous tics3. Grinding of teeth4. Dry mouth5. Excessive perspiration

6. Gastrointestinal problems 7. Ache in neck or lower back 8. Migraine or tension headaches

9. Frequent colds or low grade infections

10. Cold hands & feet11. Allergy or asthma attacks

Outward Emotional & Behavioral Signs….  1) Irritability, hyper-excitedness, depression 2) Impulsiveness, aggressiveness, emotional instability 3) Urge to cry or to run & hide 4) Inability to concentrate, general disorientation 5) Weakness, dizziness, sense of unreality 6) Fatigue: loss of joy of living 7) Floating Anxiety (fear without an obvious reason) 8) Keyed up feeling 9) Jumpy-(easily startled by small sounds)10) Nervous high-pitched laughter - (choked speech)

Outward Emotional & Behavioral Signs…. 11) Fidgeting 12) Increased smoking13) Increased use of prescription drugs14) Alcohol or drug addiction15) TV addiction16) Frequent feeling of boredom17) Sleep disturbances or excessive sleep18) Speech difficulties (stuttering)19) Overeating or undereating20) Sexual problems - decreased libido

Response to stress, can be counter-productive 

drinking denialsmoking flightdrugs withdrawal

suicide

Response is under control of Autonomic Nervous System

�independent of conscious thought�controls organs & glands

Autonomic N.S……

A) Sympathetic - mobilizes body for action

B) Parasympathetic - calms - restores

 

�Constantly interacting to maintain homeostasis

Organization of the Nervous System

A) Sympathetic Nervous System

B) Parasympathetic Nervous System

Know the short and long term responses.

Kidney

Adrenal gland

Epinephrine and Norepinephrine

Parasympathetic Vs. Sympathetic

This is how these two systems affect various organs of your body.Think about each of these carefully.

Homeostasis

Can be defined as a “Steady State” State of stability and consistency.

***Stressors disrupt homeostasis (external and internal stimuli are the stressors)

*** Adaptive Reactions occur after “fight or flight” to restore homeostasis

Why the Mouse Needs its Glands or Injections to Replace them!

During times of Extreme or Chronic Stress ( Placing a mouse out in freezing temperature would qualify this) The Hypothalamus Releases Corticotropin Releasing Hormone or CRH

CRH then stimulates the Pituitary Gland to releases AdrenocorticoTropic (ACTH)Hormone into the blood which stimulates the adrenal glands

ACTH stimulates the Adrenal Cortex (outer part of adrenal gland) to release CORTISOL which is stress hormone…but protects the mouse from dying from the cold….without it….it dies!

HANS SELVE

Hans Selye in 1936: Studying Rats:

He discovered the role of the pituitary and adrenal glands.

Found a predictable pattern to STRESSORS:

Called pleasant stressors Eustress

Unpleasant stressors Distress

He is also the guy who discovered that there are 3 stages of stress and coined this the General Adaptation Syndrome or (GAS): Alarm, resistance and exhaustion.

General Adaptation Syndrome

Figure 2-2

1. Alarm This is any signal that is recognized as stress. This causes the activation of adrenal glands.

2. Resistance This takes place as your body tries to adjust to the stressful

event. Readjustment of your body to a normal state.

This is called “homeostasis.”

3. Exhaustion Once you have experienced a stressful event, have you ever

felt like you could sleep for days? Exhaustion allows your body to heal itself, and recharge its

batteries. If this stage is not complete, sickness or death could

result.

The Stress Response: Rest state = Homeostasis = steady state ¯ 

external or internal stimulusdisrupts steady state

¯ 

adaptive reactions to restoresteady state

The Stress Response

ALARM= Surge of emotion Rush of adrenalin Heightened sense of

surroundings(all of these things

expend metabolic energy) Alarm prepares for “fight or flight”

GAS develops in 3 stages 1) alarm

all of these expend2) resistance metabolic energy 3) exhaustion

ADAPTIVE(RESISTANCE)

Body readjusts-regulating body systems for a new level of homeostasis.

Begins Body Repair, if any During resistance a person

learns to cope with newly added stress.

If stress ends, Parasympathetic nervous system restores body to its resting state. I.e. slows heart beat, reduces perspiration etc..

ADAPTIVE RESISTANCE

GAS

2) Resistance Or Adaptive Stage 

�body readjusts - regulating body systems

�begins damage repair (if any)�if stress endsparasympathetic -

slows heart beatcuts off perspirationadjusts skin tempetc.

Exhaustion

If no end to stress…alarm reaction persists.

Body’s ability to adjust diminishes.

Energy is used up for “fight or flight”

Distorted Perceptions, disorganized thinking….DEATH!!

Allostatic Load

The long-term wear and tear of the stress response is called allostatic load.

This is actually your body’s response to long-term over-exposure to cortisol.

High levels of cortisol have been associated with CUSHING’s Disease.

Cushing’s Disease

This is a disease associated where unusually high levels of cortisol are secreted by the adrenal cortex often resulting in cardiovascular and other diseases such as type II diabetes.

People with Cushing's disease have too much ACTH. ACTH stimulates the production and release of cortisol, a stress hormone. Too much ACTH means too much cortisol

Cushing’s Disease

“Moon Face”

Can also be caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland or adrenal gland.

Insomnia and Fatigue

Fight or flight produces chemicals that promote alertness and ward off sleep.

Sleep loss leads to fatigue, memory loss and in the long-term cognitive decline.

Sleep: Without it---Stressor.

Amount of sleep varies among adults (ave. 5-9 hrs/night)

Sleep occurs in 2 phases REM and Non-REM.

Stress hormones are found more in REM sleep: Hence they disrupt your dreams; you don’t dream as much when you are highly stressed!

Stress and the Brain

The effects of excessive stress on brain has been seen on structure in midbrain called hippocampus. This structure is responsible for short-term and long-term memory. Chronic stress causes neurons in hippocampus to shrink or die, thereby impairing this process.

Coping with Stress..

1.Time Management2. Relaxing Techniques Relax your body: your heart rate will

slow, breathing becomes slower, BP decreases, Brain waves will shift from Beta (alert) to Alpha (relaxed),blood flow to skin will increase.

Deep Muscle Relaxation, Meditation

Cortisol

Cortisol is another word for Hydrocortisone

Produced from the progesterone hormone precursors. It is synthesized in the cortex of adrenal glands

Bone formation is lowered by cortisol. Suppresses Immune system Increases blood Pressure

Acute Vs Chronic Stress

Acute 1.Short-term 5-100 minutes, WBCs are redistributed and there is ENHANCEMENT of immune system.

2. STRESSFUL EVENT. someone in family dies), you suffer a personal trauma (break-up), rough semester. (You may get a cold)

Chronic- Brought on by long-term stressors such as unemployment, caregiving to sickly. Causes prolonged secretion of cortisol. May accelerate the course of diseases that involve inflammation including MS, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Take note that our stress response is something Primal which did not evolve to cope with the rigors of the modern world --

 

It is rooted in TRIBAL behavior characteristic of primates.

Most primates show stress the same way and much of it boils down to the same reasons.

Tribal pecking orderCorporate pecking orderEconomic pecking order

Primate threat displays:Adapted to cause stress in other individuals 

1. large body size in males2. hair display around teeth 3. eye white (sclera) visible 4. naked skin on face

"Modern Stress" generally can't be handled physically- 

"strangling" the boss-"mating" with the secretary"running off" with the profits

 these work better in primitive tribal groups

"Primal stress” is fleeting - momentary"Modern Stress" can be continual - indefinite 

• overcrowding • overwork • competition• unpleasant surroundings • economic pressures• bad relationships• crime

  This can induce constant resistance -it becomes the norm.

Routine……  up too earlycoffee & donuts in the carcommuter trafficrepetitive meaningless workcoffeehigh fat- low nutrition lunch coffeecommuter traffichomeflop on the couchveg till 1:00amnot enough sleep repeat….

Modern stress can ultimately lead to: • nervous tension• aches & pain• disease• death

Role of stress in disease…… 

heart diseasehypertensionheadachesasthmaarthritisdigestive problemsskin conditionscancer-

suppression of immune system

infections set in (opportunistic)

To relieve the causes of Modern Stress, modern techniques are required

Behavior Management Program

 1) Monitor your behavior & gather data 2) Analyze the data - identify patterns 3) Set specific goals 4) Make a personal contract 5) Devise a strategy or plan an action 6) Keep track of your progress 7) Revise plan if necessary

Coping with stress: 

1) Time management2) Relaxation techniques

Relaxation …… �heart rate slows�breathing becomes slower�blood pressure decreases• oxygen consumption is reduced�metabolism is reduced�brain waves shift from beta (alert) to alpha (relaxed) Blood flow to brain & skin increasesfeelings of (1) warmth (2) quiet mental alertness

Practiced regularly, relaxation techniques can counteract the effects of chronic stress

Stress Relief Techniques….  

1) Progressive Relaxation – • Deep muscle relaxation• Imagery• Meditation

  2) Exercise• Weight reduction• Cardio vascular health• Endorphins

Exercise….

If she can do it, WE can do it…..

Diversion…..

Meditation….

What About Drugs for Stress?

Actually, some are known to release cortisol AND they are addictive

Coping with Stress  1. Manage your time productively and creatively.

Good time management strategies include:� Setting priorities.� Scheduling tasks for peak efficiency.� Setting and writing down realistic goals.� Delegating responsibilities.� Taking breaks and saying no when necessary.

 2. Practice relaxation techniques.

Choose and practice a relaxation technique until it

becomes natural. Use it whenever you feel the

need.

3. Incorporate regular exercise into your daily life.Even small amounts of exercise can

help relieve tension.  4. Eat a sensible diet.  5. See things with humor.

A smile or laughter is a natural antidote to stress.

6. Change your thinking. Try the following to diffuse short

and long-term stress:� Worry constructively.� Moderate expectations.� Weed out trivia.� Live in the present.� Be flexible.

The End.