CH -5: Mental and Physical Health

health psychology

the study of how psychology and behavior impacts health and wellness

stress

your body’s response to real or perceived demands in the environment

stressors

demands in the environment

eustress

a positive form of stress that allows us to perform well and enhances motivation, focus, blood flow

distress

bad stress, when our body is overwhelmed by its natural responses leading to anxiety, inhibit performances and even health problems

traumatic stress

stress triggered by an extreme event

ex. war

daily hassle

stress that results from the accumulation of daily annoyances and nuances

ACE

single traumatic events in childhood, impact physical and mental development later in life

general adaptive syndrome

describes the body reaction to stress thr

alarm stage

the initiation of your fight/flight response (sympathetic nervous system)

ex. increased heart rate

resistance stage

body tries to return to homeostasis

• might develop temporary symptoms: headache, insomnia

* usually ends at this stage

exhaustion stage

your body mentally and physically shuts down/accepts things

exhaustion stage

GAS stage wheree you’re most likely to develop health problems

alarm, resistance, exhaustion

stages of General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which describe the body's response to stress

tend and befriend theory

in times of stress, some people (MOST EXCLUSIVELY WOMEN) are likely to seek support from others and care for others

biological underpinnings

belief that the hormone oxytocin, a stress reducer, but also a hormone that makes people seek out companionship is the reason behind tend and befriend theory

gender differences in stress response

1. high levels of oxytocin in women (makes them seek out help)

2. evolutionary men act on flight or fight

coping

the strategies used to manage, reduce, and tolerate stress

• deal or reduce

problem faced coping

when you directly deal with what’s stressing you, the actiontaken to resolve the issue.

problem faced coping

when you’re stressed about homework, so you go do the homework

emotion faced coping

when you manage the symptoms of the stress, addressing your body response rather than reducing the stressor

emotion faced coping

you’re stressed about homework, so you go on a walk or do breathing exercises to calm down