human health & disease: chapter 3

a real or imagined threat to one’s
being—leads to a series of physiological responses and
adaptations

stress

a physical, social, or psychological event or

condition that upsets homeostasis and produces a stress

response

stressor

stress that can have a detrimental effect on
health. We view it as negative stress. Examples may
include taking an exam or not being able to pay one’s
monthly bills

distress

positive stress and can present opportunities

for personal growth. Planning a wedding or major event or

going on a first date are examples

eustress

short-term physiological response to

an immediate perceived threat. When someone cuts in

front of us on the freeway, for example, we take action to

avoid the car immediately

acute stress

state of regularly reacting
with wild, acute stress to various situations

episodic acute stress

an ongoing state of physiological

arousal in response to ongoing or numerous perceived

threats. During your first few days at a new job, you might

experience this kind of stress

chronic stress

often a result of witnessing or
experiencing events like major accidents, war, shootings,
sexual violence, assault, or natural disasters. Effects of
traumatic stress maybe felt for years after the event

traumatic stress

the hypothalamus functions as the control center for the

sympathetic nervous system. It stimulates the adrenal glands to

release epinephrine, which causes more blood to be pumped,

more oxygen to be taken up, and glucose to be released. The

body is now poised to act immediately. It is in the ___ phase

alarm phase

in the ___ phase of the GAS, the body tries to return to

homeostasis by resisting the alarm responses. However,

because some stressor is still perceived, the body does not

achieve complete calm or rest

resistant

a prolonged effort to adapt to stress leads to allostatic load, or

exhaustive wear and tear on the body, known as the

_____ phase

exhaustion phase

Acute stress has been shown to impair short-term memory,

particularly ____ memory

verbal

Prolonged stress may be linked to cortisol (a key stress

hormone), which shrinks the ____

hippocampus

name 2 relaxation techniques:

• diaphragmatic breathing

• progressive muscle relaxation