Psychological Health - Stress Responses

Stress

Any condition challenging the body's homeostasis

Eustress

Mild stress improving performance

Distress

Long-term harmful stress

Stressor

Stimulus producing stress

Primary Appraisal

Appraisal of the actual event

Secondary Appraisal

Appraisal of personal coping abilities and resources

Emotional Responses

Feelings like irritability and sadness

Cognitive Responses

Difficulty in decision-making and concentration

Behavioural Responses

Actions like comfort eating or hyperactivity

Physiological Response

Physical symptoms due to stress

CBT

Targets emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses

General Adaptation Syndrome

Physiological response to stressors aiming to regain homeostasis

Alarm Phase

Initial fight or flight response to stress

Resistance/Adaptation Phase

Body coping with prolonged stress

Exhaustion Phase

Depletion of resources, inability to maintain homeostasis

Short Term Stress Response

Rapid reaction to acute stress activating sympathetic ANS

Long Term Stress Response

Activation of the HPA axis during prolonged stress

Cortisol Effects

Release of lipids, amino acids, increased glucose levels

Aldosterone Effects

Retention of Na+, increased water retention, increased BP

Glucocorticoids

Adrenal cortex hormones aiding in coping with stress

ACTH

Stimulates the release of endorphins

Analgesic

Medication for pain relief

Psychological Distress

Mental anguish or suffering

Physical Symptoms

Manifestations like fainting, headaches, and dizziness

Depressive Disorder

Mood disorder causing symptoms like chest pain and fatigue

Dyspnoea

Difficulty breathing

Stress Impact

Relapses, decreased chronic disease control, increased morbidity

HPA System

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; increases cortisol in stress

Sympathetic-Adrenal-Medullary System

Increases catecholamines in stress response

Stress and Heart Disease

Increased CVD risk post-loss, joy can damage heart

Medically Unexplained Symptoms

Physical symptoms without clear underlying cause

Somatisation

Physical expression of emotional distress, not a diagnosis

Functional Syndrome

Symptom cluster lacking identifiable cause

Somatoform Disorder

Psychiatric condition with physical symptoms

Conversion Disorder

Neurological function loss without physical cause

Illness Behavior

Response to illness diagnosis affecting seeking help and recovery

Sick Role

Societal role for ill individuals with rights and obligations

Vulnerability Factors

Genetics, family transmission, attachment patterns affecting MUS

Central Pain Mechanisms

Sensitivity increase due to psychosocial factors affecting pain perception

Biopsychosocial Model

Model considering biological, psychological, and social factors in illness

Iatrogenic Harm

Harm from unnecessary medical interventions

Illness Cognition

Patient's beliefs about illness identity, timeline, causes, and control

Therapeutic Approaches

Explanation, symptom management, self-efficacy promotion, and psychotherapies for MUS