Understanding and Coping with Life’s Stressors

Define stress, stressors, and stress reaction

Explain the three phases of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) and describe what happens physiologically and psychologically when under stress

Discuss psychosocial, environmental, and self-imposed sources of stress. Describe the stressors particularly relevant to university and college students

Identify stress management techniques

Clarify the immune system’s response to acute and chronic stress

stress - 2 definitions and who made the 2nd one?

• an externally imposed factor that threatens or makes a demand on our minds and bodies

• Hans Selye’s definition of stress is “the physiological and psychological responses to the demands placed upon us.”

stressor

any physical, social, or mental event or condition that forces the body to react or adjust

adjustment

an attempt to cope with a given situation

strain

the wear and tear our bodies and minds sustain as we adjust to or resist a stressor

what are the 2 types of stress?

• Eustress—stress that results from generally positive situations.

• Distress—negative stress.

• both types of stress provide you with an opportunity for personal growth and can lead to personal satisfaction

psychoneuroimmunology - what is it, what does it examine (2) and what is the hypothesis

• study of the effects of stress on disease

• attempts to analyze the relationship between the mind’s response to stress and the ability of the immune system to function effectively

• examines the beneficial role of enhancing physiological functioning and better management of stress and the stress response

• focused on the hypothesis that during periods of prolonged stress, elevated levels of adrenal hormones destroy or reduce the ability of white blood cells thus, the body is less effective at combating illnesses

what is the body’s physical response to stress?

• complex intricacies of physical and emotional reactions to it cause the body to wear down over time

• stress → “disease of prolonged arousal” that often leads to other negative health effects

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

3-stage response to stress → when a stress is perceived, the mind and body adjust with an adaptive response to restore homeostasis

what are the 3 stages of GAS?

1. Alarm

   • occurs when homeostasis is disrupted and the body prepares for “fight or flight.”

2. Resistance

   • begins almost immediately after alarm phase starts

   • body adjusts in order to return to homeostasis

   • parasympathetic nervous system helps get stress hormones under control

3. Exhaustion

   • occurs after continuous alarm and resistance reactions

     • adaptation energy stores are foundations to help us cope with stress

     • when adaptation stores are depleted, burnout and serious illness may result

what part of the brain is a stressor interpreted by and what does it trigger? what determines the overall reaction to stress?

• cerebral cortex

• ANS (automatic nervous system)

  • sympathetic → preps body for fight or flight

  • parasympathetic → slows down body after stress reaction

• hypothalamus

where does epinephrine come from and what does it do

• secreted by adrenal glands in response to stress

• strengthens heartbeat

• dilates the alveoli

• increases oxygen intake and breathing rate

• stimulates the liver to release more glucose

• dilates pupils

• causes blood to be moved away from the digestive system

• dries nasal and salivary tissues, producing dry mouth

what does ATCH (Adrenocorticotropic hormone) do

signals adrenals to release cortisol to make nutrients more readily available to meet energy demands

what are 7 psychological sources of stress

1. change →  always produces stress. The more changes, the greater your stress response may be

2. hassles → petty annoyances, irritations, and frustration

3. pressure → occurs when we feel forced to speed up, slow down, intensify, or shift behaviour to meet goals

4. inconsistency between goals and behaviours → refer to image

5. conflict → when you are forced to make difficult decisions concerning two or more competing motives

6. overload → when you suffer from excessive pressure or expectations from those around you

7. burnout → a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and continuous stress

also: problems with adaptation, frustration, overcrowding, discrimination (race, religion, social status, etc.), unemployment, poverty, etc

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRSS)

predicts stress overload and the likelihood of illness

what are the 3 main types of stress?

1. psychosocial

2. environmental

3. self-imposed

environmental stress

• comes from our physical environment and includes:

  • natural disasters

  • industrial disasters

  • background distressors such as noise, air, and water pollution

self-imposed stress

• Self-concept is a component of stress

• The cognitive stress system governs our response to stressors

• Self-esteem is closely related to past stressful experiences

what did Freidman and Rosenman identify?

• personality types and hardiness contribute to the kind and degree of self-imposed stress one experiences

Type A is hard-driven, competitive, anxious, time-driven, impatient, angry, and perfectionistic.

Type B is relaxed and non-competitive.

Type C personalities appear to succeed more often than Type B and have good health while displaying Type A patterns.

Psychological hardiness is characterized by control, commitment, challenge, choices and connectedness (sometimes called the Type C personality). Another “C” that fits this profile refers to courage.

stress management

consists primarily of finding balance or rhythm in one’s lif

what are the steps to dealing w/ stress?

1. identifying the stressor →assess whether you can alter the circumstances or if you must change your behaviours and reactions to the stressor

2. Recognizing and changing your responses →requires self-reflection, practice, and emotional control, cognitive coping strategies can be effective - downshifting

1. what am i willing to do abt it?

2. how am i currently handling it?

3. what am i going to do abt it?

4. have i put my plan into action?

5. what results can i see?

downshifting

a fundamental alteration in values and honest introspection about what is important in life

how can you manage your emotional responses?

• Examine your emotional response and differentiate between normal emotions and those based on irrational beliefs

• Examine your self-talk and accept responsibility where appropriate

• Learn to laugh and cry

how can you manage your social interactions?

• Analyze your friendships, family relationships. Do you have someone with whom you can share intimate thoughts and feelings?

• As you continue to develop friends, look for individuals with positive qualities

• Know where to turn to when pressures of life seem overwhelming

  • ex. Support groups - can be an important part of stress management. Support groups can be family, friends, counsellors, or clergy

how can I take mental action?

• positive self-efficacy comes from learned habits

• ability to think and react to stress constructively comes with time, practice, experience, etc.

• learn to view stressors as exercises in life

• change the way you think once you realize that your thoughts or self-talk may be negative

how can i take physical action?

• moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activities:

  • increase levels of endorphins

  • increase energy

  • reduce hostility

  • improve mental alertness

• relaxation:

  • preserves adaptation energy stores

  • dissipates excess hormones

  • associated with the GAS response

  • helps to refocus your energies

• balanced healthy dietary intake:

  • provides you with stamina

  • overeating, under-eating or emotional eating can create distress in the body