Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
Stress
An actual or alleged hazard to the balance of homeostasis.
Stressor
Physical, psychological, or social stimuli that can produce stress and endanger homeostasis
Appraisal
How a person interprets the impact of the stressor
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
Describes how the body responds physiologically to stressors. The purpose is to regain a sense of balance.
Stages of GAS
Alarm Stage
Resistance Stage
Exhaustion Stage
Alarm Stage
“Fight or Flight”
Symptoms:
Pupils dilate
Blood volume increases
Heart rate increases
Blood glucose levels increase
Blood flow to muscles increases
Oxygen intake increases
Mental alertness increases
Resistance Stage
Body stabilizes and responds
Hormone levels, heart rate, blood pressure, and cardiac output should return to normal
The body tries to repair any damage that occurred
Exhaustion Stage
Continuous stress the body to no longer be able to resist the effects of the stressor and has depleted the energy necessary to maintain adaptation
The physiological response has intensified, but the person’s ability to adapt to the stressor diminishes
Leads to allostatic load
Stress Neutral
Coping is effective
Stress Challenge/Manageable
Coping effective, but new coping skills may be needed.
Stress Not Manageable
Coping ineffective; exceeds capacity to manage. Requires outside assistance.
Allostatic Load
Even in the face of chronic demands, an ongoing state of chronic activation of GAS can occur.
This chronic arousal with the presence of powerful hormones causes excessive wear and tear on bodily organs and is called allostatic load.
Can cause long-term physiological problems such as chronic hypertension, depression, sleep deprivation, etc.
Primary Appraisal
Evaluating an event in terms of personal meaning. When a person identifies an event or circumstance as harm, loss, threat, or challenge.
Secondary Appraisal
The process by which a person considers possible available coping strategies or resources, occurs at the same time.
Coping
The person’s cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage a stressor. Important to physical and psychological health because stress is associated with a range of psychological and health outcomes.
Ego-Defense Mechanisms
Regulate emotional distress and thus give a person protection from anxiety and stress
Help a person cope with stress indirectly and offer psychological protection from a stressful event
Everyone uses them unconsciously to protect against feelings of worthlessness and anxiety
Compensation
Making up for a deficiency in one aspect of self-image by strongly emphasizing a feature considered an asset.
Compensation Example
A person in financial bankruptcy purchases a new Tesla in hopes of convincing others they are doing well financially.
Conversion
Unconsciously repressing an anxiety-producing emotional conflict and transferring it into nonorganic symptoms.
Conversion Example
A woman walks into the ER for stomach pain, after a recent motorcycle crash she has stopped eating and lost 30 pounds since the incident.
Denial
Avoiding emotional conflict by refusing to consciously acknowledge anything that causes intolerable emotional pain.
Denial Example
After receiving a terminal diagnosis, a cancer patient insists that the test results are incorrect and they will beat their cancer and life will return to normal soon.
Displacement
Transferring emotions, ideas or wishes from a stressful situation to a less anxiety-producing substitute.
Displacement Example
A child has a lot going on him his homelife, so he bullies another child in school.
Identification
Patterning behavior after that of another person and assuming that person’s qualities, characteristics, and actions (dressing life a friend.)
Identification Example
After experiencing rehab for Substance Abuse Disorder, a woman decides to study psychology so she can help others the way she was helped.
Dissociation
Experience in which people feel disconnected from their sensory experience, sense of self, or personal history. Experiencing a subjective sense of numbing and a reduced awareness of one’s surroundings.
Dissociation Example
After losing a loved one, a woman states that she hasn’t been herself, her mind wanders and she doesn’t feel like she’s completely there.
Regression
Coping with a stressor through actions of behaviors associated with an earlier developmental period.
Regression Example
A toilet trained 5-year-old begins wetting themselves after experiencing a traumatic event.
True
True or False: The difference between coping and Ego-Defense mechanisms is that coping mechanisms are conscious while defense mechanisms are unconscious.
Importance of Understanding a Patients Stress Level
Stress can impact the physical and mental well-being of patients, as well as entire families and communities.
When stress overwhelms existing coping mechanisms, patients lose emotional balance, and a crisis results.
If symptoms of stress persist beyond the duration of the stressor, a person experiences a trauma.
Acute Stress
Most common type of stress
Occurs for a short period of time
Occurs in reaction to a real or perceived demand, threat, or pressure.
Resolution leads to elimination of the stress response.
Episodic Acute Stress
Self-inflicted or in regular chaos.
Common in type A personalities.
Unrealistic assignments beyond reasonable expectation.
These individuals are always in a hurry and irritable.
Constant worry is another for of episodic stress.
Chronic Stress
This type of stress represents a perpetual or sustained demand, threat, or pressure that is harmful to health because it wears on the individual continuously.
Can stem from a long-term stressor. Ex. occupational stress, relationship stress, financial stress, etc.
Associated with a loss of hope
Secondary Traumatic Stress
Trauma a person experiences from witnessing other people’s suffering.
Component of compassion fatigue and common in healthcare workers.
Results in nightmares and anxiety.
People with this condition begin to avoid interactions and have difficulties in sleeping and relating to friends and family.
Consequences of Chronic Stress on the Body
Results in continuous activation of the nervous system nd eventually produces negative outcomes across multiple body systems leading to several chronic health conditions.
Effects on Central Nervous System
Headaches
Nervousness
Memory problems
Insomnia
Confusion
Anxiety disorders
Depression
Problems with decision making
Effects on Cardiovascular System
Stroke
Myocardial infarction
Hypertension
CVD
Atherosclerosis
Cardiac arrhythmias
Effects on Immune System
Decreased WBCs
Cancer
Immunosuppression
Chronic Illnesses
Asthma
Effects on Musculoskeletal System
Pain/discomfort
Nervous tics
Migraines/tension headaches
Effects on Gastrointestinal System
Gastritis
Ulcerative colitis
Irritable colon
Diarrhea
Obesity
Eating disorders
Effects on Integumentary System
Hair loss
Acne
Eczema
Psoriasis
Ulcers in the mouth (cold sores)
Effects on Male Reproductive System
Reduced sex drive
Reduced testosterone
Reduced sperm
Erectile dysfunction
Impotence
Effects on Female Reproductive System
Menstrual disorders
Menopause symptoms (Irritability, hot flashes)
Mood swings
Crisis
Implies that a person is facing a turning point in life. This means that previous ways of coping are ineffective and the person must change.
Maturational/Developmental Crisis
Occurs as a client moves through the stages of life. Ex. Marriage or childbirth.
Situational Crisis
Result of the unexpected trauma such as losses, illness, or displacement. Ex. Job loss, motor vehicle crash, death.
Adventitious Crisis
Rare, unexpected happenings that are not part of everyday life. Ex. A major natural or man-made disaster or a crime of violence.
Stress Management Strategies
Time management
Guided imagery
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
Journal writing
Regular exercise
Maladaptive Coping Response
Include responses that ignore the underlying cause of the stress and may lead to other problems.
Ex. Alcohol abuse, drug abuse, smoking, excessive eating, denial, withdrawal, or avoidance.
Neuman’s System Model
Uses a systems approach to explain how stress affects patients. A stressor at one place in a system affects other parts of the system.
Roy’s Adaptation Model
Describes how an individual can effectively respond to stressors in the environment. A person has the ability to modify external stimuli to allow adaptation to occur.
Pender’s Health Promotion Model
Focuses on promoting health, managing stress, and increasing level of well-being. People can assess their own abilities/assets and want to live in ways that enable them to be as healthy as possible.