Healthful Living – Lesson 3.1: Understanding Stress and Other Adverse Events

1. Stress:

1. The body's physical and psychological reactions to situations perceived as threatening or challenging.

1. Stressor:

1. Any event, situation, or factor that causes a person to experience stress.

1. Eustress:

1. Positive stress that encourages growth, improves performance, and increases motivation.

1. Distress:

1. Negative stress that causes unpleasant feelings and can have harmful effects on physical and mental health.

1. Acute Stress:

1. Short-term stress that occurs in response to an immediate challenge or stressful event.

1. Chronic Stress:

1. Stress that continues over a long period of time and may negatively affect overall health.

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1. Technostress:

1. Stress caused by technology, including constant notifications, social media, and digital demands.

1. Inner Conflict:

1. Stress that occurs when a person experiences opposing thoughts, feelings, desires, or values.

1. Trauma:

1. Extreme psychological or emotional stress resulting from a deeply disturbing or frightening event.

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1. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs):

1. Potentially traumatic experiences that occur during childhood or adolescence.

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1. Toxic Stress

1. : Stress caused by repeated or prolonged exposure to severe stressors.

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1. Fight-Flight-Freeze-Fawn Response:

1. The body's automatic reaction to a perceived threat, preparing a person to fight, escape, freeze, or appease.

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1. Relaxation Response:

1. The physiological process through which the body returns to its normal resting state after experiencing stress.

1. Alarm Stage:

1. The first stage of the stress response, during which the body recognizes a threat and activates its defense mechanisms.

1. Resistance Stage:

1. The second stage of the stress response, when the body continues attempting to manage an ongoing stressor.

1. Exhaustion Stage:

1. The final stage of prolonged stress, when the body's resources become depleted and the risk of illness increases.

1. Endocrine System:

1. The body system responsible for producing and releasing hormones that regulate various functions, including the stress response.

1. Epinephrine (Adrenaline):

1. A hormone released during stress that increases heart rate, breathing, and energy availability.

1. Norepinephrine:

1. A hormone and neurotransmitter that increases alertness, attention, and the body's readiness to respond to stress.

1. Cortisol:

1. A hormone released during stress that helps regulate metabolism, blood sugar, and the body's stress response.

1. Nervous System:

1. The body system that processes information, detects threats, and coordinates physical and mental responses to stress.

1. Cardiovascular System:

1. The body system consisting of the heart and blood vessels that circulates blood throughout the body.

1. Blood Pressure:

1. The force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels, which can increase during stressful situations.

1. Immune System:

1. The body's defense system against infections and diseases, which can become less effective during prolonged stress.

1. Digestive System:

1. The body system responsible for breaking down food and absorbing nutrients, which can be negatively affected by stress.

1. Cognitive Effects:

1. Changes in thinking, memory, concentration, learning, and decision-making that may occur because of stress.

1. Acute Stress Disorder:

1. A mental health condition that develops after a traumatic event, with symptoms lasting from three days to one month.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

A mental health condition characterized by persistent psychological and emotional reactions following a traumatic experience.

1. Burnout:

1. A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion associated with prolonged or overwhelming stress.

1. A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion associated with prolonged or overwhelming stress.

1. Burnout: