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stress
the body's psychological and physiological response to an internal or external source of tension (stressor)
stressor
a source of tension that challenges a person's ability to cope
internal stressor
a source of stress that comes from our mind and body e.g. an illness, feeling pressure to perform
external stressor
a source of stress that comes from the environment e.g. having too much homework, being nagged by parents
acute stress
an intense, short-term stress response that is induced shortly after a perceived stressor (associated with adrenaline and FFF)
chronic stress
a prolonged physiological or psychological response induced by a long-term internal or external stressor (cortisol and GAS)
eustress
a positive psychological stress response e.g. getting married, having a baby
distress
a negative psychological stress response
cortisol
the main stress hormone released by the adrenal glands for a range of vital functions, including increasing blood glucose levels and regulating metabolism and the immune response
Fight-Flight-Freeze
the body's automatic physiological response to a stressor or threat, which results in a person escaping the stressor (flight), confronting the stressor (fight) or becoming immobile (freeze); also known as the stress response
adrenaline
a hormone that is released from the adrenal glands during the stress response to increase energy; also known as epinephrine
noradrenaline
a hormone that is released from the adrenal glands during the stress response to increase arousal; also known as norepinephrine
short term benefits of cortisol
energises the body, turns off all bodily systems not immediately required to deal with a stressor (i.e. reproductive or digestive functions) and has an anti-inflammatory effect (on body cells) in the short term - increases our resistance to stressors
long term impact of cortisol
depleted resources, impaired immune system functioning, negative impact on GBA and can result in exhaustion
enteric nervous system (ENS)
a division of the autonomic nervous system consisting of nerve cells embedded in the lining of the gastrointestinal system
hypothalamus
a region of the brain that has a vital role in coordinating many bodily functions, including hormone secretion from the pituitary gland
pituitary gland
a small gland located at the base of the brain under the hypothalamus that controls several hormone glands in the body
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
a biological model that describes the physiological changes the body undergoes during stress
Alarm reaction
the first stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome, in which the body responds with shock and then counter shock
shock
the first phase of the alarm reaction, when the body reacts to a stressor as if it is injured, resulting in a decrease in blood pressure and body temperature
counter shock
the second phase of the alarm reaction, when the body activates the sympathetic nervous system to produce adrenaline and engage the flight-or-fight-or-freeze response
resistance
the second stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome, in which the body adapts to a stressor and stress hormones continue to circulate to keep resistance levels high, continued cortisol suppresses the immune system and illnesses such as headaches and colds can occur
exhaustion
the third stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome, in which resources are depleted, and serious illness can occur due to long-term suppression of the immune system
Transactional Model of Stress and Coping
a psychological model of stress that proposes a person's ability to cope with stress is influenced by how they assess the stressor
appraisal
a subjective assessment of a stimulus or an environment made by an individual
primary appraisal
the initial stage of evaluating a stressor, during which an individual assesses whether the stressor is significant
secondary appraisal
the second stage of evaluating a stressor, during which an individual assesses whether they have the resources and capacity to cope with the stressor
irrelevant
an appraisal in which an individual perceives a stressor to not present any issues
benign/positive
an appraisal in which an individual perceives a stressor to not have any negative effects or to benefit the individual
stressful
an appraisal where the individual perceives a stressor to be a source of worry or emotional sensitivity
harm/loss
an appraisal that some type of damage or loss has occurred
threat
an appraisal that there may be harm or loss in the future
challenge
an appraisal that there is opportunity for personal growth, or something might have a positive outcome
cope
exhibit thoughts and behaviours that help manage stress
coping strategy
action or thought process used to help manage or eliminate stressors
emotion focused coping
coping strategies that focus on regulating emotions and feelings about a stressor rather than addressing the stressor directly
problem focused coping
coping strategies that focus on taking actions to address a stressor directly
gut microbiome
the entire community of microorganisms in the intestinal tract
gut-brain axis (GBA)
The gut-brain axis (GBA) is a bidirectional ('two-way'), multi-faceted communication link between the central and enteric nervous systems.
gastrointestinal tract
the digestive passage between the mouth and the anus
vagus nerve
a neural pathway consisting of afferent and efferent fibres that connect the brain to the enteric nervous system and other body regions
gut microbiota
the different microorganisms that make up the gut microbiome
dysbiosis
disrupted and reduced microbiome diversity in the intestinal tract
approach coping strategy
a cognitive and behavioural method for directly dealing with a stressor to reduce psychological/ emotional distress
protective factor
a cognitive and behavioural method for directly dealing with a stressor to reduce psychological/ emotional distress
avoidant coping strategy
a cognitive and behavioural method for distracting or delaying dealing with a stressor
denial
ignoring the reality of a situation to avoid stress
context-specific effectiveness
effective use of previously successful coping strategies in a new and comparable situation
coping flexibility
a person's ability to adapt effectively to a range of stressful situations
microbiome
The collective term for a population of microbiota in a defined environment.
enterotype
unique combination of gut microbiota we each possess
