Psych Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health

Stress

A factor in heightened susceptibility to disorders and disease; linked to physiological issues such as hypertension, headaches, and immune suppression.

Stressors

Events or situations that can be motivating or debilitating; they may be traumatic or daily hassles that build up over time.

Eustress

Motivating or good stress.

Distress

Debilitating or bad stress.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Sources of stress in childhood that can affect a person throughout the lifespan.

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

The process of experiencing stress through stages.

Alarm reaction

The initial stage of stress when the stressor is first encountered.

Resistance phase

The stage in which the body confronts stress through coping and the fight-flight-freeze response.

Fight-flight-freeze response

An automatic survival response that prepares the body to fight, flee, or freeze when faced with danger.

Exhaustion phase

The final stage of stress when resources are depleted and susceptibility to illness is greatest.

Tend-and-befriend theory

The idea that some people respond to stress by caring for themselves or others and seeking social connection, seen mostly in women.

Problem-focused coping

Coping by identifying the stressor as a problem to be solved and working toward a solution.

Emotion-focused coping

Coping by managing emotional reactions to stress, such as through deep breathing, meditation, or medication.

Positive psychology

The study of factors that promote well-being, resilience, positive emotions, and psychological health.

Gratitude

A positive subjective experience that increases subjective well-being.

Subjective well-being

A person’s self-reported happiness and overall life satisfaction.

Character strengths

Positive, measurable, and malleable personality traits that help a person thrive.

Signature strengths

A person’s strongest character strengths or virtues that, when used, are linked to greater happiness and well-being.

Virtues

Six broad categories of character strengths: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence.

Posttraumatic growth

Positive psychological change or a positive subjective experience that may occur after trauma or stress.

Factors used to identify psychological disorders

Level of dysfunction, perception of distress, and deviation from social norms.

Positive consequences of diagnosing or classifying psychological disorders

Helps guide evidence-based treatment, increases understanding and relief for patients, and improves communication among professionals.