health psych

Health Psychology

A field in psychology that interprets the effects of mental processes on the human body/health.

Health psychologists

Professionals who work in hospitals, clinics, private practices, universities and study the effect of thoughts and behaviors on physical health.

Stress

The physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to events that are appraised as challenging or threatening.

Common reactions to stress

Include physical symptoms like increased heart rate, nausea, and emotional symptoms like anxiety.

Panic Attack

An extreme physical reaction to stress that can be mistaken for a heart attack.

Distress

An unwanted stressor that causes stress.

Eustress

A wanted stressor, such as a job interview.

Post traumatic growth

The idea that we use a stressor to bring about beneficial change.

Major Life Events

Transformations that require adaptation and change, such as moving out.

Hassles

Daily annoyances of everyday life.

Pressure

Urgent demands or expectations from outside sources that create a sense of overwhelm and anxiety.

Uncontrollability

The perceived ability or lack thereof to control an event, impacting stress levels.

Rat Study on Uncontrollability

Experiment with three groups of rats: Group 1 had control, Group 2 received shocks with a warning, and Group 3 got shocks without a warning; Group 3 showed more stress.

Findings of the Rat Study

Group 3 experienced the most stress (evidenced by stomach ulcers) due to the lack of warning and preparation.

Learned Helplessness

A condition where individuals fail to act to escape a negative situation after experiencing a lack of control over previous events.

Frustration

The experience of being blocked from reaching a goal, which can be external or internal.

External Frustration

Obstacles to goal attainment caused by outside sources, such as traffic delays.

Internal Frustration

Obstacles to goal attainment caused by oneself, such as forgetting an assignment.

Conflict

The psychological experience of being torn between two or more competing desires or goals.

Cognitive Dissonance

The discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting attitudes or behaviors.

Social Factors Impacting Stress

Elements like poverty and job stress that affect an individual's ability to meet basic needs and influence overall stress levels.

Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders

Disorders characterized by a physiological reaction paired with overwhelming feelings of dread or apprehension due to traumatic events.

Clinician’s Illusion

The tendency to overestimate the prevalence of psychological problems related to stress or trauma, as clinicians primarily see individuals seeking help with extreme reactions.

Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)

A stress disorder that occurs in response to a traumatic event, lasting less than one month.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A stress disorder that occurs following a traumatic event, lasting more than three months.

Similarities between ASD and PTSD

Both involve a traumatic event, feelings of helplessness, reexperiencing the event, triggers, and hypervigilance.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

A disorder characterized by a constant state of worry that is not grounded in reality or reason.

Major Depression (MDD)

A mood disorder marked by fatigue, sleep issues, changes in appetite, anger, poor mood, social withdrawal, and loss of interest in enjoyable activities.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the fight or flight response.

Pupils Dilation

A sympathetic response that helps improve vision in stressful situations by allowing more light in.

Salivation Decrease

A sympathetic response that conserves resources during stress by reducing saliva production.

Lung Expansion

Sympathetic response that enlarges the lungs to increase oxygen intake.

Sweating

A sympathetic response that helps cool the body during stress.

Increased Blood Flow

Sympathetic response that enhances blood circulation to muscles and brain for quicker response.

Increased Blood Sugar

Sympathetic response that elevates blood sugar levels to provide an energy boost.

Digestion Slowdown

A sympathetic response that reduces digestive activity to prioritize resources for fighting stress.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the rest and digest response.

Three Stages of Stressor Reaction

Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

Alarm Stage

The initial response to a stressor, triggering awareness of the threat.

Resistance Stage

The phase where the body fights the stressor until it is resolved or energy is depleted.

Exhaustion Stage

The phase where the parasympathetic system reactivates to restore balance after prolonged stress.

Lymphocytes

Cells in the immune system that heal the body and combat stressors.

T-Lymphocytes

A type of lymphocyte responsible for cellular immunity.

B-Lymphocytes

A type of lymphocyte responsible for humoral immunity.

NK-Lymphocytes

Natural Killer cells that target and destroy cancer cells.

Cortisol

A hormone released in response to stress that can suppress the immune system.

Impact of Stress on Healing

Stressed individuals, such as college students, heal less quickly from minor operations.

Stress and Common Colds

The longer a stressor is present, the higher the risk of developing a common cold.

Psychoneuroimmunology

The study of the interaction between psychological processes, the nervous system, and the immune system.

Robert Ader

Considered the father of psychoneuroimmunology for his work linking stress and the immune system.

Saccharin & Cytoxin Experiment

Ader's experiment where rats were conditioned to become sick from saccharin-flavored water after being given Cytoxin.

Conditioning of the Immune System

Ader demonstrated that the immune system could be classically conditioned to respond to previously neutral stimuli.

Conditioned Response (CR) in Rats

In Ader's study, the conditioned response was sickness related to the saccharin water consumption.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

In the experiment, Cytoxin served as the unconditioned stimulus that suppressed the immune system.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

Rats' sickness response to the Cytoxin.

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

In the study, the sugar water was initially a neutral stimulus before conditioning.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

The pairing of saccharin with Cytoxin made the sugar water a conditioned stimulus for illness.

Stress and Heart Disease

High stress engages the sympathetic nervous system, which blocks the parasympathetic system, hindering the body’s healing ability.

Impact of Stress on Bloodstream

High stress prevents the body from clearing fat and cholesterol, leading to clogged arteries and increased heart attack risk.

Stress and Cancer

Stress is directly linked to cancer, affecting immune response.

Natural Killer Cells

Cells that play a key role in the immune system, particularly in targeting cancer cells.

Effects of Stress on the Hippocampus

Stress correlates with the shrinkage of the hippocampus, adversely affecting memory storage.

Function of the Amygdala

The amygdala is the brain's fear center, which can be overactivated in response to stress.

Amygdala Activation in Safe Situations

Stress can cause the amygdala to activate during non-stressful situations, leading to increased fear responses.

Primary Appraisal

The initial evaluation to determine if a situation is a threat or a challenge.

Secondary Appraisal

The assessment of available resources to handle a perceived threat.

Type A Personality

Individuals who are organized, ambitious, potentially high-strung, and often exhibit hostility, which correlates with a higher risk of heart disease.

Type B Personality

Individuals who are laidback, go with the flow, slow to anger, and easy-going.

Type C Personality

Individuals who hold in their emotions and appear calm but are internally ready to explode; associated with a higher likelihood of cancer due to suppressed immune responses.

Hardy Personality

A resilient personality type characterized by commitment, control, and viewing stressors as challenges, lacking anger and hostility.

Optimists

People who expect positive outcomes, tend to have better immune function, live longer, and believe their actions matter.

Pessimists

Individuals who expect negative outcomes.