introduction to health psychology

stress

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

hypertension

elevated blood pressure, can be linked to stress

headaches

your head hurts; can be from stress

immune suppression

weakening of the immune system’s ability to fight infections and illness, often resulting from prolonged stress

eustress

positive events that motivate a person

distress

unpleasant stress

trauma

stressors that are more impactful and long-term

daily hassles

daily stressors that do not have long lasting impacts

adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

traumatic events that occur in childhood

ex. violence, abuse, neglect, suicide in family

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

sequence of physiological reactions that the body goes through when adapting to a stressor

alarm

stressor happens, mobilize resources

resistance

coping with stressor

exhaustion

stressor has been dealt with or you have burnt out, resources are gone

tend-and-befriend theory

some people react to stress by tending to their own needs or the needs of others and seeking connections

problem-focused coping

dealing with the core issue of stress to reduce it

emotion-focused coping

managing emotional reactions to stress to reduce it