Health and Well being

Lecture:

Stress

Any circumstance that is perceived to threaten our well being 

Physiological and Psychological components

Coping response

Any attempt made to avoid/escape a stressor

Three major categories of stressors

Major life stressors, chronic stress, daily hassels

Major Life stressors

Changes the strain central area of peoples lives; like having your first kid

Chronic stress

Ongoing challenges; like poverty or long term illness

Daily Hassels

Small day to day irritations and annoyances; like heavy traffic or waiting in line

Frustrations 

The pursuit of a goal is prevented

Conflict

2 or more competing and incompatible goal

3 types of conflicts

Approach- approach conflicts, Avoidance-avoidance conflicts, Approach-avoidance conflict 

Approach-approach conflicts 

A choice must be made between two desirable goals. (least stressful); like choosing between chocolate cake or carrot cake

Avoidance-avoidance Conflict

a choice must be made between two unattractive goals; like having a final term long essay or final cumulative exa.

Approach-avoidance conflict

Choice must be made about achieving a goal which has both negative and positive attributes; like doing a final essay = no test but takes a lot of time & a final test = no essay but a lot to remember 

Change

any notable difference in one’s life that requires adaptation. Both + and - life changes can be stressful 

Holmes Rahe Social Readjustment Scale

Eustress: the stress of positive events

Distress: the stres of negative events

Pressure

Expectations or demands that one behave in a particular manner

Physiological components of stress: General Adaptation Syndrome

All types of stressful situations lead to a similar stress response consisting of 3 stages: Alarm; Resistance; Exhaustion

Alarm

The body releases adrenal hormones, sympathetic nervous system is activated

Resistance

Body is on “High Alert”

Exhaustion

Increased physiological vulnerability to stress

HPA Axis

Fearful stimulus= Hypothalamus + Pituitary gland = adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) = ACTH through blood = Cortisol + Catecholamines = fight and flight response

Allostatic Load 

“Wear and tear” on biological systems, including stress, digestive, cardiovascular, hormonal systems, etc. 

Lazarus & Folkman (1984): Primary Appraisal

Interpretation of a stimulus as stressful or not

Secondary appraisal

Is the stressor something that can be handled or not

Threat

Stressor that you believe you might not be able to overcome

Challenge

Stressor you feel fairly confident you can control 

Kanner & Daily hassels 

The total sum of mundane life tasks that combine to create significant levels of stress 

Stressors

Specific events or chronic pressures that place demand on a person or threatens well being 

Stress associated with health impairing behaviors

Such as: Smoking, poor nutritional habits, lack of exercise, Alcohol/drug use and risky behaviors. 

Smoking and health

Shorter life expectancy, Diseases like lung cancer, heart disease, etc.

Stress

Stress in general decreases the body’s immune responses, short term stress boosts the immune system; chronic weakens it. 

Type A behavior pattern:

A pattern of behavior characterized by competitiveness, achievement, orientation, aggressiveness, hostility, impatience with other and inability to relax. 

Type A personality

Is a strong predictor of heart disease as a high blood pressure, high cholesterol or smoking.

Type B personalities

noncompetitive, relaxed, and easy going, less quick to anger

Burnout

Physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by longterm exposure to demands associated with lowered performance and motivation 

Well being

Positive state, includes striving for optimal health and life satisfaction

Coping

Strategies you use to buffer against the stress cycle. Active efforts to master, reduce or accept the demands created by stress. 

Biopsychosocial model

A model of health that integrates the effects of biological, behavior and social factors on health.

Maladaptive coping strategies: Displaced aggression

Harmful act to someone  who is not the object of hostility; Like a dad having a bad day at work and displacing anger onto kids. 

Maladaptive coping strategies: Catharsis

Release of emotional tension; like crying from immense emotion

Maladaptive coping strategies: Self Indulgence

Compensate for deprived feelings by trying to promote feeling of satisfaction in another area. Like retail therapy good in the moment bad after spending so much money.

Adaptive coping strategies: Problem focused

How to change the situation; figure out what causes the problem

Adaptive coping strategies: Emotion focused

How to change perception/reaction to the situation:

Adaptive coping strategies: Optimism

People with more positive outlooks handle stress better

Humor (coping strategy)

Can help cope with stress it can also defuse some situations such as s bulling to reduce stressors.

Social Supports

Presence of social supports provide adaptive coping/release from pressures

Strong predictors (Variables that impact persons experience of happiness)

Close friendships, Religion, genetic factors

Moderate predictors

Health, love, and marriage, work satisfaction

Weak predictors/Not predictive

Money, Age, parenthood, intelligence, attractiveness

Conscientiousness

Associated with positive physical health and higher rates of longevity (Termans’s Sample: Less likely to exhibit unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking, risk taking) 

Focus on managing body: Relaxation

Reduces tension by relaxing muscles in the body, slowing heart rate, respiration and blood pressure.

Meditation

Intentional process, clear the mind of thoughts, focus on breathing

Mind management

coping involves ways to change how we think about stressors

Positive reappraisal

Focusing on possible good things in ones current situation (silver lining)

Downward comparisons

Comparing oneself to those who are worse off

Creation of positive events

a strategy of giving positive meaning to ordinary events

Rational Coping: Acceptance

Accepting the stressor exists and understanding the bodies response

Rational coping: Exposure

Attending to or seeking out the stressors hold in one’s life

Rational coping: Understanding

Working to find the meaning stressors hold in ones life

Rational coping: Reappraisals

Reappraising one’s own stress response as adaptive reduces the negative effects of stress. Overall making response more adaptive.

Reframing

Ways to promote the ability to find a new or creative way to think about the stressor that reduces a threat.

Postive Psychology

promotes higher rates of happiness and a greater sense of well being