Chapter 11: Health, Stress & Coping

Stressors

External things that cause stress and or anxiety

What are the three different types of stressors?

Catastropic, significant life changes, and daily hassles and social stress

What is catastrophic stress?

Stress caused by natural disasters, car crash, house fire, war, pandemic, etc

What is stress from significant life changes?

Stress caused by losing a job/getting a job, moving, having kids, graduation, death of loved ones, parents divorced, getting married, illness, etc.

What are daily hassles and social stress?

Stress caused by work and/or school, waking up/getting up on time, maintaining relationships, self-care/general upkeep (Self, house, etc.), weather, budgeting, achieving high expectations, social media, homework, taking exams, work/life balance, etc.

Primary appraisal?

Assesing how threatening the stressor is

Secondary appraisal?

How to handle the situation

Prolonged stress leads to…

Exhaustion

Stress responses

1. Phase 1- Alarm reaction (mobilize resources) SNS activated

2. Phase 2- Resistance (cope with stressor) high blood pressure, temperature, breathing

3. Phase 3- Exhaustion (reserves depleted) most vulnerable to illness

Stress

Associated with reduced ability to fight disease. Ex. delayed wound healing

Problem-focused coping

Adress stressor directly

Emotion-focused

Change emotional impact of stressor

Learned helplessness

Hopelessness after repeatedly experiencing events with no control

Informational support

Providing information around the stressful situation

Emotional support

Reassuring one's value, love, and support

Instrumental support?

Providing material support (tangible) (Ex. loaning money for something they need)