unit 5: mental and physical health pt 2

health and psychology edition

health psychology

the study of how psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness (epidemiologist, geropsychologist, public health analyst, etc.)

stress

the response of the body and mind to challenges or demands, characterized by physical, emotional, and mental reactions

-stress can cause physical problems like high blood pressure (hypertension), headaches, and a weakened immune system (immune suppression) (college student nearing final exams, where they begin missing sleep and experiencing fatigue, overwhelmed, nervous, and racing thoughts)

stressors

events or conditions that trigger stress by challenging an individual's ability to cope or adjust (student juggling academic responsibilities, extracurricular like sports and clubs, and a part-time job)

eustress (motivating)

positive stress that enhances motivation, performance, and emotional well-being (student enrolled in multiple AP courses face the challenges of preparing for the exams; stakes of performing are high, but the student is motivated by the prospect of college credits/enhancing college applications)

distress (debilitating)

negative stress that decrease motivation, impairs performance, and leads to emotional and physical problems (student facing unexpected financial difficulties that threaten their eduction, being pressured by family to get married, etc.)

daily hassles

minor irritations that occur regularly (individual commutes to work in heavy traffic, leading to frequent delays and increased stress each morning)

significant life changes

major events that require adaptation (individual relocating to new city for job opportunity where they have to adapt to a different environment, build new social networks, etc.)

catastrophes

unpredictable, large scale events that cause widespread stress (community struck by hurricane, causing destruction to homes, infrastructure, and local businesses)

adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

stressful or traumatic events in childhood that can have long-lasting effects on health and well-being throughout a person's life (child growing up in household with a substance abuse parent where the child experiences unpredictable behavior, neglect, and frequent conflicts)

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

three stage response to stress that includes alarm, resistance, and exhaustion, describing how the body reacts and adapts to stress over time (student in multiple AP courses, participates in sports and a job feels overwhelmed [alarmed], then organized through a schedule/time management [resistance], then burnt out and decrease in academic performance [exhaustion])

alarm reaction phase

initial stage of GAS, where the body reacts to a stressor with a fight or flight response, activating stress hormones and physiological changes (unexpected notification about an upcoming exam of which alarms them and kicks in stress hormones, increased heart rate, and panic)

fight-flight-freeze response

physiological reaction to perceived threats that prepares the body to fight, flee, or freeze to enhance survival (person hears something rustle in the bushes and perceives a shadow, where their body immediately surges in adrenaline, preparing them to confront [fight], escape [flight], or remain motionless to avoid detection [freeze])

resistance phase

second stage of GAS, where the body tries to adapt and cope with a stressor, maintains heightened alertness and stress hormone levels (student establishing strict study schedule, improving their diet and increasing sleep in order to manage several major projects and exams that span multiple weeks)

exhaustion phase

final stage of the GAS, where the body's resources are depleted after prolonged stress, leading to decreased stress tolerance and potential health issues

-the greatest susceptibility to illness occurs during the exhaustion phase (student who overly committed to coursework, their job, etc. has become unable to come with stress and becomes fatigued, has headaches, burnt out, and develop the flu)

tend-and-befriend theory

behavioral reaction to stress that involves nurturing g activities to protect oneself and one's offspring, and seeking social support to reduce stress

-occurs mostly in women (students forming study group to deal with the stress together, as well as manage stress about exams; social support and nurturing)

problem-focused coping

involves directly managing or solving the source of stress to reduce its impact (student creating detailed schedule that allocates specific times for studying, completing college applications, and participating in extracurricular to manage the sources of their stress)

emotion-focused coping

managing the emotional response to stress rather than changing the stressful situation itself (listening to music while studying for the stressful exams as they realize they cannot avoid the exams or the studying for it)

positive psychology

the scientific study of human flourishing to help individuals and communities to thrive (wellness coordinator, scholar counselor, leadership coach, mental health counselor, etc.)

subjective well-being

self perceived happiness or satisfaction with life (surveys asking about the student's level of happiness, satisfaction with life, and emotional experiences)

resilience

the ability to adapt and recover quickly from difficulties or change, maintain psychological well being in the face of adversity (student experiment setback for not being accepted into dream school but applies to other universities that offers the same programs; they did not dwell on the disappointment)

posttraumatic growth

positive psychological changes experienced as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances, leading to a higher level of personal or interpersonal functioning (being severely burned in a fire and coming to love everything you took for granted before the accident)

positive emotions

feelings that foster enjoyment, interest, and contentment, and contribute to overall well being and happiness (joy, love, serenity, hope—person gets to be an F3 driver and it is their dream so they love doing it)

gratitude

appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself, enhancing overall well being by fostering positive feelings and relationships (writing three things down in a gratitude journal to help recognize and appreciate the positive aspects of their life)

signature strengths and virtues

core characteristics that a person naturally possesses and expresses, which contribute to fulfilling, authentic, and engaged living (wisdom/knowledge-perspective/creativity, courage-bravery, humanity-love/kindness, justice-fairness, temperance-forgiveness/modesty, transcendence- spirituality)

wisdom

the ability to make sound decisions based on deep understanding and experience, contributing to effective problem solving and interpersonal relationships (student leading fixing the problem of disengagement among club members by sending out a form where they can all collaborate on ways to enhance engagement, thus fixing the problem and using their knowledge to help push the students to continue this process through positive reinforcement)

courage

the mental or moral strength to persevere and withstand fear or difficulty, enabling individuals to face challenges and act in accordance with their values despite potential risks (student witnessing a peer being bullied and takes a stand by intervening and reporting the bully to the school)

humanity

the quality of being compassionate, empathetic, and supportive towards others, fostering positive interpersonal relationships and social well being (group of residents noticing that the elders in the neighborhood are lonely, so they organize a volunteer group dedicated to regular visits)

justice

commitment to fairness, equity, and advocating for the rights of others, which helps maintain healthy community and societal relationships (students organizing a group to address the inconsistencies in how disciplinary actions are applied, where some students from certain backgrounds are affected)

temperance

self regulation and control over excesses and impulses, promoting balance and moderation in personal behavior and relationships (student setting boundaries, attending only events that don't conflict with their studies, and practicing moderation in social activities)

transcendence

the ability to connect to the larger universe and find meaning beyond oneself, often through appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humor, and spiritually (group of university students feel overwhelmed so they form a campus-wide initiative focused on mindfulness and spiritual growth)