Stress

Stress (Selye, 1936)

non-specific response to any demand for change. These can be physical and psychological and can be caused by a stressor.

Two types of stress (Selye, 1983)

Distress (maladaptive) and Eustress (adaptive)

Distress

negative stress response typically accompanied by physiological reactivity and negative emotions
- lead to significant health risks, health risks, particularly combined with maladaptive ways of coping
- e.g. death of a loved one, financial difficulties, conflict with family

Eustress

positive stress response that motivates and enhances functioning
- experienced when one feels stressed but prepared to complete a task or deal with situation
e.g. graduating, starting a new job, passing driving test

stressor

sources of stress from internal or external factors, a stress-inducing object or event

types of stressors

Environmental stressor
Psychological stressor
Social stressor
Cultural stressorEn

Environmental Stressor

come from physical surroundings, e.g. noise, pollution, extreme weather conditions

Psychological Stressor

emotional and cognitive challenges that can cause stress e.g. exams, deadlines, or worries about relationships

Social stressor

come from relationships and interactions with others, e.g. conflicts with friends, peer pressure to fit in

Cultural stressors

related to identity, norms and expectations of your culture/society, e.g. discrimination, prejudice based on cultural beliefs and practices, societal expectations about success

Characteristics of stressors

source (internal/external)
Strength/intensity
Duration (acute/chronic)

models of stress

Stress as a response (General Adaptation Syndrome )- Selye, 1936, 1983
Stress as a stimulus (Social Readjustment Rating Scale) - Holmes and Raches, 1967
Stress as a transaction (Transactional Theory of Stress and coping) - Lazarus and Folkman, 1984

source

internal (stressors): originate within individual and are often common sources of stress, e.g. negative thoughts, self-doubt, unrealistic expectations
External (stressors): pressures/challenges that come from environment around, e.g. traumatic events, major life changes, everyday hassles

Strength/intensity

severity/intensity of stressors can range from mild to severely distressing with the ability to cope with the ability to cope with stressor affected by its severity

Duration

Chronic: long-term, stressors last for a long time - weeks, months, years. e.g. ongoing family conflict, living in poverty, permanent disability
Acute: short-term, arise suddenly/unexpectedly, e.g. bungee jumping

GAS

General Adaptation Syndrome which is a non-specific response to stress that describes the body’s autonomatic, typical three-stage pattern of resistance over time

Alarm-reaction stage

shock phase and countershock phase

shock phase

occurs immediately after stressor is introduced where physiological activity temporarily falls down below the body’s normal levels, e.g. body temp and blood pressure decreases as body is shocked by stressor and its defences are momentarily lowered

countershock phase

after shock phase body deals with stressor, amygdalla detects the threat and sends a signal to hypothalamus to initiate sympathetic nervous system.
Signal is sent to the adrenal glands via bloodstream, stimulating the release of cortisol, adrenaline and noreadrenaline (fight/flight response)

cortisol hormone in countershock

cortisol(main stress hormone): enables continual blood sugar supply to provide energy and reduce inflammation. increases pain tolerance. Prolonged high levels of cortisol impair immune system performance and damage hippocampus and prefrontal cortex affecting cognitive abilities

noreadrenaline hormone in countershock phase

causes blood vessles to contrict and raises/increases blood pressure

Adrenaline hormone in countershock phase

increases heart rate and supports conversion of glycogen → glucose in the liver for energy (delivered to muscles)

Resistance Stage

body enters this stage to try and stabalise the internal system (fight the stressor) from initial shock. Activity of Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) bodily functioning reduces while parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) works to restore normal bodily funcitons (reach homeostasis)
cortisol, adrenaline and noreadrenaline continue to be secreted
if stress continues body goes to third stage (exhaustion stage)

Exhausiton stage

PNS takes control and reversed the SNS and returns body to normal functioning
Stress persists over a prolonged period in the body