Chapter Five: Stress and Physical and Mental Health

acute stress disorder

acute stress disorder

disorder that occurs within 4 weeks after a traumatic event and lasts for a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 4 weeks

adjustment disorder

a disorder in which a person’s response to a common stressor is maladaptive and occurs within 3 months of the stressor

allostatic load

the biological cost of adapting to stress; under conditions of high stress our _____ is high; when we are calm, our _____ is low and our bodies are not experiencing any of the physiological consequences of stress (racing heart, high levels of cortisol, etc.)

antigen

a foreign body (e.g., a virus or bacteria) or an internal threat (e.g., a tumor) that can trigger an immune response

B-cell

a type of white blood cell, produced in the bone marrow, that is (along with _____) very important in the immune system; _____ produce specific antibodies in response to specific antigens

behavioral medicine

broad interdisciplinary approach to the treatment of physical disorders thought to have psychological factors as major aspects in their causation or maintenance

coping strategies

efforts to deal with stress

crisis

stressful situation that approaches or exceeds the adaptive capacities of an individual or group

crisis intervention

provision of psychological help to an individual or a group in times of severe and special stress

cytokines

small protein molecules that enable the brain and the immune system to communicate with each other; _____ can augment or enhance an immune system response or cause immunosuppression, depending on the specific _____ that is released

debriefing sessions

a brief, directive treatment method that is used in helping people who have undergone a traumatic situation; _____ are usually conducted with small groups of trauma victims shortly after the incident for the purpose of helping them deal with the emotional residuals of the event

distress

negative stress, associated with pain, anxiety, or sorrow

health psychology

sub-specialty within behavioral medicine that deals with psychology’s contributions to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of psychological components of physical dysfunctions

hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis

a hormonal feedback system that becomes activated by stress and results in the production of cortisol

immune system

the body’s principle means of defending itself against the intrusion of foreign substances

immunosuppression

a down-regulation or dampening of the immune system; this can be short or long term and can be triggered by injury, stress, illness, and other factors

leukocytes

generalized term for white blood cells involved in immune protection

lymphocyte

generalized term for white blood cells involved in immune protection

positive psychology

a new field that focuses on human traits (e.g., optimism) and resources that are potentially important for health and well-being

post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

disorder that occurs following an extreme traumatic event, in which a person reexperiences the event, avoids reminders of the trauma, and exhibits persistent increased arousal

prolonged exposure

a behaviorally oriented treatment strategy in which a patient is asked to vividly recount the traumatic event over and over until the patient experiences a decrease in their emotional response

psychoneuroimmunology

study of the interactions between the immune system and the nervous system and the influence of these factors on behavior

resilience

the ability to adapt successfully to even very difficult circumstances

stress-inoculation training

preventive strategy that prepares people to tolerate an anticipated threat by changing the things they say to themselves before the crisis

stressors

adjustive demands that require coping behavior on the part of an individual or group

stress tolerance

a person’s ability to withstand stress without becoming seriously impaired

sympathetic-adrenomedullary (SAM) system

system designed to mobilize resources and prepare for a fight-or-flight response

T-cell

a type of white blood cell that, when activated, can recognize specific antigens; _____ play an important role in the immune system

telomere

the protective ends of our chromosomes; they are made up of repeated sequences of DNA; their presence protects the genes close them from being damaged and truncated during cell division; _____ shorten as we age; stress also reduces the length of _____

type A behavior pattern

excessive competitive drive even when it is unnecessary, impatience or time urgency, and hostility

type D personality

characterized by high levels of negative emotions and social anxiety; research suggests that _____ is linked to heart attacks