stress, illness and coping

stress define

psyiological/ psychological response to internal/ external stressors - cause mind-body changes to contribute to disorder, disease and qol

psychosocial determinants of stressful events

environmental; social; family; individul

traumatic/ catastropic / crisis events

exposed to death, threatened death, seriousinjjry or sexual violejnce - direct or indirect

which type of stressor is ‘worst’

• daily hassles are stronger predictors of psych wellbeing than big problemms 

• cumulative effect dose-effect found tho

impact of multiple traumas/ compound trauma 

exposure to a new traumatic event increases the risk for mental & physical health problems – Dose-response relationship

positive valenced events…

can also be stressors e.g. pregnancy

transactional model of stress

primary appraial → if stressful (how? harm/ loss - threat - challenge) —> secondary appraial —> coping/ stres

factors influence appriasal

situatioanl vs indivudal

situational influence on appraisal

uncertainty/ timing/ controllability/ social factors

indiviudal characteristics

self-efficacy/ personality traits/ capabilities

guts (general unsafety theory stress) theory

evoluntionarily, we had to be stress-on; only when we feel safe repeatedly do we switch off stress response 

system in control when ur calm 

parasympathetic nervous system is online in this somatic state 

system when you are aroused (stressed) + equivalent FFF 

as increase flight/ fright response kicks in with somatic nervous system → continued becomes freeze response where parasympathetic nervous system returns → deactivation where return to sympathetic

consequences of stress in FFF model 

fight/ flight with panic/ rage/ digestion → freeze with shame/ shuttdown/ depression/ conservation of energy/ risk of obesity → fight/ flight again when deactivation

stress hormone

cortisol

coordination of central & peripheral clocks by glucorticoids

Light sets the brain’s central clock → which regulates cortisol release → which in turn keeps all the body’s peripheral clocks synchronized.
This coordination ensures that biological processes across tissues happen at the right times of day

cortisol, sleep and stress

Under normal conditions, cortisol rises before waking and pulses throughout the day in rhythmic patterns. During stress, this balance is overridden by a large surge in cortisol to help the body respond to the challenge.

hans selye’s general adaptation syndrome

early theory of dealing with stress - good health = homeostasis; alarm stage = stressor is present; resistance stage where we try to deal with it; but if not, exhaustion stage where we show depressive symptoms 

McEwen’s theory?

four ways stress regulation can fail, leading to allostatic load (wear and tear from chronic stress):

1. Repeated hits: Constant exposure to stressors with no recovery time.

2. Lack of adaptation: Body doesn’t adjust to repeated stress — stress response stays high.

3. Prolonged response: Stress hormones stay elevated even after the stressor ends.

4. Inadequate response: Body fails to mount a proper stress response (e.g., insufficient cortisol release).

immune system and stress

acute and chronic stress can suppress immune system function inflammation leading to health issues & disease

Cytokines are…

immune system chemicals (e.g. interleukins) that communicate with the nervous system and trigger feelings like fatigue, low mood, and social withdrawal

How do cytokines link the immune and nervous systems?

Proinflammatory cytokines appear to be a key mechanism connecting immune responses to psychological and behavioral changes during stress

What role do positive emotions play in stress and inflammation?

Positive affect can buffer the impact of stress on inflammation, reducing harmful effects

What is the link between emotional diversity (emodiversity) and inflammation?

Higher emodiversity is associated with lower markers of inflammation, suggesting emotional range may protect health.

stress and disease

infectious disease, cardivascular disease, cancers risk increase with chronic stress often via inflammation markers 

how do we measure stress 

phsyiological arousal - objective markers 

coping strats

• Problem-focused: Taking direct action to reduce stress or increase resources.

• Emotion-focused: Managing emotional responses through cognitive or behavioral strategies

• Avoidant: Ignoring or denying the problem — may help short-term but is ineffective long-term

emotion-regulation strategies CASAR

cognitive reappraisal, acceptance, suppression, avoidance, rumination

What are the stages in Regulatory Flexibility process?

• Context Sensitivity – assess environmental demands and opportunities.

• Repertoire – select an appropriate strategy from one’s range.

• Feedback – monitor outcome; adjust, maintain, or cease strategy.
  → Flexible cycling through these stages supports adaptive regulation and resilience.

What core claim does Bonanno & Burton’s (2013) model of Regulatory Flexibility make

It rejects the view that any emotion-regulation strategy is inherently adaptive or maladaptive.
Effectiveness depends on how well the strategy fits the specific situational context.
Resilience stems from the ability to match, shift, and adjust strategies as contexts change.

social support stress 2 ways

direct - yippee less stress 
buffering - even vulnerable peopple when had support later in life fared better

evidence for direct effects hypothesis

Social ties and susceptibility to the common cold was measured in 276 healthy volunteers exposure to rhinovirus

cultural diff in benefit of specific social support

Collectivistic cultures preserve social harmony and minimise personal stress’s impact on others,
whereas individualistic cultures share the burden of stress for personal benefit.

what doesnt work to manage stress

» ‘Just think positively’ ‘Stop worrying’ – Thought intrusion Wegner » Avoidance, distraction and numbing » Anti-anxiety medication » Benzodiazepines – reduce anxiety, panic, insomnia » Beta-blockers – reduced arousal not stress » Some of these strategies have shortterm benefits, but are unhelpful in the long-term

what does work to manage stress

cognitive restructuring - show evidence for/ against
guided muscle relaxation
guided problem-solving to aide problem-focused coping