stress and coping, health psychology, and positie

what do adrenal glands do and where are they located?

• top of kidney, lower back

• source of hormones that are dumped into bloodstream at times of stress

stress

unpleasant emotional state from perception of danger

stressor

source of stress

diathesis-stress model

predicts that stress can contribute to the development of MDD, schizo, PTSD, etc

what did walter cannon say can initiate a fight-or-flight response

extreme cold, lack of oxygen, emotional experiences

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

hans selye’s three-stage model for an rganisms response to stressors

• alarm reaction

• resistance

• exhaustion

alarm reaction

fight-or-flight response

resistance

• when stressors are prolonged

• contrinue to experience ongoing stress, we musr adapt and cope

• attempt to take care of both arousal and resting phase functions at same time

exhaustion

• stressors last long enough, strength and energy drop to very low levels

• common with criteria for MDD, might lead to death

cognitive appraisal models

help predict when a aprticular stimulus or event is likely to be a stressor for one person

appraisal

rapid initial statement (of potential stressors to determine whether they matter or are harmless)

can stress hormones cross into the placenta?

yes

what % of the general population is expected to experience PTSD after large disasters

10%

SRRS

Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale (used to predict vulnerability to physical illness and psychological disorder cs of diff stressors)

hassles

relatively insignificant sources of stress

what % of living US veterans have been exposed to combat?

38%

sympathetic adrenal-medullary (SAM) system

• initiates release of adrenaline and norepinephrine into bloodstream from adrenal glands

• circulate to many organs, produce fight-or-flight responses to stress

hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis

hypothalamus communicates with pituitary gland, which in turn tells adrenal glands to release cortisol

• longer than SAM response

• the longer cortisol circulates, the more chronic stress

cortisol

boosts energy available for deaing with stressot

cushing’s disease

causes unusually high cortisol levels

what can hgih levels of cortisol do

• damage neurons

• inhibit neurogensis

how does the hippocampus regulate high cortisol

signals hypothalamus after it detects, then the hypothalamus tells adrenal glands tp reduce release of cortisol

tend-and-befriend

• mothers response to stressors

• soothing frightened children

• hding

• social alliances

lymphocytes

white blood cells

type A personality

competitive, workaholic, some cases hostile