Stress

STRESS, LIFESTYLE, AND HEALTH

Chapter Overview

  • Explores understanding of stress:

    • Psychological and physiological aspects

    • Causes and consequences

    • Stress management techniques

Understanding Stress

Definition of Stress

  • Unpleasant feelings: frustration, anger, conflict, overwhelm, fatigue.

  • Stimulus-based definitions: stresses as demanding/threatening events.

  • Response-based definitions: emphasizes physiological reactions to stressors.

  • Neither definition fully encapsulates the concept of stress.

Cognitive Appraisals

  • Stress involves perception and reaction to stressors.

    • Primary appraisal: assesses harm/threat from stressors (Threat vs. Challenge).

    • Secondary appraisal: evaluates coping options and perceived effectiveness.

  • Higher stress occurs when stressors are viewed as highly threatening with few coping options.

Types of Stress

Eustress and Distress

  • Eustress: Positive stress that motivates actions beneficial for health.

  • Distress: Negative stress results in burnout and decreased performance.

  • Performance improves with moderate stress but declines when stress is excessive.

Prevalence of Stress

  • Stress is common, affecting physiological (heart rate, headaches), cognitive (concentration), and behavioral responses (substance use).

  • Nearly half of U.S. adults report increased stress over the last five years.

Health Psychology

  • Focus on psychological influences on health and responses to illness.

  • Connections between stress, illness, and health-related decision-making.

  • Demographics show variations in stress levels:

    • Higher stress in women, unemployed, less educated.

    • Retired individuals report the least stress.

Historical Contributions to Stress Research

Walter Cannon (Early 20th Century)

  • Identified physiological reactions to stress and termed "fight-or-flight response."

    • Response to perceived threats, aiding survival.

Hans Selye

  • Discovered the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): body's nonspecific response to stress:

    • Alarm Reaction: Immediate response to stress.

    • Stage of Resistance: Adaptation with less intensity.

    • Stage of Exhaustion: Depletion of resources, leading to illness.

Physiological Basis of Stress

  • Sympathetic nervous system: Triggers arousal and adrenaline release during stress.

  • HPA axis: Involved in stress hormone cortisol production, linking stress to immune function.

Stressors

Types of Stressors

  • Chronic stressors: Lasting events (e.g., long-term unemployment).

  • Acute stressors: Brief overwhelming events (e.g., accidents).

  • Traumatic events: Exposure to threat/death can lead to PTSD.

  • Life changes: Significant shifts can cause stress, measured by Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS).

  • Daily hassles: Minor irritations that accumulate and affect moods.

Stress and Health Outcomes

Psychophysiological Disorders

  • Chronic stress can lead to physical disorders (e.g., hypertension, heart disease, asthma).

  • Psychoneuroimmunology: Studies how psychological factors affect immune functioning.

Personality and Stress

  • Type A vs. Type B personalities: Type A more prone to heart disease due to traits like competitiveness and hostility.

Coping with Stress

Coping Styles

  • Problem-focused coping: Attempts to change the stress-inducing situation.

  • Emotion-focused coping: Aimed at reducing emotional distress without addressing the cause.

Control and Learned Helplessness

  • Perceived control: Belief in one’s ability to influence outcomes affects health.

  • Learned helplessness: Belief in powerlessness can lead to depression.

Social Support

  • The presence of friends and family can provide comfort and improve health outcomes, including immune function and reduced blood pressure.

Stress Reduction Techniques

  • Exercise: Lowers stress and improves resilience.

  • Meditation/Relaxation: Reduces sympathetic arousal.

  • Biofeedback: Enhances control over physiological processes.

Pursuit of Happiness

Elements of Happiness

  • Happiness encompasses joy, contentment, meaning, and value in life.

Factors Influencing Happiness

  • Age: Increased satisfaction with age.

  • Social Relationships: Higher happiness in married individuals and stronger social networks.

  • Wealth: Income correlates with happiness, stabilizing at $75,000.

  • Religion and Culture: Impact on well-being varies by environment.

Life Events and Happiness

  • Significant life events may temporarily affect happiness but overall happiness levels tend to remain stable.

Positive Psychology

  • Focus on building strengths for psychological well-being, enhancing life satisfaction, and health outcomes.