Stress, Lifestyle, and Health

Agenda

  1. What is Stress?

  2. Stressors

  3. Stress and Illness

  4. Regulation of Stress

  5. The Pursuit of Happiness

Stress

  • Chapter Overview:

    • Exploration of stress including its:

    • Psychological and physiological natures.

    • Causes and consequences.

    • Management techniques.

    • Credits:

      • Image modifications by Travis K. Mendoza, "albertogp123"/Flickr, Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ

What is Stress?

  • Definitions of Stress:

    • General Description: Stress is loosely used to describe a variety of unpleasant feeling states (e.g., frustrated, angry, conflicted, overwhelmed, or fatigued).

    • Stimulus-Based Definitions:

    • Defines stress as a demanding or threatening situation (e.g., high-stress job).

    • Characterizes stress as a stimulus that prompts specific reactions.

    • Fails to consider individual differences in perception and reaction to stressors.

    • Response-Based Definitions:

    • Emphasizes physiological responses to stressful situations (e.g., increased heart rate).

    • Defines stress as a response to environmental threats.

    • Limitations: Neither definition provides a complete picture of stress.

Cognitive Appraisals

  • Definition of Stress:

    • Involves how an individual perceives and responds to events they deem as overwhelming or threatening, which influences their reactions.

  • Primary Appraisal:

    • Judgement about potential harm or threat the stressor poses.

    • Categories:

    • Threat: Harmful potentiality leading to loss.

    • Challenge: Potential for growth or gain (e.g., graduating college might be perceived as a threat (loss of support) or as a challenge (opportunity for independence)).

  • Secondary Appraisal:

    • Assessment of coping option availability and effectiveness perception.

    • A threat becomes less stressful if perceived coping is viable.

Resulting Stress

  • Stress is likely to occur when a stressor is seen as highly threatening, especially if perceived coping options are few or ineffective.

Good Stress?

  • Eustress:

    • Positive stress that motivates beneficial actions.

    • Linked to optimal feelings, health, and performance.

  • Distress:

    • Negative stress resulting in burnout, fatigue, and declining performance.

    • Performance varies with stress levels: optimal stress level produces peak performance, while excessive stress leads to distress and decreased performance (Everly & Lating, 2002).

The Prevalence of Stress

  • Stress plays a pervasive role in daily life and elicits multiple responses:

    • Physiological Responses: Accelerated heart rate, headaches, gastrointestinal issues.

    • Cognitive Responses: Difficulty concentrating, decision-making challenges.

    • Behavioral Responses: Increased alcohol consumption, smoking, actions to eliminate stressors.

    • Statistics: Nearly half of U.S. adults report increased stress levels over the past five years (Neelakantan, 2013).

Health Psychology

  • Definition: A subfield examining psychological influences on health and illness and the responses individuals have when ill.

  • Focus Areas:

    • Stress and illness correlation.

    • Life choice motivations.

    • Effectiveness of unhealthy behavior interventions.

    • Demographic health risks rooted in psychological/behavioral factors.

  • Demographic Insights:

    • Higher stress in women than men.

    • Greater stress levels in unemployed, undereducated, and low-income individuals.

    • Retired individuals report the lowest stress levels.

    • Notable increases seen in men, Whites, or those aged 45-64 post-2008 economic downturn.

Stress Among Demographic Groups

  • Charts: Show mean stress levels across demographics (adapted from Cohen & Janicki-Deverts, 2012):

    • Trends observed from 1983 to 2009.

Early Contributions to the Study of Stress

  • Walter Cannon (Early 20th Century):

    • Pioneered understanding of physiological stress responses and coined 'fight-or-flight' response.

    • Fight-or-Flight Response: Physiological reactions from perceived threats, facilitated by the sympathetic nervous system. Aids in survival adaptability.

Fight or Flight Response

  • Mechanism: Adrenal glands release epinephrine and norepinephrine during threats, creating physiological changes to prepare for fight or flight.

General Adaptation Syndrome

Hans Selye

  • Noted physiological changes in rats exposed to stressors, leading to the discovery of General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS).

  • Stages of GAS:

    1. Alarm Reaction: Immediate response to a threat, providing energy to cope.

    2. Stage of Resistance: Body adapts to stressor but remains alert, diminishing physiological reactions.

    3. Stage of Exhaustion: Inability to adapt; physiological wear can lead to illness or death.

Physiological Basis of Stress

  1. Sympathetic Nervous System: Triggers arousal through adrenaline release.

  2. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis:

    • Triggers stress response:

      • Hypothalamus releases corticotrophin-releasing factor.

      • Pituitary releases adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone.

      • Adrenal glands activate and release cortisol (a stress hormone).

  • Effects of Cortisol: Energizes during stress but chronic elevation weakens immune response.

Stressors

  • Types:

    • Chronic Stressors: Events persisting over long durations (e.g., long-term unemployment).

    • Acute Stressors: Brief but impactful events, often leading to prolonged stress experiences (e.g., breaking a leg).

Traumatic Events

  • Definition: Situations involving actual or threatened death or serious injury (e.g., military combat, assaults, natural disasters).

  • Results: Can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) characterized by enduring negative emotional states and distress.

Life Changes

  • Holmes and Rahe (1960s): Proposed significant life changes can be stress-inducing regardless of positivity.

  • Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS): Rates life events based on personal readjustment needs.

    • Highest ranked: Death of spouse (100); second: Divorce (73).

  • Health Implications: High LCU accumulation correlates with physical and mental health issues.

Hassles

  • Definition: Minor irritations that contribute significantly to stress.

  • Impact: Numerous daily hassles predicted physical and psychological health outcomes more accurately than significant life changes (e.g., commute issues).

Other Stressors

  • High-Stress Occupations: Jobs with excessive demands, unsafe conditions, or high job strain.

  • Job Burnout: Emotional exhaustion common in helping professions (e.g., social work).

  • Close Relationships: Conflicts and lack of support within relationships can create stress.

Stress and Illness

  • Psychophysiological Disorders: Stress-related ailments including hypertension, tension headaches, asthma.

    • Chronic stress impacts the immune system, leading to higher infection risks.

Stress & The Immune System

  • Immunosuppression: High stress leads to decreased immune system efficacy.

  • Psychoneuroimmunology: Studies how psychological elements affect immune function.

Study on Stress & Immune Function

  • Cohen (1998): Participants with chronic stress were more susceptible to cold viruses following stress-inducing interviews.

Stress & Aging

  • Telomere Shortening: Stress negatively impacts telomere length, correlating with faster aging and decreased cell division capability.

Cardiovascular Disorders

  • Link to Stress: Hypertension and heart disease driven by stress from various sources (e.g., job strain).

  • Definition of Hypertension: High blood pressure without symptoms, can lead to serious health issues.

Heart Attack Symptoms

  • Variations: Different symptoms in males and females reflecting underlying stress impacts.

Type A & B Personalities

  • Friedman and Rosenman: Identified personality types related to heart disease risk.

    • Type A: Competitive, impatient, often hostile; significantly linked to heart conditions.

    • Type B: Relaxed, less driven.

Transactional Model of Hostility

  • Hostility exacerbates cardiovascular risks through antagonistic social interactions that reinforce negative behaviors.

Depression & Heart Relations

  • Established links between depression and heart disease emphasize unhealthy lifestyles increasing heart disease risk.

Depression & Teeth

  • Individuals with depression show poorer dental hygiene, escalating risks for gum disease and decay.

Inflammation Impact

  • Systemic inflammation from stress can affect various bodily functions including mental and dental health.

Asthma

  • Definition: Chronic disease marked by inflamed airways causing breathing difficulty.

    • Psychological Connection: Emotional states and stress impacts episodes, showing the need for integrated treatment approaches.

Regulation of Stress

  • Potential coping strategies and intervention techniques for managing stress response.

Coping Styles

  • Problem-Focused Coping: Active management of stress source through solution identification.

  • Emotion-Focused Coping: Emotional management of distress (e.g., distraction, minimization).

Control & Stress

  • Perceived Control: The belief in personal capacity affecting health outcomes, better perceived control correlates with improved health.

Learned Helplessness

  • Seligman’s Experiment: Dogs unable to escape shocks developed learned helplessness, potentially leading to depression.

Social Support

  • Benefits: Social connections reduce stress, enhance health resilience, and improve survival odds significantly; critical psychosocial factor.

Stress Reduction Techniques

  • Exercise: Promotes resilience against stress.

  • Meditation and Relaxation: Lowers sympathetic arousal, aiding in stress relief.

  • Biofeedback: Uses electronic measures to enhance control over physiological stress responses.

The Pursuit of Happiness

Elements of Happiness

  • Happiness encapsulates joy, contentment, and the meaning or value of life.

General Happiness Trends

  • Global Surveys: Denmark rated happiest; US ranked 17th.

Factors Influencing Happiness

  • Age: Satisfaction typically increases with age.

  • Social Relationships: Married individuals report higher happiness.

  • Income: Correlative with happiness, emphasized up to $75,000 yearly.

  • Culture & Religion: Reflect values leading to happiness in varying contexts.

Impact of Life Events on Happiness

  • Major life changes often induce temporary emotional shifts, yet individuals adapt, emphasizing the transient nature of dramatic events.

Positive Psychology

  • Seligman: Advocated focusing on strengths and psychological well-being rather than pathology.

Positive Affect and Optimism

  • Traits linked to improved health outcomes; positively influences coping and well-being.

Flow

  • Defined as a deeply engaging experience characterized by lost sense of time during challenging tasks; linked to creativity and happiness.

Poll & Reflection

  • Time to reflect on knowledge gained: Poll on Type A behavior dimensions.

Recap & Summary Questions

  • Summary and reflective questions cover key concepts from stress definitions to factors affecting happiness, promoting a holistic understanding of the material studied in this chapter.