Stress, Lifestyle, and Health Summary

  • Introduction

    • College students face various stressors: exams, debts, job market issues.
    • Additional stressors for non-traditional students: parenting, full-time jobs.
    • Stress can stem from daily difficulties: financial concerns, relationships, minor inconveniences.

  • 14.1 What Is Stress?

    • Different Definitions:
    • Stimulus-Based: Stress as an unpleasant event causing reactions.
    • Response-Based: Stress as physiological responses to demands.
    • Process-Based: Stress viewed as individual perception and response to perceived threats.
    • Key Terms:
    • Primary Appraisal: Assessment of potential threat level.
    • Secondary Appraisal: Evaluation of coping options available.
    • Eustress: Positive stress that motivates; enhances performance.
    • Distress: Negative, debilitating stress that can harm health.

  • 14.2 Stressors

    • Types of Stressors:
    • Chronic: Long-term, like caregiving or unemployment.
    • Acute: Brief but intense experiences, like accidents.
    • Daily Hassles: Small stressors, like traffic or household tasks, can also accumulate to significant stress.
    • Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS): Measures stress through life change units (LCUs) based on life events.

  • 14.3 Stress and Illness

    • Psychophysiological Disorders: Stress can lead to physical diseases, like hypertension and asthma.
    • Prolonged stress impairs the immune system, increasing susceptibility to disease.
    • Cardiovascular Disorders: Stress linked to heart disease; negative emotions are significant risk factors.

  • 14.4 Regulation of Stress

    • Coping Strategies:
    • Problem-Focused Coping: Addressing the source of stress.
    • Emotion-Focused Coping: Managing emotional responses.
    • Perceived Control: Greater feeling of control can reduce stress reactivity; linked to well-being.
    • Social Support: Strong relationships provide essential emotional and practical support.

  • 14.5 The Pursuit of Happiness

    • Define Happiness: State of joy, contentment, meaningful existence.
    • Key Factors Influencing Happiness:
    • Fulfillment in relationships, meaningful work.
    • Wealth improves happiness to a limit (~$75,000).
    • Age; older individuals generally report higher satisfaction.
    • Positive psychology: Focus on strengths and positive experiences to enhance well-being.
    • Flow: Engaging fully in activities that utilize personal strengths is vital for happiness.