Stress
Introduction to Stress
Learning changes everything.
Stress: a constant challenge.
What Is Stress?
Stressors:
Mental states or events triggering physical and psychological reactions.
Stress Response:
The reactions resulting from stressors.
Thoughts or feelings about an event can be equally stressful as the event itself.
Stress describes the general physical and emotional state accompanied by the stress response.
Physical Responses to Stressors
Two body systems responsible for physical responses to stressors:
Nervous System:
Facilitates short-term stress responses.
Endocrine System:
Involved in longer-term responses.
Rapid chemical reactions enable quick, appropriate bodily responses.
The Nervous System
Components:
Includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
Handles very short-term stress.
Divisions of the Nervous System:
Voluntary Control: Actions consciously managed.
Autonomic Nervous System: Not under conscious control.
Divisions:
Parasympathetic Division:
Active during relaxation—functions include aiding digestion, storing energy, and promoting growth.
Sympathetic Division:
Active when stimulated (exercise, pain, anger, fear).
Uses norepinephrine to prepare body for emergencies.
How the Nervous and Endocrine Systems Work Together
During stress, the sympathetic nervous system activates the endocrine system.
Endocrine System: Glands, tissues, and cells controlling body functions.
Releases hormones.
Prepares body to respond to stress.
Manages both acute and chronic stress.
Mechanism during emergencies:
Higher cognitive areas in the brain recognize threats.
Adrenal Glands: Triggered to release cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline).
Physiological changes occur—fight-or-flight reaction is initiated.
Upon resolution of stress, the body returns to homeostasis; the parasympathetic system calms the body.
Cognitive and Psychological Responses to Stressors
Cognitive Responses
Vary per individual based on cognitive appraisal of potential stressors.
Factors reducing stress response magnitude:
Successful Prediction: Anticipating stressors leads to reduced anxiety.
Perception of Control: Feeling in control minimizes stress levels.
Psychological Responses
Emotional responses influenced by personality and temperament and can be regulated with coping techniques.
Factors influencing stress responses:
Personality: Affects how stress is perceived and reacted to.
Overall cognitive, behavioral, and emotional tendencies influence health outcomes.
Personality Traits:
Hardiness: Enables more positive coping with stress.
Motivation:
Power Motivation: Increases stress.
Affiliation Motivation: Helps mitigate stress.
Resilience: Ability to recover quickly from adversity;
Associated with success in at-risk groups.
Cultural Background: Can cause culture clashes leading to stress.
Gender Roles: Strict adherence may limit responses to stress, with women often reporting higher stress levels.
Experience: Past experiences shape reactions to stressors.
Stress and Health
American Psychological Association’s Stress in America surveys: Trends tracked since 2007, identifying stressors including:
Money, employment, healthcare, social media, terrorism, and discrimination.
Evidence suggests stress increases vulnerability to various health ailments.
Symptoms of Excess Stress
Physical Symptoms:
Dry mouth, frequent illnesses, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure, pounding heart, sweating.
Emotional Symptoms:
Anxiety, depression, edginess, hypervigilance, impulsiveness, irritability.
Cognitive Symptoms:
Confusion, inability to concentrate, memory issues, negative thinking, worry, poor judgment.
Behavioral Symptoms:
Sexual issues, social isolation, disrupted eating/sleeping habits, irritability, communication problems, chemical dependency, crying.
The General Adaptation Syndrome
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): Proposed by Selye; suggests a predictable response to stressors.
Eustress: Positive stress from pleasant stressors.
Distress: Negative stress from unpleasant stressors.
Stages of GAS:
Alarm: Initial reaction to stress; body's resistance lowers.
Resistance: Adaptation phase; heightened resistance begins.
Exhaustion: Prolonged exposure leads to depletion of resources.
Allostatic Load
Definition: Wear and tear from chronic stress exposure.
Influencing Factors: Genetics, life experiences, emotional, and behavioral responses.
Consequences: Frequent stress response activation can lead to long-term damage and increased disease susceptibility.
Adaptive Calibration Model
Recent model shifting focus from risk factors to body calibrations adapting to current and future environments.
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)
Study of interactions among nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.
Hormonal Effects: Stress hormones can postively or negatively influence immunity.
Stress Types:
Acute Stress: Short-term, lasting minutes.
Chronic Stress: Prolonged, lasting days or more.
Stress and Specific Conditions
Cardiovascular Disease
Stress response causes blood pressure increases; chronic high blood pressure leads to serious conditions such as atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Anger and hostility linked with poor outcomes.
Psychological Disorders
Stress can lead to disorders such as:
Depression, panic attacks, anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD.
Altered Immune Function
Increased susceptibility to diseases, including:
Colds, asthma, allergies, and flaring chronic infections (e.g., genital herpes and HIV).
Headaches
Associated with stress, with over 45 million Americans experiencing chronic headaches categorized as:
Tension Headaches: Dull, bilateral pain.
Migraine Headaches: One-sided, throbbing pain spreading.
Cluster Headaches: Intense pain around one eye.
Other Health Problems
Include skin disorders, injuries, fibromyalgia, reproductive health issues.
Common Sources of Stress
Major Life Changes
Daily Hassles
College Stressors
Types:
Academic stress, interpersonal conflicts, time pressures, financial concerns, and worries about the future.
Job-Related Stressors
High stress levels lead to burnout, characterized by physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.
Social Stressors
Includes stress from meeting different social groups in real life and online social media interactions.
Managing Stress
Building Support Systems
Friendships, family ties, and group involvement.
Communication Skills
Assertive communication; avoid suppression of feelings.
Healthy Habits
Exercise: Reduces stress impacts.
Eating Healthfully: Provides energy during stress.
Note: Excess stress can negatively influence eating habits.
Time Management Techniques
Set priorities and realistic goals; write them down.
Schedule tasks efficiently, break down long-term goals, visualize success, track procrastination, handle least-favorite tasks first, consolidate tasks, delegate, say no when needed, take breaks, avoid time sinks, and execute actions.
Cultivating Spiritual Wellness
Associated with better coping and overall wellness.
Engage in activities fulfilling personal meaning and reach out to others.
Thinking and Acting Constructively
Apply mindfulness; problem-solve, modify expectations, remain positive, use affirmations, be kind to self, and focus on priorities.
Relaxation and Body Awareness Techniques
Mindfulness Practice: Improves problem-solving and emotional self-regulation.
Techniques Include:
Deep muscle relaxation: addresses muscle tension.
Yoga: enhances body awareness, ease, flexibility.
Tai Chi: promotes relaxation and concentration.
Biofeedback: awareness of physiological arousal to reduce stress response.
Adequate sleep: crucial for mood, competence, mental and emotional functioning.
Progressive muscle relaxation: targets stress-induced muscle tension.
Counterproductive Coping Strategies
Tobacco Use: Highly addictive; negative effects outweigh benefits.
Alcohol and Psychoactive Drugs: Should be avoided as these are counterproductive.
Getting Help
Stress management is personalized; listen to your body.
If self-help fails:
Explore specific approaches, seek peer counseling, join support groups, or attend psychotherapy sessions.
Review of Key Concepts
Define stress and its health implications.
Enumerate common stress sources and effective management techniques.