Chapter 10 - Stress Responses and Stress Management

Chapter Overview

• Title: Stress Responses and Stress Management

• Copyright: ©2022 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Page 2: Objectives

• Recognize physiological consequences of stress

  • Short-term and long-term effects on the body.

• Compare and Contrast Models of Stress:

  • Cannon’s Fight-or-Flight Model

  • Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

• Mediation of Stress Responses:

  • Influences of perception, temperament, social support, culture, spirituality, and religion.

Page 3: Case Study - Maggie

• Background: College student experiencing stress.

• Quote: "This is supposed to be this awesome, exciting time...but juggling schoolwork, job, and parenting is overwhelming!"

• Emotional Response: Feelings of being pulled in many directions.

Page 4: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

• Definition: Experiences that sensitize individuals to stress in later life.

• Examples of ACEs:

  • Psychological, physical, and sexual abuse.

  • Violence against parents, especially mothers.

  • Living with individuals with substance use disorders, mental illness, or incarceration.

Page 6: Fight-or-Flight Response

• Definition: Body’s preparation for perceived threats.

• Physiological Changes:

  • Increased blood pressure, heart rate, and respirations.

  • Enhanced cardiac output.

• Research Findings: Differences in neural responses to stress between genders.

Page 7: General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

• Three Stages:

  • Alarm Stage:

    • Activates sympathetic nervous system and HPA axis.

  • Resistance Stage:

    • Sustained resistance and potential recovery.

  • Exhaustion Stage:

    • Resources depleted; potential for chronic stress.

Page 8: Distress vs. Eustress

• Distress:

  • Negative stress resulting in anxiety, confusion, and fatigue.

• Eustress:

  • Positive stress that motivates and induces positive feelings.

Page 9: Case Study - Maggie Continued

• Adaptations:

  • Lunch with her daughter and yoga class providing childcare.

  • Quote: "I’m trying, it’s still not easy...but it’s a start."

Page 11: Critique of GAS Theory

• Considerations:

  • Different stressors produce varied responses.

  • Importance of the degree of stress.

  • GAS primarily reflects male responses; females may tend to "tend and befriend".

Page 12: Immune System Stress Responses

• Interaction: Nervous system and immune system during the alarm phase.

• Consequences: Stress affects body's protective factors leading to health issues.

Page 13: Mediators of the Stress Response

• Stressors:

  • Physiological (environmental/physical)

  • Psychological (stressful events)

• Factors Influencing Response:

  • Perception, temperament, social support, culture, spirituality, and religion.

Page 14: Audience Response Question

• Healthy Reaction to Stress:

  • Eustress.

Page 18: Nursing Management of Stress Responses

• Stress Assessment Tools:

  • Social Readjustment Rating Scale (Holmes and Rahe)

  • Recent Life Changes Questionnaire.

Page 19: Assessing Coping Styles

• Focus Areas:

  • Health-sustaining habits, life satisfaction, social supports, and effective responses to stress.

Page 20: Case Study - Maggie’s Coping Styles

• Developing Effective Coping Styles:

  • Yoga and lunch with daughter as healthy stress responses.

  • Support from single-parent student group on campus.

Page 21: Managing Stress Through Relaxation Techniques

• Techniques:

  • Biofeedback, deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, meditation, mindfulness.

Page 22: Additional Techniques

• Physical Techniques:

  • Exercise, cognitive reframing, journaling, humor.

Page 23: Audience Response Question

• Initial Stage in GAS:

  • Alarm.