Title: Stress Responses and Stress Management
Copyright: ©2022 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Distress:
Negative stress resulting in anxiety, confusion, and fatigue.
Eustress:
Positive stress that motivates and induces positive feelings.
Adaptations:
Lunch with her daughter and yoga class providing childcare.
Quote: "I’m trying, it’s still not easy...but it’s a start."
Considerations:
Different stressors produce varied responses.
Importance of the degree of stress.
GAS primarily reflects male responses; females may tend to "tend and befriend".
Interaction: Nervous system and immune system during the alarm phase.
Consequences: Stress affects body's protective factors leading to health issues.
Stressors:
Physiological (environmental/physical)
Psychological (stressful events)
Factors Influencing Response:
Perception, temperament, social support, culture, spirituality, and religion.
Healthy Reaction to Stress:
Eustress.
Stress Assessment Tools:
Social Readjustment Rating Scale (Holmes and Rahe)
Recent Life Changes Questionnaire.
Focus Areas:
Health-sustaining habits, life satisfaction, social supports, and effective responses to stress.
Developing Effective Coping Styles:
Yoga and lunch with daughter as healthy stress responses.
Support from single-parent student group on campus.
Techniques:
Biofeedback, deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, meditation, mindfulness.
Physical Techniques:
Exercise, cognitive reframing, journaling, humor.
Initial Stage in GAS:
Alarm.