Stress and Illness/Disease Chapter 3 Stress and Illness/Disease

Hot Reactors Hot reactors tend to: Become angry easily Be anxious or depressed Urinate frequently Experience gastrointestinal problems

Psychosomatic Disease Process involving the mind affecting the body Psychophysiological is used synonymously Diagnosed as a real disease, manifested physically Can be psychogenic (physical disease is caused by emotional stress) or somatogenic (mind increases body’s susceptibility to some diseases)

Stress and the Immunological System Psychoneuroimmunology – scientific field of the chemical link between mind and body Immunological system includes the following white blood cell groups: Phagocytes T cells B cells All three identify and destroy foreign substances in the body

Studies of Personality and Health Status Friedman and Booth-Kewley (1987) cite evidence of a disease-prone personality Hans Eysenck (1988) demonstrated personality traits leading to cancer and heart disease

Studies of Personality and Health Status, cont’d A 1989 Princeton study showed a reduction in students’ antibody salivary IgA during stressful periods Dr. Candace Pert (2003) demonstrated a possible link between WBCs and neuropeptide production; relaxation may be able to increase effectiveness of immune system

Relationship of Stress to Specific Diseases/Conditions Friedman, Rosenman, and Carroll (1958) showed how timelines/deadlines can increase serum cholesterol dramatically A relationship between high blood pressure (>140/90 mm Hg) and stress has long been been suspected (Lamott, 1974)

Relationship of Stress to Specific Diseases/Conditions, cont’d Stroke/apoplexy – lack of oxygen to the brain resulting from a blocked or ruptured blood vessel, has been linked to stress (Manuck et al, 1992) Coronary heart disease (blockage of coronary arteries) has been linked to stress; Friedman & Rosenman (1974) identified Type A behaviors in heart attack patients

Relationship of Stress to Specific Diseases/Conditions, cont’d Ulcers – fissures in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract Cause originally thought to be increased hydrochloric acid production resulting from stress Recent information shows Helicobacter pylori often is the cause Antibiotics rather than histamine blockers should be prescribed for ulcers Ingestion of aspirin or other anti-inflammatories also can cause ulcers

Relationship of Stress to Specific Diseases/Conditions, cont’d Migraine headaches Result from constriction (preattack phase) and dilation (pain stage) of carotid arteries 24 million suffer in United States Considered to be sign of emotional stress Tension headaches Caused by muscle tension (forehead, jaw, neck)

Relationship of Stress to Specific Diseases/Conditions, cont’d Cancer Studies suggest stress plays a role in development of cancer Allergies, asthma, and hay fever Antigens (foreign substances) cause the immune system to produce antibodies Some scientists argue that allergies are emotional diseases

Relationship of Stress to Specific Diseases/Conditions, cont’d Rheumatoid arthritis Inflammation of a joint, possibly caused by a faulty functioning of the immune system Backache Muscle weakness and bracing is usual cause Constant contractions found in certain personality types

Relationship of Stress to Specific Diseases/Conditions, cont’d TMJ syndrome Interference with smooth function of jaw Most common cause is bruxism (teeth grinding) due to stress PTSD Posttraumatic stress disorder results from extreme psychological and/or physical event perceived as extremely distressing (e.g., threat to one’s life)

Relationship of Stress to Specific Diseases/Conditions, cont’d Psychosocial illnesses Anxiety Depression Physical symptoms cannot be separated from psychological and sociological

Stress and Other Conditions May lead to miscarriage Increase the risk of sports injuries

Stress and Illness/Disease Chapter 3 Stress and Illness/Disease