Stress, Health & Adjustment Examine the relationship between psychological factors and physical illness. Health Psychology Stress Health Problems Coping with Stress
Stress, Health & Adjustment “If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.” Can you name the Movie? Internet Listening & Viewing: Radio Lab (www.wnyc.org) Season One: “Stress” (excellent!) Learning Objectives: General information about stress Role of Irrational Beliefs Effects of Stress on the body
Types of Stress Health Psychology: What Health Psychologists study. Stress, Eustress Sources of Stress: Daily Hassles (negative) Uplifts (pleasant) Life Changes (Holmes & Rahe) Stress & Diversity: Acculturative Stress
Stress & Health Conflict: feelings produced by being in conflict. Being torn in different directions by opposing motives. Four Types Of Conflict Approach - Approach resolved by making a decision Avoidance - Avoidance more stressful Approach - Avoidance a matter of perspective Multiple Approach - Avoidance
Irrational Beliefs: Albert Ellis Thinking about the event, and the event itself. “Doorway to distress” (perfectionism) The “A-B-C” Model A: Activating event (losing a job) B: Beliefs (job as self-identity) “Catastrophize” C: Consequence (misery)
Stress & Health Type “A” Personality!!!! Type B Personality Behaviors: time urgency, competitiveness, and hostility. Characteristics Type B Personality Behaviors: focus on quality of life, less ambitious, less impatient, tend to pace themselves.
The Type A Personality!!!! Characteristics: Highly driven, impatient, aggressive!!! Always under pressure. Demand continual self improvement!!!! Irrational Beliefs-always perfectly competent!!!!
Psychological Moderators Self-efficacy expectations. Psychological hardiness. Sense of humor. Predictability / control. Social support.
General Adaptation Syndrome (Hans Selye) Stress & the Body General Adaptation Syndrome (Hans Selye) Stage 1: Alarm Reaction (Sympathetic Nervous System) Stage 2: Resistance (adaptation) Stage 3: Exhaustion (weakened resistance)
Stress & Immune System Stress suppresses immune system. Leukocytes & inflammation Stress stimulates steroids, Steroids suppress immune system, Suppression interferes with antibodies, Increases vulnerability to illness.
Stress & Health Mutlifactorial approach to health. Ethnicity & health There’s no single, simple answer. Ethnicity & health Gender & health Health & Socioeconomic status
Health Problems Headaches Coronary heart disease Cancer Tension, Migraines Coronary heart disease The #1 killer Risk factors Cancer
Coping With Stress Controlling Irrational Thoughts 4 Steps: Develop Awareness of thoughts Evaluate accuracy of thoughts Prepare incompatible thoughts Reward yourself.