Myers EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (6th Edition in Modules) Stress and Illness James A. McCubbin, PhD Clemson University Worth Publishers

Stress and Illness Stress the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

Stress Appraisal Appraisal Response Stressful event (tough math test) Threat (“Yikes! This is beyond me!”) Challenge (“I’ve got to apply all I know”) Panic, freeze up Aroused, focused Appraisal Response

Stress and Illness General Adaptation Syndrome resistance Phase 1 Alarm reaction (mobilize resources) Phase 2 Resistance (cope with stressor) Phase 3 Exhaustion (reserves depleted) The body’s resistance to stress can last only so long before exhaustion sets in Stressor occurs General Adaptation Syndrome Selye’s concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three stages

Stress and Health Behavioral Medicine Health Psychology interdisciplinary field that integrates behavioral and medical knowledge and applies that knowledge to health and disease Health Psychology subfield of psychology that provides psychology’s contribution to behavioral medicine

Stressful Life Events Chronic Stress by Age

Stressful Life Events Catastrophic Events Life Changes Daily Hassles earthquakes, combat stress, floods Life Changes death of a loved one, divorce, loss of job, promotion Daily Hassles rush hour traffic, long lines, job stress, burnout

Perceived Control Equality and Longevity

Stress and the Heart Hopelessness scores Heart attack Death 3.5 3 2.5 1.5 1 0.5 Heart attack Death Low risk Moderate risk High risk Men who feel extreme hopelessness are at greater risk for heart attacks and early death

Stress and the Heart Coronary Heart Disease clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle leading cause of death in many developed countries

Stress and the Heart Type A Type B Friedman and Rosenman’s term for competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people Type B Friedman and Rosenman’s term for easygoing, relaxed people

Stress and Disease Psychophysiological Illness “mind-body” illness any stress-related physical illness some forms of hypertension some headaches distinct from hypochondriasis-- misinterpreting normal physical sensations as symptoms of a disease

Stress and Disease Lymphocytes two types of white blood cells that are part of the body’s immune system B lymphocytes form in the bone marrow and release antibodies that fight bacterial infections T lymphocytes form in the thymus and, among other duties, attack cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances

Stress and Disease Conditioning of immune suppression UCS (drug) UCR (sweetened water) CR Conditioning of immune suppression

poor nutrition and sleep) Stress and Disease Negative emotions and health-related consequences Unhealthy behaviors (smoking, drinking, poor nutrition and sleep) Persistent stressors and negative emotions Release of stress hormones Heart disease Immune suppression Autonomic nervous system effects (headaches, hypertension)