Lecture Overview Understanding Stress Stress & Illness Health Psychology in Action Health & Stress Management ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress What is Stress? – Nonspecific response of the body to any demand made on it; – the arousal, both physical & mental, to situations or events that we perceive as threatening or challenging ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued) Life Changes: life events that require some adjustment in behavior or lifestyle ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued) Chronic Stress: state of ongoing arousal in which the parasympathetic system cannot activate the relaxation response ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued) Job Stress : work related stress, including role conflict and burnout ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued) Job Stress – Role conflict = Forced choice between two or more different & incompatible role demands ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued) Job Stress – Burnout = state of psychological & physical exhaustion resulting from chronic exposure to high levels of stress & little personal control ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued) Hassles: small, everyday problems that accumulate to become a major source of stress ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Pause & Reflect: Psychology at Work ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued) Frustration: unpleasant tension resulting from a blocked goal ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc Conflict: forced choice between two or more incompatible goals or impulses

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued)  Three Types of Conflict Approach-Approach: forced choice between two or more desirable alternatives Avoidance-Avoidance: forced choice between two or more undesirable alternatives Approach-Avoidance: forced choice between two or more alternatives both having desirable & undesirable results ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Sources of Stress (Continued) Cataclysmic Events: stressors that occur suddenly & generally affect many people simultaneously ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Learned Helplessness Dogs that could control shocks (turn off by pressing a bar) developed fewer ulcers than dogs that had no control. They both received the same number of shocks. ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: SAM System (Sympatho-Adreno-Medullary): initial, fast-acting stress response HPA Axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical): Body’s delayed stress response, which if extended may lead to impairment of the immune system and increased vulnerability to disease ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Effects of Stress SAM System ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc HPA Axis

HPA axis CRF ACTH Cortisol ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Effects of Stress (Continued) Stress & Cognitive Functioning: Stress can interfere with retrieval of memories, laying down of new memories, & general information processing. Stress affects the hippocampus ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Understanding Stress: Effects of Stress (Continued) Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome 1.Alarm 2.Resistance 3.Exhaustion ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Stress & Illness Cancer: related to genetic predisposition & environmental factors Cardiovascular Disorders: related to stress hormones, personality types, & certain behaviors **Diathesis model of disease** ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): anxiety disorder following extraordinary stress Gastric Ulcers: caused by bacteria or stress? Or both?

Why don’t zebras get ulcers? They don’t sweat the small stuff! They turn off stress ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010

Resources for Healthy Living 1.Health & Exercise 2.Positive Beliefs 3.Social Skills 4.Social Support 5.Material Resources 6.Control (Internal Locus of Control) 7.Relaxation (meditation: alpha& theta waves) 8.Sense of Humor ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010