Chapter 14: Stress and Health

Behavioral Medicine Interdisciplinary field that integrates behavioral and medical knowledge and applies that knowledge to health and disease.

Health Psychology Psychology’s contribution to behavioral medicine. How do our emotions and personality influence our risk of disease? What attitudes and behaviors help prevent illness and promote health?

Stress The process by which we appraise and cope with environmental threats and challenges. For example when alone in a house, one person may dismiss creaking sounds and experiences no stress while another person may suspect an intruder and become alarmed.

General Adaptation Syndrome Selye’s concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three stages - alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Stressful Life Events The three main types of stressors are catastrophes, significant life changes, and daily hassles.

Catastrophes Unpredictable large-scale events, such as war and natural disasters that nearly everyone appraises as threatening. Three weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, two-thirds of Americans surveyed reported having some trouble concentrating or sleeping.

Significant Life Changes Leaving home, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, a marriage or a divorce are some examples of life changes that can cause stress.

Daily Hassles Everyday things such as rush-hour or long lines at a store that we may encounter frequently can build up and cause stress. Some people can deal with it well while others are driven up the wall.

Coronary Heart Disease The closing of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle. It is the leading cause of death in the United States. The more stress a person has the more vulnerable they become to heart disease.

Coronary heart disease

Type A and B personality

What type are you? Type A people are typically competitive, impatient, time-conscious, super motivated, verbally aggressive and easily angered. Type B are easygoing, relaxed people. In relaxed situations, the arousal of Type A and B are no different but when harassed or given a challenge, Type A individuals are more physiologically reactive.

Psychophysiological illness “Mind-body” illness; any stress related physical illness, such as hypertension and some headaches.

Lymphocytes

Two types of lympocytes Type B- White blood cells that release antibodies that fight bacterial infections Type T- attack cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances. Stress depresses the immune system of humans and disturb the lymphocytes.

Coping Alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods.

Problem-focused coping Attempting to alleviate stress directly-by changing the stressor or the way we interact with that stressor. Example: If you have a problem at work, go directly to whatever the problem is and try to address it.

Emotion-focused strategy Attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to one’s stress reaction. Reaching out to friends to help address our own emotional needs.

Aerobic exercise Sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness.

Biofeedback A system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state, such as blood pressure or muscle tension.

Complementary and alternative medicine Acupuncture, massage therapy, homeopathy, spiritual healing, herbal remedies, chiropractic, and aromatherapy.