Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed) Stress and Stress Management James A. McCubbin, PhD Clemson University Worth Publishers

Stress zArousal of the mind + body in response to demands forcing you to cope or adjust OR An event that causes tension

Kinds of Stress  Eustress  POSITIVE STRESS that increases motivation when taking on a challenge  Distress  NEGATIVE stress that increases pressure + anxiety when faced with various situations

Stress and Illness  Leading causes of death in the US in 1900 and 2000

Stress and Illness  Stressor  the event/situation that causes stress

Sources of Stress zFrustration yBlocked from achieving a goal zDaily hassles yHousehold chores, health, time management, inner-concern, environment, $, work, future zLife changes yMajor changes

Stressful Life Events  Catastrophic Events  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

Stress and Illness  General Adaptation Syndrome  Selye’s concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three stages Stress 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

Types of Conflict zApproach-Approach yChoose btwn 2 desirable outcomes zAvoidance-Avoidance yChoose btwn 2 equally undesirable outcomes zApproach-Avoidance yPart desirable + part not outcome

Personality Types  Type A  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

Stressful Life Events  Chronic Stress by Age

Stress Appraisal 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

+ Responses to Stress zSelf-efficacy expectations ySelf-confidence=less stress zPsychological hardiness yResilience. Maintain commitment, challenges + control zSense of humor y“laughter is the best medicine”

+ Responses to Stress 2 zPredictability yBe ready for stress zSocial Support yHave a strong support network of fam + friends

General Adaptation Syndrome zStressful situations result in body responses (3 stages) zStage 1 Alarm Reaction “Fight or Flight” zStage 2 Resistance zStage 3 Exhaustion

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 Hopelessness scores Heart attack Death Low riskModerate riskHigh risk Men who feel extreme hopelessness are at greater risk for heart attacks and early death

Stress and the Heart

Stress and Disease  Psych factors can make people more vulnerable to health problems  Health Psychology  Studies the relationship btw psych factors + prevention/treatment of illness

Stress and Disease  Headaches  Tension headaches caused by lots of stress. Pain in shoulders, neck, forehead, scalp due to tense muscles  Migraines more intense + throbbing pain on 1 side. Sometimes stress, but also triggered by hormones, pollen, cheese, some drugs.

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)

Promoting Health  Aerobic Exercise  sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness Depression score Before treatment evaluation After treatment evaluation No-treatment group Aerobic exercise group Relaxation treatment group

Promoting Health  Biofeedback  system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state  blood pressure  muscle tension

Promoting Health  Modifying Type A life-style can reduce recurrence of heart attacks Percentage of patients with recurrent heart attacks (cumulative average) Year Life-style modification patients Control patients Modifying life-style reduced recurrent heart attacks

Life events Tendency toward HealthIllness Personal appraisal ChallengeThreat Personality type Easy going Nondepressed Optimistic Hostile Depressed Pessimistic Personality habits Nonsmoking Regular exercise Good nutrition Smoking Sedentary Poor nutrition Level of social support Close, enduringLacking

Promoting Health  Predictors of mortality Men Women Not smoking Regular exercise Weekly religious attendance Relative risk of dying

Coping with Stress  Defensive Coping  NOT the best way to deal  Involves substance abuse, aggression, withdrawal, + overuse of defense mechanisms  Problem: doesn’t eliminate the stress or improve responses. Just hides

Coping with Stress zActive Coping yChanging environment or responses xChange stressful thoughts xRelaxation techniques xExercise xBreathing These are far more effective at dealing with stress