Stress and Health Psychological states cause physical illness. Stress is any circumstance (real or perceived) that threatens a person’s well-being. When we feel severe stress, our ability to cope with it is impaired. Lee Stone/ Corbis

What is Stress???? The physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral RESPONSE to events that are judged as threatening or challenging

Different kinds of stress?? There are 2 kinds of stressors (stress causing events)..Those that cause, * Distress * Eustress

Distress Occurs when people experience unpleasant and undesirable stressors (Discomfort)

Examples of Distress *Failing a test or class * Fighting with friend or family member * Dealing with divorce * Being late

Eustress Results from positive events – the optimal amount of stress to promote health and well-being. (excited or motivated)

Examples of Eustress Performing in a competition (play/sports/dance) Taking a test Giving a presentation Moving into a new home

Stress and Stressors A stressor is a thing that causes a person to experience stress. Stress is not merely a stimulus or a response. It is a process by which we appraise and cope with environmental threats and challenges. When short-lived or taken as a challenge, stressors may have positive effects. However, if stress is threatening or prolonged, it can be harmful. Bob Daemmrich/ The Image Works

The Stress Appraisal Measure Measures anticipatory stress (perception of future events) –Threat –Challenge –Centrality –Whether it can be controlled by self, by others or is uncontrollable –General “stressfulness” level

Take the SAM – Stress Appraisal Measure Future unemployment Threat 5, 11, 20, 28 Challenge 7, 8, 10, 19 Centrality 6, 9, 13, 27 Control – self 12, 14, 22, 25 Control – others 4, 15, 17, 23 Uncontrollable 1, 3, 18, 21 Stressfulness 2, 16, 24, 26

The Stress Response System Our initial stress response is a fight-or- flight response: epinephrine and norepinephrine from the inner adrenal glands, increasing heart and respiration rates, sugar and fat mobilized natural pain killers released

General Adaptation Syndrome According to Selye, a stress response to any kind of stimulation is similar. The stressed individual goes through three phases. Long term stress, exhaustion, etc…

Fight or Flight Your body’s response to a stressful situation is automatic This response is called fight or flight

So what does my body do? Pupils dilate Hearing improves Heart rate increases Muscles tighten Sweating increases Adrenaline is released

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  Conflicts

Daily Hassles “It’s not the large things that send a man to the madhouse…no, it’s the continuing series of small tragedies…not the death of his love but the shoelace that snaps with no time left” – Charles Bukowski

Conflicts Approach-Approach A choice must be made between 2 attractive goals. –On your free afternoon should you go to the beach or the pool? YOUR TURN Avoidance-Avoidance A choice must be made between 2 unattractive goals –Should you do your math or science homework first? YOUR TURN

Conflicts Approach-Avoidance A choice must be made about whether to pursue a single goal that has both attractive and unattractive aspects –Should you take the offer of your dream job but move to a city where you don’t want to live? YOUR TURN

Stressful Life Events  Chronic Stress by Age

Significant Life Changes The death of a loved one, a divorce, a loss of job, or a promotion may leave individuals vulnerable to disease.

Stress and the Heart Stress that leads to elevated blood pressure may result in coronary heart disease, a clogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle. Plaque in coronary artery Artery clogged

Personality Types Type A is a term used for competitive, hard- driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people. Type B refers to easygoing, relaxed people (Friedman and Rosenman, 1974). Type A personalities are more likely to develop coronary heart disease.

Life-Style Modification Modifying a Type-A lifestyle may reduce the recurrence of heart attacks. Ghislain and Marie David De Lossy/ Getty Images

Pessimism and Heart Disease Pessimistic adult men are twice as likely to develop heart disease over a 10-year period (Kubzansky et al., 2001).

Stress & Susceptibility to Disease A psychophysiological illness is any stress-related physical illness such as hypertension and some headaches. Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a developing field in which the health effects of psychological, neural, and endocrine processes on the immune system are studied.

Psychoneuroimmunology B lymphocytes fight bacterial infections, T lymphocytes attack cancer cells and viruses, and microphages ingest foreign substances. During stress, energy is mobilized away from the immune system making it vulnerable. Lennart Nilsson/ Boehringer Ingelhein International GmbH

Stress and Colds People with the highest life stress scores were also the most vulnerable when exposed to an experimental cold virus.

Health Psychology a subfield of psychology that provides psychology's contribution to behavioral medicine.

Behavioral Medicine Psychologists and physicians have developed an interdisciplinary field of behavioral medicine that integrates behavioral knowledge with medical knowledge. Mind and body interact; everything psychological is simultaneously physiological.

Aerobic Exercise Can aerobic exercise boost spirits? Many studies suggest that aerobic exercise can elevate mood and well- being because aerobic exercise raises energy, increases self- confidence, and lowers tension, depression, and anxiety.

Biofeedback, Relaxation, and Meditation Biofeedback systems use electronic devices to inform people about their physiological responses and gives them the chance to bring their response to a healthier range. Relaxation and meditation have similar effects in reducing tension and anxiety.

Spirituality & Faith Communities Regular religious attendance has been a reliable predictor of a longer life span with a reduced risk of dying.

Intervening Factors Investigators suggest there are three factors that connect religious involvement and better health.

Stress-management Skills Techniques used to cope with the negative effects of stress

Healthy Ways to Manage Stress Get enough sleep Participate in physical activities Manage your time (make to-do lists) Talking with family and friends (share feelings with someone you can trust)

Write in a journal (helps you express feelings) Keep a sense of humor Take a break- do something for yourself! Perform relaxation techniques (deep-breathing, and imagery)