1. Stress and Health Psychology 1107

2. Introduction Our behaviour has serious health effects Our behaviour has serious health effects SmokingSmoking DrugsDrugs DietDiet Reaction to stressReaction to stress We’ll talk about the last one but all of these behaviours fall under ‘behavioural medicine’ We’ll talk about the last one but all of these behaviours fall under ‘behavioural medicine’

3. Behavioural Medicine Interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary OT OT MD MD Psychologist Psychologist Nutritionist Nutritionist Psychology’s part is played by health Psychologists Psychology’s part is played by health Psychologists

4. Health Psychologists How do our perceptions affect our reaction to stress How do our perceptions affect our reaction to stress Emotions, personality and disease Emotions, personality and disease When/why do some seek treatment (and of course why do some not When/why do some seek treatment (and of course why do some not

5. Stress and Illness Evolution and the fight or flight response Evolution and the fight or flight response Made great sense 100 000 years ago Made great sense 100 000 years ago Maybe today you just got pwned playing Halo2 Maybe today you just got pwned playing Halo2

6. Good things about stress Sometimes it will save your life, or help you Sometimes it will save your life, or help you Fight Fight Accident Accident Test… Test…

7. What is stress? The process by which we appriase and cope with environmental threats and challenges The process by which we appriase and cope with environmental threats and challenges Good a definition as any Good a definition as any Careful, the idea of stress is way over used Careful, the idea of stress is way over used

8. How does it work? Cannon Cannon Fight of flight Fight of flight Epinephrine, norepinephrine Epinephrine, norepinephrine Heart rate goes up Heart rate goes up Breathing increases Breathing increases

9. Seyle Injected rats with various hormones Injected rats with various hormones Found enlargement of adrenal cortex Found enlargement of adrenal cortex Shrinkage of thymus Shrinkage of thymus Ulcers Ulcers Other liquids did the same thing! Other liquids did the same thing! Same response to fear, shock etc. Same response to fear, shock etc.

10. General Adaptation System 1) Alarm reaction 1) Alarm reaction Heart rate upHeart rate up Blood to skeletal musclesBlood to skeletal muscles 2) Resistance 2) Resistance Stay ‘up’Stay ‘up’ PeakPeak Hormones released until you don’t have any moreHormones released until you don’t have any more

11. More GAS 3) Exhaustion 3) Exhaustion Defenses depleted at this pointDefenses depleted at this point Very vulnerableVery vulnerable Lots of this is bad Lots of this is bad Leads to destruction of hippocampal cells caused by cortisol releaseLeads to destruction of hippocampal cells caused by cortisol release So, memory loss!So, memory loss!

12. Stressful Events Catastrophes Catastrophes Nobody likes theseNobody likes these Significant life changes Significant life changes DeathDeath DivorceDivorce Job lossJob loss

13. Stressful Events Daily Hassles Daily Hassles Loud neighboursLoud neighbours Annoying profs…Annoying profs… Bad weatherBad weather Coffee maker breaks downCoffee maker breaks down Your team losesYour team loses While these seem like nothing, if you are facing other bad stuff they can add up While these seem like nothing, if you are facing other bad stuff they can add up

14. Perceived Control Effects of stressors are mediated by perceived control Effects of stressors are mediated by perceived control Executive monkeys Executive monkeys Optimists fare better in life than pessimists Optimists fare better in life than pessimists Less control, more stress hormones released Less control, more stress hormones released

15. Coronary Heart Disease, Stress and Personality Friedman and Rosenman got the ball rolling Friedman and Rosenman got the ball rolling Fat in diet and smoking were equal in men and women Fat in diet and smoking were equal in men and women Men got CHD not women Men got CHD not women Men had higher stress jobs Men had higher stress jobs Accountants were fine until April Accountants were fine until April

16. Type A Personality Type A personality Type A personality Driven Driven Time dependent Time dependent Why more CHD? Why more CHD? Sleep less Sleep less Smoke more Smoke more Fly off the handle more easily Fly off the handle more easily anger anger

17. Stress and the Immune System Immune system has two types of cells Immune system has two types of cells B Cells fight bacteria B Cells fight bacteria T cells fight viruses, cancer T cells fight viruses, cancer Stress suppresses the immune system Stress suppresses the immune system Diverting resources to the GASDiverting resources to the GAS More infectionsMore infections Even more cancerEven more cancer

18. Remember Only a healthy lifestyle can help you in a big way Only a healthy lifestyle can help you in a big way You can’t smoke, drink, smoke crack, have unprotected sex and say “Oh, but I have a positive outlook, so I will be just fine… You can’t smoke, drink, smoke crack, have unprotected sex and say “Oh, but I have a positive outlook, so I will be just fine… Health psychologists are also interested in promoting health, why people go to the Dr. etc. Health psychologists are also interested in promoting health, why people go to the Dr. etc.

19. In other words…. How do you deal with stress How do you deal with stress Aerobic exercise is the key Aerobic exercise is the key Probably helps you stay in the resistance phase of the GAS for longer Probably helps you stay in the resistance phase of the GAS for longer Therefore, less exhaustion Therefore, less exhaustion

20. Biofeedback Learn to control heartbeat, blood pressure Learn to control heartbeat, blood pressure Know what it takes to calm downKnow what it takes to calm down May be no different than other cheaper methods!May be no different than other cheaper methods! Really just learning how to relaxReally just learning how to relax

21. Illness and Behaviour Smoking Smoking QuittingQuitting Biggest deterrents are price and the short term effects, not long term!Biggest deterrents are price and the short term effects, not long term! Nutrition Nutrition Fat is goodFat is good Fat is badFat is bad

22. Dieting Hard to change your set point Hard to change your set point Dieting alone is less effective than diet and exercise Dieting alone is less effective than diet and exercise You do not ‘burn off’ fat and turn it into muscle You do not ‘burn off’ fat and turn it into muscle Maybe the overweight should accept themsleves? Maybe the overweight should accept themsleves?

23. Acceptance Advantages Advantages Happier so less stressHappier so less stress Disadvantages Disadvantages Still overweight…Still overweight… Much of the publicity is poorly done Much of the publicity is poorly done

24. Conclusions Stress is good Stress is good Stress is bad Stress is bad Your mom was right Your mom was right