1. Stress and Health

2. Stressed Out? Measuring Stress Levels Indicate your degree of agreement with each statement by placing a number in the blank before it. Use the following scale: 4 = never3 = almost never2 = sometimes1 = fairly often 0 = very often 1. How often have you been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly? 2. How often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life? 3. How often have you felt nervous and “stressed”? 4. How often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your personal problems? 5. How often have you felt that things were going your way? 6. How often have you been able to control irritations in your life? 7. How often have you found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do? 8. How often have you felt that you were on top of things? 9. How often have you been angered because of things that were outside your control? 10. How often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?

3. Scoring For each statement, two numbers represent Type A answers and two numbers represent Type B answers. Use the scoring sheet to determine how many Type A and Type B answers you gave. For example, if you circled 1, definitely true, for the first statement, you chose a Type A answer. Add up all your Type A answers and give yourself plus 1 point for each of them. Add up all your Type B answers and give yourself minus 1 point for them. 1. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B 2. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A 3. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B 4. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A 5. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B 6. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A 7. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B 8. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A 9. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B 10. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A Total number of Type A answers: × 1 point each = Total number of Type B answers: × 1 point each = Total score (add lines above) Determine your personality type based on your total score: +20 to +40 = Definite A +1 to +19 = Moderate A 0 to –19 = Moderate B –20 to –40 = Definite B Source: Insel, P. M., & Roth, W. T. (1998). Wellness Worksheets to accompany Core Concepts in Health (8th ed.). Worksheet #10. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing (1-800-433-1279).

4. Stress and Personality Type A  Feel time pressure.  Easily angered.  Competitive and ambitious.  Work hard and play hard.  More prone to heart disease than rest of population. Type B  Relaxed and easygoing.  But some people fit in neither type.

5. Susceptibility to Stress 1 (almost always) to 5 (never) according to how much of the time an item is true of you.  1. I eat at least one hot, balanced meal a day.  2. I get 7–8 hours sleep at least 4 nights a week.  3. I give and receive affection regularly.  4. I have at least one relative within 50 miles on whom I can rely.  5. I exercise to the point of perspiration at least twice a week.  6. I avoid tobacco use (cigarettes, pipe, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco).  7. I consume fewer than 5 alcoholic drinks per week.  8. I am the appropriate weight for my height.  9. I have an income adequate to meet basic expenses.  10. I get strength from my religious beliefs.  11. I regularly attend club or social activities.  12. I have a network of friends and acquaintances.  13. I have one or more friends to confide in about personal matters.  14. I am in good health (including eyesight, hearing, teeth).  15. I am able to speak openly about my feelings when angry or worried.  16. I have regular conversations with the people I live with about domestic problems (e.g., chores, money, and daily living)  17. I do something for fun at least once a week.  18. I am able to organize my time effectively.  19. I drink fewer than 3 cups of coffee (or tea or cola drinks) per day.  20. I take quiet time for myself during the day.  21. I have an optimistic outlook on life.  Source: Susceptibility to stress scale from the stress audit, version 5.0-OS, developed by Lyle H. Miller and Alma Dell Smith. Copyright © 1987, 1994 Biobehavioral Institute of Boston, Brookline, MA 02146. Reprinted with permission.

6. How to interpret: To obtain their total scores, students should add the numbers they placed in front of the 21 items, and then subtract 21. 32-51= susceptibility to stress. 52 - 77 =serious susceptibility 77+ = extreme susceptibility

7. Health Psychology  a subfield of psychology that focuses on how stress affects our well being and health

8. Responding to Stress

11. Hans Selye (1907-1982) program 23; start @ 16:20 program 23; start @ 16:20  Psychologist who researched recurring responses to stress the he called the general adaptation syndrome (GAS)  Discovered various chemicals caused stress reactions in animals

12. Seyle’s General Adaptation Syndrome  Describes our response to a stressful event.  Three stages 1. Alarm 2. Resistance 3. Exhaustion

13. General Adaptation Syndrome  Alarm Reaction – nervous system activated in response to stressor  Resistance – body responds with physiological reactions to cope with the stressor  Exhaustion – body’s resistance to stress is depleted (physical deterioration)

14. General Adaptation Syndrome

17. Stress and Conflict  Casey comes home from school where she has to decide between doing homework or doing house chores. Name that conflict situation!  Juan wants to goes out to eat at a delicious restaurant, but knows it will be expensive. Name that conflict situation!  Burt has to decide whether to go to work or go out with friends. Burt knows going to work gives him the chance to make money, but not have an enjoyable time. At the same time, going out with friends allows Burt to have a good time, but he wont have any money in his wallet. Name that conflict situation!  Kim must decide where to go on her vacation, the Caribbean or Hawaii. Hmmm What will she decide? Name that conflict situation!

18. Stress and Disease Humans  Changes in Housing  Marital Problems  School Stress (Testing)  General Anxiety  Lymphocytes  white blood cells; two types  B lymphocytes - form in the bone marrow and release antibodies that fight bacterial infections  T lymphocytes - form in the thymus and, among other duties, attack cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances

19. Stress-Cancer Connection  Evidence for a connection is not conclusive.  Two conclusions:  Stress does not create cancer cells.  Stress affects the body’s malignancy- fighting ability.

20. Perceived Control #22 #22  Health consequences of a loss of control No connection to shock source To shock controlTo shock source “Executive” rat“Subordinate” ratControl rat

21. Martin Seligman (1942- )  American psychologist  Proponent of positive psychology

22. Psychological Coping Strategies  Cognitive Strategy - a mental technique in which we try to convince our brains to feel something different from what the incoming impulses may say.  Cognitive appraisal - interpretation of an event that determines stress impact 1. Denial - deciding that an event isn’t a stressor 2. Intellectualization - watching a situation from a detached standpoint

23. Relaxation Techniques  Progressive relaxation - Reduces muscle tension. People purposely tense a particular muscle group & then relax it.  Meditation- Reduces both physical & psychological responses to stress  Biofeedback - technique for bringing specific body processes - blood pressure & muscle tension under control.

24. Other Techniques  Religion  Exercise  Optimistic Outlook  Support Groups  Improving Interpersonal Skills  Training

25. Exercise and Mental Health

26. The Faith Factor Explained

31. Optimism  The tendency to expect the best  Believe bad events are:  Temporary  Not their fault  Will not have broader effects beyond the present circumstances