Stress and health

1. Stress and health

3. Stressors and stress • Stressa state of physiological and psychological arousal produced by internal or external stressors; perceived by the individual as challenging or exceeding their ability to cope. • Stressor any person, event or situation that causes stress.

4. Physiological response – fight or flight – sympathetic arousal

5. Physiological response – fight or flight – Sympathetic arousal • Involuntary reaction resulting in a state of physiological readiness to deal with a threat by either fighting it or fleeing from it. • Sympathetic branch controls arousal, fight or flight response / fires us up. Release of adrenaline, heart up, breathing up etc. • Parasympatheticcalms back down, keeps at stable level.

7. Hypothalamus Pituitary Axis (HPA AXIS)

8. Fight or Flight – Hypothalamus Pituitary Axis - HPA • When a stressor is identified the hypothalamus is activated • The hypothalamus then activates the pituitary gland which releases ACTH (adrenocorticotropic) • ACTH then travels through the blood stream to the adrenal glands above the kidneys, this triggers the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol • Cortisol and noradrenaline in high concentrations for prolonged time can effect immune function

9. Vcaa, 2009 • A researcher was interested in studying the effects of stress on the immune system. One hundred healthy volunteers filled out a stress-rating scale and were then injected with a non-life-threatening virus. Based on what is known about stress and the immune system, the researcher most likely found that volunteers who reported higher levels of stress on the stress-rating scale • A. did not report any effect of the injected virus. • B. showed lower rates of infection than those with lower stress levels. • C. felt energised as their bodies entered the resistance stage of the GAS. • D. had lower levels of the disease-fighting white blood cells than those with lower stress levels.

10. VCAA 2007 • A stressful experience: • A. is subjective in nature. • B. is caused only by external events. • C. is accurately measured by self-report. • D. is never desirable.

11. VCAA 2009 • Alyse stays up late to watch a horror movie. During the movie she becomes very frightened and her fight/flight response is triggered, and then she calms down. • a. Which branch of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for triggering Alyse’sfight/flight response? • 1 mark • b. Describe two physiological responses that Alyse may experience when her fight/flight response is triggered. • 2 marks

13. c. Explain how these physiological responses aid survival in a life-threatening situation. • 1 mark

15. General adaptation syndrome • How do most organisms deal with stress? • Research used rats subjected to electric shocks and painful tail pulling, prolonged heat or cold, physical restraint or bacterial infection • Proposed that all organisms follow a similar pattern when dealing with stress • GAS proposed by Hans Selye

17. General adaptation syndrome STAGE 1: Alarm Reaction • First become aware of the stressor • Organism goes into a temporary state of shock, and its ability to deal with the stressor falls to below its normal level • Physiologically, the body reacts as if it were injured; for example, blood pressure and body temperature drop, and a temporary loss of muscle tone is experienced • Then the body rebounds from this level with a reaction that Selye referred to as ‘countershock’. During countershock, the sympathetic nervous system is activated and the body’s resistance to the stressor increases.

18. General adaptation syndrome STAGE 2: Resistance • If the source of the stress is not dealt with immediately, and the state of stress continues, the organism goes into a stage of resistance. • During the stage of resistance, the body’s resistance to the particular stressor rises above normal.

19. General adaptation syndrome STAGE 3: Exhaustion • If the stressor is not dealt with successfully during the resistance stage, and stress continues, the organism enters a stage of exhaustion. • Signs of the alarm reaction may reappear, but the effects of the stressor can no longer be dealt with • Resistance to disease is very weak, and it becomes vulnerable to physical and psychological illnesses.

20. General adaptation syndrome – strengths and limitations

21. Vcaa, 2010 • Question 5 • Tasha is a doctor in a busy general practice. Tasha returned to work after six months maternity leave to a very busy flu season that required working twelve-hour days to cope with the extra patient load. As well as being very busy at work, Tasha missed her baby son. After six weeks of this workload she developed a severe tension headache by the end of almost every working day. After a few days, Tasha’s headaches went away although she was still working long hours in the busy surgery. When she caught the flu herself, Tasha had to take a week off work. After recovering and being back at work for a few days, Tasha was unable to get up to go to work one morning. When she consulted her own doctor, she was diagnosed as being extremely stressed and physically drained. a. Which stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) was Tasha most likely in when she contracted the flu? 1 mark b. Explain why an illness such as the flu is experienced by Tasha during this stage of the GAS. 3 marks

23. c. State one psychological symptom Tasha may have experienced during the GAS stage when she was unable to get up for work. 1 mark d. Explain the role of Tasha’s sympathetic nervous system in stage 3 of the GAS. 2 marks

25. SELYE - Eustress and distress • Eustress – positive psychological response to a stressor. (excited, enthusiastic, active) • Distress – negative psychological response to a stressor. ( Anger, anxiety, nervousness) • EUSTRESS DISTRESS

26. Psychological Response to stress Psychological responses to stress Behavioural Changes Cognitive Changes Emotional Changes -Perception Distorted -Inability to Concentrate -Forgetful -Difficulty making decisions -Anxious -Tense -Depressed -Angry -Irritable -Shaky voice -Hand tremors -Muscle tension -Jumpiness

27. Lazarus and folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping (1984) • Stress involves a transaction (encounter) between the individual and the external environment • Coping will depend on the appraisal of the situation by the individual and their ability to cope. • “Stress is in the eye of the beholder”

29. Lazarus and folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping Primary appraisal • Judge the stressful significance of the situation • Is it irrelevant, benign-positive, stressful? • Harm/loss – damage occurred • Threat – might happen • Challenge – potential for growth Secondary appraisal • Evaluate our coping options and resources • Internal and external resources

30. Lazarus and folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping Reappraisal • Going back over an earlier stressor to determine if it warrants further attention

31. Lazarus and folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping Coping • Changing cognitive and behavioural efforts to meet stressors Problem focused coping • Strategies to manage the stress • Tends to be used when we perceive we have SOME control over the situation Emotion focused coping • Strategies to deal with emotional responses to stress • Tends to be used when we perceive we have LITTLE control over the situation

32. Lazarus and folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping (1984)

33. Social Factors • Can influence the stress response • Relationships, lack of social skills, lack of support, bullied, discrimination, etc. • Social Readjustment – the amount of change in lifestyle after a specific event • Large changes can cause stress • Not all events are universally stressful • It does depend on the persons perception and circumstances • EG. Leaving an abusive marriage would be less stressful than remaining married

35. Cultural Factors • Immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers • Acculturation – adapting the values customs and language of a new culture • Entering a new culture at a lower socioeconomic level, trouble preserving old values • Minority cultural groups link to mental health problems.

36. Environmental factors • Crowding linked to the stress response • Crowding is a subjective experience • Personal space is important • Loved ones: <50cm • Good friends : 50cm – 150 cm • Strangers: >150 cm

37. Calhoun’s research (1962) • Mice in a large enclosure • Plenty of space, water, food etc. • Mice display normal social behaviour, mating etc. • Population doubled every 55 days • Mice in overcrowded enclosure showed maladaptive behaviours • Aggression and even cannibalism • Hyperactivity or lethargy • Mothers attacked their young, stopped breeding

38. Crowding and human stress • No clear link • Difficult to control extraneous variables ethically • Self report though does show a correlation between overcrowding and stress • Depend on the situation and the individual involved • Being mentally prepared for crowding seems to help some people

39. Allostasis • The bodies ability to maintain a stable physiological environment by changing to meet internal and external demands. • NOT homeostasis where balance is maintained by keeping internal functioning constant • Achieved through the brain regulating the following allostatic systems: • 1/ HPA axis • 2/ Autonomic nervous system • 3/ Immune System • 4/ Cardiovascular system • Systems turned on when needed turned off when the threat has passed

41. Allostatic load • Prolonged arousal can lead to wear and tear on the body • Increased secretion of adrenal hormones can damage cardiovascular and immune systems • Can be due to frequent stressors or perhaps one stressor that is not alleviated

43. Coping with stress Biofeedback – Provides an individual with feedback about their state of bodily processes. • With training subjects can learn to control responses using relaxation techniques • Often doesn’t work outside of a lab setting

44. Coping with stress Physical Exercise • Social interaction • Uses up stress hormones secreted by HPA • Releases tension in muscles • Release of endorphins – pleasure related neurotransmitters

45. Social support • Help or assistance from others • Appraisal support – improves understanding of the situation • Tangible assistance – material support, financial, food, goods etc • Information support – ideas on how to cope • Emotional support – targets emotional reactions by the individual, cared for and valued

46. Meditation • Internal attempt to bring about a deeply relaxed state Relaxation • Any activity either physical or psychological that reduces tension • http://www.innerhealthstudio.com/muscle-relaxation-audio.html