PSY202 Stress and Health

Tension, discomfort and produce physical symptoms.

Threatening or demanding situations that cause tension and discomfort.

• Very-large-scale disasters or horrible events; impact an entire community

• Despite the stress, catastrophes increase social awareness and cement people’s interpersonal bonds

• Stressors as Stimuli

• Stress as a Transaction

• Stress as a Response

• Focuses on identifying types of stressful events, situations that cause more stress, and people who are more vulnerable to stress

• Catastrophes

• How people cope with stressors

• Cognitive Appraisal Theory

  • Primary and Secondary Appraisals

Looks at the critical factor for determining why we react to stressful events.

If the stressor can be handled, then a person will not be stressed.

• If the stressor is a threat, then the person will be stressed

• If the stressor is a challenge, then the person will not be stressed

• Psychological and physiological reactions to stress

  • Physiological Measures and Psychological assessments which is how we react and cope with stress

• Lab-Included or Real-World stressors

• Significant Life Events (SRRS)

• Daily Hassles (Hassles Scale)

• A list of 43 events ranked to “life-changing units (LCU)”; things that readjust the lives of people

• The lower the number on the list, the less stressful; the higher the number, the more readjustment was needed for an event

• <149 is low

• 150-199 is mild

• 200-299 is moderate

• 300 is major

• Minor annoyances or nuisances that strain our ability to cope

• The scale is the cumulative load of hassles may be more responsible for stress than major events; the number and severity is significant

• People who face more hassles, face lots more major life events

• Living in Big Cities (personal space)

• Exposure to potential stressors

• Overcrowding VS Personal Space

  • Invades personal space, and causes stress and discomfort; anxiety

  • Tension state that affects mental health; a sense of insecurity

• General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

  • Three stages of psychological reactions to stress

• The reactions are general (all humans respond in a similar pattern) and nonspecific (we all react specifically, even animals)

• Three stages: 1. Alarm, 2. Resistance, and 3. Exhaustion

• Stress hormones are released; physical symptoms of anxiety; “fight or flight” response

• State of Shock

  • Loss in muscle control and blood pressure and body temperature drops; lasts a short period of time and then Counter Shock hits which will bring you back to Normal resistance state

• Adapt and find ways to cope with the stressor; resources are limited

• Constantly high

If the threat persists, eventually the body will give out.

• Relaxation

• Reappraisal

• Social Support

• Involves low arousal

• Incompatible with stress

  • Biofeedback

• When people are given feedback on their body’s state through a machine

• May result in Perceived Control and may reduce stress-related tension and pain

• Support from others, often in the form of comfort, caring, or help can lead to a healthy immune system and less stress

• Beneficial in reducing stress since more social support is associated with lower mortality rates

• Pet support can lead to less doctor trips and lower heart attack deaths

• Cognitive Appraisal

  • A large part of the stress reaction is psychological

  • Using therapy and take a positive outlook on situations

• Perceived Control

• Personality Differences

• How much control one can see/believe they have over situations

• Having high perceived control reduces stress and has health benefits

• Optimism and Pessimism

  • Optimism is associated with faster recovery after surgery, better immune system functioning, and a lower mortality rate

• Stress may weaken the immune system

• “fight or flight“ → increased blood pressure

• Stress is linked to higher blood cholesterol

• Personality Types play a role in the consequences

• Type A: Impatient, Ambitious, Easily Annoyed; Low on “Agreeableness“

  • A person can easily get angry, and when stressed they may show it; this component is linked with a high risk of cardiovascular diseases

• Type B: Patient, Laid Back, Flexible, Clam, Easy Going

If stress is intense enough, or lasts long enough, psychological problems can result. These include Depression, Anxiety, or PTSD.

• Binge drinking

• There are Physical effects (increases in cancer, liver problems, pregnancy complications, brain shrinkage)

• There are Cognitive effects (is a depressant, but inhibits or reduces anxiety; Alcohol Myopia)

• The idea that intoxication may cause narrowed perceptual and cognitive functioning that can lead to aggressive behaviour; this increases with dosage

• (Narrowed Attention) They may ignore information that is significant or substantial

• (Narrowed Cognitive) May act against social norms without thinking; influenced by immediate cues without considering the long term consequences

• Aerobic Exercise (improves cardiovascular fitness, releases mood-altering neurotransmitters, and may increase perceived control)

• Thinking about Stress Positively

• High-stress levels are linked with an increased risk of dying, but only for people who think of stress in a negative way

• Oxytocin makes you “tend and befriend”

  • Makes us seek support from other individuals

    • Social connections are key to health benefits