Chapter 11- Stress and Health

Stress Stress Stressors Distress Eustress

Causes of Stress What causes stress?

o Catastrophes o Major life changeso Hassleso Environmental Stressors

Catastrophe Major life changes

o Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)o College Undergraduate Stress Scale (CUSS)

Sample Items from the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

Causes of Stress Hassles Environmental Stressors

What, me worry? Psychological stressors: Everyday Sources of Stress Four sources of stress:

o Pressureo Uncontrollabilityo Frustrationo Conflict

Everyday Sources of Stress Pressure Uncontrollability

o the less control a person has, the greater the degree of stress

Frustrationo Externalo Internal

Possible reactions to frustration Persistence

Aggression Displaced aggression

Escape or withdrawalConflict

Conflicto Approach-approach conflicto Avoidance–avoidance conflicto Approach–avoidance conflicto Multiple approach–avoidance conflict

Bodily Reactions to Stress Autonomic nervous system:

o sympathetic systemo parasympathetic system

Bodily Reactions to Stress General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

o Alarmo Resistanceo Exhaustion

Stress Duration & IllnessStress and the Immune System

Heart disease: stress puts people at higher risk for coronary heart disease (CHD)

Diabetes: type 2 diabetes is associated with excessive weight gain

Cancer: stress increases malfunction of natural killer (NK) cell

Cognitive Factors of Stress Cognitive appraisal approach (Lazarus)

o primary appraisalo secondary appraisal

Stress and Personality Type A personality Type B personality Type C personality Hardy personality (Type H)

Stress and Personality Explanatory styles

o optimistso pessimistso optimists less likely to

develop learned helplessness ignore their health become depressed have weak immune systems

Stress and Social Factors

Situation or eventPrimary

appraisal

Perceived threat

Secondary appraisal

Perception of the inability to cope with

the threat

stress

Discovering new ways of responding/new resources Remaining stressed

Perception of the ability to cope with

the threat

Use of existing coping resources

No threat perceived

No stress

Social factors increasing the effects of stress include: o povertyo stresses on the job or in the workplace

Stress and Social Factors Burnout:

o Classic symptoms include: Depleted physical energy Emotional exhaustion Lowered immunity to illness Less investment in interpersonal relationships Increasingly pessimistic outlook

Stress and Social Factors Acculturative stress

o 4 methods of acculturation: Integration Assimilation Separation Marginalization

Stress and Social Factors Social-support system

o Sense of belongingo Increased sense of self-wortho Feeling of security

Ways to Deal with Stress Coping strategies

o Problem-focused copingo Emotion-focused coping

Ways to Deal with StressThe Control Process

Behavior control Cognitive control   Decision control Information control Retrospective control Secondary control

Meditation Meditation

o Concentrative meditationo Receptive meditation

Cultural Influences on Stress Different cultures perceive stressors differently Coping strategies will also vary from culture to culture

Religiousness and Stress People with religious beliefs also have been found to cope better

with stressful events

Become More Optimistic When a bad mood strikes, stop and think about what just went

through your head When you’ve recognized the negative statements, treat them as

if they came from someone else Argue with those thoughts Bonus: ____________________________

How to Make Stress your Friend