Chapter 15Stress & Health

Types of Stressors

A. Psychological Conflict1. Approach-approach – choosing between one of two attractive goals.2. Avoidance-avoidance – choosing between two unattractive options.3. Approach-avoidance – choosing a goal that has both attractive and unattractive

features.4. Double approach-avoidance – choosing between two alternatives that have both

positive and negative features.

B. Everyday hassles – minor everyday occurrences that can be distressing, frustrating and irritating.

C. Life changes – personal changes in a person’s life that require adaptation/adjustment

D. Catastrophes – unpredictable, large-scale events, such as natural disasters or devastations

E. Poverty and inequality – low economic status

F. Discrimination – prejudice and perceived unfairness

G. Adjustment to a new culture – when immigrants are adjusting to life in a new culture

Category I (Choose 1)• Living in a country experiencing war• Living through a major earthquake• Losing your home and possessions because of a fire• Living near a nuclear disaster site• Having a close relative die in an accident

Category II (Choose 3)• Death of a close relative• Getting married• Losing a job• Having triplets• Living 2,000 miles from family• Moving to a new city• Developing a serious illness• Buying an expensive house• Getting a promotion at work• Having a 2-hour heavy-traffic commute every day• Getting divorced

The Game of Life

Select a given number of items from the following lists of stressors, with the intention of maximizing your health and resiliency. Once you have made your selections, explain why you chose the items you did and what impact you would expect them to have on your health and happiness. Compare your answers with those of your classmates and discuss the differences in personality, event appraisal, and personal habits that led to your decisions.

Category III (Choose 5)• Getting stuck in construction traffic & being 3 hours late getting home• Waiting in line at the post office for 1 hour to

mail your taxes• Having two exams the day before your sister’s wedding• Locking your keys in the car• Forgetting your notes for a presentation• Getting a speeding ticket• Losing your keys on the morning of a big job interview• Having a fight with your roommate• Bouncing a check• Having to find a new apartment

CHAPTER 15 SECTION 1Sources of Stress

Stress – an anxious or threatening feeling resulting from our appraisal of a situation & our reaction to demands placed upon us.

Components of StressI. Stressor – a stress-producing event or situation.

A. what is a stressor for one person may not be for another.

II. Stress reaction – the body’s observable response to a stressor whether perceptual, cognitive, physical or emotional

III. There are different types of stressA. Distress – negative stress that stems from acute anxiety or pressure &

can take a harsh toll on the mind and body.

B. Eustress – positive stress which results from the strivings and challenges that are the spice of life.

IV. Stress is a normal, even essential, part of life that goes hand in hand with working toward any goal or facing any challenge. It can spur us on to greater effectiveness & achievement in some situations. We cannot escape stress, however, we can learn to cope with stress so that it makes our lives interesting without overwhelming us.

Conflict SituationsWe often have to evaluate situations & then make difficult decisions between two or more options which fall into four broad categories

1. Approach – Approach – choosing between two attractive options.A. High school senior having to decide between two colleges.B. Does not produce a great deal of stress because both choices are

satisfying.

2. Avoidance – Avoidance – choosing between two disagreeable optionsA. College graduate unable to find a job but is offered a job with no future &

low pay. Do they accept it or continue looking for something better?B. Either will be frustrating & there is usually a high level of indecision and

stress.

3. Approach – Avoidance – choosing to do something that has both enjoyable and disagreeable consequences.

A. Wanting to ask for a raise but being afraid to be fired.B. The degree of stress depends on the intensity of the desire or of the

perceived threat.

4. Double Approach – Avoidance – choosing between two or more alternatives, each with attractive & unattractive aspects.

A. Taking vacation in Paris which would be expensive or Florida which would be cheaper but less exciting.

B. The degree of stress generated depends on the intensity of the attractions & repulsions.

Appraising a Situation

The level of stress you feel depends on how you appraise the situation.

1. Primary appraisal – our immediate evaluation of a situation.

A. Three ways you can appraise a situation – irrelevant, positive & negative

2. Secondary appraisal – involves how to deal with a potentially stressful situation, deciding on a coping strategy.

Environmental Stressors

Environmental conditions such as noise may cause stress on the job & these factors can have similar effects on the public at large.

People exposed to excessive noise at work have reported more headaches, nausea & moodiness than others.

Crowding is an environmental stressor as well. Studies have shown a relationship between high-rise apartments with many people & aggression.

Life Changes & Stress

Major life changes are important sources of stress. Common to these events is the separation of an individual from familiar friends, relatives or colleagues.

A scale was developed to measure the effects of 43 common events. Each event was rated on a scale of 1 to 100 on how much adjustment the event required.

Cons: Scale was created in 1967 & was based on the stress in men’s lives and fails to measure stress caused by ongoing situations such as racism and poverty.

Life event Life change unitsDeath of a spouse 100

Divorce 73

Marital separation 65

Imprisonment 63

Death of a close family member 63

Personal injury or illness 53

Marriage 50

Dismissal from work 47

Marital reconciliation 45

Retirement 45

Change in health of

family member 44

Pregnancy 40

Sexual difficulties 39

Gain a new family member 39

Business readjustment 39

Change in financial state 38

Death of a close friend 37

Change to different line of work 36

Change in frequency of

Arguments 35

Major mortgage 32

Foreclosure of mortgage or

Loan 30

Change in responsibilities at

Work 29

Child leaving home 29

Trouble with in-laws 29

Outstanding personal achievement 28

Spouse starts or stops work 26

Begin or end school 26

Change in living conditions 25

Revision of personal habits 24

Trouble with boss 23

Change in working hours or conditions 20

Change in residence 20

Change in schools 20

Change in recreation 19

Change in church activities 19

Change in social activities 18

Minor mortgage or loan 17

Change in sleeping habits 16

Change in number of family reunions 15

Change in eating habits 15

Vacation 13

Christmas 12

Minor violation of law 11

Score of 300+: At risk of illness.Score of 150-299+: Risk of illness is moderate (reduced by 30% from the above risk).Score 150-: Only have a slight risk of illness.

Social Readjustment

Rating Scale

Life Event Life Change UnitsGetting married 95

Unwed pregnancy 100

Death of parent 100

Acquiring a visible deformity 80

Divorce of parents 90

Fathering an unwed pregnancy 70

Jail sentence of parent for over

one year 70

Marital separation of parents 69

Death of a brother or sister 68

Change in acceptance by

peers 67

Pregnancy of unwed sister 64

Discovery of being an

adopted child 63

Marriage of parent to

stepparent 63

Death of a close friend 63

Having a visible congenital

deformity 62

Serious illness requiring

hospitalization 58

Failure of a grade in school 56

Not making an extracurricular

activity 55

Hospitalization of a parent 55

Jail sentence of parent for

over 30 days 53

Breaking up with boyfriend or girlfriend 53

Beginning to date 51

Suspension from school 50

Becoming involved with drugs or alcohol 50

Birth of a brother or sister 50

Increase in arguments between parents 47

Loss of job by parent 46

Outstanding personal achievement 46

Change in parent's financial status 45

Accepted at college of choice 43

Being a senior in high school 42

Hospitalization of a sibling 41

Increased absence of parent from home 38

Brother or sister leaving home 37

Addition of third adult to family 34

Becoming a full fledged member of a church 31

Decrease in arguments between parents 27

Decrease in arguments with parents 26

Mother or father beginning work 26

Score of 300+: At risk of illness.Score of 150-299+: Risk of illness is moderate. (reduced by || 30% from the above risk)Score 150-: Slight risk of illness.

Hassles

In addition to major stressful events, psychologists have also studied the effects that relatively minor, day-to-day stressors have on heath.

• household duties• concerns about health• time pressures• environmental hassles• financial hassles• worries about your job• concerns about your future• inner hassles (low self-esteem or loneliness)

Research has found a connection between hassles & health problems. Hassles can weaken the body’s defense system, making it harder to fight off potential health problems.

It has also been suggested that small, positive events called uplifts can reduce stress & protect a person’s health.

CHAPTER 15 SECTION 2Reactions to Stress

There are a wide variety of stress reactions and their effects range from beneficial to harmful.

Fight-or-Flight ResponseRegardless of the stressor, the body reacts with immediate arousal. The adrenal glands are stimulated to produce:

1. Hormones that increase the amount of blood sugar for extra energy.2. Adrenaline, which causes rapid heartbeat and breathing and enables the

body to use energy more quickly

This response is needed for survival. It prepares you to face potentially dangerous situations.

General Adaptation SyndromeHans Selye identified three stages in the body’s stress reaction

3. Alarm – the mobilizes its fight-or-flight defenses; heartbeat & breathing quicken, muscles tense, the pupils dilate & hormones that sustain these reactions are secreted. The person becomes exceptionally alert & sensitive to stimuli in the environment & tries to keep a firm grip on their emotions.

4. Resistance – the person often finds a means to cope with the stressor & to ward off, superficially at least, adverse reactions. Person may suffer psychosomatic symptoms which result from the stress.

5. Exhaustion – adrenal & other glands are at their limit, unable to secrete hormones & the person becomes exhausted, disoriented & may delusions in an effort to retain some type of coping strategy.

Emotional & Cognitive ResponsesShort-Term psychological stress reactions may be either emotional or cognitive

1. Emotionala. Anxiety – a feeling of an imminent but unclear threat. The most

common response.b. Anger – most likely to result from a frustration.c. Fear – usually the reaction when a stressor involved real danger.

Fear directs people to withdraw or flee but in severe cases they may panic and be unable to act.

2. Cognitivea. Difficulty in concentrating or thinking clearlyb. Recurring thoughtsc. Poor decision makingd. Unjustified suspicion or distrust of others

Behavioral ResponsesThere are many short-term behavioral changes that result from stress.

3. Person may develop nervous habits, gulp meals, smoke or drink more, take drugs or feel tired for no reason, temporarily lost interest in eating, grooming, bathing, etc and become more aggressive

4. Escape is another behavioral stress reaction & it is often the best way to deal with frustration.

5. Some behavioral reactions are positive because some people will risk their lives to save or help others in crisis situations.

Physical ResponsesOur thoughts & emotions can produce physiological changes in our bodies

1. Some people develop psychosomatic symptoms as a result of stress such as headaches, stomachaches & muscle pains.

2. Prolonged physical arousal can cause health problems, including difficulty in breathing, insomnia, migraine headaches, urinary & bowel irregularities, muscle aches, sweating & dryness of mouth

3. Stress is clearly related to illnesses and can be either the direct cause of illness, such as a migraine or indirectly by suppressing our immune system & making us more vulnerable to diseases & infections.

Factors Influencing Reactions to Stress

People’s reactions to stress vary considerably based on:

1. Personality Differences

a. Type A verses Type B

b. Emotional expressiveness

i. People who neither express nor admit to strong feelings of despair, depression and anger are more likely to develop cancer than those who can give vent to their emotions.

2. Perceived Control Over Stressors

a. People prefer to have predictable stress over unpredictable stress in which they have no control over. Our physical & psychological well-being is profoundly influenced by the degree to which we feel a sense of control over our lives.

3. Social Support

a. Social support can help people decrease the effects of stressful situations by providing a buffer from the effects of stress.

b. Social groups offer at least four kinds of support.

i. Emotional support involves concerned listening, which forms a basis for offering affection & concern & bolstering the stressed person’s self-confidence.

ii. Appraisal support allows the stressed person to get feedback about the stress & help in sorting out, understanding & dealing with the situation at hand.

iii. Informational support emerges from appraisal support where the stressed person responds to what they have learned & evaluates the manner in which they are dealing with stressors.

iv. Instrumental support represents active, positive support in the form of direct help such as money or a place to live

CHAPTER 15 SECTION 3Coping with Stress

Coping with stress is an attempt to gain control over a part of one’s life. There is not just one way that is best for all people in all situations. Coping strategies may not always be healthy ways to adapt. These are known as maladaptive ways of coping.

Psychological Coping Strategies

1. Defensive Coping Strategies

a. We try to influence our cognitive appraisals by means of defensive coping strategies and stress reactions are more likely to occur when these strategies fail.

i. Denial – person decides that the event is not really a stressor

ii. Intellectualization – person watches & analyzes the situation from an emotionally detached standpoint.

Active Coping Strategies 1. Hardiness – refers to the personality traits of control, commitment & challenge that

help us reduce the stress we feel.a. Control – feeling that we have the ability to affect the outcome of the

situation.b. Commitment – establishing & pursuing our goalsc. Challenge – actively confronting & solving problems instead of feeling

threatened & powerless because of them.

2. Controlling stressful situations – controlling our exposure to stressful events & thereby reducing levels of stress.

3. Problem solving – regarding frustrations or conflicts as problems to be solved means the situation becomes a positive challenge rather than a negative setback.

4. Explanatory style – two very different styles of thinking.a. Optimist typically puts the best face on any set of events.b. Pessimist always sees the dark side.

5. Relaxation – techniques of relaxation have been developed especially to cope with stress.

a. Progressive relaxation involves lying down comfortably & tensing and releasing the tension in each major muscle group in turn.

b. Meditation involves focusing of attention with the goal of clearing one’s mind and producing an “inner peace”

6. Humor – Laughing actually releases the tension of pent-up feelings and can help you keep a proper perspective of the situation.

7. Exercise – Physical exercise is another constructive way to reduce stress and helps to burn off stress hormones.

8. Support groups & professional help – help people with specific stress-related problems.

9. Training – new, unfamiliar or dangerous situations can be stressful because we are unsure we can deal with it. Training to prepare for such a situation can ease the stress.

10. Improving interpersonal skills – developing skills in dealing with other such as family, friends and coworkers is one of the best ways to manage stress. Being able to interact well with others increases your self-confidence and self-esteem.

CHAPTER 15 SECTION 4Stress in Your Life

Growing up involves gaining a sense of autonomy and independence. Each person learns to make decisions, develop a value system, be responsible and to care for themselves and means separating from the family, both physically & emotionally

Choosing College

College is one of the first big steps toward separation. As college students, individuals are freer than they ever have been or may eve be again.

This can be exciting but will also acquire adjustment.

1. Many students approach college with high & often unrealistic aspirations and many will use their experiences in the first semesters of college to change their minds & images of themselves.

2. College also challenges the identity a student has established in high schoola. Ex. Star pupil in high school at a competitive college struggles to get

average grades where every student is bright & competitive.

3. Individuals are likely to encounter greater diversity in college than they ever have before and may have to reexamine their basic assumptions & perhaps adopt new ideas & beliefs (developmental friendships)

Coping with Change1. Some focus their efforts to succeed in the field they have chosen even

though they may have doubts which can lead them leaving college with a degree they don’t want.

2. Others avoid confronting doubt by frittering away their time, going through the motions of attending college but detaching themselves emotionally.

3. Some manage to keep their options open until they have enough information & experience to make a choice – resynthesis – combining old ideas with new ones & reorganizing feelings in order to renew one’s identity.

Working

Graduating from college or high school involves thinking about & finding your first job & your career. What a person sees at work can differ but whatever is chosen can bring satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction.

Research has identified five major sources of work satisfaction.4. Resources – Does the worker have what they need to get the job done?5. Financial Reward – Pays well, good benefits & is secure.6. Challenge – Job is interesting & allows the worker to use their talents.7. Relations with coworkers – Worker is on good terms with colleagues8. Comfort – working conditions & related factors are attractive.