Stress and Health – Adapted for Introduction to Psychology 2010

What is Stress? (p.381)

Hans Selye: “The non-specific response of the body to any demand for change”

Richard S Lazarus: “Stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.”

Key components of a GOOD definition of stress… (11.1)

Eustress vs. Distress – Mobilizing vs. Consuming Biopsychosocial Model - has three components.

This definition of stress distinguishes between an external element, another that is internal, as well as a third that represents the interaction between these two factors.

Also include physiological components - hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis, stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and adrenalin secretion in the "fight or flight" response

Let’s Review: The Neurophysiology of Stress (11.3)What brain systems are involved in contributing to the stress response?Hint: CNS, PNS, ES, LS

The Physiology of Distress…

11.7

The impact of stress on the immune system and the risk for disease (11.8)

Stressors Show Up in Many Ways…

11.4Pressure, lack of control, frustration, & conflict

Stressors…

What are the Sources of Stress (Conflict)? 11.6

Stressors Stem from Choices… Approach-Approach: the great

dilemma (Having to choose between two desirable alternatives)

Approach-Avoidance: When you are both drawn to and repelled by a choice

Avoidance-Avoidance: Having to choose between two undesirable alternatives

Post-Traumatic Stress Catastrophic

Events: such as 911, sexual assault, violent robbery/home invasion, tsunamis, etc.

Chronic Intense Stress: e.g. POW, Military, high stress job, hostage, bullying

PTSD:FlashbacksNightmaresAuditory and

Visual hallucinations

Heightened anxiety, depression, survivor guilt

Bullying can contribute to PTSD Take a look at this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iaYCNKLkVw

Brain Scans of Children who are bullied…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itQLq4wqiCY

Stress, Depression, & Suicide (11.5) Suicidal behaviour and depression have a strong

positive correlation Suicide is the number 2 cause of death in youth

aged 10-24 in Ontario More than 90 percent of suicide victims have a

diagnosable psychiatric illness,10 and suicide is the most common cause of death for people with schizophrenia (CMHA.ca)

Major depression and bipolar disorder account for 15 to 25 percent of all deaths by suicide

Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in Canada

Assessing the risk and Intervene Ask – “are you having thoughts of ending your life?”

Asking about suicide will NOT make people suicidal. Assess –

Is there a history of suicide in the family or among close friends? Have you attempted suicide before? Do you have a plan? Do you have a date or time set?

Intervene – seek supports, make a contract, call EMS, take it seriously – do not attempt to resolve this on your own, especially if you do not have training.

To receive the BEST suicide intervention training – ask for ASIST Suicide Intervention Training

Coping with Stress (11.11)

Strategy – Manage Your Perceptions (Problem-focused Coping)Richard Carlson – Author, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” www.dontsweat.com

“A thought attack is any thought or emotion that negatively interrupts your focus. It grows out of proportion and can become a mental snowball.”

Activity:Describe a thought attack that

you often haveMake a mental snowballMELT IT!

Strategy : Shift Your Perception(Emotion-focused coping)What do you see? Problem or Opportunity?

Re-Framing:TRY THIS! What do you see?

IAMNOWHERE

What does this sentence What does this sentence say?say?

“A woman without her man is nothing”

Internal perception: Thinking… “I think therefore I am…” “I’ll believe it when I see

it…” “I’ll see it WHEN I believe

it!” Belief is the BASIS of

ACTION.

E+R=O (An interpretation of the cognitive appraisal

approach) 11.2 Event + Response =

Outcome

Cognitive AppraisalSelf-Evaluation (Glasser)

What you do about it

What is happening? What does it mean?

How do I FEEL (Label the Emotion)? How would I like this to be resolved? What can I do to get that outcome? CHOOSE an appropriate response.

Life Happens… the impact of cumulative stressors Take the Holmes & Rahe Social

Readjustment Rating Scale Assessment Add up your scores What do your scores mean?

Why should we NOT sweat the small stuff? The Hassle Factor… and the balance between hassles and uplifts.

The Goal is Not “Stress Free” but “Optimal Stress”

Achieving Optimal Stress Levels Review the Optimal Stress

Wheel What strategies can you

implement so you can achieve optimal stress?

Brainstorm with your peers!

What are You Tolerating/Procrastinating? Think about it!

Write it down

Talk about it!If you could make this

negative energy positive, how would you do it?

Just Breathe…

Breathing Awareness

Breathing for Relaxation

Progressive Muscular Relaxation

The Personal Factors That Impact StressOne Word: Resiliency Are you an optimist or pessimist? Do you have a social support network? Are you psychologically hardy?

Do you feel like you have control in your life? Are you committed to your job/family/schooling? Is there enough challenge in your life? Do you welcome challenge or do you fear it?

Bounce! How to Build Resiliency

1. Examine your attitude – check your psychological hardiness

2. Build a secure network of support

3. Cultivate optimism

You thought they were stress reducers, but they are stress INDUCERS Smoking Alcohol Caffeine Recreational drugs Rx medications Addictive behaviours Oh but there’s more

We have less than 1 month left of school – Make your stress reduction plan

Decide what strategies you will implement and commit to do them daily for the next 10 days.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Stress and Health: Other sections in the text you should read:

P. 396-397, Your Lifestyle and Your Health

P. 393, HIV, AIDS, and the Transmission of AIDS

P. 380-382, Hans Selye and General Adaptation Syndrome, and Richard Lazarus’ Cognitive Theory of Stress

If you’re interested…

Websites:

To get the book:www.angersolution.com/laststraw.php

www.angersolution.blogspot.com

www.juliechristiansen.com