Modules 38 & 39

Health and Stress

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Health Psychology – studies how biological, psychological and social factors influence health, illness and treatment.

Biopsychosocial Model

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Health Psychology- Understand the relationship between Mind and Body

- Educate people about health risks.

- Design programs to reduce health risks and promote healthy behaviors.

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Epidemiological Studies- large number of people- Patterns (correlations) between lifestyle

and health outcomes- look for risk factors of disease.

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Top 5 causes of Death are related to Lifestylechoices

Disease (Deaths per year) Alcohol (100,000)

Smoking (400,000)

Diet Exercise Stress

Heart Disease (720,058)

X X X X X

Cancer (550,322)

X X X X X

Stroke (144,088)

X X X X X

Accidents ( 92,983)

X X X X X

Lung Disease (86,679)

X X X

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Stressors: Events or situations that are perceived as harmful, threatening, or challenging and thus trigger stress response.Stress –play role in 50% to 70 % of all physicalillness.

Stress is a Reaction to a Stressor.

Is all stress bad? No.Neurological/physical response to threats.

Motivation

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Catastrophes:Catastrophes:

followed by increased rates of psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety that can be long-lasting.

significant life events/changessignificant life events/changes

Not all Stressors are negative experiences

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Measuring StressSocial Readjustment Scale - any change, whether negative or positive is inherently stress producing.• not a good predictor of poor physical or mental health.• does not take into account

-subjective appraisal of the event-ability to cope-Assumes event is the same for everyone

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Instead of asking about events we can ask about experiencing Stress

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Daily Hassles Scale- better predictor of physical symptoms and psychological distress.

Social/cultural Stressors: poverty, low social status, discrimination

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Conflict as a source of Stress

Approach-Approach conflict – win/win easily resolved and not too stressfulAvoidance-Avoidance -people often to delay, thus avoiding either.

Approach-AvoidanceVacillation People feel stuck and experienceStress and anxiety.

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Physiological Stress Response

Triggered whenever your mind determines thatyou are under threat. Response is the sameregardless of the type of stress!

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Fight-or-flight response (Cannon)—rapidly occurring chain of internal physical reactions that prepare people to either fight or take flight from an immediate threat- activates Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)

Heart rate, BP, release of epinephrine, adrenaline, and endorphins. DigestionIncreases general arousal level and reduces concentration.

Adrenals

Kidney

Posterior Pituitary Gland

Hypothalamus

AnteriorPituitary Gland

ACTH

Stress

CRH

(-)

Glucocorticoids, Catecholamines, etc..

Muscle: Net loss of aminoAcids (glucose)

Liver:

Fat Cells:

Heart rate: Increased

Immune system:

Glucocortical Stress Hormones

Stress and The Adrenal Glands

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Catecholamineepinephrine and norepinephrineShort term elevation (20 to 60 mins)Triggers fight or flight response

GlucocorticoidsReduced inflammation and enhance tone of circulatory system.In long run they weaken important systems, lower immunity and lead to illness.Prolonged stress also linked to depression & other psychological symptoms.

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General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)Stage 1. Alarm- SNS response.- good for short term stressors, but when prolonged . . .

Stage 2. Resistance- prolonged period of moderate arousal- continued high levels of hormones that elevate blood sugars -- increase metabolism- increase immune response

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Stage 3. Exhaustion- prolonged metabolic increase decreasesimmune response.

ImmuneResponse

Alarm Resistance Exhaustion

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Student Syndrome – students more likely to get sick after exam period.

Burnout - psychological, physical and behavioral dysfunction in response to continuous, chronicstress.

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Telomeres

Shortening of Telomeresnormally occurs with age.

Stress appears to increase the rate of shortening!Stress does age people.Presidents actually tend tolive pretty long: WHY?Access to superior medical care, good education, and ittakes an inherently healthy person to endure the rigors of a presidential campaign and administration.

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Stress and Illness

Psychosomatic illness

Psychophysiological Illness

Psychoneuroimmunology (Mind/Body)SNS is a direct link between CNS and the physical systems of the body.

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Stress and the Immune System

Lymphocytes – white blood cells that fightviruses and bacteria

Lymphocytes have receptors for neurotransmitters and hormones AND they also produce these chemical messengers.

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Problems develop when the immune system is either underactive or overactive.

Underactive - does not protect against disease.

Overactive – Immune system may attack one’s own body tissue.• Arthritis• Allergies• Autoimmune disorders

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Woman have stronger immune systems than men. Also more susceptible to autoimmune disorders!

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Personality, Stress and IllnessType A - competitive, workaholic, impatient, quick to anger.Type B - less competitive, easy-going, less hostile

Cynical Hostility is the most predictive Type A behavior for Heart Disease.

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Low Hostility High Hostility

Type A individuals are more susceptible to negative effects of stress, including vulnerability to heart disease, with anger and hostility being primary factors.

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How Do You Deal with Stress?

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Components of Stress Reactions

Stressors Personality

Cognitive Appraisal

Physical Response

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1) Assess Stressors- reduce those you do not need.

2) Cognitive Appraisal- Sense of Control- Predictability - plan to cope

- time management

Stress Coping Techniques

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3) Work on your reaction to Stress

Optimism!! Positive outlookExplanatory Style - Explain failures as external (situational), unstable (temporary) and specific. Hardy Personality- commitment to activities- see their activities as worthwhile- see potential stressors as a challenge- sense of control

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4) Social Support

5) Journal Writing

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Blunting StrategiesExerciseDistractionRelaxation

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6) Aerobic Exercise!

Moderate exercise addstwo years to your life!

Text lists many benefits – but misses one.

That physical exertion often tricks the SNS into thinking that the threat is over -- Turns off fight or flight response!

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7) Distraction Taking one’s mind off problems can help when the stressor involves a waiting period (i.e., did I get the job) but if it is distracting for coping with the stress, it can make it worse!

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The SNS is part of the autonomic system.We do not have voluntary control over it.

We do however have indirect control.

Components of RelaxationControl of Breathing

- changes SNS response

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Imagery – Nervous system responds to imagery the same way it does to reality. Calming thoughts and images activate PNS turning off Fight or flight (SNS) response. Progressive Relaxation- systematic tensing and relaxing of muscle groups