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What Are Stress and the Stress Response?

What Are Stress and the Stress Response?. Stress : a state of mental and physical tension Homeostasis (balance) is disrupted Eustress is “positive” stress (can improve performance) Distress is “negative” stress (disrupts health & functioning) Stressor : a factor that produces stress

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What Are Stress and the Stress Response?

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  1. What Are Stress and the Stress Response? Stress: a state of mental and physical tension • Homeostasis (balance) is disrupted • Eustress is “positive” stress (can improve performance) • Distress is “negative” stress (disrupts health & functioning) Stressor: a factor that produces stress • Can be physical or mental • Can be acute, cumulative or chronic Stress Response: the body’s reactions to stress • physiological and behavioral changes take place when a person encounters a stressor

  2. Eustress and Distress Figure 10.1

  3. Physiological Changes of the Stress Response Nervous System and Endocrine System: undergo changes Nervous System: controls voluntary and involuntary movement • Autonomic nervous system (involuntary actions)/ has two branches • Sympathetic and parasympathetic branches • Sympathetic nervous system gets excited and activates the endocrine system Endocrine System: glands and tissues that secrete hormones • When the body is stressed, the endocrine system releases hormones activating the stress response • Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol • Responses include heightened senses and raised heart rate

  4. The Body’s Responses to Stress Figure 10.2

  5. Fight or Flight Response • Combined stress responses of the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system • An inborn, automatic and primitive survival response where people either face (fight) or run from (flight) perceived threats • Responses include increased awareness of surroundings, quickened impulses, body temperature fluctuations, and diminished pain perception • Blood is diverted from digestion and into muscles • After the stressor is dealt with, the body returns to homeostasis (balance) • Although modern-day stressors are different than in the past, our bodies still respond this way

  6. What Factors Affect Your Stress Level? Personality Behavior Patterns: four common types Type A: • Motivated, competitive, impatient, prone to anger • Have a heightened response to and risk from stress Type B: • Easygoing, non-aggressive, patient • Have lower response to and risk from stress Type C: • Confident, motivated, competitive, but not hostile • Have lower response to and risk from stress Type D: • Worried, inhibited, prone to anxiety, more isolated • Have a heightened response to and risk from stress

  7. What Factors Affect Your Stress Level? Past Experiences • How we perceive and react to stressors comes partly from prior instances • We can learn from past responses how to change our responses Gender • There are no gender differences in physiological responses to stress • Gender may affect how stressors are perceived Common/Everyday Causes • Life is often stressful: schoolwork, relationships, finances, traffic

  8. Personality Behavior Patterns Table 10.1

  9. Stress and Health • Chronic stress contributes to serious health problems in the U.S., including elevated blood pressure, heart disease, hormonal imbalances, reduced disease resistance, and emotional disorders including depression • Acute stress problems include headaches, body aches and tension, irritability and decreased concentration • 75-90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related complaints and ailments • Billions of dollars are lost by businesses and the government from absenteeism and health care costs due to stress-related problems

  10. Negative Effects of Chronic Stress Figure 10.3

  11. Stress and Disease:General Adaptation Syndrome Three-stage adaptation to stress Alarm Stage: initial exposure to stress • Fight-or-flight response activates • Body is more injury-prone and susceptible to disease Resistance Stage: continued exposure to stress • Stress resistance is higher than normal • Body has improved capacity to deal with stress Exhaustion Stage: persistent exposure to stress • Physical resources for responding are depleted • Body is vulnerable to disease

  12. Stress and Disease:Allostasis and Allostatic Load Allostasis: • The body’s ability to change and adapt to stress • The body seeks homeostasis, and does not adapt well under long-term stress Allostatic Load: • The body’s limit for stress • Stress response is taxed and health gets compromised • Constant or repeated activation of stress responses makes them inefficient

  13. Managing Stress • Identify and manage your personal stressors • Get adequate rest and sleep • Exercise • Use relaxation techniques • Progressive relaxation • Breathing exercises • Meditation • Visualization • Develop spiritual wellness habits • Develop and use a support network • Avoid counterproductive behaviors • Using tobacco, alcohol or other drugs • Disordered eating patterns

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