Module 13

Stress and Health

u Stress: A negative emotional and physiological state in response to stressors

u Stressor: Events that are perceived as harmful, threatening, challenging & tax our ability to cope

Sources of Stress

u Daily hassles; frustration

u Challenges/Pressure

u Anxiety

u Conflicting choices

u Life events that require adjustment

u Catastrophic events

2 Stress Responses of Body

u Sympathetic N.S. activation (fight or flight response) & adrenaline release

u Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Cortex activation & corticoid release

Hans Selye’s
General Adaptation Syndrome

General Adaptation Syndrome

Stage 1

Alarm Reaction

Stage 2

Resistance

Stage 3

Exhaustion & Stress-related Disease

“Psychosomatic” Symptoms

u Real physical symptoms or disorders that are caused by or aggravated by psychological states such as worry, tension, or anxiety.

u What symptom you show depends on genetic predisposition and lifestyle (these determine your “weak spots”)

u Psychosomatic does NOT mean its imaginary or “all in your head”!

Stress and Infectious Disease

u Stress hormones can suppress your immune system.

u Example: Stress results in lower levels of white blood cells and decreases resistance to infection.

Stress & Immune Function

u Research shows that not only do major stresses decrease immune function (re-entry of space shuttle; caring for family member with serious Alzheimer’s), so do:

u the end of a relationship

u exam periods

u frustrating tasks

u We can’t avoid stressors, but the reactions we experience do depend on factors in pink box

Appraisal

Perceived control

Personality

Social support

Coping behaviors

The Importance of Appraisal

u Richard Lazarus - How you evaluate a potential stressor makes a world of difference!

u Can be large individual differences in appraisal of same situation

Are These Stressful? What’s
Your Appraisal?

u Waiting for someone who’s late

u Caught in traffic

u Looking for parking

u Waiting for plane to take off

u Waiting in Dr.’s office

Are These Stressful? What’s
Your Appraisal?

u Percent stressed

u Waiting for someone who’s late

u 65 Yes 35 No

Caught in traffic

u 63 Yes 37 No

u Looking for parking

u 42 Yes 58 No

u Waiting for plane to take off

u 26 Yes 74 No

u Waiting in Dr.’s office

u 59 Yes 41 No

u Perceiving a stressor as threatening or harmfulà increased stress reaction

u Perceiving the stressor as a challenge or opportunityà less stress reaction

Stress Appraisal

Dandoy and Goldstein

u Measured the physical indicators of stress in individuals making different appraisals

• Asked 1 group watching chainsaw injury film to imagine they experienced this injury

• Asked another group watching same film to make suggestions on how to prevent accident

• First group had far more physical signs of stress

Perceived Control – the more you feel in control, the less stress

Predictability and Control – the more predictable the challenge, the less stress

Personality Factors Affecting Your Appraisals &
Your Response to Stressors

These help decrease your stress response

u Optimism/positive thinking

u Internal locus of control

u Psychological hardiness (combination of challenge appraisals, feelings of control, and commitment to the goal)

u Delayed Gratification & Problem-focused coping

These lead to more stress

u Pessimism/negative thinking

u External locus of control

u Hostility/anger

u Immediate gratification & Emotion-focused coping

Managing Stress?

u Make “challenge appraisals” when possible

u Substitute positive thinking for negative self-statements

u Use problem-focused coping not just emotion-focused coping

u Learn healthful relaxation techniques; exercise regularly

u Seek out helpful social support

Optimism vs Pessimism

u Do you generally have a positive outlook – even when something bad happens?

u Optimistic explanatory style (“It was this particular event, not my characteristics, that caused my failure”)

u Pessimistic explanatory style (“It my shortcomings that caused my failure – I’ll never succeed”)

u Those with negative interpretation & emotional states much more likely to experience ill effects of stress.

Degree of Personal Control/Internal Locus of Control

u Having a sense of personal control reduces or even avoids the effects of stress & decreases psychosomatic illness

u Example: Rodin & Langer found nursing home residents with high personal control (over activities, diet,etc.) were happier, much less stressed , showed better functioning, better health & survival than residents with low control.

Psychological Hardiness

u Suzanne Kobasa’s research suggests that a combination of 3 personality traits are key to how hardy or resistant to stress we are: personal control, personal commitment, and the ability to see change in one’s life as a challenge

u Those lower in hardiness seem to be more at risk of stress-related illnesses

Life Event #1