1. Stress and Health

2. We all experience stress but we don’t all find the same situations
We all experience stress but we don’t all find the same situations stressful.
Stress means different things for different people, and everyone has their own way of coping with it.
Some people can even worry themselves sick and some research links stress directly to illness and death

3. Stress
Stress has many definitions but we will define it as…
the experience of being threatened by taxing circumstances either by internal or external factors
Stress also depends on how people appraise or evaluate environmental events.

4. Types of Stressors Stressors catastrophic events major life changes
Things that cause us stress
psychologically or physically demanding events or circumstances that lead to stress
linked to weight gain or physical illness such as heart disease, anxiety, and depression
catastrophic events
major life changes
minor hassles

5. The Physiology of Stress
Hans Selye is the big daddy of stress research
He came up with a stage theory for stress
“General Adaptation Syndrome”
What does this mean??

6. Stage 1 - Alarm The point we recognize something is going on
maybe a threatening situation
The sympathetic nervous system is activated
Heart rate increases, blood is diverted away from other body functions to muscles needed to react
Flight or fight response

7. Stage 2 - Resistance
The body remains biologically ready and tries to fight off the stress
Hormones are released to maintain the state of readiness
If the resistance stage lasts too long the body can deplete its resources

8. Stage 3 - Exhaustion Exhaustion The body returns to normal state
Burn Out
We can be more vulnerable to disease in this stage
especially if our resources were depleted by an extended resistance stage

9. ARE = Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion GAS = General Adaptation Syndrome
Remember !!!!
Selye’s three stages
ARE a GAS
ARE = Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion
and
GAS = General Adaptation Syndrome

10. Measuring Stress
Holmes and Rahe designed a test to measure stress
Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)
Used life-changing units (LCUs)
Changes in life like changing jobs, moving, or marriage or death
The more LCUs the more stress and risks in health
SRRS
SRRS #2 – for minors

11. Coping Factors that improve coping Efforts to manage stress
Some are good and confront the problem and some are destructive like the use of alcohol and drugs to escape the problems
Factors that improve coping
Social support
Faith Factor
Optimism – positive psychology
Perceived control – internal locus or external locus

12. Personality and Stress
Type A vs. Type B
Type A
known as stress junkies – highly competitive, aggressive, and incapable of relaxation
at a higher risk for coronary heart disease
Type B
patient, relaxed, and easy-going
Type AB – for those who are mixed