Stress and Health

specific events that place demands on a person

the physical and psychological response to internal or external stressors

sources of stress that occur continuously

the belief that one has no control over one's situation based on past experiences

an emotional and physiological reaction to an emergency that increases readiness for action

a three-stage physiological stress response that appears regardless of the stressor that is encountered

the tendency toward easily aroused hostility, impatience, a sense of time urgency, and competitive achievement strivings

a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion created by long-term involvement in an emotionally demanding situation

avoiding situations or thoughts that are reminders of a stressor and maintaining an artificially positive viewpoint

facing the stressor and working to overcome it

finding a new or creative way to think about a stressor that reduces its threat

the practice of intentional contemplation

a technique for reducing body tension by consciously relaxing muscles of the body

a condition of reduced muscle tension, cortical activity, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure

the aid gain through interacting with others

an interaction between mind and body that can produce illness

a socially recognized set of rights and obligations linked with illness

the exercise of voluntary control over the self to bring the self into line with preferred standards

• General Adaptation syndrome, studied with rates and exposed them to stressors
• Found that they have a similar pattern of response

• alarm rxn-release cortisol, flight or fight, sympathetic system aroused
• resistance- adapting to level of stress, immune function recovers
• exhaustion stage, long stressor exposure wears down resistance, alarm rxn signs reappear

• Barthrop- low immunity with high grief
• Stone-daily life and antibody levels
• Vistintainer- increase stress increase cancer
• Kiecult-Glaser-stress of caring for someone with a chronic illnese delays would recovery

• -sense of commitment rather than alienation
• -control rather than powerlessness
• -problems seen as challenges rather than threats

studied control: monkeys are executives(uses levers to stop pain), he didn't use random assignment

studied control: used rats and electric shock

• studied control: used nursing home residents
• Control residents took care of plant and picked movies
• they lived longer than the non-controled

• studied internet usage:negatively correlated with communication with family and social circle
• internet usage positively correlated with depressions and loneliness

heart attack victims have slower recoveries if spouse is not supportive

is this important to me?

what strategy can I use to maximize positive outcomes and minimize negative outcomes

• problem focused coping
• emotion-focused coping- when you don't have control

• thought suppression
• relaxation
• aerobic exercise
• thinking positively and optimistically

• failure seen as global, stable, internal
• success seen as external, temporary, specific