Health Psychology and Stress Management

Health Psychology

• Focuses on promoting human health and preventing illness
• Aims to help people understand their role in controlling their own health

###  Stress

• Defined as internal processes that occur as people adjust to events and situations perceived to be beyond their coping capacity
• Stress can be explained as: Stressors -> stress mediators -> stress responses

General Adaptation Model of Stress

• Describes a three stage pattern of responses triggered by the effort to adapt to any stressor
• The three stages are: alarm, resistance, exhaustion

Alarm

• Characterized by the fight or flight response
• Controlled by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system

Resistance

• Signs of the initial alarm reaction fade
• The body works to resist the stressor on a long-term basis

Exhaustion

• The body’s reserves of adaptive energy are depleted
• Psychological responses occur

Emotional Responses to Stress

• Emotional responses accompany physical stress responses
• Emotional stress responses tend to subside quickly after the stressor is reduced

Cognitive Responses to Stress

• Stress can lead to reductions in cognitive ability
• This can manifest as difficulty thinking clearly or remembering
• Ruminative thoughts and catastrophizing are common
• Overarousal can lead to a narrowing of attention and impair judgement

Behavioural Responses to Stress

• Common responses include strained facial expressions, a shaky voice, or jumpiness
• Aggression or escape/avoidance tactics are also possible

Promoting Healthy Behaviour

• Methods for coping with stress include cognitive, emotional, and behavioral approaches, as well as physical strategies

Cognitive Coping Strategies

• Reframing stressors as challenges rather than threats

Emotional Coping Strategies

• Seeking social support

Behavioural Coping Strategies

• Implementing time management plans
• Making life changes to eliminate stressors

Physical Coping Strategies

• Progressive relaxation training

Psychoneuroimmunology

• This field studies the interaction between psychological and physical processes on the immune system
• Focuses on the body's defenses against disease

Explore the intricacies of health psychology, focusing on stress and its effects on human health. This quiz covers stress definitions, the General Adaptation Model, and emotional responses to stress. Gain insights into how understanding stress can empower individuals to manage their health effectively.