Health Psychology: Rethinking Stress

Rethinking Stress: A Health Psychology Perspective

• A health psychologist spent 10 years teaching the public that stress increases the risk of illnesses.
• Stress can be linked to illnesses ranging from the common cold to cardiovascular disease.
• The psychologist is now concerned that her teachings about stress may be causing harm.
• The aim is now to change people's minds about stress, including her own.

The Groundbreaking Study

• A study tracked 30,000 U.S. adults for eight years.
• Participants were questioned about their stress levels.
• Participants were questioned about their belief about whether stress is harmful to their health.
• Participants with high stress levels had a 43% increased risk of dying.
• The increased risk was only true for those who believed that stress was harmful.
• People with high stress who did not view stress as harmful were no more likely to die.
• This group even had the lowest risk of death in the study.

The High Cost of Stress Beliefs

• It is estimated that 182,000 Americans died prematurely over the course of the study.
• The cause of death was not stress itself, but the belief that stress is harmful.
• Premature deaths equate to over 20,000 deaths per year.
• If accurate, believing that stress is bad is the 15th leading cause of death in the U.S.
• This belief kills more people than skin cancer, HIV/AIDS, or suicide.

Changing Your Mind About Stress

• Changing the way you think about stress can make you healthier.
• When you change your mind about stress, you can change your body's response to stress.

The Social Stress Test Experiment

• Participants gave a 5-minute speech on their personal weaknesses in front of a panel of expert evaluators.
• There were bright lights and a camera on their face during the speech.
• Evaluators were trained to give discouraging non-verbal feedback.
• After the speech, participants counted backward from 996 by seven, as quickly as possible.
• While this was happening, the experimenter harassed them.

Reframing the Stress Response

• Participants in a Harvard University study were taught to view their stress responses as helpful.
• Those who learned to interpret physical stress responses as energizing and preparing them for a challenge were less stressed, less anxious, and more confident.
• Physical stress responses include heart pounding and faster breathing.
• The study demonstrated that reframing how individuals perceive and respond to stress can lead to a healthier cardiovascular profile.
• When participants viewed the stress response as helpful, their blood vessels stayed relaxed.
• This is similar to what happens in moments of joy and courage.

The Role of Oxytocin

• Oxytocin, often called the "hug hormone," is released when you hug someone.
• The hormone regulates the brain's social instincts.
• The hormone drives people to strengthen close relationships.
• Oxytocin is a neuro-hormone released as part of the stress response.
• It motivates individuals to seek support.
• As a stress hormone, oxytocin prompts people to tell someone how they feel.
• It also prompts people to seek support instead of isolating themselves.
• Oxytocin helps protect the cardiovascular system from the effects of stress.
• It is a natural anti-inflammatory.
• It helps blood vessels relax during stress.
• Oxytocin strengthens the heart by helping heart cells regenerate.
• Furthermore, it helps heart cells heal from any stress-induced damage.
• The benefits of oxytocin are enhanced by social contact and support.

The Caring Study

• A study tracked 1,000 adults in the U.S., aged 34 to 93.
• Participants were questioned about their stress levels.
• Participants were questioned about how much time they spent helping friends, neighbors, and people in their community.
• For every major stressful life experience, such as financial difficulties or family crises, the risk of death increased by 30%.
• People who spent time caring for others showed no increase in stress-related mortality.
• Caring creates resilience.

Conclusion: A New Approach to Stress

• Choosing to view your stress response as helpful creates a biology of courage.
• Choosing to connect with others under stress creates resilience.
• Stress allows us to access our hearts.
• Believing in yourself to handle life's challenges acknowledges that you don't have to face them alone.