Stress Management: Flight, Adaptation, and Habituation

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Questions and Answers

What is the term used to describe the ability to ignore a stressful sound over time?

Stress resilience

Habituation (correct)

Psychophysiological response

Stress adaptation

Which of the following is a characteristic that increases the likelihood of perceiving an event as stressful?

Predictability

Sense of control

Lack of control (correct)

Familiarity

What is the term used to describe the study of the relationship between the mind and body in medicine?

Psychopharmacology

Mind-body medicine

Psychophysiologic medicine (correct)

Psychophysiology

Which of the following is an example of a sudden stressor?

Death of a loved one Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the response to a threatening or harmful situation?

Flight Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a factor that influences how stressful we perceive an event to be?

Suddenness Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the approach that considers psychological factors in disease states?

Psychophysiologic medicine Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of an ambiguous stressor?

Unexpected change in work schedule Signup and view all the answers

What is the likely outcome if an organism is unable to develop strategies to overcome or cope with stress?

Serious illness or even collapse and death may result Signup and view all the answers

What happens to digestion during the body's response to stress?

Digestion slows or ceases Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a physiological response to stress?

Decreased breathing rate Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of stress on the immune system?

Immune system function is impaired Signup and view all the answers

Which neurotransmitter is NOT mentioned as being affected by stress?

GABA Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of the activation of the autonomic nervous system in response to stress?

Cardiovascular and respiratory systems are stimulated Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of clotting agents released in the blood during the body's response to stress?

To prevent loss of blood in case of injury Signup and view all the answers

What is the ultimate result of the release of cortisol due to stress?

Depression of the immune system Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary consequence of experiencing high levels of stress in a patient's life?

Increased risk of developing a psychosomatic disorder Signup and view all the answers

According to the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Scale, what event is associated with the highest level of stress?

Death of a spouse Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of patients with an SRRS score of 300 points in a given year are likely to become ill during the next year?

80% Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a maladaptive personality style?

Obsessive-compulsive personality type Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale?

Ranking the effects of life events on social readjustment Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of poor health behavior?

Failure to exercise Signup and view all the answers

What is the correlation between the need for social readjustment and the risk of medical and psychiatric illness?

Direct correlation Signup and view all the answers

According to the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Scale, which event has a relative stressfulness score of 73?

Divorce Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of increased synthesis of brain norepinephrine?

Increase in dopamine transmission Signup and view all the answers

What happens to testosterone levels with prolonged stress?

Decrease Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the endocrine response to stress?

Release of cortisol Signup and view all the answers

According to the theories, what is the result of prolonged stress on immune function?

Decrease in natural killer cell activity Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of stress on thyroid hormone turnover?

Increase Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of increased dopaminergic transmission in response to stress?

Increase in dopamine levels Signup and view all the answers

What is the theory that states that each person has a genetically vulnerable organ to stress?

Etiologic theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of increased serotonin turnover in response to stress?

Eventual depletion of serotonin Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary consequence of stress on the body, according to George Engel?

Depressed homeostatic mechanisms Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the neuroregulatory mechanisms in the stressed state?

To depress the body's homeostatic mechanisms Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of cortisol in the context of stress?

To serve as a neuroessenger hormone Signup and view all the answers

According to Walter Cannon, what is the primary consequence of stress on the autonomic nervous system?

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of the denial stage in the process of dying, according to Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross?

Refusal to accept one's own mortality Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of the depression stage in the process of dying, according to Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross?

Emotional detachment from others Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between grief and mourning?

There is no difference between grief and mourning Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary consequence of becoming 'stuck' in the depression stage of the dying process?

Abnormal or complicated grief reaction Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Stress and Health

If stress is prolonged or repeated, an organism may enter the exhaustion stage, characterized by wear and tear on body tissues, increased susceptibility to disease, and depletion of adaptive energy.
If an organism is unable to develop coping strategies, serious illness or death may result.

Physiological Responses to Stress

Heart rate and blood pressure increase to prepare for strenuous physical activity
Digestion slows or ceases to divert blood to other organs
Breathing rate accelerates to provide more oxygen to the bloodstream
Muscles tense in preparation for an emergency response
Perspiration increases to cool the body
Clotting agents are released in the blood to prevent blood loss in case of injury

Mechanisms of Physiologic Effects of Stress

Activation of the autonomic nervous system affects cardiovascular and respiratory systems
Altered levels of neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin, norepinephrine) lead to changes in mood and behavior
Release of adrenocorticotropic hormone leads to the release of cortisol, resulting in depression of the immune system

Factors That Contribute to Stress

Lack of control: uncontrollable or unpredictable events are more stressful than controllable or predictable ones
Suddenness: sudden events are more stressful than gradual ones
Ambiguity: ambiguous stressors induce more stress than clear-cut ones

Stress and Psychosomatic Medicine

Psychosomatic medicine studies the unity of mind and body in disease states
Psychological factors can initiate or exacerbate symptoms of medical disorders
Stressful life events can increase the likelihood of medical and psychiatric illness

Ranks life events by their stressfulness, with higher scores indicating greater need for social readjustment
Events with high scores increase the risk of medical and psychiatric illness

Magnitude of Stress Associated with Selected Life Events

Very high: death of a spouse, divorce, major personal loss of health
High: marital separation, major loss of health of a close family member, birth or adoption of a child
Moderate: assuming major debt, promotion or demotion at work, child leaving home
Low: changing residence, vacation, major holiday

Other Psychosomatic Relationships

Divorce: increased synthesis of brain norepinephrine
Death of a close family member: increased serotonin turnover may result in eventual depletion of serotonin
Serious personal injury or illness: increased dopaminergic transmission
Fired from work: increased adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulates adrenal cortisol
Death of a close friend: testosterone decrease with prolonged stress
Pregnancy: decrease in thyroid hormone
Business readjustment: immune response involves release of hormonal immune factors (cytokines)

Theories

Stress factors: prolonged stress can cause physiologic changes resulting in physical disorder
Neurotransmitter response: stress activates noradrenergic system, releasing catecholamines and serotonin
Endocrine response: corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is secreted from hypothalamus, releasing cortisol
Immune response: stress is a major factor in physical illnesses, depressing the body's homeostatic mechanisms

Stages of Dying and Death

According to Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, the process of dying involves five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance

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Description

Learn about the different ways people cope with stress, including flight, adaptation, and habituation. Understand the factors that contribute to stress, such as lack of control and unpredictability.