Stress Management Module 1 - Psychophysiology

Stress Management Module 1 - Stress and Stress Psychophysiology

• Stress is a physiological and emotional response to adverse, negative, or challenging events.
• Stress is a natural state of mind caused by an inability to cope with specific demands of an event.
• Life-Event Theory (Holmes & Rahe): People who experience major stressful life events show a higher stress level. Routine but frequent stressful events can be more stressful than major events (DeLongis & colleagues). Examples include death of a loved one and daily arguments in a married couple.
• Hardiness Theory (Kobasa & colleagues): Hardiness is a state of mind and body that includes commitment, control, and challenge. Hardy individuals view potentially stressful events as challenges rather than threats, reducing stress.
• Social Support Theory (Overholser & colleagues): Social support helps cope with events and reduces stress. Support can be emotional, financial, or direct assistance. Low social support increases stress.

Stressors

• A stressor is a stimulus with the potential to trigger a fight-or-flight response.
• Stressors are subjective and vary between individuals.
• Types of stressors:
  • Positive vs. negative
  • Expected vs. unexpected
  • Controllable vs. uncontrollable
  • Multiple tasks in a limited time frame.
• Negative, unexpected, and uncontrollable stressors cause higher stress levels compared to positive, expected, and controllable stressors.

Stress Reactivity (Fight-or-Flight Response)

• Stress reactivity is characterized by a fight-or-flight response.
• Fight: Facing an event with courage.
• Flight: Avoiding or running from a stressful situation.
• Physiological changes occur to mobilize energy, including: increased blood glucose, deactivated digestive process, and increased respiration speed.

Symptoms of Stress

• Physical symptoms: blood pressure changes, sugar level issues, headaches, sleep and appetite disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, and body pain.
• Psychological symptoms: fatigue, burnout, lack of concentration, and forgetfulness.
• Emotional symptoms: fear, worry, sadness, and irritability.
• Behavioral symptoms: absenteeism, low performance, substance abuse, and aggression.

Stress Psychophysiology - Brain, Endocrine Glands, and Autonomic Nervous System

• Sensory organs (eyes, ears, skin) provide information about stressors.
• This information travels to the thalamus and then to the hypothalamus in the brain.
• The hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland, which controls other glands.
• The pituitary gland releases adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which further stimulates the adrenal glands (located above the kidneys).
• The adrenal glands produce adrenaline and noradrenaline. This process is part of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenalin (HPA) axis.
• Adrenaline and noradrenaline stimulate the Sympathetic Nervous System (part of the ANS, involved in the fight-or-flight response).
• The body mobilizes energy for the fight-or-flight response, leading to various physiological changes.
• When the stressor is gone, the Parasympathetic Nervous System (another part of the ANS) returns the body to normal functions, slowing down the previously stimulated systems.

Stress and Illnesses

• Psychosomatic diseases are physical symptoms resulting from emotional distress. Examples include headaches, asthma, allergies, ulcers, strokes, and migraines.
• Somatogenic diseases are diseases caused by chronic stress, leading to cell degeneration or overgrowth.
• Stress weakens the immune system, making the body susceptible to infections and diseases.
• Stress-related chronic illnesses: Chronic stress can increase cholesterol levels, clogging blood vessels and causing heart attacks. This can also lead to conditions like coronary heart disease, elevated blood pressure, and higher cholesterol rates.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• PTSD develops after exposure to severe traumatic events.
• Examples include natural disasters, rape, sexual abuse, accidents, and death of loved ones.
• Common symptoms include emotional distress, recurrent flashbacks, ruminative thoughts, emotional numbing, threatening dreams, and regressive behavior (bed-wetting, reenacting the event in play).

Two-Factor Model of Stress (Schachter and Singer)

• Stress arises from physiological arousal and cognitive appraisal of the event.
• Primary appraisal involves evaluating the event (severity, consequences, past experiences).
• Secondary appraisal involves evaluating your own ability to handle the event and available resources.

Eustress and Distress Model

• Stress can have positive (eustress) and negative (distress) consequences.
• Eustress refers to positive outcomes such as enhanced performance and personal growth.
• Distress refers to negative effects like decreased performance, health deterioration, and reduced growth.
• Yerkes-Dodson Curve: Moderate amounts of stress (eustress) can improve performance. Excessively high levels of stress (distress) are detrimental.

Goals of Stress Management

• The goal isn't to eliminate all stress (stress can be a motivator), but to limit the harmful effects and maintain a good quality of life.