Stress:Psychological & Physiological Consequences

Stress

• Cumulative effects– A collection of minor effects is more corrosive

than a major life event

• Appraisals (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984)– Typically we are NOT objective self-appraisers– See Figure 3.1, p. 73– Primary

• Initial evaluation

– Secondary• Evaluation of your coping resources and options for dealing

with the stress

Holmes, T.H., & Rahe, R. H. (1967). The Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Journal of Psychosomatic

Research, 11, 213-218.

An attempt to measure the amount of stress people experience on 43 life-event items

(you have the abbreviated 32-item instrument)

Despite various challenges to the validity of the scale, it continues to be utilized in research and occupational training (e.g., Toews et al., 1997; York et al., 1998)

Others are attempting to increase the validity of the scale (e.g., Hobson et al., 1998; Miller & Rahe, 1997)

Anxious, Neurotic, & Unhappy People

Report experiencing more life stress(Cooper & Bright, 2001; Seidlitz & Diener, 1993; Watson,

David, & Suls, 1999)

Ambient Stress

def. chronic environmental conditions that, although not urgent, are negatively valued and that place adaptive demands on people

(Weiten & Lloyd, 2006)

Pollution - can effect mental & physical health-noise-air-water-landAlso, Crowding & Living near a nuclear power plant

Another Environmental Source of Stress

• Electro-Magnetic Fields (EMFs)– Seen in:

• Cell phones/Blackberrys• Pagers• Microwave ovens• Computers• Televisions• High Power/Voltage Tension Lines• etc, etc.

Self-imposed Stress(Epstein & Katz, 1992)

Putting pressure (via excessive/unrealistic number of tasks) upon yourself

People tend to actually have more control over their stress than they may think

Stress influenced by Culture

See (Berry & Ataca, 2000; Mino, Profit, & Pierce, 2000)

Seen in real or perceived discrimination (e.g., Steele, 1997)

Culture: Semantic Network Model (see SNM from GP)

• Two additional FACTS to consider Culturally Speaking,

– Chinese Emperor Huangdi invented the calendar, which began to document the time of an organized human civilization in 2637 B.C.E.

• Which actually makes this the year 4644, in terms of recorded history. The Chinese New Year occurs between late January to early February.

– [the literal date of New Year occurrence varies every year, based on solar/lunar mathematical calculations].

– The year 2012, which has been dramatized by Western Culture and some Western Religions as the “end of time”, is actually based on the very accurate Mayan calendar (from Guatemala: which continues to baffle today’s astrophysicists in just how accurate it is, based on the accurate mathematical understanding of the universe). The year 2012 identifies a “period of time measurement” that is coming to an end and is a demarcation of a “new beginning” of a period of time measurement (a calendar) not the end of time.

Categories of Stress

Eustress: (-) experience from (+) life events

Stress: (-) experience from (-) life events

Acute: Short Duration

Clear endpoint

Chronic: Long duration

Apparent time limitation

Major Sources of Stress

Frustration or Losses: most are brief in durationConflict:

when > 2 incompatible motives or behavioral impulses compete for expression

Approach-ApproachAvoidance-AvoidanceApproach-Avoidance (see Figure 3.4, p. 78)

ChangeHolmes & Rahe (1967)Social Readjustment Rating Scale

Pressure: To Perform or Conform

Weiten (1988, 1998)

• Strong correlation between various physical/psychological problems & “pressure”

Common Reactions to Traumatic Events

*Normal ST, Psychopathological LT-Fear and Anxiety-Re-experiencing the trauma-Increased arousal-Avoidance-Anger and Irritability-Grief and Depression-Increased Sense of Vulnerability

Lazarus (1993):Common Negative Emotions

-Annoyance, Anger, Rage

-Apprehension, Anxiety, Fear

-Dejection, Sadness, Grief

-Guilt, Shame, Envy, Jealous, Disgust

*Not an exhaustive list

Most have relatively the same amount of positive as negative emotions after a traumatic event

(e.g., Folkman, et al., 1997; Fredrickson et al., 2003)

Positive Emotions

Enhance immune functioning

Strengthens/grows social support network

Promotes constructive coping

(Salovey et al., 2000)

Builds social, intellectual, & physical resources

(Fredrickson, 1998, 2001)

Physiological Response to Stress

Fight-or-Flight Response

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Sympathetic NS – on

Parasympathetic NS – off

General Adaptation Syndrome (Selye, 1974)

1. Alarm Stage

2. Resistance Stage

3. Exhaustion Stage

Physiological Response to Stress(cont)

Endocrine System

Secretion of:

-Corticosteroids

-Catecholamines

Behavioral Response to Stress

Coping:

def. Active efforts to effectively reduce, tolerate, or eliminate the stress

demand effects

Potential Effects from Stress

• Impaired Task Performance• Disruption of Cognitive Functioning• Burnout

– Including compassion fatigue

• PTSD• Other Psychological Problems/Disorders• Physical Illness• Positive outcomes that promote insight,

subjective exploration, and motivation for self-improvement

Hardiness (Kobasa, 1979)

def. “A syndrome marked by commitment, challenge, and control that is purportedly associated with a strong sense of resistance”

(Weiten & Lloyd, 2006, p.95)

-A trait for thriving for the challenge which lowers the likelihood for a PTSD-type response to stress

Styles of Coping

• Optimistic – attribute it to temporary environmental factors

• Pessimistic – blame setbacks on personal shortcomings

• *Physical health is effected by which style is utilized

Culture& Coping Strategy Choices

Individualistic – emotion-focused-emphasize:

>personal autonomy and personal responsibility>exert control over the circumstances

Collectivistic – problem-focused- emphasize:

>seek help to solve problems with assistance from a group (e.g., family, community)

>exert control over one’s personal reactions

Holistic Approach to Healthcare

• N.D. = Doctor of Natural Medicine– Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and other meditation (yoga)– Herbal and Minerals– Utilizes Natural Assessments & Treatments– Trainings such as Biofeedback, Neurofeedback, Neurotechnology– Therapeutic Massage and Aroma Therapies

• D.O. = Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine– As close as Western Medicine gets to a N.D.– Shares same medical privileges as a M.D.

• Will consider approaches in addition to shots, pills, surgeries– FYI: M.D. = Doctor of Allopathic Medicine (not necessarily holistic)

• Energy Psychology– Applied Holistic Approach to Psychotherapy– Biofeedback, Neurofeedback, Neurotechnology Trainings

Tai Chi• Although it is coined by us as “Chinese Yoga”, it is actually somewhat different than Indian-based

yoga

• Some trivia = Chi is the concept from which Lucas created “the force” in Star Wars

• Qi Gong = working with the chi– Yang

• Hot, white energy– Yin

• Cool, dark energy

• Meridians– Liver = stores anger and depression– Heart = stores excitement and overstimulation– Stomach = Stores anxiety and worry

• Chakras– See www.thesoulelement.com/chakras.htm – Considered to be the foundation of the human system– 7 chakras align vertically along the spine, which open to the front and back of the body

• from 4 fingers above the head to the base of the spine

Life Experience Survey (LES)(Sarason et al., 1978)

• Created to address some of the problems with SRRS (Homes & Rahe)

• Take the LES pp. 98-101 based on your life experiences over the past1 year

• See college student norms for comparison on p. 100