Alarm Reaction

What is Stress?
Stress is a nonspecific response to real or

imagined challenges or threats

A stressor is an environmental stimulus

that affects an organism, producing physical and psychological effects such as tension and anxiety

What is stress?????
A pattern of negative physiological states & psychological responses occurring in situations where people perceive threats to their well being which they may be unable to meet.

R.Lazurus & S. Folkman (1984)

The Bodys Response to Stress

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS):

Hans Selye described the 3 stages of the general adaptation syndrome:

Alarm reaction - the body detects and prepares to mount a response to an external stimuli or stress Adaptation - the body protectively responds to the perceived stress Exhaustion - Failure of the body to fully adapt to the stress

Bodily Systems Activated By Stressors

Autonomic nervous system Endocrine system

Autonomic Nervous System

Stressor Adrenal glands secrete adrenaline Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic Sympathetic Physiological response

Heart rate increases Muscles tense Blood pressure rises Pupils dilate Breathing increases Perspiration

Endocrine System

Stressor Hypothalamus CRF released Pituitary gland ACTH Bloodstream Adrenal glands Produce adrenaline and glucocorticoids Physiological response

63-173, winter 2007

Systems Affected By Stress

Immune system Cardiovascular system Gastrointestinal system Muscles Skin Sexual reproduction

Stress response system

Stress hormones

epinephrine (adrenaline) norepinephrine

Fight or flight preparation of body General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

bodys adaptive response to stress very general responds no matter what stressor used

While positive emotions such as love a

Stress and Adaptation

Approximately 60-80% of all visits to health care professionals are for stressrelated disorders Stress may cause:

Disability Absenteeism Decreased productivity Costs billions of dollars to employers annually

The GAS (General Adaptation Syndrome)

Hans Selye (Canadian physician) flight or fight response

Alarm Adaptation Exhaustion

The GAS (General Adaptation Syndrome) (contd)

Some physiological changes include:

dilatation of pupils increased respirations/heart rate/perspiration/blood pressure/muscle tension/gastric motility/blood glucose levels peripheral vasoconstriction release of adrenalin raising of body hair and cold/clammy hands

Behaviour and Stress

Hebb has argued that effective behaviour

depends on a persons state of arousal

A moderate level of stress may be desirable Overarousal tends to produce disorganized,

ineffective behaviour

Stress and Health

Researchers have been interested in the link

between stress and heart disease

Heart Disease and Stress

Lifestyle factors are important in the

development of heart disease

One of the first attempts to link behaviour

and heart disease is the study of Type A behaviour

Heart Disease and Stress (contd)

Type A behaviour is a pattern of

competitive, impatient, hostile behaviour

Type B behaviour is exhibited by people

who are calmer, less hurried, and less hostile

Research on the components of Type A

have shown that hostility and anger do relate to the development of heart disease

Stress and Infectious Disease

Stress is related to the development of

disease through its effects on the immune system

The study of this connection is called

psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), the interdisciplinary study of behavioural, neurological, and immune factors, and their relation to the development of disease

Stress and Health-Related Behaviours

Stress can influence health through behaviours that increase the risk for disease and death Stress affects how people behave and may stimulate behaviours that can damage or enhance health

Minimize the Frequency of StressInducing Situations

Change the environment Avoid excessive change Time control Time management

Coping Strategies

Increase resistance to stress

Physically Psychologically Setting realistic goals Building coping resources Counter-conditioning to avoid physiologic arousal

Factors Influencing our Ability to Cope with Stress

Situational

Changing jobs/Chronic illness, etc Teens and self identity/Older adults and loss of muscle strength, etc Living in violence/Cultural influence, etc

Maturational

Socio-cultural

Attachment theory (Bowlby, Imre Hermann)

Physiological, psychological and developmental importance of the early childhood affective mother-child bond and the negative consequences of the disruption of this relationship. According to follow up studies, insecure attachment predicts later emotional instability and health deterioration. Maltreatment at an early age can have enduring negative effects on a childs brain development and function, and on his or her vulnerability to stress.

Learned helplessness as result of chronic stress

A condition of loss of control created by subjecting animals or humans to an unavoidable, emotionally negative life situation (such as unavoidable shocks, relative deprivation, role conflict, etc). Being unable to avoid or escape (flight or fight) an aversive situation for a long period of time produces a feeling of helplessness that generalises to subsequent situations.

Brain consequences of learned helplessness:

The hippocampus is primarily affected by the long-lasting elevations of circulating corticosteroids resulting from uncontrollable stress. Severe stress for a prolonged period causes damage in hippocampal pyramidal neurons, especially in the CA 3 and CA4 region and reductions in the length and arborization of their dendrites.

Main biological pathways of chronic stress:

Dysregulation of the hypothalamus-hypophysisadrenocortical (HPA) axis and the sympatheticadrenal-medullary system (SAM) resulting in elevations in serum catecholamin and cortisol levels. Sympathoadrenal hyperactivity contributes to the development of CVD through effects of catecholamines upon the heart, blood vessels and platelets. Sympathoadrenal activation modifies the function of circulating platelets.

Stress

Have a nice day, filled with only good stress!