Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed) Stress and Stress Management James A. McCubbin, PhD Clemson University Worth Publishers.

Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY

(7th Ed)

Stress and Stress Management

James A. McCubbin, PhDClemson University

Worth Publishers

Stress

Arousal of the mind + body in response to demands forcing you to cope or adjust

ORAn event that causes tension

Kinds of Stress

Eustress POSITIVE STRESS that increases

motivation when taking on a challenge Distress

NEGATIVE stress that increases pressure + anxiety when faced with various situations

Stress and Illness Leading causes of death in the US in

1900 and 2000

Stress and Illness

Stressor the

event/situation that causes stress

Sources of Stress

Frustration Blocked from achieving a goal

Daily hassles Household chores, health, time

management, inner-concern, environment, $, work, future

Life changes Major changes

Stressful Life Events

Catastrophic Events earthquakes, combat stress, floods

Life Changes death of a loved one, divorce, loss of

job, promotion Daily Hassles

rush hour traffic, long lines, job stress, burnout

Stress and Illness

General Adaptation Syndrome Selye’s

concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three stages

Stressresistance

Phase 1Alarm

reaction(mobilize

resources)

Phase 2Resistance(cope with stressor)

Phase 3Exhaustion(reservesdepleted)

The body’s resistance to stress canlast only so long before exhaustion sets in

Stressoroccurs

Types of Conflict

Approach-Approach Choose btwn 2 desirable outcomes

Avoidance-Avoidance Choose btwn 2 equally undesirable

outcomesApproach-Avoidance

Part desirable + part not outcome

Personality Types

Type A Friedman and Rosenman’s term for

competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone people

Type B Friedman and Rosenman’s term for

easygoing, relaxed people

Stressful Life Events Chronic Stress by Age

Stress Appraisal

Stressful event(tough math test)

Threat(“Yikes! This isbeyond me!”)

Challenge(“I’ve got to apply

all I know”)

Panic, freeze up

Aroused, focused

Appraisal Response

+ Responses to Stress

Self-efficacy expectations Self-confidence=less stress

Psychological hardiness Resilience. Maintain commitment,

challenges + controlSense of humor

“laughter is the best medicine”

+ Responses to Stress 2

Predictability Be ready for stress

Social Support Have a strong support network of fam +

friends

General Adaptation Syndrome

Stressful situations result in body responses (3 stages)

Stage 1 Alarm Reaction “Fight or Flight”

Stage 2 ResistanceStage 3 Exhaustion

Stress and the Heart

Coronary Heart Diseaseclogging of the vessels that nourish the heart muscle

leading cause of death in many developed countries

Stress and the Heart

Hopelessnessscores

3.5

3

2.5

2

1.5

1

0.5

0 Heart attack DeathLow risk Moderate risk High risk

Men who feel extreme hopelessnessare at greater risk for heart attacksand early death

Stress and the Heart

Stress and Disease

Psych factors can make people more vulnerable to health problems

Health Psychology Studies the relationship btw

psych factors + prevention/treatment of illness

Stress and Disease

Headaches Tension headaches caused by lots of

stress. Pain in shoulders, neck, forehead, scalp due to tense muscles

Migraines more intense + throbbing pain on 1 side. Sometimes stress, but also triggered by hormones, pollen, cheese, some drugs.

Stress and Disease Negative emotions and health-related

consequences

Unhealthy behaviors(smoking, drinking,

poor nutrition and sleep)

Persistent stressorsand negative

emotions

Release of stresshormones

Heartdisease

Immunesuppression

Autonomic nervoussystem effects

(headaches,hypertension)

Promoting Health

Aerobic Exercise sustained exercise that increases heart and lung fitness

Depressionscore

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3 Before treatmentevaluation

After treatmentevaluation

No-treatmentgroup

Aerobicexercise

group

Relaxationtreatment

group

Promoting Health Biofeedback

system for electronically recording, amplifying, and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state blood pressure muscle tension

Promoting Health Modifying Type A life-style can

reduce recurrence of heart attacks

Percentageof patients

with recurrentheart attacks

(cumulativeaverage)

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Year1978 1979 1980 1981 1982

Life-style modification patients

Control patients

Modifying life-stylereduced recurrent

heart attacks

Life events

Tendency toward

Health Illness

Personal appraisal

Challenge Threat

Personality typeEasy going

NondepressedOptimistic

HostileDepressedPessimistic

Personality habitsNonsmoking

Regular exerciseGood nutrition

SmokingSedentary

Poor nutrition

Level of social support

Close, enduring Lacking

Promoting Health Predictors of mortality

1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0

Men Women

Not smoking Regular exercise Weekly religious attendance

Relativerisk

of dying

Coping with Stress

Defensive Coping NOT the best way to deal Involves substance abuse,

aggression, withdrawal, + overuse of defense mechanisms

Problem: doesn’t eliminate the stress or improve responses. Just hides

Coping with Stress

Active Coping Changing environment or responses

Change stressful thoughtsRelaxation techniquesExerciseBreathing

• These are far more effective at dealing with stress