Lecture 14 (Chapter 16) Flashcards
(38 cards)
Health Psychology
is a branch of psychology that focuses on how biological, social, and psychological factors influence health and illness
According to the American Psychological Association (APA, 1979), health psychology encompasses the educational, research, and clinical contributions of psychology in the following areas:
Promotion and Maintenance of Health: encouraging behaviors that promote well-being and prevent disease. This includes developing strategies to help people adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles
Prevention and Treatment of Illness: involved in preventing illness and managing chronic conditions. This can involve educating individuals about risk factors (e.g., smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise) and providing interventions to reduce those risks
The analysis and improvement of the health care system and health policy formation: extends to the systemic level, where psychologists examine the functioning of healthcare systems, evaluate policies, and look for ways to improve the delivery of health care.
This includes studying patient-provider interactions, improving health communication, and advocating for health policies that promote well-being
What % of all deaths are preventable due to lifestyles
50%
Stress
A state that impairs our ability to respond to internal and external demands
Stress is a complex
psychobiological process that involves both physical and psychological components. It can be understood from three main perspectives: Stress as stimulus, response and process
Stress as a stimulus
external event or stimulus that causes strain on an individual. These stimuli can be catastrophes (e.g., natural disasters, accidents), life events (e.g., moving to a new city, getting married, losing a loved one), or ongoing circumstances (e.g., chronic work pressure, financial difficulties).
These external events are perceived as threatening or challenging and can trigger the stress response
Stress as a response
Physiologically, stress activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), triggering the “fight-or-flight” response. This leads to changes in the body, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
Psychologically, stress can result in feelings of anxiety, fear, or irritability. Cognitive responses might include worrying, ruminating, or feeling overwhelmed by the situation.
Stress as a process
This perspective is often framed within the transactional model of stress, developed by Lazarus and Folkman. According to this model, stress occurs when an individual perceives an event as threatening or beyond their ability to cope with it. The stress response depends on cognitive appraisals, where the individual evaluates whether they have the resources to handle the stressor.
- Relationship between person and environment
Primary vs secondary cognitive appraisal
Primary appraisal: involves determining whether the situation is threatening or challenging
Secondary appraisal: involves evaluating whether the individual has the resources (e.g., coping strategies, social support) to deal with the situation
Who came up with the concept of primary and secondary appraisal
Richard Lazarus: stress is a transaction between a person and their environment
– Primary appraisal: person evaluates situations as benign or
stressful
– Secondary appraisal: person decides how to deal with stress
Lazarus identifies three types of stress:
– Loss: person loses a loved one or a possession
– Threat: anticipated harm
– Challenge: opportunity for growth (new job)
Appraisal of stress
The appraisal of stress plays a crucial role in how we perceive and respond to stressors. According to Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress, we can influence the impact of a stressor in three key ways: Behaviourally, cognitively, emotionally
Appraisal of stress: Behaviourally
Behavioral coping involves the actions we take to manage or avoid stressors. Our behavior can either amplify or mitigate the impact of stress
Drug use: Using substances like alcohol, drugs, or nicotine as a coping mechanism might provide temporary relief from stress, but it often worsens the situation in the long run.
Relaxation methods: like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness meditation can help reduce stress by calming the body and mind. These behaviors promote a healthier, more adaptive response to stress
Appraisal of stress: Cognitively
Cognitive coping involves how we think about the stressor and how we interpret or reframe it
Denial: One cognitive response to stress might be denial, where an individual refuses to acknowledge the reality of the stressor. This can lead to avoidance and a lack of proactive coping, making the problem worse over time.
Cognitive restructuring: Cognitive restructuring (also known as cognitive reframing) is a more adaptive cognitive strategy. It involves changing the way we think about a stressor. For example, seeing a stressful situation as an opportunity for personal growth or a challenge to overcome can reduce feelings of helplessness and make the situation seem more manageable
Appraisal of stress: Emotionally
Emotional coping refers to how we manage or regulate our emotional reactions to stress. This can significantly affect our mental and physical health.
Hopelessness: When we feel hopeless about a situation, it can intensify feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Hopelessness often leads to helplessness and a lack of motivation to solve the problem, which can exacerbate stress.
Optimism: Conversely, maintaining an optimistic outlook can have a protective effect on our stress response. Optimism involves the belief that things can improve and that challenges are temporary. This mindset can boost resilience, enhance problem-solving skills, and improve overall well-being.
Sympathetic-Adrenal-Medullary (SAM) System and the Stress Response
is one of the body’s primary physiological pathways involved in the stress response. It is responsible for preparing the body to react to stressors by triggering the fight-or-flight response.
Explain SAM with the stress response
Cerebral Cortex: When a stressful stimulus (such as danger, emotional upset, or a challenge) is perceived, it is processed by the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for higher functions such as thought, perception, and interpretation. Evaluates the significance of the event, determining if it represents a threat or challenge.
Activation of the Hypothalamus: Cerebral cortex sends signals. The hypothalamus plays a key role in regulating bodily functions and is responsible for activating the autonomic nervous system (ANS), including the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which is responsible for the fight-or-flight response.
Stimulation of the Adrenal Medulla: activation of the SNS also triggers the Adrenal Medulla, the inner part of the adrenal glands, which sit atop the kidneys. Secretes 2 catecholimines: epinephrine: “fight or flight hormone” , and norepinephrine: Body alertness
Raises blood pressure, irregular heart rate, sweating, constriction of peripheral blood vessels
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is the part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for immediate action by triggering the fight-or-flight response.
When activated, the SNS stimulates several physiological changes to help the body cope with a perceived threat:
Increased heart rate: This allows for quicker delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles, preparing the body for quick action.
Increased blood flow to muscles: Redirects blood to the muscles and vital organs necessary for physical response.
Increased breathing rate: To provide more oxygen for muscles and vital organs
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical (HPA) System and Stress Response
another critical pathway involved in the body’s response to stress, working alongside the Sympathetic-Adrenal-Medullary (SAM) system. While the SAM system prepares the body for immediate action through the fight-or-flight response, the HPA axis is primarily involved in the longer-term response to stress and helps the body manage stress over a longer duration.
Explain HPA and the stress response
Activation of the Hypothalamus: detects a stressor (whether physical or psychological) and releases Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF).
CRF acts as a signal to the next part of the HPA system, the pituitary gland
Stimulation of the Pituitary Gland: CRF from the hypothalamus triggers the pituitary gland (often referred to as the “master gland” due to its control over other glands). In response to CRF, the pituitary gland secretes a hormone called Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) into the bloodstream.
This affects adrnal cortex, releasing
coritcosteroids like cortisol that reduce
inflammation and help body return to
normal state after acute stressors
Role of cortisol in stress
Cortisol helps the body manage stress by increasing glucose availability (fuel for the body’s response), supporting energy production, and modulating inflammation.
Cortisol is sometimes referred to as the “stress hormone” because it helps the body cope with stress by enhancing the body’s ability to respond to both acute and chronic stressors.
List all 14 physical symptoms of stress
1) increases in heart rate
and pressure
2) increased adrenaline
and noradrenaline
3) stomach ulcers
4) injuries
5) fatigue
6) death
7) heart disease
8) lung diseases
9) increased sweating
10) skin rashes
11) headaches
12) cancer
13) muscular tension
14) sleep disorders
What are some effects of Prolonged Exposure to Stress
- Suppress cellular immune functioning
- Produces hemodynamic changes (increased heart rate and blood pressure)
- Provoke irregular heart rhythms
- Produce neurochemical imbalances (depression, panic disorder)
- Atherosclerosis: heart attack
- Destruction of neurons in the hippocampus (memory impairment, senility)
List the Psychological Responses to
Stress
- Emotional instability
- Thinking problems:
- problem solving difficulties
- Ruminative thinking: refers to the process of repeatedly and passively focusing on the causes, consequences, and symptoms of negative emotions or events
- Castastrophizing: cognitive distortion where an individual expects or imagines the worst possible outcome in any given situation
- Irrational thoughts
