Term
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Definition
-stressor- event that creates the demands
-stress response- person't reactions to the demands
-stress disorders (psychophysical disorders): acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder
(fear is a combination of physical, emotional, and cognitive responses) |
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Term
stress and arousal
fight-or-flight response |
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Definition
| features of arousal and fear controlled by hypothalamus (neurotransmitters released, triggering the firing of neurons in brain and release of chemicals through body= activating autonomic nervous system and endocrine system |
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Term
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Definition
| network of nerve fibers that connect the central nervous system to all the other organs of the body –control involuntary activities of organs |
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Term
| sympathetic nervous system |
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Definition
| produces general state of arousal (dilates pupils, inhibits salvation, relaxes bronchi, accelerates heartbeat, inhibits digestive activity, stimulates release of glucose, stimulates secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine, relaxes bladder, stimulates ejaculation in males |
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Term
| parasympathetic nervous system |
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Definition
| produces overall calming affect (contracts pupils, stimulates salvation, constricts bronchi, slows heartbeat, stimulates digestive activity, stimulates gallbladder, contracts bladder, allows blood flow to sex organs) |
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Term
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Definition
the system of glands located throughout the body that help control important activities such as growth and sexual activity
*endocrine and autonomic nervous system overlap in responsibilities- activate sympathetic nervous system pathway and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal pathway--two pathways called fight-or-flight response
-each person has particular pattern of autonomic and endocrine functioning which is their general level of arousal (often called trait anxiety- differences in trait anxiety appear soon after birth)
-situational (or state) anxiety- people differ by situations they find stressful |
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Term
sympathtic nervous system
(actual book def) |
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Definition
| nerve fibers of autonomic nervous system that quicken the heartbeat and produce other changes experienced as arousal and fear |
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Term
parasympathetic nervous system
(actual book def) |
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Definition
| nerve fibers of the autonomic nervous system that slow organ functioning after stimulation and return other bodily processes to normal |
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Term
| hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) pathway¬ |
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Definition
| one route by which brain and body produce arousal and fear – hypothalamus signals pituitary gland to secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH- body’s major stress hormone) ACTH stimulates outer layer of adrenal glands called adrenal cortex which triggers release of corticosteroids (stated in figure 5-2) |
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Term
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Definition
| group of hormones (including cortisol) released by adrenal glands at times of stress which travel to various body organs further producing arousal and fear reactions |
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Term
psychological stress disorders
acut and posttraumatic stress disorders |
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Definition
| -events triggering disorders usually involve actual/threatened serious injury to the person or family member/friend, they would be traumatic for anyone who experiences them |
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Term
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Definition
| anxiety disorder in which fear and related symptoms are experienced soon after a traumatic event and lasts less than a month -about 80% of cases develop into PTSD |
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Term
| posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) |
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Definition
| anxiety disorder in which fear and related symptoms continue to be experienced long after a traumatic event -symptoms may begin shortly after even or months/years afterwards |
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Term
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Definition
-almost identical (differ in onset and duration)
-reexperiencing the traumatic event (thoughts, memories, dreams, or nightmares- so vivid they think it’s actually happening again)
-avoidance (avoiding activities related/that remind them)
-reduced responsiveness (detached from other people, lost interest in activites, dissociation, derealization)
-increased arousal, anxiety, guilt (hyperalertness, easily startled, trouble concentrating, develop sleep problems |
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Term
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Definition
-at least 3.5% of people in US experience on of the stress disorders a year; 7-9% suffer from one during their lifetime – about 2/3rds seek treatment at some point in life but many don’t when first develop disorder
-those with these stress disorders may also experience depression, another anxiety disorder, or substance abuse
-2:1 women:men (around 20% women exposed to trauma may develop compared to 8% men) |
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Term
| what triggers a stress disorder |
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Definition
| particularly like to trigger stress disorder: combat, disasters, abuse and victimization |
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Term
| combat and stress disorders |
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Definition
| -29% of Viet vets (m and f) experienced PTSD while 22% experienced some stress symptoms – 10% still experience some symptoms –similar pattern evolving from soliders coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan: 20% so far reporting symptoms of PTSD (45% saw dead or gravely wounded civilians, 10% injured and hospitalized themselves), those receiving multiple deployments are 50% more likely to develop PTSD |
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Term
| disaster and stress disorders |
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Definition
-following earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, fires, airplane crashes, serious car accidents
-trigger stress disorders 10 times as often as combat (occurs more often for more people) |
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Term
| victimization and stress disorders |
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Definition
| -abused or victimized: 1/3rd of physical or sexual assault develop PTSD and about 50% of people directly exposed to terrorism or torture |
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Term
(victimization)
sexual assault
(rape) |
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Definition
- rape¬-forced sexual intercourse or sexual act committed against a nonconsenting person or intercourse with an underage person
-more than 300,000 victims a year
-most rapists men, most victims women- 1 in 6 women is raped at some point in life, most rape victims are young, about 70% raped by acquaintances or relatives, 46% victims were white 27% af am 19% Hispanic which are a marked increase from 2000
-psychological impact immediate and may last a long time- typically experience enormous distress during 1st week after, stress rises for next 3 weeks, maintains a peak level for a month or so, then starts to improve – 94% victims qualified for ASD – most improve 3 or 4 months after but effects may last 18+ months
-victims typically have higher-than –average levels of anxiety, suspiciousness, depression, self-esteem problems, self-blame, flashbacks, sleep problems, sexual dysfunction |
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Term
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Definition
| -this source on the rise in our society (Sept 11th) ... |
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Term
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Definition
-torture- use of brutal, degrading, and disorienting strategies to reduce victims to a state of utter helplessness
-done on orders of government or another authority to force victims to give info or make confession
-estimated that 5-35% of world’s 15 million refugees have suffered at least one episode of torture
-may use physical, psychological, sexual, or torture through deprivation techniques
-victims often suffer physical ailments as result- scarring, fractures, neurological problems, chronic pain- but lingering psychological effects more problematic- 30-50% develop PTSD |
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Term
| why do people develop a stress disorder? |
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Definition
| -biological and genetic factors, personality, childhood experiences, social support, multi-cultural factors, severity of trauma |
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Term
(why develop...)
biological and genetic factors |
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Definition
-abnormal activity of cortisol (hormone) and norephenephrine (neurotransmitter/hormone)
-once disorder sets in, experience biochemical arousal which may lead to damage to the brain (particularly hippocampus and amygdala)
-hippocampus plays major role in memories and regulation of stress hormones
-amygdala helps control anxiety and other emotional responses
-having PTSD can affect your children biologically predisposing them to develop the same disorder – those with strong biochemical reactions are more likely to develop |
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Term
(why develop...)
personality |
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Definition
-certain personalities, attitudes, and coping styles are more likely to develop stress disorders (highly anxious, those who view negative events as out of their control, those who find it hard to find anything positive from unpleasant situations)
-resiliant (hardy) personality style helps protect people from developing stress disorders |
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Term
(why develop...)
chilhood experiences |
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Definition
| -poverty, those whose family member(s) suffered from psychological disorders, who experiences assault, abuse, or catastrophe early in life, or were younger than 10 when parents divorced |
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Term
(why develop...)
social support |
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Definition
| -those with weak support systems more likely to develop a stress disorder (they don’t feel loved, cared for, valued, accepted) |
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Term
(why develop...)
multi-cultural factors |
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Definition
-rates of PTSD may differ from ethnic group to ethnic group (Hispanic Americans have a greater vulnerability- possibly because of cultural belief system (traumatic events are inevitable and unalterable-which may heighten their risk), cultural emphasis on social relationships/support)
-individuals with strong institutional, religious, and social ties often recover more readily from effects of traumatic events |
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Term
(why develop...)
severity of trauma |
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Definition
| -the more severe the trauma and the more direct one’s exposure to it the greater the likelihood of developing a stress disorder (severe physical injury, witnessing injury/death of others) |
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Term
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Definition
-overall, about half of PTSD cases improve within 6 months; remainder can last for years, and more that 1/3 fail to respond to many years of treatment
-all treatments have same goals: put an end to the stress reactions, gain perspective on their painful experiences, and return to constructive living |
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Term
| treatment for combat vetrans |
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Definition
-most common techniques: drug therapy, behavioral exposure techniques, insight therapy, family therapy, group therapy (typically approaches are combined because no one can reduce symptoms alone)
-anti-anxiety drugs help control tension; anti-depressants may reduce occurrence of nightmares, panic attacks, flashbacks, and feelings of depression
-behavioral exposure techniques help reduce symptoms and often lead to improvements in overall adjustment (some studies indicate exposure treatment is most helpful intervention for stress disorders), flooding exercises
-eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)- behavioral exposure treatment in which clients move their eyes in a saccadic (rhythmic) manner from side to side while flooding their minds with images of object and situations they ordinarily avoid
-drugs and behavior therapy alone doesn’t lead to full recovery for veterans: must also come to grips with their combat experiences and the impact they have- bring out deep feelings, accept what they have done and experienced, become less judgmental of themselves, and learn to trust again; group therapy
-rap groups-group that meets to talk about and explore members’ problems in an atmosphere of mutual support
-people who are traumatized by disasters, victimization, or accidents profit from many of the same treatments as veterans |
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Term
psychological debriefing: sociocultural model in action
(treatment...) |
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Definition
-people who are traumatized by disasters, victimization, or accidents profit from many of the same treatments as veterans
-psychological debriefing (critical incident stress debriefing)- form of crisis intervention in which victims are helped to talk about their feelings and reactions to traumatic incidents (usually within days of critical incident) -often applied to victims who have not yet displayed symptoms (as well as those who have)
-individuals describe details of trauma, vent and relive emotions, and express current feelings
-Disaster Response Network- (volunteer psychologists) offers free emergency mental health services at disaster sites |
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Term
| does psychological debriefing work? |
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Definition
-studies have shown little success or even heightened symptoms of PTSD in those who had the intervention
-even though, still favor disaster counseling |
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Term
pyschophysiological disorders
(physical stress disorders) |
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Definition
-psychophysiological disorders- illnesses that result from an interaction of psychosocial and organic factors; also known as psychosomatic disorders
-stress can lead to development of medical problems; physical illness that seemed to result from an interaction of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors
-psychophysiological disorders bring about actual physical damage |
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Term
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Definition
-psychological factors affecting medical condition:
1. Presence of general medical condition
2. psychological factors adversely affecting the general medical condition in one of the following ways:
a) influencing the course of the general medical condition
b)interfering with the treatment of the general medical condition
c)posing additional health risks
d)stress-related physiological responses precipitating or exacerbating the general medical condition |
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Term
| traditional psychophysiological disorders |
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Definition
| -common disorders: ulcers, asthma, insomnia, chronic headaches, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, bacterial and viral infections |
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Term
ulcers
(traditional disorders) |
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Definition
-ulcers- lesion that forms in the wall of the stomach or of the duodenum resulting in burning sensations or pain, occasional vomiting, stomach bleeding
-experienced by 20 million people in US at some point in life, responsible for more that 6,000 deaths a year
-caused by interaction of stress factors (environmental pressure, intense feelings of anger or anxiety) and physiological factors (bacteria) |
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Term
asthma
(traditional disorders) |
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Definition
-asthma- medical problem marked by narrowing of the trachea and bronchi which results in shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and choking sensation
-20 million in US currently suffer (twice as many as 25 years ago), most are children/young teenagers during first attack, many use inhaler (aerochamber) to help inhale medications
-70% appear to be caused by interaction of stress factors (environmental pressures, anxiety) and physiological factors (allergies, slow-acting sympathetic nervous system, weakened respiratory system) |
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Term
insomnia
(traditional disorders) |
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Definition
-insomnia- difficulty falling or staying asleep
-35% of population per year, lasts months or years, chronic insomniacs are very sleepy during the day and may have difficulty functioning
-may be caused by psychological factors (high levels of anxiety or depression) and physiological problems (overactive arousal system, certain medial ailments) |
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Term
chronic headaches: two major types
(traditional disorders) |
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Definition
-muscle contraction headache- headache caused by a narrowing of muscles surrounding the skull (narrowing blood vessels; also known as tension headache
-marked by pain at the back or front of the head or back of the neck; approximately 40 million suffer
-migraine headaches- very severe headache that occurs on one side of the head, often preceded by a warning sensation and sometimes accompanied by dizziness, nausea, or vomiting
-thought to develop in two phases: 1- blood vessels in brain narrow (so reduced blood flow to parts of brain), 2-same blood vessels later expand (blood flows through rapidly stimulating many neuron endings and causing pain; 23 million suffer |
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Term
hypertension
(traditional disorders) |
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Definition
-hypertension¬- chronic high blood pressure (blood being pumped through arteries produces too much pressure against artery walls)
-few outward signs, interferes with cardiovascular system increasing likelihood of stroke, heart disease, and kidney problems, 65 million have it, 14,000 die annually, millions die from diseases caused by it, health professionals provide free blood pressure checks in workplace or other community settings
-about 10% caused by physiological abnormalities alone, rest caused by combination of psychological and physiological factors called essential hypertension (constant stress, environmental danger, general feelings of anger and depression; obesity, smoking, poor kidney function, unusually high collagen) |
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Term
coronary heart disease
(traditional disorders) |
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Definition
-coronary heart disease- illness of the heart caused by a blockage in the coronary arteries (blood vessels surrounding the heart that carry oxygen to heart
-term refers to many problems including myocardial infarction (heart attack)
-14 million suffer from some form, leading cause of death in men over age 35 and women over 40
-major causes related to interaction of psychological factors (high job stress, high levels of anger or depression) and physiological factors (high level of cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, smoking, lack of exercise)
-figure 5-4: stress plays important role in coronary heart disease |
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Term
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Definition
-defects in the autonomic nervous system are believed to contribute to development of psychophysiological disorders (if stimulated too easily it may overreact eventually damaging certain organs and causing psychophysiological disorder
-other specific biological problems (weak gastrointestinal system)
-some people display biological reactions that raise chances of developing (perspire in response to stress, developing stomachaches, rise in blood pressure)
-study: 19 patients who had symptoms of severe heart attack- none suffered an attack, but all had recently had highly stressful experience and displayed abnormal ANS and hormonal activity |
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Term
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Definition
-certain needs, attitudes, emotions, or coping styles may increase chances of developing (ex: men with repressive coping style (reluctance to express discomfort, anger, hostility) tend to experience rise in blood pressure and heart rate)
-type A personality style- personality pattern characterized by hostility, cynicism, driveness, impatience, competitiveness, and ambition -- produces continual stress and often leads to coronary heart disease (supported by many studies, but recently found that may not be as strong as originally suggested- hostility and time urgency strongly related to heart disease)
-type B personality style- personality pattern in which persons are more relaxed, less aggressive, and less concerned about time – less likely to experience cardiovascular deterioration |
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Term
| sociocultural factors (multicultural perspective) |
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Definition
-adverse social conditions set stage for psyphys disorder (most negative is poverty- typically experience higher crime, unemployment, overcrowding, other negative stressors, receive inferior medical care
-belonging to ethnic and cultural minority groups increases risk of developing (economic factors [see above]- 70% with no health care are Hispanic, African, Asian; high blood pressure –in African (environmental or biologically predisposed)) |
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Term
| new psychophysiological disorders |
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Definition
| -combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors is now considered the rule of bodily functioning (not the exception)- so many more disorders have been added |
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Term
physical illnesses related to stress?
Social Adjustment Rating Scale |
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Definition
| -Social Adjustment Rating Scale (Holmes and Rahe)- assigns numerical values to stresses most people experience at some time in their lives: most stressful is death of spouse (score of 100 life change units); measured and added up over a period of time; found relationship between life stress and onset of illness (if 300 lcu’s over year particularly likely to develop serious health problem); studies have linked various stresses to a wide range of physical conditions (greater life stress, greater likelihood of illness); BUT doesn’t take into account particular life stress reactions of specific populations (Af Ams vs Ams- have different stress responses to same events; same with men and women; college students) |
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Term
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Definition
| study of connections between stress, the body’s immune system, and illness |
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Term
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Definition
| body’s network or activities and cells that identify and destroy antigens and cancer cells |
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Term
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Definition
| foreign invader of the body, such as bacterium or virus |
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Term
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Definition
| foreign invader of the body, such as bacterium or virus |
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Term
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Definition
white blood cells that circulate through lymph system and bloodstream, helping the body identify and destroy antigens and cancer cells; when stimulated by antigens, spring into action to help body overcome invaders
-helper T-cells: identify antigens and multiply and trigger production of other immune cells
-natural killer T-cells: seek out and destroy body cells that have already been infected thus helping to stop spread of viral infection
-B-cells: produce antibodies (protein molecules that recognize and bind to antigens, mark them for destruction, and prevent them from causing infection
-now believe that stress can interfere with activity of lymphocytes (slowing them down and thus increasing susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections) |
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Term
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Definition
-excessive activity of norepinephrine contributes to slowdowns of immune system (if stress occurs over a long period of time, eventually travels to receptors and gives them inhibitory message)
-corticosteriods contribute to poorer immune system functioning (if stress over extended period, stress hormones eventually travel to receptor sites on certain lymphocytes and give inhibitory message); or triggers increase in cytokine production (proteins that bind to receptors throughout the body), stress leads to increase in production which leads to chronic inflammation (contributing to heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses) |
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Term
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Definition
| -stress can set in motion series of behavioral changes that indirectly affect the immune system (become anxious or depressed leading to bad sleeping, eating, no exercising, more smoking/drinking- behaviors known to slow down immune system) |
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Term
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Definition
| -optimism, constructive coping, resilience personalities experience better immune functioning and are better prepared to fight off illness; people who are spiritual tend to be healthier; studies linking certain personality characteristics and recovery from cancer |
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Term
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Definition
| -few social supports and feeling lonely seem to display poorer immunity in face of stress |
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Term
psychological treatments for physical disorders
-behavioral medicine |
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Definition
field that combines psychological and physical interventions to treat or prevent medical problems
-relaxation training, biofeedback, meditation, hypnosis, cognitive interventions, insight therapy and support groups, combination approaches |
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Term
relaxation training
(behavioral medicine) |
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Definition
| -widely used in treatment of high blood pressure; also headaches, insomnia, asthma, diabetes, pain after surgery, certain vascular diseases, undesirable effects of certain cancer treatments |
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Term
biofeedback
(behavioral medicine) |
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Definition
-connected to machinery that gives continuous readings about involuntary body activities allowing them to gradually gain control of activities
-somewhat helpful in treatment of anxiety disorders, and growing number of physical disorders
-study: electromyography (EMG) feedback: muscle contractions detected and converted into tone for patient to hear, changes in tone indicate changes in muscle tension- patients learned how to relax muscles |
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Term
meditation
(behavioral medicine) |
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Definition
-technique of turning one’s concentration inward achieving slightly changed state of consciousness, temporarily ignoring all stressors, think of or utter a particular sound (called mantra) to help focus attention
-those who meditate frequently feel more peaceful, engaged, and creative
-used to help treat high blood pressure, heart problems, asthma, skin disorders, diabetes, insomnia, even viral infections
-mindfulness meditation- used in patients suffering from severe pain; objectively and disconnectedly pay attention to feelings, thoughts, and sensations that are flowing through their minds during meditation without judgment |
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Term
hypnosis
(behavioral medicine) |
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Definition
sleeplike, suggestible state
-aid to psychotherapy and to help treat many physical conditions
-particularly helpful in control of pain, help treat skin diseases, asthma, insomnia, high blood pressure, warts, other infections |
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Term
cognitive interventions
(behavioral medicine) |
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Definition
| -those with physical ailments sometimes been taught new attitudes or cognitive responses towards ailments; self-instruction training- teach people to identify and eventually rid themselves of unpleasant thoughts that keep emerging during pain episodes and replace them with coping self-statements |
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Term
| insight therapy and support groups |
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Definition
| -therapy to reduce negative emotions from anxiety, depression, anger |
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Term
combination approaches
(behavioral medicine) |
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Definition
| -therapy to reduce negative emotions from anxiety, depression, anger |
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Term
combination approaches
(behavioral medicine) |
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Definition
| -various psyphys interventions for physical problems tend to be equal in effectiveness; often greatest help when combined (psych with other psych and medical) |
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