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stress as a psychobiological process - Coggle Diagram
stress as a psychobiological process
stress
stress vs stressor
stress:
involves a perception that an individual cannot cope or that the challenge exceeds ability.
stress response:
involves the physiological and psychological changes that people experience when they are confronted by a stressor.
stressor:
stimuli that causes stress and challenges an individuals ability to cope.
eustress
positive psychological response to a stressor (short burst)
distress
negative psychological response to a stressor (can be short term or long term)
stress as a biological process
fight-flight-freeze response
fight response
confronting or fighting off the threat.
flight response
escaping by running away to safety.
freeze response
keeping completely still and silent.
role of cortisol
hormone produced by the adrenal glands
many roles, some are to regulate the release of glucose to increase energy
suppresses the immune system if released over long periods of time.
GAS model
stage 1: alarm reaction (shock/counter shock)
first aware of the stressor
organism goes into temporary state of shock, and ability to deal with stressor falls to below its normal level. parasympathetic nervous system is activated.
physiologically, the body react as its injured, blood pressure and temp drop, and temporary loss of muscle tone is experienced.
during countershock, the sympathetic nervous system is activated and the bodys resistance to the stressor increases.
stage 2: resistance
if the source of stress isnt dealt with immediately, and the state of stress continues, the organism goes into a stage of resistance.
during the stage of resistance, the bodys resistance to the particular stressor rises above normal.
stage 3: exhaustion
if stressor is not dealt with succesfully in the resistance stage, and stress continues, the organism enters a stage of exhaustion.
signs of alarm reaction may appear, but effects of stressor can no longer be dealt with. resistance to disease is very weak, and becomes vulnerable to physical and psychological illnesses.
sources of stress
daily pressures
not necessarily significant in themselves or distressing for a prolonged time, but they can pile up to become a major source of stress.
social factors such as relationships, lack of social skills, lack of support, bullied and discrimination.
life events
the amount of change in lifestyle after a specific event can often cause stress as it involves a change in our normal daily routine and life.
moving house, getting a new job, getting married
acculturative stress
immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers may experience stress when dealing with the demands of living in a new country.
commonly characterised as entering a new culture at a lower socioeconomic level, trouble preserving old values.
refugees also experience post traumatic stress.
once in a new country, immigrants often experience racism related stress which has a clear link to mental health problems.
major stressor
an event that is extraordinarily stressful or disturbing for almost everyone who experiences it. may be a single, one off event, such as being the victim of a violent crime, or it may be an ongoing, unrelenting event, such as terminal illness.
catastrophe
an unpredictable event that causes widespread damage or suffering.
earthquakes, floods, bushfires, and terrorist attacks.
stress as a psychological process
lazarus and folkmans transactional model of stress and coping
-proposes that stress involves an encounter (transaction) between an individual and their external environment, and that a stress response depends on the individuals interpretation (appraisal) of the stressor and their ability to cope.
primary and secondary appraisals
primary appraisals
evaluate or judge the significance of the event.
eg: we may ask questions such as "is this something i have to deal with?", "am i in troube?", "is there any benefit?", and "does this matter to me?".
the outcome of a primary appraisal is a decision about whether the event is irrelevant, benign positive, or stressful.
primary appraisals cont.
if its decided that the situation is stressful, we then engage in additional appraisals that involve deciding if a situation is harmful, threatening, or challenging.
involves:
-harm/loss: assessment on how much damage has already occurred. (i have lost my job)
-threat: assessment of harm/loss that may not have yet occurred but could occur in the future. (i might not be able to afford the rent)
-challenge: assessment of the potential for personal gain or growth from the situation. (ill get another job, i can and will learn to budget and save money).
secondary appraisals
evaluate coping options and resources for the options for dealing with the event. coping options and resources available may be internal (strength and determination), or external (money and support from family or friends).
if coping demands of situation are percieved as being far greater than resources available, then individuals are likely to experience a stress response.
if situation changes or individual has not dealt with all aspects of stressor, the individual may do re appraisal (repeat process again)
coping with stress
influences on coping
context specific effectiveness
coping strategy is considered to have context specific effectiveness when there is a match or good fit between coping strategy used and the stressful situation.
eg: when experiencing stress about upcoming exams, a strategy that focuses on taking positive action, such as planning, time management, and study would be suitable for many students in that situation. whereas, coping strategies such as mental distancing (not thinking about exams at all) or wishful thinking are likely to be detrimental.
coping flexibility
ability to effectively modify or adjust ones coping strategies according to the demands of different stressful situations.
strategies
exercise
going for a run, gym session, research supports exercise as a way to help stress levels.
social interaction
-uses up stress hormones secreted by HPA axis.
release tension in muscles
-release of endorphins, pleasure related neurotransmitters.
approach coping strategies
involve efforts to confront a stressor and deal effectively with it and its effects.
eg: an approach strategy for for a stressor involving loss of a job through retrenchment is to search for a new job.
avoidant coping strategies
involve efforts that evade a stressor and deal directly with it and its effects.
eg: an avoidant strategy for job loss may be to not tell anyone and not think about it.