2. Introduction:
In psychology stress is a feeling of strain and
pressure. Small amounts of stress may be
desired, beneficial, and even healthy. Positive
stress helps improve athletic performance.
It also plays a factor in motivation, adaptation,
and reaction to the environment. Excessive
amounts of stress, however, may lead to bodily
harm.
Stress can increase the risk of strokes, heart
attacks, ulcers, dwarfism, and mental illnesses
such as depression.
3. Terminology
1. Stress
“ In a medical or biological context stress is a
physical, mental, or emotional factor that
causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be
external (from the environment, psychological,
or social situations) or internal (illness, or from a
medical procedure). Stress can initiate the "fight
or flight" response, a complex reaction of
neurologic and endocrinologic systems”.
4. Categories of stress
Distress- can threaten health(continual financial
worries
Eustress – good stress (passionate kiss)
Developmental – Associated with life stages (e.g
–college ,graduation)
Situational –Random, unpredictable (e.g.
Hurricane or accidents)
Physiological – affect body structure /function (
diseases or mobility problems
Psychological –arise from life events (e.g work
pleasure ,family arguments )
5. 2. STRESSOR
“ stressor are themselves neither positive nor negative but
they can have positive and negative effects as the
persons responds to the changes.”
1. The environmental stressors:
Noise, pollution ,traffic, crowding , and weather
2. Physiological stressors :
Illness ,injuries, hormonal ,fluctuations, inadequate sleep
or nutrition.
3. Social stressor :
Financial problems , work demands ,social events ,losing
a loved one, etc.
6. The physiological of
stress “Fight or Flight” Response
When the body encounters a stressor, it prepares itself for “fight
or flight.” Identify the adaptation responses that occur in the
initial stress response in each of the physical components listed.
Physical component Adaptation Response
Adrenal medulla
Eye Respiratory system
Cardiovascular system
Gastrointestinal system
Liver
Urinary system
Sweat glands
Fat cells
7. The physiological of stress
cont..
Releases norepinephrine and epinephrine.
Pupils dilate.
Secretion is increased from lacrimal glands. Bronchioles
dilate.
Respiration rate is increased.
Increased force of cardiac contraction
Increased cardiac output
Increased heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Decreased gastric and intestinal motility
11. Stress mastery
Stress Mastery Stress Mastery is the
utilization of coping strategies in the
response to stressful situations.
Adaptive coping strategies protect the
individual from harm and restore physical and
psychological homeostasis.
Coping strategies are considered maladaptive
when the conflict being experienced goes
unresolved or intensifies
12. Effects of chronic
stress Increase Gluconeogenisis
Decrease Immune
Decrease inflammatory response
Retention of sodium and water
Decrease in libido, frigidity and impotence
Increase in blood pressure
13. Psychological adaptation of
stress
Anxiety and grief have been described as two
major, primary psychological response
patterns to stress.
A variety of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
are associated with each of these response
patterns.
Adaptation is determined by the extent to
which the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
interfere with an individual’s functioning.
14. Psychological adaptation of
stress
cont..1. Mind body interaction
2. Anxiety
3. Coping mechanisms
1. Mind body interaction:-
humans react to threats of danger as if they were physiologic threats of
a person perceives the threat on an emotional level& the body prepares
itself to either resist the danger or to run away from it. Each person
reacts in
Backache
Constipation
Diarrhea
Dilated pupils
Dry mouth
Headache nausea
Sleep disturbances
15. Psychological adaptation of
stress
cont..2. Anxiety :-
-A diffuse apprehension that is vague in nature and is
associated with feelings of uncertainty and helplessness.
-Extremely common in our society.
-Mild anxiety is adaptive and can provide motivation for
survival.
Peplau’s four levels of anxiet
Mild – seldom a problem
Moderate – perceptual field diminishes
Severe – perceptual field is so diminished that
concentration centers on one detail only or on many
extraneous details
16. Cont...
Anxiety at the moderate to severe level that
remains unresolved over an extended period
of time can contribute to a number of
physiological disorders – for example,
migraine headaches, IBS, and cardiac
arrhythmias.
• Extended periods of repressed severe anxiety
can result in psychoneurotic patterns of
behaving – for example, anxiety disorders
and somatoform disorders.
17. Cont...
Extended periods of functioning at the panic
level of anxiety may result in psychotic
behavior; for example, schizophrenic,
schizoaffective, and delusional disorders.
At the mild to moderate level ,the ego calls
on defence mechanism for protection .
19. Intervention to reduce anxiety
a). Exercise:- Regular exercises help to maintain
physical & emotional health.
b). Rest and sleep:- Rest and sleep helps the body to
maintain homeostasis & restore energy levels.
c). Nutrition:- It plays an important role in
maintaining the body’s homeostatic mechanisms &
in increasing resistance to stress. Obesity &
malnutrition are major stressors & greatly increase
the risk of illness.
d). Encouraging the use of support system:-
Support system provides emotional support that
helps a person identify & verbalize feelings
associated with stress.
20. Stress adaptation model
Three main models of stress :
1. Stimulus based model
2. Response based model
3. Transaction based model
1. Stimulus based model:-
Acc.To this model ,stress is defined as a stimulus
,a life event ,or a set of circumstances that
arouses physiologic and psychological reactions
that may increase the individual’s vulnerability
to illness.
21. Stress adaptation model
cont..
2. Response model :-
selyes stress response is characterized by a chain
or pattern of physiologic events called the
General adaptation syndrome.
General adaptation syndrome:-
According to “Hans Selye”
Three distinct stages:-
a) ALARM REACTION STAGE
b) STAGE OF RESISTANCE
c) STAGE OF EXHAUSTION
22. Stress adaptation model
cont..
a) ALARM RESPONSE :-
This is the “ Fight or Flight” response that
prepares the body for immediate action.
b) STAGE OF RESISTANCE :-
If the source persists, the body prepares for long-
term protection, secreting hormones to increase
blood sugar levels.This phase is common and
not necessarily harmful, but must include
periods of relaxation and rest to counterbalance
the stress response. Fatigue, concentration
lapses, irritability and lethargy result as the
stress turns negative.
23. Stress adaptation model
cont..
c) STAGE OF EXHAUSTION :-
In chronic stress situations, sufferers enter the
exhaustion phase: emotional, physical and
mental resources suffer heavily, the body
experiences ‘ adrenal exhaustion’ leading to
decreased stress tolerance, progressive mental
and physical exhaustion, illness and collapse.
24. Stress adaptation model
cont..
3.Transaction based model :-
Transaction theories of stress are based on
the work of lazarus (1966).The Lazarus
transaction stress theory encompasses a set
of cognitive ,effective and adaptive response
that arise out of person –environment
transactions.