Stress Disorders
The
Mind Body Connection
Stress
1. Def:
An Interaction between the stimulus and the persons appraisal of it
2. Def: The
non-specific response of the body to any demand
Good stress Achieve a goal, short term
Bad Stress Distress, long term
Causes
w
Internal
w
External
Internal Stress
Self-talk
w
We
have met the enemy and he is us.
Worry
Anxiety
Bitterness
lack of forgiveness
Interpretation
of events
Treatment should focus on INTERNAL
External Stress
Pressure
due to changes
Feeling a
lack of control
Loss
Excitement
Delays
Failures
Criteria of
Stress Disorder
A disorder of a
known physical pathology is present favoring one system or another
A
psychologically meaningful event preceded or contributed to the onset or
worsening of the physical disorder
Diathesis stress
which describes the above indicates there may be a genetic problem which the
event worsens - Migraine headaches
The Physiology
of Stress
Sympathetic
nervous system defends body from stress and danger
w
controls
involuntary functions of the body: heart rate, inhibits digestion, and breathing
Emergency
response network
Immune system
impacted by response to stress
Parasympathetic
system slows body down, promotes digestion & rest
Personality
Variables
Type A
w
Hard
driving, ambitious, achievement oriented, highly competitive, work controls life
Type B
w
Hang
loose, seen as flakes by Type A
w
Have high
emotional intelligence compensates for lack of ambition
Hardy
personality
w
Healthy
personality balanced commitments
w
Sense of
control and efficiency over life
w
Sees life
as a challenge, not a problem
Psychoneuroimmunology
The Study
of how psychological factors change the immune system and increase risk of
disease
Four step
process
w
1.
Psychological set hopeless attitude
w
2.
Depletion of neurotransmitters in brain
Dopamine, seratonin
norepineohrine
w
3. Stress
on endocrine system caused by depletion of neurotransmitters
w
4.
Result - Compromised immune system
General
Adaptation syndrome
Stimulus
Specificity - Different types of stress cause different types of physiological
responses
Anticipation vs
endurance of stress determines physiological response
Long term vs
short term stress