Emotion, Stress and Health

Problem focused-

attempting to alter or eliminate a source of stress , like leave work at 6 instead of 5.

Emotional cope

attempting to control the negative emotional consequences of the stressor Do deep breathing to calm yourself down.Even unhealthy behaviors such as drugs, sex, alcohol.

Physical responses to stress ; fight or flight

fight or flight . Cortisol released into bloodstream Increased heart rate , increased blood sugar General adaptation syndrome Alarm, resistance, exhaustion

Emotion

is a temporary positive or negative experience that is felt as happening to the self, that is accompanied by both learned and reflexive physical responses. Many emotions are universal, and motivate behavior . Anger -> striking Disgust-> creating distance Fear -> avoidance Guilt -> Treating others well/ adhering to social norms . Happiness -> Building for later . . Stress -> get things done

Predictability and control ;

predictability leads to better handling of stressors

cognitive response to stress

riminating "Can't stop thinking about it "

Avoidance;

staying away from reminders, numbness , losing interest , losing memory for traumatic event.

Stressors-

the environmental circumstances that disrupt, or threaten to disrupt, individual's daily functioning. Catastrophe events, such as natural disasters Life Changes and strains, such as going to college/marriage/ divorce Chronic stressors, living near an airport Daily Hassles, commuting- in heavy traffic Stressors can be positive too not just negative.

Stress;

the feeling. the negative emotional and physiological process that occurs as individuals try to adjust to or deal with stressors. Stress is the response a person feels for stressors. Stress brings on both physical and psychological responses.

Mood

A prolonged, consistent feeling state, either positive or negative .Not associated with facial expressions. Expressing Emotions; we communicate emotions with facial and body expressions. we need emotions to make certain decisions .

Emotional response to stress;

Being irritable, short tempered, or anxious behavioral Changes in how people look, act or talk escape and avoidance responses , aggression

Hyperarousal;

Easily startled , tense "on edge" feeling, difficulty sleeping, angry outburst

Theory of emotion; Cannon's Central Theory;

Emotion occurs directly in the brain (CNS), with or without signals from our peripheral nervous system. He believed emotion started in the thalamus .

Gender differences in coping

Male: fight or flight Females : Tend and befriend

Theory of emotion: James's Peripheral Theory

Physiological response cause emotion . Sensation/perception (bug) -> peripheral response (heart rate up) -> emotion. -Its not the frog that causes you to be scared , it's your heart rate .

Coping methods

Problem focused, Emotional cope,

Psychological responses to stress

Psychological responses cognitive PTS. (Post traumatic stress) Avoidance Hyperarousal;

PTS. (Post traumatic stress)

Re-experimenting; flashbacks. includes physical symptoms such as sweating, heart rate , bad dreams .

Stress Mediators ; Perceived stress

Stress Mediators . ;Harm-damaging events that have already occurred. Threat- potentially damaging events that may occur in the future. Challenge-upcoming events that pose obstacles to overcome

Cognitive appraisal

Stress Mediators . A stressor is more taxing if perceived as a threat Is your life really over if you break up with your boyfriend? Less taxing if perceived as a challenge

Perceived control-

Stress Mediators . feeling that you have some control over stressors. High perceived control =less stress One treatment for PST is to increase control.

Stress and Health ;

Stress and Health ; Increased stressors lead to increased illness. If you are stressed you are more likely to get sick. Leads to faster aging.