Stress Management Exam 1

What are the main sources of work-related stress?

- Accidents - Absenteeism - Employee turnover - Diminished productivity - Direct medical, legal, and insurance costs

What are the 3 leading causes of death in 15-24 year olds?

- Accidents - Homicide - Suicide

What are some sources of stress in later maturity/old age?

- Ageism - Retirement - Lack of social support - Losing partners/peers

What are some manifestations of stress?

- Anxiety - Depression - Habit patterns (relying on coffee, eating too much or too little, sleeps more or sleeps less, relying on illegal substances, etc.) - Accident proneness - Anger

What are some sources of stress during middle adulthood?

- Family development - Juggling multiple projects/roles - Creating a meaningful life (What do I want to get out of this life? Do I want to make a change?) - Health concerns - recognizing mortality

What are the "Four F's"?

- Fight - Flight - Fright - F*ck

What are some sources of stress in young adulthood?

- Friendships and social networks - Selecting a life partner - College and stress - Career selection

What do the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine do in the presence of stress?

- Increase the heart rate - Raise the blood pressure - Accelerate the rate of respiration - Dilate bronchial tubes - Inhibit digestive activities

What are the physical signs of stress?

- Increased heart rate - Increased muscle tension - Cold/sweaty hands & feet - Increased cortisol and glucose - Increased respiration - Increased blood pressure - Increased body temp. - Decreased blood flow - Decreased immune system efficiency - Decreased saliva (cottonmouth) - Digestive problems - Pupils dilate

What are the various life stages?

- Infancy - Early Childhood - School Age - Adolescence - Early Adulthood - Young Adulthood - Mid Life - Later Maturity - Old Age

What are some ways to manage stress?

- Monitoring changes - Lifestyle changes - Conflict resolution - Relaxation - Massage - Coping with anxiety - Managing anger - Overcoming fear - Cognitive restructuring - Treatment of illnesses

What are some side effects of alcohol use?

- Poor academic performance - Brain and liver damage - Dysfunctional peer group - Birth defects - Impotence or erectile dysfunction - Impaired judgment & diminished motivation - Irritability & mood swings

What are some ways of preventing stress?

- Small changes (creating a more consistent sleep schedule, healthier eating habits, relaxation/meditation) - No "magic" solution - Personalize a program - Develop a plan

What are the 3 stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

1) Alarm - acute physiological response to stress 2) Resistance - body mobilizes two combat stress 3) Exhaustion - resources depleted, resistance breaks down

What are the 3 major developmental stages of transactional model of stress?

1) An individual faces a challenging event or potentially threatening task. 2) The person determines first the nature of demand (primary appraisal), as well as the resources and skills available to cope with the demand (secondary appraisal). 3) Based on the previous appraisals, the person initiated a strategy to cope with the situation in the most effective way possible.

What are the kinds of stress?

1) Distress = bad stress 2) Eustress = good stress 3) Neustress = neutral stress

What are the four conditions that separate good stress from bad stress?

1) Extent of uncertainty - Too many unknown factors increase stress levels. 2) Amount of relevant information available 3) Amount of control - Too much control over a situation means no surprises. 4) Interpersonal conflict

What are some of the major effects of hippocampus atrophy that occur with sustained stress?

1) It can create severe depression that reappears unrelated to any stressor. 2) Soldiers or abused children who experience post traumatic stress have been found to have smaller hippocampus tissue than those who have not experienced it. 3) Cushing's Syndrome is a form of cancer that excretes excess quantities of glucocorticoids, affecting al the usual suspects: memory, blood pressure, sexual functioning, the immune system. 4) There is a higher risk of permanent impairment after a stroke.

What are the four stages of stress management and prevention?

1) Life Situations/Chronic stressors - You will not have a choice about whether you are subjected to the stressors but you can choose, to some extent, how you respond to them. 2) Perception and evaluation - Your perception of a situation or a chronic stressor also depends on your personality type, your resilience, life experience, health status, and mental and emotional resources. 3) Stress response - The magnitude of the responses from the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems depends on the perception of the response. 4) Consequences - Stress responses can range from behavioral consequences such as accidents to physiological consequences such as a heart attack or ulcer.

What are some myths about aging?

1) Most old people suffer memory problems that interfere with their ability to recall basic information. 2) It is more difficult to cope with stressful events with age. 3) Older people decline in physical functioning to the point where they must become dependent on others 4) There is a universal deterioration in cognitive functioning and creativity 5) Older people feel powerless and controlled by circumstances beyond control.

What are some principles of stress management?

1) Prevention is more effective than management. 2) Small changes can lead to big effects. 3) Don't count on a magic solution for solving all your stress problems. 4) Tailor a program to your own schedule and means. 5) Develop a comprehensive plan for stress prevention and management.

What are the 3 categories of lymphocytes?

1) T cells 2) B cells 3) natural killer cells (NK)

What is the sequence of reactions that the body follows in the face of a stressor?

1) The brain perceives danger. 2) The first pathway is directed to the muscles, resulting in immediate tension that might be useful for actions such as sprinting, ducking, kicking, punching, biting and screaming. 3) If the threat continues beyond a few minutes, the hypothalamus triggers a series of events to prepare the body for the second phase of the stress phase of the stress response that involves more pervasive activation of the bodily functions.

What are the 8 major body systems?

1) The nervous system 2) The endocrine system 3) The circulatory and cardiovascular system 4) The respiratory system 5) The immune system 6) The musculoskeletal system 7) The digestive system 8) The reproductive system

What are the 3 divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

1) the sympathetic nervous system 2) the parasympathetic nervous system 3) the enteric nervous system

What percentage of those who practice anorexia starve themselves to death?

20%

Department of Health estimates almost ______ billion dollars per year is spent in businesses related to helping their employees manage their stress (absenteeism, reduced productivity, worker's comp, etc.)

200

What percentage of teenage girls choose abortion?

40%

_____% of all Americans report significant stress in their lives.

50

_______% of the best selling drugs on the market are for treating stress-related problems

70

It has been estimate the _____%-______% of all visits to a primary care physician are because of stress-related disorders.

75-90

What is ageism?

A pervasive negative view about advancing age

What is self-organization?

A process in which the internal organization of an open and dynamic system changes automatically without being guided or managed by an external script.

What does the thalamus do?

Acts as a relay station, sending information to and from the cerebral cortex

What's another name for epinephrine?

Adrenaline

What is the first structure to be activated during fear responses?

Amygdala

What does the amygdala control?

Anger, fear, and aggressive behavior

What is the difference between anorexia and bulimia?

Anorexia involves one starving themselves, while bulimia involved one bingeing and then purging through vomiting or laxatives.

What is stress?

Anything in our environment that causes us to adapt, any change to homeostasis Nonspecific automatic biological response to demands made on each individual

What are some diseases and medical conditions affected or exacerbated by stress?

Asthma, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, cancer, Alzheimer's, constipation, sexual dysfunction, AIDS, anorexia, miscarriage, allergies, heart disease, Fibromyalgia, hives, etc.

Why does chronic stress contribute to heart disease?

Because chronic stress leads to the heart working on overtime to deliver necessary oxygen and nutrients without regular breaks.

Why does the flight-or-fight reflex shut down digestion?

Because it would be too late to create new sources of energy quick enough to be useful.

What are some warning signs of stress in elementary school age children?

Bed wetting, change in weight, isolation, newly developed fears, etc.

What body parts does the central nervous system (CNS) consist of?

Brain and spinal cord

How do children cope with stress?

By watching TV or playing on the computer

Which area processes threats slower and more accurately, the amygdala or the cerebral cortex?

Cerebral cortex

What are tribal affiliations the result of?

Choices you make based on common values and interests as well as similarities in ethnicity, religion, and professional goals.

What happens when dopamine becomes sustained and repetitive?

Chronic anxiety can result.

What are the six key concepts of the dynamical systems theory (DST)?

Concept 1: Complexity and Nonlinearity of Dynamical Systems - A dynamic system is capable of regaining equilibrium once its stability is lost. In a complex dynamic system, the pathway of the movement of the system is non-linear, which means the input into the system is not proportional to the output. Concept 2: Mutual Causality - Mutual causality: the behavior of certain dynamical systems whose states evolve over time. Stress results from the interactions of multiple factors, e.g., internal and external. Concept 3: Sensitivity to Initial Conditions of the System - Any small change you initiate in your life can cause a significant end result for better or worse (ex: the butterfly effect). Concept 4: Self-Organization and Emergence - Self-organization: a process in which the internal organization of an open and dynamic system changes automatically without being guided or managed by an external script. - Emergence: The appearance of new properties that have not existed before as a result of self-organization, suggesting that the whole is sometimes greater than the sum of the parts. Concept 5: Attractors - Attractors: A steady, stable state of mind or body (ex: habits, beliefs, and addictive behaviors). Concept 6: Bifurcation - The idea of bifurcation suggests that a qualitative change in an attractor's structure, as a control parameter is varied

What is considered the #1 most stressful problem for female college students?

Concerns about the future

What are the two states of muscles?

Contraction and relaxation.

What does the hypothalamus do?

Controls body temperature, regulates emotions, hunger, thirst, and sleep rhythms; it also controls the pituitary gland and autonomic nervous system during times of stress

What is sweating the body's attempt to do?

Cool the body's core

_____________ turns off all bodily systems not immediately required to deal with a threat.

Cortisol

How do infants cope with stress?

Crying, falling asleep, changing positions, and closing their eyes

What are some behavioral responses to stress?

Crying, rage, withdrawal, substance abuse, self-medication, impulsiveness, phobias, hyperactivity, lethargy, aggression, rambling

Adjustments too retirement in the U.S. may be accompanied by which stress factors? A) The empty feeling of not being as productive as before B) Feeling dependent C) Feeling marginalized D) All answers are correct

D) All answers are correct

Which is an effective means for reducing chronic stress? A) Sex B) Alcohol C) Drugs D) No answers are correct

D) No answers are correct

Who was the developmental theorist to first seriously consider development beyond adolescence?

Erik Erikson

Going out on your first date with someone will usually create what type of stress?

Eustress

True or false: Being in love is universally the single most important ingredient in choosing a partner.

False

True or false: Despite the brief amount of time it lasts, short-term stress is extremely harmful to the body.

False

True or false: Simple treatment process is extremely effective for treating phobias.

False

True or false: The autonomic nervous system does not respond to imagined stress.

False

True or false: You have control over the stress that comes into your life, as well as how you respond to it.

False

True or false: Half of all victims of heart attacks died as a result of high cholesterol.

False; not cholesterol but rather the development of behavioral and attitudinal traits associated with chronic stress.

What are some emotional responses to stress?

Fear, worry, panic, guilt, anger, denial, hopelessness, numbness, depression, despair, impatience

What are some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

Flashbacks, nightmares, headaches, memory deficits,depression, relationship problems, inability to hold a job, sleep problems, substance abuse, even a psychotic break down

What do internal processes include?

Genetics, beliefs, values, philosophies, knowledge, experience, hopes and dreams.

What is considered the #1 most stressful problem for male college students?

Grades in school

What is the central core of the body's reaction to stress?

HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis

Who created the General Adaptation Syndrome?

Hans Selye

What's another name for coronary events?

Heart attacks

What are some physiological responses to stress?

Heart palpitations, sweating, dry mouth, fatigue, insomnia, nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite, high blood pressure, personality traits, and weight loss or gain

What is the difference between homeostasis and allostasis?

Homeostasis is the concept that all the physiological systems work in unison to keep the internal environment stable and balanced. Allostasis is the combined physiological and psychological adaption to the experience of threats or adversities.

What determines the longevity of a human heart?

How hard and how fast it is required to run, under what conditions it is forced to operate, and how it is cared for.

What is psychological stress?

How we react to stress

What are some cognitive responses to stress?

Impaired memory, disorientation, unrealistic demands, disasterizing, illogical thinking, externalized blame, obsessiveness, loss of humor, suicidal ideation, surrender, and excessive fantasies.

Why is inflammation a double-edged sword?

It fights against infection, irritation, toxins, and foreign molecules, however, when the immune system is under chronic stress, it will rev up the process of sending more and more proinflammatory cytokines into the systems and causing all kinds of diseases.

________________ ______________________ may be the most challenging stage in one's life.

Middle adulthood

What happens to your muscles under stressful conditions?

Pain, aches and discomfort

Once a child reaches the age of 10-12, there is an increase influence from what agents of socialization?

Peers

What are the two separate cognitive events involved in the transactional model of stress?

Primary appraisal and a secondary appraisal

Which type of stress arises from interactions with people and the society in which you live?

Psychosocial stress

What is regression?

Reverting to earlier coping behaviors from a younger age

Who developed the transactional model of stress?

Richard Lazarus

What is one method to try to resolve sexual dysfunction problems?

Sensate focus exercises

What's another name for battle fatigue?

Shell shock.

What are stressors?

Situation, conditions, people, or things that have the potential to trigger the stress response

What parts of the body serve as first barriers for the immune system?

Skin and mucous membranes

What are developmental tasks?

Specific challenges that are suppose to arise at particular stages in life

What is physical stress?

Stress from environment (ex: sleep deprivation, over working, excessive physical exertion, physical injury or trauma, viral or bacterial infections, inflammation, physical disease, or chronic pain)

What is secondary stress?

Stress from past events

What is psychosocial stress?

Stress from relationships and conflicts with people around us

What does it mean when stress is thought of as a stimulus?

Stress is the description we give for someone or something that is putting pressure on us to do something that feels beyond comfortable limits. (Ex: The deadline his putting stress on me)

What is primary stress?

Stress of current/present event

What is anticipatory stress?

Stress of future past

What does it mean when stress is thought of as a response?

Stress represents the result of internal or external pressure. (Ex: I am so stressed after the exam)

Nonspecific reactions are demonstrated in the form of what?

Swelling and inflammation

Between the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system, which is considered the "on" switch and which is considered the "off" switch?

Sympathetic - "on" Parasympathetic - "off"

_________________________ __________________________ deals with a person's readiness to deal with challenges during the "right" moment in development.

Teachable moments

What do the primary stressors of middle adulthood all indicate?

That middle-aged individuals are mostly afraid of losing what they have

What does the limbic system consist of?

The amygdala, the hippocampus, mammillary bodies and the cingulate gyrus

What is emergence?

The appearance of new properties that have not existed before as a result of self-organization, suggesting that the whole is sometimes greater than the sum of the parts.

What is displacement?

The diversion of anger from one sources (a parent or sibling) to another (a doll or toy)

What is the pituitary controlled by?

The hypothalamus

What does the primary appraisal identify?

The nature of the environmental demand on the person, or the relationship between the event and one's personal goals

What is psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)?

The study of the interactions between the immune system, the endocrine system, the nervous system, and behavior.

Why do you have an urge to eat "comfort foods" after stress occurs?

They are high in sugar and starch, therefore providing a quick nutrient "fix"

How does stress hinder the reproductive system?

Through menstruation, ovulation cycles, progesterone, prolactin, impaired blood flow, flooded corticols affecting the ovaries and testes, and the loss of libido (sexual desire).

True or false: After age 50 there is a marked drop in reported stress and significant increase in life satisfaction.

True

True or false: Cytokines can either increase or decrease inflammation.

True

True or false: During conditions of chronic or repeated interruptions, all the stomach acids that are useful for breaking down solid foods begin to eat away at the linings of the digestive tract.

True

True or false: Humans are the only species that worry themselves over imagined fears

True

True or false: Loneliness and bereaving a lost one compromise the immune system

True

True or false: People who are experiencing severe stress, such as test anxiety, distracting worries, or lingering trauma, tend to make more errors in tasks that require concentration.

True

True or false: Short-term stressors have the potential to boost the immune system.

True

True or false: Stress is both a psychological and physiological reaction to a real or perceived threat.

True

True or false: Stress is when you can't seem to sit still, focus, concentrate, and your body feels tense.

True

True or false: Stress may lead to an increased risk of developing disease and illness.

True

True or false: Stress related factors can hinder reproductive functioning.

True

True or false: The autonomic nervous system regulates all the organs and tissues not controlled by the central nervous system.

True

True or false: Those who suffered from sexual or physical abuse, or survived catastrophes, may exhibit similar disabling symptoms as those with PTSD.

True

What is allostatic load?

What happens when the same adaptive (GAS) system that was designed to protect us actually tears us apart.

What do external processes include?

Your surroundings, social support, weather, etc.

The frontal lobes are our greatest gift when it comes to ______________________________and ___________________________________________________________, but also our greatest liability when they __________________________________________________.

anticipating, avoiding danger; become overstimulated

Unnecessary muscular contraction due to stress is called _______________________________.

bracing

Lack of oxygenated blood to the brain can lead to ___________________________________________________________________________________.

cerebral hemorrhage, leading to stroke or apoplexy

Stress is a response that operates on _______________, _____________________, and _____________________ levels

cognitive, behavioral, biological

Developmental tasks are derived not only from biological maturation, but also from the expectations of your ____________, _______________, and _____________________.

culture, peer group, personal goals

The ___________________________ houses the ypothalamus and the thalamus

diencephalons

How do teenagers cope with stress?

drugs, alcohol, sex, eating disorders

Which system creates hormones?

endocrine system

According to the transactional model of stress, stress is the result of a "transaction" between an _____________________________________ and an _______________________________________.

external event, internal event

Debilitating anxiety increases your chances up to ________ times of suffering cardiac death

five

The __________________________________ of the brain are the source of reflective thought.

frontal lobes

During the stress response, the hormone cortisol triggers target cells to convert energy stores and release ________________________.

glucose

The _________________________________ is important for memory storage and retrieval.

hippocampus

The extent to which the stressor impacts the body for better or worse depends not only on the intensity and magnitude of the stressor, but also on ______________________________________________________________________________.

how we perceive the stressor and our ability to cope with it

Extra cortisol in your body can lead to __________________________, _________________________________________, and ____________________________________________.

hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease

Autoimmune diseases are those in which the body attacks ________________.

itself

What are cytokines?

large proteins that are secreted by immune cells and glial cells of the brain

Lack of oxygenated blood to the heart can lead to a ______________________ _____________________.

myocardial infarction

What is referred to as the "master gland"?

pituitary gland

The glands that are most relevant to the stress response are the _____________, _____________, and _________ glands.

pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal

What are some examples of autoimmune diseases?

rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, colitis, Behcet's disease, Graves' disease and psoriasis

While the primary appraisal looks at the ____________________________________________________ to assess its potential as a threat, the secondary appraisal considers your __________________________________________________________________.

situation or object; own resources to meet the challenge.