Stress Management

Symptoms of stress?

(Fight or Flight) Pupils dilate Hearing becomes more acute, (hear every little sound) Endorphins released to block pain in case of injury Decrease saliva and mucus in mouth, digestion low priority (dry mouth) Bronchi dilate to let more air flow into lungs Perspiration increases to prevent overheating (sweaty palms) Liver breaks glycogen down into glucose for immediate energy Digestion halt (indigestion, butterflies, nausea) Bladder relaxes to decrease body weight, make easier to flee (wet pants) Blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow to muscles and brain Blood vessels constrict to reduce blood flow to low priority organs, e.g., digestive system Heart rate and blood pressure increase to get more nutrients through body Adrenal glands increase epinephrine and norepinephrine which increase HR, BP, glucose Muscle contract (contributes to muscle tension)

Autonomic Branch

- An example of the autonomic branch is when your heart races when you are stressed or anxious.

Endocrine System Response: Hormones

1. Endorphines 2. Cortisol 3. Catecholamines

Ways to manage stress?

1. Find your stressors 2. Think of solutions 3. Open up. 4. Think rationally 5. Think positively 6. Accept that there are things you cannot change 7. Exercise 8. Eat Well 9. Relax

Endocrine System Response: Glands

1. Hypothalamus 2. Pituitary 3. Adrenal

Types of stressors

1. Long term 2. Short Term 3. Major life changes 4. Catastrophic events All depends on perception

Try to prevent unnecessary stress

1. Make decisions 2. Don't procrastinate 3. Don't overcommit 4. Delegate 5. Anticipate 6. Divide and conquer 7. Schedule tasks for peak effciency 8. Watch out for time traps 9. Give yourself a break.

Relaxation techniques

1. Progressive Relaxation 2. Visualization 3. Deep breathing 4. Meditation and prayer 5. Yoga and Thai Chi

Fundamentals of stress management

1. Understand Stress Response- how do you respond? Fight or Flight response, heart rate, blood pressure, overeat, lose sleep, substance abuse 2. Recognize stressors in your life- Have an appreciation for the positive stressors (school). Avoid or limit negative stressors, too many extracurricular activities, overcommitting, perfectionism, poor time management, procrastination. 3. Stress Reduction Skills- time management skills, communicate, have positive and realistic expectations, practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, progressive relaxation, tai chi. 4. Incorporate Skills into lifestyle

Locus of control

A belief about the amount of control a person has over situations in their life.

Adrenal glands

A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress.

Eustress

A positive stress that energizes a person and helps a person reach a goal and adds meaning in life.

When is stress bad?

A stressor turns negative when it exceeds your emotional, mental, and physical limitations to cope with it.

Disordered Eating

Some people eat less when stressed while others eat much more (emotional eating). As previously mentioned, emotional eating may lead to binge eating disorder where food is used to medicate feelings. We should learn healthier coping strategies that do not abuse food.

Substance Abuse

Some people want to have a drink after a hard day. This may encourage dependency and ineffective coping strategies. It may lead to harder drugs.

Type A Personality

The type A personality is characterized by being time conscious, rushed, driven, and competitive (e.g., have to get all As). People with this type of personality are more prone to stress related illnesses and distorted perceptions.

Type B personality

The type B is more relaxed, less time conscious, and tends to have a more realistic perspective.

Decreased Physical Activity

When stressed, some people avoid physical activity due to lack of time. Regular physical activity may help relieve stress by releasing endorphins (although this research is lacking), providing a distraction, and providing an outlet. Some research suggests that using physical activity to vent tension may actually increase aggressiveness (e.g., hitting a punching bag when you are upset may cause you to be more angry and aggressive). We should learn less aggressive coping strategies.

How does the body respond to stress?

When you perceive a stressor, your body prepares for danger. It sets off a series of reactions called the Fight or Flight response. These reactions include increased heart rate, blood pressure, rate of breathing, sweating, and muscle tension.

Catecholamine

are also released by the adrenal glands. They are epinephrine (also called adrenaline) and norepinphrine (also called noradrenaline). They increase heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, blood flow to brain & muscles, and perspiration.

Endorphines

are released by the pituitary gland. They inhibit pain to prepare the body for injury. For example, a bungee jumper releases endorphins so it won't hurt quite so bad if you hit the ground.

Distress

bad stress

Hormonal changes and stress

can lead to complications of menstrual irregularities, pregnancy complications (difficulty conceiving, prematurity, spontaneous abortion), and impotence.

Early experiences

in utero (when you were a fetus in your mother's belly). Some very interesting research has suggested that if a mother was exposed to a lot of stress during pregnancy then the baby was exposed to excess cortisol and may have developed a greater number of receptors for stress related substances. Stress during pregnancy adversely affects the mother and baby in other ways as well (e.g., spontaneous abortion).

Short term stressors

include being stuck in a traffic jam, or a test.

Long term stressors

include caring for an ill or disabled family member, daily hassles, traffic commute, relationships, prejudice, discrimination, desire to fit in, pressure on self, or financial worries.

Depression

is a mental illness in which a person experiences deep, unshakable sadness and diminished interest in nearly all activities.

Nervous System

is comprised of your brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves that send messages (impulses) to other body parts. There are two main branches - somatic (voluntary) and autonomic (involuntary or automatic).

Cortisol

is released by the adrenal glands. It breaks up triglycerides into free fatty acids, glycogen into glucose, and protein into amino acids so these substrates can be used for energy. Extended exposure to cortisol decreases bone mineral density, immunity & sexual function and increases blood pressure and risk of CVD.

Schizophrenia

is severe mental illness characterized by a variety of symptoms, including loss of contact with reality, bizarre behavior, disorganized thinking and speech, decreased emotional expressiveness, and social withdrawal.

Hypothalamus

is the great coordinator of the brain. It tells the other glands what to do. When stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system, it sends messages to the pituitary and adrenal glands.

In born-temperament

is your personal chemistry that makes you who you are. Obviously, this is difficult to change.

Emotion focused coping

means that you are going to moderate or eliminate the unpleasant emotion associated with the stressor. For example, you may try to relax, breathe deeply, or think positively when you start your test. This may moderate the stress responses (e.g., rapid breathing and heart rate) but is basically short term. It is not as effective as problem focused coping. (Deep breathing will probably not help much on a test that you didn't prepare for.)

Problem Focused Coping

means that you are going to modify or avoid the situation. For example, you may try to study, manage your time, prioritize, avoid procrastination, or delegate tasks. This is usually the most effective coping strategy because it usually fixes the problem.

Major life changes

such as death of a loved one, marriage, divorce, new job, loss of job, promotion, or having a baby may be short or long term depending on the situation.

Catastrophic events

such as war, violence, or an accident may be short term stressors but the effects of these events are usually long term. For example, many Vietnam war veterans experience flashbacks, nightmares, and episodes of rage years after being exposed to war.

Parasympathetic

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

Pineal glands

the endocrine gland that is largely responsible for the regulation of biological rhythms; synthesizes melatonin

Stress Response

the physical and emotional reactions that are triggered by the stressor. The stress response is a survival mechanism- the body perceives a threat and prepares to take action. (e.g., sweaty palms, racing pulse, butterflies in the stomach)

Somatic Branch of Nervous System

voluntary branch of nervous system. the motor unit

Hans Selve

was one of the first people to study the stress response. As a medical student, Selye noticed that patients with quite different illnesses shared many of the same symptoms, such as muscle weakness, weight loss, and apathy. Selye believed these symptoms might be part of a general response by the body to stress

How can some stress be good for me?

Stress can help you gain patience, perseverance, and self-confidence as you learn new tasks. For example, you were probably stressed the first time you tried to ride a bike in fear that you would fall. After you mastered the skill however, you learned something new and gained confidence in yourself.

Stress

Stress is a situation that causes emotional or physical responses.

Factors that contribute to perception of stress

-Personality -Past experiences -Locus of control -Learned coping mechanisms

Ulcers

An area of inflammation that opens out to a skin or mucous surface; ulcers that heal within 12 weeks are usually classified as acute, and longer-lasting ones as chronic. Hydrochloric acid eats away at mucus lining and eventually stomach lining.

Sympathetic

Branch of the autonomic nervous system that produces rapid physical arousal in response to perceived emergencies or threats.

Altered Sleeping Patterns

Similar to eating, some people can't sleep when stressed while others sleep too much. Insomnia is the most commonly reported symptom of stress. Sleeping too much is a common symptom of depression.

Altered Perceptions

Depression, mood and anxiety disorders, and suicide are more common during period of extreme stress. Stress can cause irrational thinking and behavior (e.g., suicide over a test grade).

Pituitary

Endocrine gland attached to the base of the brain that secretes hormones that affect the function of other glands as well as hormones that act directly on physical processes.

Endocrine System

Glands secrete hormones that regulate processes such as growth, reproduction, and nutrient use (metabolism) by body cells.

General Adaption Syndrome

Hans Selve's syndrome. 1. Alarm-fight or flight response is initiated 2. Resistance -- you start to adapt and achieve a new level of homeostasis, (e.g., freshman may find a speech stressful; seniors have adapted and no longer find it as stressful). Having some stressors in your life can lead to positive adaptations. 3. Exhaustion- If you have back to back or persistent stressors you may enter the exhaustion stage. This is not the same as feeling tired at the end of the day. This is absolute burnout. It can lead to depression, suicide, extreme anxiety and mood disorders, and a distorted perception of reality. In the exhaustion stage, the body is under a constant state of stress. Health and performance are adversely affected.

Common health disorders from stress

Hypertension Heart Disease Cancer Ulcers Constipation Depression Schizophrenia

Hypertension

If the body is under a constant state of stress, stress hormones elevate the blood pressure. This can lead to atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure (all forms of heart disease.)

Smoking

Many smokers grab a cigarette when stressed. Nicotine acts as both a stimulant and a depressant. Much of the stress relieving effect of smoking may come from the break that you take while smoking and the deep breathing that occurs when you smoke. Deep breathing encourages the parasympathetic control to slow down the stress response. The good news is that you can achieve the benefits of deep breathing without a cigarette in your mouth.

Common symptoms of stress

Nausea Chest pain Difficulty concentration Difficulty remembering Hives Impotence Irritability #1 Insomnia #2 Headaches Nervous tick Rapid heart rate Increase sweating Change in appetite Fatigue

Immunity

Numerous studies have linked stress with decreased immune response. For example, when laboratory animals are physically restrained, exposed to inescapable electric shocks, or subjected to overcrowding, loud noises, or maternal separation, they show decreased immune system activity.

Stress and Immunity

Numerous studies have linked stress with decreased immune response. For example, when laboratory animals are physically restrained, exposed to inescapable electric shocks, or subjected to overcrowding, loud noises, or maternal separation, they show decreased immune system activity. Researchers have reported similar findings for humans. (FINALS) Cigarettes, drugs and alcohol.

Gender

Women tend to have more support networks and communicate more about stressors.

Stressor

a situation that trigger physical & emotional reactions (e.g., final exam)

Past experiences

affect our feelings toward future situations. For example, a child in trouble hides because he knows he remembers past punishments. If you had a bad experience on a past exam or speech then the next time you have an exam or speech, you may perceive that situation as stressful.