Stress and bio psych

• HPA

  Stressor --> hypothalamus --> pituitary gland (ACTH) --> adrenal cortex cortisol.
• SAM

  Stressor --> hypothalamus --> autonomic nervous system --> adrenal medulla --> adrenaline.
• Acute stress is controlled by the SAM pathway.
• Chronic stress is controlled by the HPA pathway.
• (GAS)

  Alarm is when the brain registers a stressor triggering adrenaline and cortisol preparing the body for fight or flight.
• (GAS)

  Resistance is what stress carries on inside the body, sugars and hormone are then used more frequently. This can lead to signs of poor concentration and frustration.
• (GAS)

  Exhaustion is when the body uses up all the resource to resist stress and the fight or flight response comes back. Our immune system is damaged and getting heart disease is more likely. People may give up or feel hopeless.
• Gerra et al (2003) found that death of a loved one is associated with immune system dysfunction. It is a low natural killer cell and lymphocyte activity in the recently bereaved.

  After 40 days it is still evident and even after 6 months it is evident.

  There is a gender difference, men are typically affected more, with higher mortality rates.
• Holmes and Rahe (1967)

  43 life events ere taken from 500 patient records.

  400 scored the life events in terms of the readjustment need.

  Scores for individual life events were totalled and averaged in order to provide a life change unit for each event. (perceptive measurements)
• Johansson (1978)

  • Swedish sawmill 'finishers' - the job is isolated, repetitive and highly skilled
  • Looked at causes of stress and measuring stress
  • High risk group as well as a control group(+)
  • Mixed method approach - self-report and urine samples (+)
  • Small sample size (-)
  • Can't generalise data (-)
• Johansson findings - people whose jobs involve responsibility for meeting targets and that have a lack of social contact were more stressed than others.
• A stressor is any stimulus that causes a person to experience stress and is subjective to interpretation.
• The freeze response is where the person remains highly alert whilst conserving energy for the fight or flight which can follow this response.
• Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline suppress immunity, making those who are stressed more susceptible to viral infections.
• Stress causes strain on the cardiovascular system because adrenaline increases heart rate and blood pressure. High levels of cortisol and adrenaline can contribute to coronary heart disease.
• People who are stressed develop coping strategies that might cause the harmful physiological effects of stress.
• People who are stressed are more likely to:

  • smoke
  • drink alcohol
  • eat unhealthily
• Cognitive behavioural therapies aim to improve mental health by actively changing the way people think about a situation.
• Stress inoculation therapy aims to protect people form the psychological and physiological effects of stress.
• Exercise reduces the levels of stress hormones in the bloodstream and elevates the levels of endorphins - the bodies natural painkillers.