3A Stress

• Stress is a psychological and physiological state of tension in response to a stimulus
• Internal and external stressors cause psychological and physiological stress responses
• Flight-or-fight-or-freeze response in acute stress and the role of cortisol in chronic stress
• Acute stress is intense and brief, while chronic stress endures for several months or longer
• Distress is negative stress, while eustress is positive stress
• Yerkes-Dodson Law shows the relationship between arousal level and performance
• Stressors can be internal (physiological or psychological) or external (daily pressures or life events)
• Examples of internal stressors: hunger, illness, pessimistic attitude, low self-esteem
• Examples of external stressors: upcoming exam, financial difficulties, relationship conflicts, being overworked
• Stress responses can be physiological (skin rashes, headaches) or psychological (irritability, aggression)
• Fight-flight-freeze response is activated by the sympathetic nervous system during acute stress
• The fight-flight-freeze response involves confronting, escaping, or freezing in response to a threat
• Cortisol is the 'stress hormone' that aids in repairing damage and combating stress
• Cortisol is more prominent in chronic stress and can be nine times higher when stressed
• Prolonged stress can negatively impact health and wellbeing, leading to psychosomatic illness
• Stress does not cause illness, but the severity and length of stress can increase susceptibility to health concerns
• Stress is considered a psychobiological process due to the relationship between psychological factors and physiological symptoms