Acute stress

• response to immediate threat
• perceived threat by hypothalamus
• Hypothalamus alerts ANS (autonomic nervous system)
• ANS causes sympathetic NS reaction
• Sympathetic signals adrenal medulla which releases adrenaline
• The para-sympathetic branch dampens the response then you calm down
• Fight or flight response- ready to react
• muscles work harder, mouth dry and sweating to cool to the overworked system
• Mentality of facing stress whether it is bad for you or not, threat or challenge
• Symptoms and stress is biological therefore universal
• no action after fight or flight response left in state of arousal - problems
• high adrenaline and cardiovascular disorder, high heart rate and BP (due to constriction of blood vessels, arteries blocked)
• Feelings of

  • Anger
  • fear
  • paranoia
• Episodic- repeated (can become part of personality or lifestyle)