Transcript Stress - Cobb Learning

Stress and Health
Stressed Out? Measuring Stress Levels
Indicate your degree of agreement with each statement by placing a
number in the blank before it. Use the following scale:
4 = never
3 = almost never
2 = sometimes 1 = fairly often
0 = very often
1. How often have you been upset because of something that happened
unexpectedly?
2. How often have you felt that you were unable to control the
important things in your life?
3. How often have you felt nervous and “stressed”?
4. How often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your
personal problems?
5. How often have you felt that things were going your way?
6. How often have you been able to control irritations in your life?
7. How often have you found that you could not cope with all the
things that you had to do?
8. How often have you felt that you were on top of things?
9. How often have you been angered because of things that were
outside your control?
10. How often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you
could not overcome them?
Scoring
For each statement, two numbers represent Type A answers and two numbers
represent Type B answers. Use the scoring sheet to determine how many Type A and
Type B answers you gave. For example, if you circled 1, definitely true, for the first
statement, you chose a Type A answer. Add up all your Type A answers and give
yourself plus 1 point for each of them. Add up all your Type B answers and give
yourself minus 1 point for them.
1. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B
2. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A
3. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B
4. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A
5. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B
6. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A
7. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B
8. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A
9. 1,2 = A; 3,4 = B
10. 1,2 = B; 3,4 = A
Total number of Type A answers: × 1 point each =
Total number of Type B answers: × 1 point each =
Total score (add lines above)
Determine your personality type based on your total score:
+20 to +40 = Definite A +1 to +19 = Moderate A 0 to –19 = Moderate B –20 to –40 =
Definite B
Source: Insel, P. M., & Roth, W. T. (1998). Wellness Worksheets to accompany Core Concepts in Health (8th ed.).
Worksheet #10. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing (1-800-433-1279).
Stress and Personality
Type A
Type B

Feel time pressure.

Relaxed and easygoing.

Easily angered.


Competitive and
ambitious.
But some people fit in
neither type.

Work hard and play hard.

More prone to heart
disease than rest of
population.
Susceptibility to Stress
1 (almost always) to 5 (never) according to how much of the time an item is true of you.

1. I eat at least one hot, balanced meal a day.

2. I get 7–8 hours sleep at least 4 nights a week.

3. I give and receive affection regularly.

4. I have at least one relative within 50 miles on whom I can rely.

5. I exercise to the point of perspiration at least twice a week.

6. I avoid tobacco use (cigarettes, pipe, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco).

7. I consume fewer than 5 alcoholic drinks per week.

8. I am the appropriate weight for my height.

9. I have an income adequate to meet basic expenses.

10. I get strength from my religious beliefs.

11. I regularly attend club or social activities.

12. I have a network of friends and acquaintances.

13. I have one or more friends to confide in about personal matters.

14. I am in good health (including eyesight, hearing, teeth).

15. I am able to speak openly about my feelings when angry or worried.

16. I have regular conversations with the people I live with about domestic problems (e.g., chores, money, and daily living)

17. I do something for fun at least once a week.

18. I am able to organize my time effectively.

19. I drink fewer than 3 cups of coffee (or tea or cola drinks) per day.

20. I take quiet time for myself during the day.

21. I have an optimistic outlook on life.
How to interpret:
To obtain their total scores, students should add the
numbers they placed in front of the 21 items, and
then subtract 21.
32-51= susceptibility to stress.
52 - 77 =serious susceptibility
77+ = extreme susceptibility
Health Psychology
a
subfield of psychology that
focuses on how stress affects our
well being and health
Responding to Stress
Responding to Stress
Responding to Stress
Hans Selye (1907-1982)
program 23; start @ 16:20
 Psychologist
who researched
recurring responses to stress the
he called the general adaptation
syndrome (GAS)
 Discovered various chemicals
caused stress reactions in animals
Seyle’s General Adaptation
Syndrome

Describes our response
to a stressful event.

Three stages
1.
Alarm
2.
Resistance
3.
Exhaustion
General Adaptation
Syndrome
 Alarm
Reaction – nervous system
activated in response to stressor
 Resistance – body responds with
physiological reactions to cope
with the stressor
 Exhaustion – body’s resistance to
stress is depleted (physical
deterioration)
General Adaptation
Syndrome
General Adaptation
Syndrome
General Adaptation
Syndrome
Stress and Conflict

Casey comes home from school where she has to decide
between doing homework or doing house chores. Name that
conflict situation!

Juan wants to goes out to eat at a delicious restaurant, but
knows it will be expensive. Name that conflict situation!

Burt has to decide whether to go to work or go out with
friends. Burt knows going to work gives him the chance to
make money, but not have an enjoyable time. At the same
time, going out with friends allows Burt to have a good time,
but he wont have any money in his wallet. Name that conflict
situation!

Kim must decide where to go on her vacation, the Caribbean
or Hawaii. Hmmm What will she decide? Name that conflict
situation!
Stress and Disease
Humans
Changes in Housing
Marital Problems
School Stress (Testing)
General Anxiety
 Lymphocytes
 white blood cells; two types
 B lymphocytes - form in the bone marrow and
release antibodies that fight bacterial
infections
 T lymphocytes - form in the thymus and,
among other duties, attack cancer cells,
viruses, and foreign substances

Stress-Cancer Connection
 Evidence
for a connection is not
conclusive.
 Two conclusions:
Stress does not create cancer
cells.
Stress affects the body’s
malignancy- fighting ability.
Perceived Control
#22

Health consequences of a loss of control
“Executive” rat
To shock control
“Subordinate” rat
To shock source
Control rat
No connection
to shock source
Martin Seligman (1942 American
)
psychologist
 Proponent of positive psychology
Psychological Coping
Strategies

Cognitive Strategy - a mental technique in which we
try to convince our brains to feel something
different from what the incoming impulses may say.

Cognitive appraisal - interpretation of an event
that determines stress impact
1.
Denial - deciding that an event isn’t a stressor
2.
Intellectualization - watching a situation from a
detached standpoint
Relaxation Techniques

Progressive relaxation - Reduces muscle tension.
People purposely tense a particular muscle group &
then relax it.

Meditation- Reduces both physical & psychological
responses to stress

Biofeedback - technique for bringing specific body
processes - blood pressure & muscle tension under
control.
Other Techniques

Religion

Exercise

Optimistic Outlook

Support Groups

Improving Interpersonal Skills

Training
Exercise and Mental
Health
The Faith Factor Explained
The Faith Factor Explained
The Faith Factor Explained
The Faith Factor Explained
The Faith Factor Explained
Optimism
 The
tendency to expect the best
 Believe bad events are:
Temporary
Not their fault
Will not have broader effects
beyond the present
circumstances