Transcript Psychological Factors and Health

Psychological Factors
and Health
Physical, Emotional and
Cognitive Effects of Stress
Factors in Health and Illness
Psychological Factors in
Physical Health Problems
Becoming an Active Health
Consumer
Health Psychology
• The field of
psychology that
studies the
relationships
between
psychological
factors and the
prevention and
treatment of
physical illness.
Physical, Emotional
and Cognitive
Effects of Stress
The Body’s Response to Stress
• General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS):
Selye’s term for a hypothesized threestage response to stress.
• Stage 1: Alarm Reaction
• Stage 2: Resistance
• Stage 3: Exhaustion
The Nervous System
• Note: During
stress, the
sympathetic
nervous system
is activated.
Stage 1: Alarm Reaction
• The first stage of the GAS, which is triggered
by the impact of a stressor and characterized
by activity in the sympathetic division of the
nervous system.
• Sympathetic division: The division of the
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) that is
most active during activities and emotional
responses—such as anxiety and fear– that
spend the body’s reserves of energy.
Stage 2: Resistance Stage
• The second stage of the GAS,
characterized by prolonged sympathetic
nervous system activity in an effort to
restore lost energy and repair damage.
Also called the adaptation stage.
Stage 3: Exhaustion Stage
• If the stressor is not dealt with properly, we may enter
the exhaustion stage. While individual abilities to
deal with stressor vary, if the stressor continues,
everyone will enter the exhaustion stage.
• The exhaustion stage is characterized by weakened
resistance and possible deterioration.
• Continued stress during the exhaustion stage can
lead to “diseases of adaptation” (hives, allergies and
coronary heart disease).
Stress and Emotions
• While positive emotions such as love
and desire fill our days with purpose,
negative emotions can fill us with dread
and make each day a chore to navigate.
Stress can lead to anxiety, anger and
depression.
Stress and Cognition
• Under stress, people may have difficulty
thinking clearly or remaining focused on the
task at hand.
• High levels of bodily arousal that characterize
the alarm reaction stage can impair memory
functioning and problem solving ability
(example: test anxiety).
Immune System
• The system of the body that recognizes and destroys
foreign agents (antigens) that invade the body.
• Stress can weaken the immune system, and
consequently make us more vulnerable to disease.
For example, during stress the body increases the
production of corticosteroids. Corticosteroids
suppress the functioning of the immune system.
• Note: Social Support has been shown to buffer the
effects of stress and enhance the immune system.
The Immune System (cont.)
• White blood cells
(shown here) are
key to fighting off
bacteria and
viruses. However,
stress suppresses
white blood cell
activity.
Factors in Health
and Illness
Multifactorial Model
• The belief that
health and illness
are a function of
multiple factors
involving biological,
psychological, and
cultural domains,
and their
interactions.
Sociocultural Factors
• Ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status all impact
health.
• Ethnicity: The life expectancy of African Americans is
seven years shorter than that of European
Americans.
• Gender: Men are more likely than women to have
Coronary Heart Disease.
• Socioeconomic Status: Less well-educated people
are more likely to smoke and suffer from obesity.
Sociocultural Factors
Deaths per
100,000
Women Aged
35 and Above
from Heart
Disease.
Psychological
Factors In Physical
Health Problems
Headaches
• Headaches are among the most common
stress-related physical ailments. Two of the
most common types are muscle-tension and
migraine.
• Muscle-Tension: The single most frequent
type of headache. Persistent stress can lead
to constant contraction of shoulder, neck
forehead and scalp muscles. Catastrophizing
negative events can also bring on muscle
tension headaches.
Headaches (cont.)
• Migraine: Throbbing headaches caused by wavelike
firing of neurons on the brain, which creates ripples of
neural activity that reach pain centers in the brain
stem.
• Sensory and motor disturbances may precede the
onset of the migraine.
• The underlying causal mechanisms of migraine are
not well understood but appear to be related to
changes in blood flow to the brain and subsequent
imbalances of serotonin.
Treatment of Headaches
• Aspirin, acetaminophen, and prescription
drugs are used to fight headache pain.
Newer drugs combat migraines by balancing
serotonin levels.
• Relaxation Training
• Identify triggers for attacks such as chocolate,
MSG, red wine, fluorescent lights, etc.
Menstrual Problems
• Premenstrual Syndrome refers to a
cluster of physical and psychological
symptoms that afflict some women prior
to menstruation.
• 50-75% of women experience some
discomfort prior to or during
menstruation.
Causes of PMS
• The causes of PMS are not fully understood, but
researchers believe that a women’s sensitivity to
estrogen and progesterone will contribute to PMS.
• PMS also appears to be linked to serotonin
imbalances in the brain. GABA (gamma-amino
butyric acid) also appears to play a role.
• PMS may ultimately be caused by a complex
interaction between hormones and neurotransmitters.
Coronary Heart Disease
• Coronary heart
disease is the
leading cause of
death in the United
States. Some of the
common risk
factors:
• Family History
• Physiological
Conditions
• Patterns of
Consumption
• Type A behavior
• Hostility and Anger
• Job Strain
• Physical Inactivity
Job Strain Model
• Occupations with
high demands and
low control place
workers at greater
risk of heart
disease.
Reducing Risk of CHD
• Stopping Smoking, controlling weight,
and following a healthful diet.
• Reducing Hypertension.
• Lowering low-density lipoprotein serum
cholesterol.
• Modifying Type A behavior.
• Exercising.
Cancer
• Cancer is the number one killer of women in
the United States and the number two killer of
men.
• Cancer is a disease characterized by the
development of abnormal, or mutant cells that
may take root anywhere in the body. Cancer
cells are normally destroyed by our immune
system, but people who have an impaired
immune system (as a result of physical or
psychological factors) are more likely to
develop tumors.
Cancer Risk Factors
•
•
•
•
•
Obesity
High fat intake
Diets low in fiber
Depression
Stress
Cancer Prevention
• Limit exposure to behavioral risk factors
(such as smoking)
• Modify diet by reducing fat and increasing
intake of fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes,
broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage appear to
be helpful.
• Exercise regularly
• Have regular medical checkups
• Regulate exposure to stress
• If living with cancer, maintain hope and a
fighting spirit.
Becoming an Active
Health Consumer
Tips for Talking with Your Doctor
• Describe your complaints clearly and fully. Don’t hold
back, cover up or distort your symptoms.
• Don’t accept a treatment recommendation that you
don’t want. Get another opinion.
• Insist on explanations in plain language.
• Don’t be swayed by a doctor who says your problems
are “all in your head”.
Preventing Mismanaged Care
• Look under the hood
before joining a
health plan.
• Discuss coverage
for hospital stays.
• Insist on your right
to see a specialist.
• Learn what to do in
case of
emergencies.
To the Instructor:
• The preceding slides are intended to provide
you a base upon which to build your
presentation for Chapter 4 of Nevid’s
Psychology and the Challenges of Life.
• For further student and instructor resources
including images from the textbook, quizzes,
flashcard activities and e-Grade plus, please
visit our website: www.wiley.com/college/nevid
Copyright
Copyright 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York,
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