STRESS

• perceived environmental, social, physical demands exceed ability to cope
• threaten well-being
• fight or flight
• acute= immediate
• chronic= prolonged/ ongoing

Stress= increase pupil size, increase heart rate, sweat, glycogen turned into glucose, adrenal medulla stimulated release adrenaline

• stress arouse autonomic nervous system (ANS) which is automatic
• divided into- 1. sympathetic pathway (fight or flight prep) 2. parasympathetic pathway (return relaxation)
• exposed acute stressors= SNS activated prepare fight or flight
• key part= sympathetic adrenal medullary system (SAM)

• acoute stressor --> activate autonomic nervous system --> sympathetic branch (SNS) --> noradrenaline --> adrenal medulla/ SAM --> adrenaline --> fight of flight response/ reaction

• pituitary adrenal system (HPA)
• control level cortisol, stress related hormones
• hard activate HPA

Hypothalamus: stressor percived, message sent hypothalamus (control system over bodies hormones), activation part hypothalamus called PVN, produces CRF released into blood stream response to stress

Pituitary gland- CRF arrive at pituitary gland & make it produce ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) released into blood stream head to adrenal glands

Adrenal cortex: releases cortisol (some effects good, some bad), prolonged ACTH= adrenal cortex gets bigger cope increase amount of cortisol production, LT deficiany= shrink

• 20 min process complete
• efficient

message sent hypothalamus --> activate PVN --> produces CRF --> CRF pituitary gland produce ACTH --> adrenal cortex releases cortisol --> prolonged ACTH= bigger adrenal cortex, deficiancy = shrink

• natural experiment
• psychological stress damage immune system

• 2 groups, matched pairs design, volunteer sample- 1. caregivers look after relative Alzheimer's 8+ years 2. control PPs women matched based income, age, family
• CGs score higher on percieved stress scale
• functioning immune system measured punch biopsy forearm (time heal)
• observe time heal using photographing regularly and observe response hydrogen peroxide
• small amount blood- analysis before punch biopsy

• CGS= longer 48.7 days
• PPs= 39.3 days
• CGS larger wound size
• CGS produce lower Interleukin B levels than PPs (speeds wound healing)

increase psychological stress levels does damage functioning immune system

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• supporting evidence, Riley's mice- inject cancerious cells, some stress made walk rotating timetable 10 mins per hour per day. after 3 days stressed mice more likely produce tumours than no stress. Stress reduce immunity= illness. Back up Kiecolt-Glaser
• practical applicaitons- improve quality some people's lives, avoid stress and danger
• high ecological validity- natural experiment= PPs natural environment, no demand characterisitics, apply findings real situations

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• reseach= REDUCTIONIST. Evans et al claim too simple say stress impair immune S functioning, effects on parts. Individual measures state immune S vary types of stress- OVERSIMPLISITC
• sample bias- matched pairs= more carers married and non-smokers than PPs, both vairabls= low stress (social support, smoking= bad immune functioning) NOT GENERALISABLE
• nat exp- can't establish cause & effects. Immune S may be genetics, personality types, home life etc
• small sampe- volunteer- motives?

• major life event= significant event cause change way live daily lives, disrupt normal routine
• normal routin= disrupted, more netal energy 'psychic energy', more thought needed= exhaustion, less able cope
• mismatched perceived ability cope with perceived demands= stress
• negative of positive

• Holmes & Rahe: SRRS scale (social reajustment rating scale) based 43 life events analysis 50 patient records

RAHE ET AL

• military version SSRS men, 3 navy cruisers, 2700 men
• fill questionnaire before tour of duty, notal all life events over 6 months
• illness score calculated number & severity illnesses recorded over TOD
• positive correlation life changes unit score and illness score= +0.118. Although not strong, given amount of PPs very significant
• hypothesis= positive correlation life C's and illness
• LCs= stress stress= illness
• change rather than negativity important

:( BIAS GROUP, PERSONAL DIFFERENCES

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• no account individual perceive events- ignores diff events diff significance diff people, individual perceptions alter
• reasearch SSRS suggest any life event damage health due to reajustment needed BUT some critics= quality of event, undesired/uncontrollable= most harmful
• research data= correlational- cannot establish cause & effect EV variables- only 2 co-variables, ignore personality, social support etc

• life events= infrequent
• daily life hassles= better measure
• DeLongis et al measure life events scale with own daily hassles scale see which better predictor later health problems
• also consider uplifts

• PPS complete 4 questionnaires once a month 1 year (longitudunal)
• hassles scale (117 hassles, losing things, crimes etc)
• uplifts scale (135 uplifts, recreation)
• life events questionnaire (24 major life events)
• health status questionnaire- health status, bodily symptoms enegery levels
• 100 PPs San Francisco 45-64
• well educated, high income

• frequency & intensity hassles significantly correlated overall health status & bodily symptoms
• daily uplifts little effect health
• no relationship health and life events

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• stronger association daily hassles & illness than life events & illness, hassles= more useful predictor of health
• good insight into daily hassles

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• problems SSRS also same with daily hassles scale, correlational- hard prove cause and effect
• individual differences way interpret daily hassles- lack generalisability
• retorspective- reflect on occurance, when ill more likely to over-report negative events and under-report positive ones, inaccurate memories/repressions
• original sample people over 45, sample bias, affect results
• cultural bias/limitations- all San Fran, lack generalisability
• low population validity, age bias 45-64, well educated, high income, lack generalisability

• hassles= irritants, annoy/bother you, upset or angry
• uplifts= events make feel good, joyful, happy, satisfied
• some rare some regular, day to day life 

• investigate role control plays causing stress in workplace
• relate stress to physical health

• sample finishers END production line Swedish sawmill
• little control rate of production, most likely stressed
• recorded level of stress hormones during work days & rest days, looked absenteeism

• finishers work days= stressful, little control rate of production/ speed of line, yet they responsible wages whole sawmill
• phsyical stress- noisy environ
• high levels adrenaline work days, took more days off than control group cleaners

• lots of stressors= stress= illness
• rotate job responsibilities around mill stress levels reduced finishers

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• supporting evidence MARMOT, 7000 civil service, lower status jobs less control over work, result- more likely heart disease than those in higher jobs. BACKED UP lack of control causing stress
• practical applications- factos like control important may be possible reduce stress .e.g job rotation etc. Can improve some people's quality of life

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• opposing evidence- BAYNARD- many factors cause stress @ work not just lack of control- e.g reptitive boring jobs, low income difficult exact features causing stress. May be incorrect- oversimplification of stress
• doesn't take into account individual differences, deal with stress differently, some thrive pressure others don't, not everyone experience stress as 'finisher' in same way, OVERGENERALISATION

• longitudinal study
• 7000 civil servants complete questionnaire on workload, job control & social support received from others
• check signs of cardiovasular disorder
• 5 years later- PPs reassessed see if health status had changed

• workload- no link high workload and stress illness, workload not siginificant factor
• control- civial servants higher grade develop fewer cardiovascular diseases lower grades= most, higher= more control over work & social support, lower= less
• CONTROL AND SOCIAL SUPPORT MODERATE IMPACT STRESS

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• large sample size
• longitudunal study- 5 years accounts for all hassles, overtime more confidence in results

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• individual differences
• people respond differently to levels of control
• correlational analysis- cannot establish cause and effect, differences: lifestyle, genetics etc can cause stress

• Freidman & Rosenman

Three characteristics:

1. competitiveness & acheivement striving

2. impatience, time urgency

3. hostility & aggressiveness

lead raise blood pressure increase stress hormone levels

• natural experiment, structured interview
• assess personality 3000 men 39-59, assess way men respond everyday pressures
• A or B

• 8.5 years later twice as many (12%) those Type A had died cardiovascular problems than not A's (type Bs only 6%)
• A also higher blood pressure/ cholesterol

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• Ragland  Brand- follow-up, 22 years later 15% men died cardiovascular problem, no relationship between A & death from cardiovascular
• lack generlisability- 3000 men
• cultural bias - California
• age bias 39- 59
• ethics- protection PPs, didn't provide education intervene... However, natural causes

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• people differ ability resist stressor's effects
• resist stress= hardiness (KOBASA)
• higher hardiness= healthier even if stress levels similar less hardy

Hardy individuals:

1. Commitment, more direction lives, tackle tasks- want to, oraganised, plenty of time

2. Challenge- interpret stress as make life more interesting- devote time & energy want to achieve

3. Control- regulate stress, in charge of lives, aquire knowledge do well

• anti-anexiety drugs, dampen/slow down CNS- Diazepam

GABA:

• GABA= neurotransmitter body's natural for manxiety relief, 40% neurons brain respond GABA, when released 'quietening' effect neurons
• react GABA receptors in membrane post-synaptic cell
• GABA lock on receptors opens channel
• increase flow chloride ions into neurons
• chrlodie make harder neurons to be stimulated other neurotransmitters (excitation)

• reduce activity adrenaline/ noradrenaline
• beind receptor sites of heart & other parts body normally stimulated during sympathetic arousal

• make it harder activate post-synaptic cells
• message does not get the body to react to the stress

• cognitive behavioural therapy
• stress arise interpretation events- perceive threatening & not resources deal adequately= stress response
• cognitive representation of event, not environment itself, determines stress response

• MEICHENBAUM- STRESS INOCLUATION THERAPY
• catastrophise
• aims train people cope effectively potential stress situations

1. Cognitive preperation- ways stressful situation thought about 'I can't handle this' make it worse

2. Skill aquisition & rehersal- replace negative self-statements with positive. Learned & practicied

3. Application & follow through- guide person progressively more stressful situations

moderate then more difficult

'power positive thinking' effective behaviour change- relaxtion & anxiety

• investigate effectivenss SIT
• study anxious pre-exam college students

• quasi- experimental method
• 3 conditons: 1. 8 weks SIT, 2. 8 weeks systematic dispensation 3. no therapy- waiting list
• efficiency SIT evaluated exam performance & self-reports
• perfom & felt well in exam= SIT work

• SIT group most positive self-reports, out-performed others, waiting list= anxious

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• target stress directly, identify stress develop effecitve techniques deal with it
• benefits of SIT long term, deal directly stressors teaches ways handling stress may appear in future
• SIT= flexible, cognitive methods, consider needs individual can tailor persons specific situation

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• self-reports not always reliable- may not have worked
• SIT not easy, quick, cheap, clients have to motivated openly discuss experiences, practice stress management techniques confront stressor