Stress & Adaptation

response from SANS that prepares the body to fight off the stressor or run away from it.

conscious or unconscious behaviors used to decrease stress and anxiety

Unconscious reactors to stress • Function: protect person’s self estem (if used excessively, can distort reality/create problems

well-being relies on meeting fundamental psychological needs, like feeling loved, a sense of belonging, safe and secure, have self-esteem.

the body’s ability to maintain a relatively constant internal environment

Stress: • condition when the human system responds to change in its normal balanced state -> Each person’s perception and responses to stress are structured by culture, family, genetic inheritance and life experiences Stressors: • anything that is perceived as challenging, threatening or demanding -> Example: Physiologic & Psychosocial Adaptation: • the change that takes place as a result of a stressor; process of change (a threat to your safety, coping response occurs)

C PINGH • Chemical agents • physical agents • infectious agents • nutritional imbalances • genetic or immune disorders • hypoxia

Include real or perceived threats

Stress disrupts normal body functions: - W BIID • Weakens Immunity • Behavioral changes • Increases BP • Increased Lipids • Disrupts Hormones

Prolonged periods

Autonomic Nervous System Endocrine System Respiratory System Cardiovascular System Gastrointestinal Renal System

localized response of the body to stress (one specific body part) • Reflex Pain Responses • Inflammatory Reponse

Reflex Pain Response: • Rapid automatic response of the Central Nervous System to pain • Ex: when you accidentally touch a hot pan and you pull your hand back instantly Inflammatory Response: • Serves to localize and prevent spread of infections; promote wound healing • Ex: When you cut your finger, you develop inflammatory responses (pain, swelling, heat and redness).

Biochemical model of stress that describes the body’s general response to pain 3 Stages: • Alarm reaction • Stage of Resistance • Stage of Exhaustion

Alarm Reaction: • stressors initiate mechanisms 2 Phases within Alarm Reaction: • Shock Phase: Fight or flight response -> ↑ Energy levels -> ↑ O2 intake -> ↑ Cardiac Output -> ↑ BP -> ↑ Mental Alertness • Countershock phase: reversal of body changes

Stage of Resistance: • body attempt to adapt to stressor (vital signs return to normal) • If stress can be manages to small area, the body regains homeostasis • If the stress is prolonged or strong enough to overwhelm the body; adaptive mechanisms become exhausted

Stage of exhaustion: • Adaptive mechanisms can no longer provide defense • Body could either rest and mobilize its defenses to return to normal or reach total exhaustion and die

Effective Coping Mechanisms: • Laughing • Sleeping • Physical activity • Exercise • Taking a deep breath • Using practices mindfulness/centering exercises • Verbally debriefing with another person • Journaling • Engaging in an enjoyable activity as a distraction Ineffective Coping Mechanisms: • Cursing • Smoking • Drinking • Lack of eye contact • Ignoring the stressor • Withdrawal • Limiting relationships

False: depending on the situation, crying can either be an effective and ineffective coping mechanism

• Exercise • Sleep • Nutrition

Exercise: • helps maintain physical and emotional health -> Improves sense of well being, relieves tension -> enables coping with day-to-day stressors

Sleep: • Adequate sleep helps body maintain homeostasis and restore energy levels -> 7-9 hours of sleep

Nutrition: • Nutrition helps maintain body’s homeostatic mechanisms • Eat nutrient-dense food -> Limit sugars, saturated fat, and alcohol • Practice portion control -> Obesity and Malnutrition are major stressors

• Relaxation • Mindfulness • Anticipatory Guidance