Impact of Stress

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Impact of Stress

• Lecture 2 of Workshop 3
• PSY 350 Adult Development

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Diathesis-Stress Model

• Diathesis predisposition (genetics) of body to
  disease or disorder
• Stress environment conditions elicit or are ripe
  for the disease or disorder

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Stress

• Factors in environment which offer challenge,
  distress, problems to solve, each unique to each
  individual
• Most potent recall of emotionally charged
  experiences (Lown, 1987)

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Definitions of Stress

• Quality of an external stimulus
• Response to a stimulus
• Results from interaction between stimulus
  response
• Stress-process involves
• environmental event (a stressor),
• its appraisal by individual
• various responses of organism
• reevaluations resulting from responses changes
  in stressor

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Stress Process
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Physiological Effects of Stress

• Sympathetic Nervous System (system responsible
  for mobilizing body resources in urgent
  situations) stimulate the adrenal medulla of the
  adrenal glands
• The adrenal stimulation results in production of
  catecholamines, Epinephrine Norepinephrine
  (effect bodys heart rate, respiration, blood
  flow muscle strength)

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Physiological Effects of Stress

• Stress causes pituitary gland (structured
  connected to hypothalamus in forebrain) to
  release andreno-corticotropic hormone (ACTH)
• ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex of the adrenal
  gland to secrete glucocorticoids. The most
  important is cortisol which mobilizes bodys
  resources by increasing energy and decreasing
  inflammation especially in injuries

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Negative Impact of Prolonged Stress Response

• Negative impact on body organs, mental
  functioning Immune system
• Affect immune system so cannot destroy viruses,
  bacteria, tumors, irregular cells
• Still not clear total impact of stress on
  immunosuppression in any case it is important
  influence on health and illness