Stress and Psychology

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Stress and Psychology

• in contrast, but complementary to what we know
  about stress from a physiological perspective

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Changing the normative focus of psychology (i.e.,
prevention vs. intervention)

• Validate the following
• a person can ask for help when needed
• a helper can initiate an offer to help
• Teach methods of coping (e.g., to establish self
  esteem)
• Create ritualistic relationships (e.g., Young
  Life, Marriage Encounter, Weight Watchers, etc.)

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Learning to cope with stress...
Stimulus
Response
operant conditioning
Potential Behaviors
Function of arousal expectation
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This paradigm is referred to as Social Learning
(Albert Bandura)

• Arousal how engaged we become with the stimuli
  we encounter (mental / emotional)

• Expectations
• previous successes related to the behavior (self
  efficacy)
• positive / negative reinforcement (including
  feedback from others)
• encouragement to model specific behaviors

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An additional thought related to expectations...
Ideal
Real Self
Social
Self
Self
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Tendency...
to do what feels best at the moment (intuitive
/ RB) and in ways that worked before (analytical
/ LB)
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Behavior Modification

• One needs to replace a negative response (real or
  perceived) by rewarding a better response
  otherwise, there is a decreased likelihood that
  change will occur.

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Other theories add to our basic understanding of
human behavior

• Sigmund Freud
• Carl Jung
• Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
• Viktor Frankl
• Wayne Dyer
• Leo Buscaglia
• Abraham Maslow

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Sigmund Freud

• humans maintain a level of (instinctual) tension
  that arises from both internal sources
  (instinctual impulses) and external sources which
  attack our ego or identity
• the ego copes with stress through the use of a
  host of defense mechanisms denial, repression,
  projection, rationalization, displacement, and
  humor

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Carl Jung

• human personality depends on a process of
  self-discovery and realization (individuation)
• individuation can reduce psychic tension by
  building a bridge of understanding between the
  conscious and unconscious minds

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Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

• stress can be aroused through the death of unmet
  expectations
• arousal leads to stages of denial, anger,
  bargaining, depression, and acceptance
• resolution of emotional baggage leads to the
  final stage (i.e., acceptance) and inner peace

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Viktor Frankl

• complete life experience includes pain and
  suffering
• searching for the meaning of the suffering will
  help to resolve issues of emotional stress
• focusing on something positive helps to
  facilitate that search (logotherapy)

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Wayne Dyer

• guilt and worry are associated with virtually
  every stressor (erroneous zones)
• guilt is a manifestation of self-anger
• worry is a manifestation of fear

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Abraham Maslow

• personality traits are a reflection of inner
  resources that help people cope with stress and
  achieve psychological health
• self-actualization suggests that humans operate
  on a hierarchy of needs which ultimately
  influence our behaviors

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Hierarchy of Needs
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Leo Buscaglia

• self love is not innate, but rather a response to
  a learned group of stimuli and behaviors
• self love leads to and grows from the process of
  self-discovery and acceptance
• Video The Politics of Love

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Emergency Psychological First Aid

• When coping with a crisis
• 1. Stay optimistic in the face of the crisis.
• 2. Evaluate honestly your strengths and
  weaknesses.
• 3. Keep faith in yourself, your thoughts and
  your actions.
• 4. Do something as an attempt to initiate
  change.
• 5. Take one step at a time.
• 6. Enlist help whenever possible.