Describe stressors

Stress

• Stress can be defined as a negative emotional experience accompanied by various physiological, cognitive, and behavioral reactions.

• Stress is thought to be one of the principal causes of psychological distress and physical illness.

Describe stressors

Stressors• A stressor is any adverse experience

(physiological, psychological or social) that causes a stress response.

• The stressor must be perceived as stressful by an individual to activate the stress response.

• There are individual variations as to what is perceived as stressful and research shows that humans can imagine stressors and experience the same physiological arousal as from external environmental stressors (Sapolsky, 1998)…..

• in other words just thinking about it can feel the same as it is actually happening.

Describe stressors

Stressors

• Stressors are described as acute (i.e. sudden) or chronic (i.e. persisting over a longer period of time).

• Stressors may or may not cause stress in an individual depending on the person's capacity to cope with the stressors.

Describe stressors

Acute stressors

Examples are:• being diagnosed as

seriously ill, being involved in an accident or being injured

• life events such as the death of a loved one, divorce, being fired, or not getting admitted to a university.

Describe stressors

Chronic stressorsExamples are:• social stressors such as

poverty, illness, or being responsible for many young children

• unemployment, being bullied at work, or work place stressors

• violent relationships.

Describe stressors

Life events as stressorsHolmes and Rahe (1967)

• observed that major life changes often preceded illness.

• These events could be both positive and negative but they were perceived as stressful because the change required that the person should adapt to a new situation.

• Social Readjustment Rating Scale• The list of life events presented

by Holmes and Rahe may not apply to all or in that order…they recognize that some stresses are individualistic.

Describe stressors

Describe stressors

Workplace stressors (UK National Work Stress Network)

Examples are:• monotonous, unpleasant or meaningless

tasks• working under time pressure or working

long hours• lack of clear job description• no recognition or reward for good job

performance• heavy responsibility but lack of control or

influence over the demands of the job• harassment or bullying• new management techniques or new

technology• poor leadership and poor communication.

Describe stressors

Social stressors• Social stressors (e.g. chronic

poverty, discrimination, trying to manage both family and job commitments, unemployment, living in a violent environment or\ relationship) could lead to a number of physical and mental health problems.

• Exposure to stressful conditions has been associated with smoking, alcohol, or other substance abuse and dependence. There is also increasing evidence that stress could be linked to overeating and obesity.Describe stressors