PSYCHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION OF STRESS

BY- HARIOM GANGWARMSC NURSING 1 yrPSYCHIATRIC NURSING

Introduction: In psychology stress is a feeling of

strain and pressure. Small amounts of stress may be desired, beneficial, and even healthy. Positive stress helps improve athletic performance.

It also plays a factor in motivation, adaptation, and reaction to the environment. Excessive amounts of stress, however, may lead to bodily harm.

Stress can increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, ulcers, dwarfism, and mental illnesses such as depression.

Terminology 1. Stress “ In a medical or biological context stress is

a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be external (from the environment, psychological, or social situations) or internal (illness, or from a medical procedure). Stress can initiate the "fight or flight" response, a complex reaction of neurologic and endocrinologic systems”.

Categories of stress Distress- can threaten health(continual

financial worries Eustress – good stress (passionate kiss) Developmental – Associated with life stages

(e.g –college ,graduation) Situational –Random, unpredictable (e.g.

Hurricane or accidents) Physiological – affect body structure /function (

diseases or mobility problems Psychological –arise from life events (e.g work

pleasure ,family arguments )

Cont..

2. STRESSOR “ stressor are themselves neither positive nor

negative but they can have positive and negative effects as the persons responds to the changes.”

1. The environmental stressors: Noise, pollution ,traffic, crowding , and weather 2. Physiological stressors : Illness ,injuries, hormonal ,fluctuations, inadequate

sleep or nutrition. 3. Social stressor : Financial problems , work demands ,social

events ,losing a loved one, etc.

The physiological of stress

“Fight or Flight” Response When the body encounters a stressor, it prepares itself for

“fight or flight.” Identify the adaptation responses that occur in the initial stress response in each of the physical components listed.

Physical component Adaptation Response Adrenal medulla Eye Respiratory system Cardiovascular system Gastrointestinal system Liver Urinary system Sweat glands Fat cells

The physiological of stresscont..

Releases norepinephrine and epinephrine. Pupils dilate. Secretion is increased from lacrimal glands.

Bronchioles dilate. Respiration rate is increased. Increased force of cardiac contraction Increased cardiac output Increased heart rate Increased blood pressure Decreased gastric and intestinal motility

The physiological of stresscont..

Decreased secretions Sphincters contract Increased glycogenolysis and

gluconeogenesis Decreased glycogen synthesis Increased ureter motility Bladder muscle contracts Bladder sphincter relaxes Increased secretion Lipolysis 

Stress response Adrenal medulla :-   - Releases norepinephrine and epinephrine Eye :- - pupil dilate -secretion is increased from lacrimal glands Respiratory system :- -Bronchioles dilate. -Respiration rate is increased Cardiovascular system :- -Increased force of cardiac contraction -Increased cardiac output -Increased heart rate -Increased blood pressure

Stress responsecont...

Gastrointestinal system :- -Decreased gastric and intestinal motility -Sphincters contract -Decreased secretions Liver :- -Increased glycogenolysis -Decreased glycogen synthesis  Urinary system :- -Increased ureter motility -Bladder muscle contracts -Bladder sphincter relaxes Skin :- -Increased secretions Liver :- -lipolysis

Stress mastery Stress Mastery Stress Mastery is the

utilization of coping strategies in the response to stressful situations.

Adaptive coping strategies protect the individual from harm and restore physical and psychological homeostasis.

Coping strategies are considered maladaptive when the conflict being experienced goes unresolved or intensifies

Effects of chronic stress

Increase Gluconeogenisis Decrease Immune Decrease inflammatory response Retention of sodium and water Decrease in libido, frigidity and

impotence Increase in blood pressure 

Psychological adaptation of stress

Anxiety and grief have been described as two major, primary psychological response patterns to stress.

A variety of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are associated with each of these response patterns.

Adaptation is determined by the extent to which the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interfere with an individual’s functioning. 

Psychological adaptation of stresscont..

1. Mind body interaction 2. Anxiety 3. Coping mechanisms1. Mind body interaction:- humans react to threats of danger as if they were physiologic

threats of a person perceives the threat on an emotional level& the body prepares itself to either resist the danger or to run away from it. Each person reacts in

Backache Constipation Diarrhea Dilated pupils Dry mouth Headache nausea Sleep disturbances

Psychological adaptation of stresscont..

2. Anxiety :- -A diffuse apprehension that is vague in nature

and is associated with feelings of uncertainty and helplessness.

-Extremely common in our society. -Mild anxiety is adaptive and can provide

motivation for survival.  Peplau’s four levels of anxiet Mild – seldom a problem Moderate – perceptual field diminishes Severe – perceptual field is so diminished

that concentration centers on one detail only or on many extraneous details

Panic – the most intense state

Cont...

Anxiety at the moderate to severe level that remains unresolved over an extended period of time can contribute to a number of physiological disorders – for example, migraine headaches, IBS, and cardiac arrhythmias.

• Extended periods of repressed severe anxiety can result in psychoneurotic patterns of behaving – for example, anxiety disorders and somatoform disorders.

Cont...

Extended periods of functioning at the panic level of anxiety may result in psychotic behavior; for example, schizophrenic, schizoaffective, and delusional disorders.

At the mild to moderate level ,the ego calls on defence mechanism for protection .

Cont...

3. Coping mechanism:- DENIAL DISPLACEMENT INTROJECTION PROJECTION RATIONALIZATION REACTION FORMATION REPRESSION SUBLIMATION UNDOING COMPENSATION

Intervention to reduce anxiety

a). Exercise:- Regular exercises help to maintain physical & emotional health.

b). Rest and sleep:- Rest and sleep helps the body to maintain homeostasis & restore energy levels.

c). Nutrition:- It plays an important role in maintaining the body’s homeostatic mechanisms & in increasing resistance to stress. Obesity & malnutrition are major stressors & greatly increase the risk of illness.

d). Encouraging the use of support system:- Support system provides emotional support that helps a person identify & verbalize feelings associated with stress.

Stress adaptation model

Three main models of stress :1. Stimulus based model 2. Response based model3. Transaction based model 1. Stimulus based model:- Acc. To this model ,stress is defined as a

stimulus ,a life event ,or a set of circumstances that arouses physiologic and psychological reactions that may increase the individual’s vulnerability to illness.

Stress adaptation model cont..

2. Response model :- selyes stress response is characterized by a

chain or pattern of physiologic events called the General adaptation syndrome.

General adaptation syndrome:- According to “Hans Selye” Three distinct stages:- a) ALARM REACTION STAGE b) STAGE OF RESISTANCE c) STAGE OF EXHAUSTION

Stress adaptation model cont..

a) ALARM RESPONSE :- This is the “ Fight or Flight” response that

prepares the body for immediate action.b) STAGE OF RESISTANCE :-  If the source persists, the body prepares for

long-term protection, secreting hormones to increase blood sugar levels. This phase is common and not necessarily harmful, but must include periods of relaxation and rest to counterbalance the stress response. Fatigue, concentration lapses, irritability and lethargy result as the stress turns negative.

Stress adaptation model cont..

c) STAGE OF EXHAUSTION :- In chronic stress situations, sufferers

enter the exhaustion phase: emotional, physical and mental resources suffer heavily, the body experiences ‘ adrenal exhaustion’ leading to decreased stress tolerance, progressive mental and physical exhaustion, illness and collapse.

Stress adaptation model cont..

3.Transaction based model :- Transaction theories of stress are

based on the work of lazarus (1966).The Lazarus transaction stress theory encompasses a set of cognitive ,effective and adaptive response that arise out of person –environment transactions.

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