Chapter 4: Developing Mastery over

StressDr. M. Davis-Brantley

Understanding Stress

• Difference between Stress Mastery and Stress Management– Stress Management—dealing with stress

is just another thing we have to learn to do; includes exercises that you must do. Takes too much time.

– Stress Mastery—should become part of your life and is not work and understanding stress can help you to master it. Increases awareness

What is Stress?

• Positive and Negative Stress• Eustress is referred to as positive stress• Some of stress can help motivate you to

perform and meet the challenges of life• The physiological and psychological aspects of

the arousal produced by stress can be useful but also can harm you– Over arousal leads to the negative stress of anxiety– Under arousal leads to the negative

stress=boredom

• Life Readjustment Scale

Physical Consequences of Stress

• Glucocorticoid is a stress hormone

• High levels of this hormone cause white blood cells to migrate to the bone marrow and so they are not available later to combat disease

Physical Consequences Cont’d

• Hypertension is a stress related which afflicts ~50 million

• Cholesterol levels rise during periods of stress

• Overproduction of ACTH (result of stress) can impede endorphin production which is a natural pain killer

Psychological Consequences

• Stress is a major factor in the development of anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc…

• Depression is the #1 cause of disability in the U.S.

• Correlation between stress and alcohol/drug problems

Fight or Flight Response

Physiology of Stress

• Fight or Flight Response– A survival mechanism in humans and

most animals which prepares us to deal with physical danger

• Importance of Homeostasis

Fight or Flight Limitations

• System should only be elicited in the event of actual physical danger

• Daily stressor begins to elicit an autonomic response – Heart rate increases when boss calls you into

their office

• Past stressors used to have a clear beginning and end this is not the case recently

Fight or Flight Physical Responses

Body Part• Heart• Lungs• Muscles• Stomach• Sweat Glands• Adrenal Gland• Immune System

Stress Response• Faster pulse/ stronger

contraction• Faster/Shallow Breathing• Tightened & Stiff• Decreased Digestion• Increased Perspiration• Increased Adrenaline • Decreased Resistance to

Disease

Stress Sensitization

• General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) explains the current phenomenon of how we cope with stress (See figure 4.4, p. 77)– Stage 1: Alarm Reaction

• Activation of the fight/flight response– Stage 2: Stage of Resistance

• Fight/flight response should deactivate but with modern day stressors, subtle signs of the stressor persist

• During this time our neural/glandular systems remain active and leave us overstimulated

– Stage 3: Stage of Exhaustion• When the stressor has existed for chronic period and body begins to harm

itself I.e., immune system, heart, brain

• Stress Sensitization– The body becomes sensitive to stress and the smallest amount of

stress leads to chemical reactions in our brain/body which results in the triggering of a physiological response

– Book example: running late for an appointment, calls the body to react as if this was a life or death situation

Mind-Body Connection

• Placebo Effect• Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)

– The study of the relationship between stress, our immune system and health

• Research and PNI– Biopsy wounds healed more slowly in women who were

under high levels of stress– HIV/AIDs patients with high cortisol levels (stress

hormone) have been found to have more illness as a result of their disorder

Chapter 5: Part II

Techniques to Master Stress

Mind-Body Connection

• Mind and Body were previously believed to be completely separate entities

• Later discovered to be extremely interconnected and interdependent– as historically thought

• Our bodies trigger our thoughts (mind) and our minds trigger bodily reactions

De-Stressing

• First step is to change the way we view stressful situations and then learning to actually relax the body

• Several strategies and techniques which can be beneficial in allowing the body to de-stress

How Do We Change Our View of Stressful Events

By Changing our Perception

Relaxation

• Active Relaxation vs. Passive Relaxation– Active Relaxation is necessary relaxation aimed

at reducing the fight/flight response• This restores the body and returns the body to

homeostasis• Actually must be aware of your body and the body’s

physiological reactions

– Passive Relaxation involves simple inactivity and temporary distraction from stress

• Active relaxation has been found to be significantly more effective at reducing stress levels than passive relaxation

Diaphragmatic Breathing

• Natural antidote to stress• Physiologically the body utilizes oxygen to

react and function adequately• Breathing allows the body to have a balance

between the carbon dioxide and oxygen1. One hand on your diaphragm and one on

your chest. Focus on allowing the hand on your stomach to rise (like a balloon) not the chest (Practice)

2. Be in the moment, focus on your breathing ad nothing else

Self-Awareness

• Self-awareness involves the ability to focus on the self and be in the moment

• Often times, we attempt to be in the moment however, often get distracted by the other areas of our lives

• Since we are allowed to choose our responses to stressors, being self-aware can provide an individual with the opportunity to step away, recharge, and think of the stressor in a different way

• Witnessing Stance involves stepping out of yourself, as a witness to your own life, and gather a new perspective on life– View of self from the outside of the self

• Metacognition-the ability to think about your thinking– Being aware of your thinking and how you think can significantly

influence your ability to change the way we think about situations

Stress Hardiness

• Researcher Kobasa outlined attitudes possessed by individuals who appeared to be resistant to negative stress. These individuals exhibited the following:

1. Control—these individuals believe they are in control of their lives and do not allow the stressor to control their lives

– These individuals recognize that they don’t have direct control over events, but they know they can control their reaction to the stressor

– Involves engaging in proactive behavior and possessing an internal locus of control

2. Commitment—this involves believing that what you do is of value and importance

– These individuals have a “zest for life” and realize that “Happiness is not about getting what you want, but about appreciating what you have”

3. Challenge—Although we all encounter difficulties, these individuals see difficulties as challenges and the opportunity to improve oneself

Other Relaxation Strategies

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation • Intuitive Stretching• Guided Imagery• Staying Healthy—Not just a technique but a way of

life– Exercise releases pent up energy and muscle

tension and helps the body return to homeostasis– Benefits of Exercise include: Decrease in stress

hormones (cortisol), Decrease in Depression, Increase in self-esteem, Increased sense of well-being, and Decease in Anxiety

– Vitamins & Diet can impact the effect of stress on the body, in that stress demands an increase for vitamins