STRESS 5: Stress Control
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Transcript of STRESS 5: Stress Control
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STRESS 5:Stress Control
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The specification
Stress as a bodily response The body’s response to stress Stress-related illness and the immune system
Stress in everyday life Life changes and daily hassles Workplace stress Personality factors Psychological and biological methods of stress
management
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Outline of Today’s Session
Psychological methods of stress management Stress inoculation therapy Hardiness training
Biological methods of stress management Benzodiazepines Beta blockers
Methods of Stress Management
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Psychological methods focus on changing the extent to which the mind perceives events as stressful
Biological methods focus on reducing the reaction to events that are perceived as stressful
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”― William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Stress Inoculation Therapy (SIT)
Stages Conceptualisation phase Skills acquisition and rehearsal Application phase (and follow-through)
Issues Time consuming Requires high motivation Positive thinking might have same effect
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Anti-anxiety drugs
Benzodiazepines (BZs) enhance GABA quiet the nervous system
Beta-blockers (BBs)
Bind to ‘beta’ receptors of heart, muscles, etc. Weaken binding of adrenaline to receptors, so
less stress response is triggered
Fight-or-flight symptoms reduced Allows anxious person to
get on with task Examples:
Actors, public speakers Sports people, musicians
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Drug therapy – pros and cons
Strengths easy, little effort effectiveness (placebo)
Weaknesses deal with symptoms side effects (BZs aggressiveness) addiction (BZs max 4 weeks)