STRESS

Stress and Health• A person’s feeling of being unable to meet a certain

expectation• The event or situation that causes stress is a stressor.

• Not all stressors are equal. I am not stressed by backpacking in the wilderness, but you might be.

• I am, however, stressed by ice-skating, a situation where I fall on my backside often and cling to my wife for stability.

• Harmful stress that causes us anxiety is called distress

Stress and Health• Increased stress impacts our immune system

• Can cause a build up of steroids in our body and sucks away energy that would normally be used fight off disease

• Headaches are often caused by prolonged tension of the muscles in our neck, shoulders & scalp• Migraines are more rare and more severe: can have physical or

stress-related triggers

Stress and Health• Cancer: stress can impact developing & fighting cancer

• Our body normally develops cancerous cells but destroys them easily

• Genetics, lifestyle patterns and other factors play into a person’s cancer experiences as well.

Conflict Situations• Many times, stress comes from situations in which we

must make a decision.• Conflict Situation: when a person must choose between

two or more options, usually with opposing motives

Conflict Situations• Approach-Approach: must choose between two attractive

options.• Ex. Do you order the lobster or the steak?• Typically, this type of “conflict” generates low-stress

• Avoid-Avoid: must make a decision between two disagreeable options• Ex. Your brakes stop working; do you smash into a tree or into the

median wall?• Stress tends to be higher, often stuck picking “between the lesser

of two evils”

Conflict Situations• Approach-Avoid: situation that has both enjoyable and

disagreeable consequences• Ex. Do I go ask my boss for a raise? Do I ask that cute girl out on a

date?

• Double Approach-Avoid: you must choose between options that have both enjoyable and disagreeable consequences• Ex. Pick up dinner from Wendy’s? fast, “delicious”, makes you fat

• Or make broiled salmon & steamed broccoli at home? Takes time and may be “less” delicious, but none of the “Wendy’s guilt”

Conflict Situations• Deciding between waiting for your boyfriend to get off of

work and just heading out with your friends w/o him.• Double Approach-Avoid: both options will have positive & negative

consequences

• Deciding between two puppies.• Approach-Approach: either way, you get a puppy!

Conflict Situations• Deciding between studying for Chem. or for Govt.

• Avoid-Avoid: unless you really enjoy studying for one

• Do you choose to meet your biological father?• Approach-Avoid: could lead to a healthy resolution of feelings of

guilt or anger, could lead you to be even more uncomfortable with the past.

Conflict Situations• The chess player’s decision to make a strange move that

puts his king more at risk.• Approach-Avoid: She is more open to an attack, but he might also

get her opponent to make a hasty decision.

• Just about any round in the game “Would you rather…”• Avoid-Avoid: Between burning or freezing to death, I’d rather not

make the decision.

• Choosing between Cleveland State and OU main campus• Double Approach-Avoid: Cleveland State would be cheaper & you

wouldn’t have to leave your fwiends (that also stay…), but OU Main would be a great opportunity for you to really stretch your wings.