Week 6 - Stress & Coping
Effects of Stress
Personality factors (previously labelled type A) have been linked to coronary heart disease.
Emotional reactions can trigger cardiac symptoms
Stress causes decreased immune responses
Psycho-somatic diseases (hypertension, asthma, eczema, migraine headaches)
Chronic stress contributes to many types of physiological problems and mental illnesses
Cancer
Stress results in higher levels of cell mutation by slowing down the repair process
Bowel Disease
Irritable bowel disease – periods of high stress result in greater symptoms, such as bloating, pain, and diarrhoea
Inflammatory bowel disease – evidence of a causal link is limited, but symptoms increase with high stress levels.
Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout
Compassion fatigue is a response to the stress of caring for people at times of crisis
Left untreated, compassion fatigue can lead to burn out
Both are associated with:
Decreased concentration
Minimisation of one type of loss over another
Preoccupation with trauma
Withdrawing/isolating
Loss of a sense of purpose
Impaired immune system
Substance use to mask feelings
Mental and physical chronic fatigue
Stress, Trauma & Resilience
Positive psychology posits that the effects of stress are not necessarily all negative
Stress can promote personal growth or improvement
Conquering a stressful challenge may lead to increased self-efficacy