Akira Kaede/Getty Images Chapter 6 The Effects of Stress on the Body and Mind McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All

Akira Kaede/Getty Images

Chapter 6The Effects of Stress on

the Body and Mind

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.


6-2

From Stress to Disease: The Medical Model

Separates mind and body Used to explain disease and treatment Koch’s Postulates: Every disease has a

single etiologic agent, a microorganism

No recognition of interaction of mind and body

GAS model clearly includes interaction of mind and body


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Psychosomatic Disease Models

Term coined by Philip Deutsch to illustrate the interaction between the mind and body in the disease process

All illnesses involve mental processes – No separation Common misunderstanding: belief that

psychosomatic diseases are all in one’s head (those are referred to as somatoform disorders)

Selye’s GAS model was a clear break from a medical model approach to disease development

Led to a variety of models on exhaustion and disease development (Schwartz, Everly & Benson, Alexander etc…)


6-4

Everly & Benson’s Disorders of Arousal Model

(Fig. 6-1 in Text) Potential stressors trigger limbic system

arousal (can become Limbic Hypersensitivity Phenomenon, or LHP)

Limbic arousal triggers neurological, neuronendocrine, and endocrine stress axes

Overstimulation of those axes triggers stress arousal (can become arousal disorder)


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Two Categories of Psychosomatic Disease

Psychogenic diseaseNo disease-causing pathogenOccurs when chronic stress

response alters structure and function of body

Examples: colitis, atherosclerosis, backache, peptic ulcers


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Two Forms of Psychosomatic Disease (continued)

Somatogenic diseaseA causative organism existsThe long-term effects of the

stress response weaken the body’s defenses

Example: Mononucleosis, influenza


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Acute Stress

Alarm-phase stressState of complete mental and

physical readinessPrepared to fight or fleeResult is fatigue


6-8

Acute Stress Effects on Physical Illness

The body suffers no harm when the lifestyle is balancedProper nutrition and exerciseAdequate rest

The greater the frequency of high level stress, the greater the need for rest


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Acute Stress Effects on Psychological Illness

Anxiety disordersPanic attacksAcute stress disorderPost-traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD)


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Chronic Stress

Long-term resistance-phase stress response

General wear and tear on bodyBody parts and systems forced

to work for long periods without adequate rest

Result is malfunction and breakdown


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Effects of Chronic, Low-Level Stress on Physical

Illness The effects are most clear in

psychogenic diseases Five body systems are most susceptible

Endocrine Muscular Cardiovascular Immune Digestive


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Chronic Stress and the Endocrine System

The endocrine system perpetuates low-level stress response

Responsible for a wide range of other functions

Chronic stress can interfere with and shut down the endocrine system – i.e. adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol.


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(continued) Epinephrine production causes

blood vessels to constrict Forces heart to pump under

greater pressure Chronic increase in blood pressure

results in hypertension Hypertension is primary risk factor

for stroke and heart attack


6-14


(continued) Norepinephrine production disturbs

platelets and red blood cells Causes damage to endothelium

Precursor to atherosclerosis Converts testosterone into estradiol

Estradiol not completely understoodOften elevated in men who have

heart attacks


6-15


(continued)Cortisol production inhibits

breakdown of epinephrine and norepinephrineInterferes with the body’s

ability to relaxIncreases blood cholesterol

and fat levelsThese are recognized risk

factors for heart disease


6-16


(continued) Sexual disorders

Men under chronic stressShow reduced levels of testosteroneDemonstrate reduced sexual desireReturn to normal when stress is

removedWomen under chronic stress

Exhibit increased premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms

Research about causes and treatment lack consistency


6-17

Chronic Stress and the Muscular System

Stress affects all three types of muscle tissueSkeletal musclesSmooth (internal organ) musclesCardiac (heart) muscle


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(continued) Stress causes a chronic state of

muscle contraction called bracing Skeletal muscles bracing results

HeadacheBackache and muscle painTemporomandibular-joint (TMJ)

syndrome


6-19


(continued)Smooth muscles bracing results

A chronic state of internal tensionStomach ache and diarrheaHypertension

Cardiac muscle bracing resultsAngina-like symptoms (chest

pains)


6-20

Chronic Stress and the Cardiovascular System

(continued) The cardiovascular system is a

closed system with three componentsHeartBlood vesselsBlood

Main purpose is to provide food and oxygen to cells and to remove waste


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Chronic Stress and the Cardiovascular System

(continued)Stress

Accelerates the heart rateMakes the heart pump faster and

under greater pressure than necessary

Increases cholesterol and fats in blood

Causes atherosclerosis in blood vessels


6-22

Chronic Stress and the Immune System -

Psychoneuroimmunology The immune system performs five

primary functions Identifies foreign substances such as

germs Attacks these invaders Prevents reinfection from these

invaders Destroys mutant cells Resists recurrent chronic infections


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Chronic Stress and the Immune System (continued)

Chronic stress can alter the immune systemDepletes nutritional factors

associated with immunityCauses an imbalance in the

systemWeakens T cellsExerts a general

immunosuppressive effect


6-24

Chronic Stress and the Digestive System

Stress upsets the digestive processSmooth muscle tensionExcessive stomach acidsSpasms of esophagus and colonUlcersIncomplete digestion


6-25

Effects of Chronic Stress on Psychological Illness

Stress is related to many psychological factors Burnout Anxiety disorders Stress-related specific phobia Stress-related generalized anxiety disorder Mood disorders Stress-related major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and

bipolar disorders (and seasonal pattern specifier condition)

Suicide: a permanent solution to a temporary problem People who take their own lives don’t see options (unpredictable

and uncontrollable). Suicide rates for adolescents and college-age people are rising Three stress-related suicide risk factors

Depression Major loss Stressful life events

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Akira Kaede/Getty Images Chapter 6 The Effects of Stress on the Body and Mind McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All