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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)