Stress adaptation

By: Imavike

Concept of stress
Stress can have physical, emotional,
intellectual, social, and spiritual
consequences.
The effects are mixed because stress
affects the whole person.

Stress as a stimulus
A life event (sometimes called a life change) or
set of circumstances causing a disrupted response
that increase the individuals vulnerability to illness
The degree of stress the event presents can be
highly individual
People who have a high level of stress are often
more prone to illness and have lowered ability to
cope with illness and subsequent stress

Stress as a response
The disruption caused by a noxious
stimulus or stressor
Stressor is any factor that produces stress
and disturbs the bodys equilibrium
Reactions rather than events are the focus
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) and
Local Adaptation syndrome (LAS)

 GAS
Release of certain adaptive hormones and
subsequent changes in the structure and
chemical composition of the body
affected body: GI tract, adrenal glands,
lymphatic structures with prolong
stress the adrenal glands enlarge, the
lymphatic structures atrophy, appears
deep ulcers in the lining of the stomach
LAS --- ex: inflammation

Stages of adaptation to stress

1. Alarm Reaction (AR)
2. Stage of Resistance (SR)
3. Stage of Exhaustion (SE)

Stages of adaptation to stress

Stress as a transaction
The Lazarus transactional theory (focus on mental and psychological
response)
1. Cognitive response
2. Affective response
3. Adaptive (coping) response
The person and environment is inseparable; each affects and is affected
by the other
Cognitive appraisal is an evaluative process that determines why and to
what extent a particular transactions between the person and the
environment is stressful

Physiologic manifestations
Pupils dilate to increase visual perception when serious threats to
the body arise
Sweat production increases to control elevated body heat due to
increased metabolism
The heart rate increases, which leads to an increased pulse rate
to transport nutrients
Blood pressure increased
Urinary output decreases
the mouth may be dry
etc

Psychological manifestations
Anxiety, fear, anger, depression, cognitive
behaviors, verbal and motor responses
and unconscious ego defense
mechanisms.

Coping mechanisms
Coping mechanisms (strategies) --- coping can be
adaptive or maladaptive
Divided into long-term and short-term strategies
Long-term strategies : ex. Talking with others and
trying to find out more
Short-term strategies : ex. Using alcoholic
beverages or drugs, daydreaming, and relying on
the belief that everything will work out

Anxiety
Is a state of mental uneasiness,
apprehension, dread or foreboding
A feeling of helplessness related to an
impending or anticipated unidentified
threat to self or significant relationships

Level of anxiety
Mild anxiety which produces slight arousal state and enhances
perceptions, learning and productive abilities that prompts a person to
seek information
Moderate anxiety --- express feeling of nervousness, tension or
concern.
Severe anxiety
People are unable to focus on what is really happening, focuses on only
one specific detail of the situation generating the anxiety
Panic
An overpowering, frightening level of anxiety causing the person to lose
control

Fear
A mild to severe feeling of apprehension
about some perceived threat.

Anxiety differs from fear in four ways

1. The source of anxiety is not identifiable; the
source of fear is identifiable
2. Anxiety is related to the future, that is, to an
anticipated event. Fear is related to the present
3. Anxiety is a unclear, whereas fear is definite
4. Anxiety is the result of psychologic or emotional
conflict; fear is the result of a discrete physical or
psychologic entity

Anger
An emotional state consisting of a
subjective feeling of animosity or strong
displeasure

Depression
A common reaction to events that seem
overwhelming or negative

Cognitive manifestations
Thinking responses including problem
solving, structuring, self-control (discipline)
suppression, fantasy and prayer

Problem solving
Involves thinking through the threatening
situation, using specific steps, similar to
those of the nursing process, to arrive at a
solution.

Structuring
The arrangement or manipulation of a
situation so that threatening events do not
occur.
Ex: a nurse can structure or control an
interview with a patient by asking only
direct, closed questions.

Self-control (discipline)
Assuming a manner and facial expression
that convey a sense of being in control or
in charge, no matter the situation is.

Suppression
Is consciously and willfully putting a
thought or feeling out of mind
Relieves stress temporarily but does not
solve the problem

Fantasy or daydreaming
Unfulfilled wishes and desires are
imagined as fulfilled or a threatening
experience is reworked or replayed so that
it ends differently from reality

Prayer
Involves identifying and describing the
problem, suggesting solutions and
reaching out for support and help

Verbal and motor manifestations

Include crying, verbal abuse, laughing,
screaming, hitting and kicking, and holding
and touching

Unconscious ego defense mechanism

By Sigmund Freud
Defense mechanism are the unconscious mind working to
protect the person from anxiety
Include:
1. Denial
2. Rationalization
3. Compensation
4. Repression
5. Regression

6. Sublimation
7. Identification
8. Projection
9. Conversion
10. Displacement
11. Reaction formation

Denial
Blocking painful or anxiety-producing
aspects of reality out of consciousness.

Rationalization
Often referred to as the sour-grapes
or :half-truth mechanism
Good reason, acceptable to the conscious
mind, are given for behavior or
circumstances instead of the real reason

Compensation
Substituting an activity for one that the
person really would like to do or cannot do

Repression
Excluding from consciousness desires,
impulses, thoughts, memories and
strivings that conflict with self-image or
that involves quilt, shame or lowering of
self-esteem
The painful events cannot be recalled or
recognized
An underlying basis of all the defense
mechanisms

Regression
Adopting behavior that was comforting
earlier in life to overcome the discomfort
and insecurity of the present situation

Sublimation
Redirecting libidinal drives (sexual and
aggression) into socially acceptable
channels

Identification
Assuming the attitudes, ideas and
behavior patterns of another person or
persons; it is an important growth
mechanism for children
It is unconscious and differs from imitation,
which is conscious

Projection
Attributing to others characteristics and
feelings that one does not want to admit
are ones own

Conversion
Transforming a mental conflict into a
physical symptom

Displacement
Transferring an emotion or feeling from
the actual object to a less dangerous or
threatening substitute

Reaction formation
Acting oppositely to what the person truly
feels

Factors influencing the manifestations of

stress

The nature of the stressor

Perception of the stressor
Number of simultaneous stressors
Duration of exposure to the stressor
Experiences with a comparable stressor
Age
The availability of support people

Adaptation
Results when the individual is able to
effect a series of behaviors and mental
processes to neutralize the stress
experience and reestablish integrity of
function

Characteristics of adaptive responses

All adaptive responses are attempts to maintain homeostasis

Adaptation is a whole body or total organism response
Adaptive responses have limits
Adaptation requires time
Adaptability varies from person to person
Adaptive responses may be inadequate or excessive
Adaptive responses are egocentric and tiring because they
require body energy and tax physical and psychologic
resources

How to minimizing anxiety and stress?

Mediating anger
Massage
Progressive relaxation
Guided imagery
Biofeedback
Therapeutic touch

Thank
you