Physiological method of reducing stress (part2)

Anti-anxiety drugs

-       Beta blocker: These cause change in the circulatory system. They have no dependence problems but can have some side effects.

-       Benzodiazepines:  These increase the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA which inhibits activation throughout the nervous system by reducing, for example, serotonin level. They also have undesirable side effects, and their sudden removal can lead to intense anxiety.

-       Buspirone: This is a newer drug which does not have the sedative effects if the other drugs but it can produce headaches and depression.

 These physiological methods tend to be focused on reducing the emotion accompanying stress, in that they reduce feeling of panic.

 Criticism of physiological methods of reducing stress include

-       It is not entirely clear whether biofeedback produces long-term reductions in stress in everyday life.

-       The side effects of drugs may be unpleasant.

-       These methods do not address what might be causing the stress in that they focus on the symptoms of stress, Anti-anxiety drug should be used for dhort periods of time on low doses.

Physiological method of reducing stress (part1)

Method of managing stress

 Stress can be reduced using physiological method and psychological methods.

 Stress management may be problem focused or emotion focused.

 There is also a difference between copings with stress and managed it!

Physiological method of reducing stress

These can be include

Biofeedback

-       This has been used to give individuals feedback about the action of involuntary muscles or voluntary muscles that are not usually under conscious control.

-       If works in the short term due to operant conditioning, by relaxation, which impacts in involuntary physiological functions, or by restoring homeostasis.

-       It is less clear that biofeedback can produce long-term reductions in stress in everyday life.



Workplace stress

Johansson et al. (1978) and Marmot et al. (1997) both conducted research into workplace stressor.

Work place stress include environmental factor such as

-       Overcrowding,

-       Heat,

-       Pollution,

-       Noise.

 Overcrowding create stress in both humans and animals, although other factors might moderate these effect. People do not always become aggressive in overcrowded situation.

 Heat, pollution, and noise may also make people become aggressive, although some people can “true” these things out.

 Unpredictable noise requites vigilance and reduces our psychic energy, so enhancing feeling of stress.

 Other factors causing stress in the workplace include

-       Too much control,

-       Too little control,

-       Role conflict,

-       Shift work

-       Interpersonal; relationship

 The relationship between these various factor is complex.

 Burnout is an extreme effect of work-related stress.

Kiecolt-Glaser etal(1984)

Kiecolt-Glaser etal(1984)

 The study by KIecolt-Glaser et al suggested that stress could have negative effect on people by producing a lowered immune response.

AIM:

 To investigate whether stress of important examinations has an effect on the functioning of the immune system.

PROCEDURE:

-       This was a natural experiment. The researchers took blood samples from 75 first year medical students, all of whom were volunteers.

-       Blood sample were taken:

(a)  One menthe before their final examination (relatively low stress)

(b)  During the examinations(high stress)

-       Immune function was assessed by meaning T cell activity in the blood samples.

-       The students were also given questionnaires to assess psychological variables such as life events and loneliness.

FINDING:

 The blood sample taken from the first group ( before the exam) contained more T cells compared with blood samples taken during the exam.

CONCLUSION:

 Stress(of the exam) reduced the effectiveness of the immune system.

Immune system

The immune system is a collection of billions of cells that travel though the bloodstream. They move in and out of tissues and organs, defending the body against foreign bodies (antigens), such as bacteria, viruses and cancerous cells.

There are two types of lymphocytes:

B cells – produce antibodies which are related into the fluid surrounding the body’s cells to destroy the invading and bacteria.

T cells – if the invader gets inside a cell, these (T cells) lock on to the infected cells, multiply and destroy it.