HSP3M the Science of Stress Discovery University DVD Worksheet

HSP3M – The Science of Stress – Discovery University DVD Worksheet

Name: ______

1. “Stress occurs when a human experiences a threat to either their physical integrity or their ______well-being.”

2. There are various ways to define stress depending on your particular perspective.

Examples:

i) “Stress is when the pressure your feel exceeds your ability to ______with it.”

ii) “Stress in an internal experience in response to ______.”

iii) “Stress is a change in your ______that requires work in order to get back to your usual function.”

3. Humans have a “primitive” response to stress that is often called the “fight or ______” response. It is a physiological response to stress.

The following are the steps that happen within your body when exposed to a threat:

i) The cerebral ______of the brain recognizes the cause of stress as a stimulus from the senses.

ii) The amigdulla of the brain recognizes the threat.

iii) The ______activates to control the stress response and sends a message down the spinal cord to the adrenal gland.

iv) The adrenal gland sends the adrenalin hormone into the blood. Adrenalin increases the ______levels in the blood, it increases the heart rate and increases the energy supply to the muscles.

v) The hypothalamus then sends a message to the pituitary gland which sends a message to the adrenal gland (adrenal cortex) which releases the cortisol hormone into the blood. Cortisol helps increase the blood sugar and blood pressure.

vi) The physiological response to stress gets your body ready to fight or run.

4. In modern times when people are experiencing long-term stress (chronic stress), they have constant supplies of cortisol in their blood and this can be bad for them.

Some problems related to long-term cortisol secretion:

i) Cortisol turns stored carbohydrates into ______and makes you “wound up”.

ii) Cortisol makes your bones ______

iii) Cortisol changes your ______system and makes you more likely to get ill.

iv) Cortisol causes ______in the brain to be damaged.

v) Cortisol puts more lipids (fats) in the blood that can cause heart disease and stokes.

5. “Everyone responds to stressful situations differently. Our ______or appraisal of events is different.”

6. When a person’s “resources” keep getting depleted by stress without being replaced, they become vulnerable to ______, high blood pressure, and stomach symptoms.

7. Our particular individual way of responding to stress could be developed when we are in the ______. The mother’s stress levels during pregnancy seem to influence the baby because cortisol can pass from the mother to the baby via the ______.

8. The type of birth that a baby has might affect future stress levels. An experiment that was done by scientists to test this went as follows. Scientists sampled the cortisol levels in the saliva of 8 month old babies. They then gave the babies their regular inoculation needle (as stressful event). Right after the needle they measured the cortisol levels in the babies. What did they find out about the ability of babies to handle stress based on their type of birth?

a) Elective Caesarian Section Birth:

b) Regular Vaginal Birth:

c) Assisted Delivery Birth (forceps, suction, Dr. pulling baby out):

9. Where does the stress come from in repetitive jobs?

10. Today, we see that everyone faces stress in the workplace and in times of recession we see that “from shop floor to top ______, people are now job insecure.”

11. Females are more stress responsive than males. Women are ______times more likely to develop depression due to stress in their lives. However, women tend to use the ______support of friends more often than men.

12. What seems to be responsible for much of our modern day stress? (hint: laptop)

14. Most doctors think that only a small portion of the population (that is highly or chronically stressed) should use the anti-stress pills when they get perfected. What do doctors recommend for the rest of the population?

15. Give two example of where you have anticipated a stressful situation and caused yourself stress.

ii)

16. Intimacy, closeness and friendship help prevent the feelings of stress and reduces the chances of chronic stress. Give an example of a segment of the population often does not have the relationships that produce these good feelings?

HSP3M – The Science of Stress – Discovery University DVD Worksheet

ANSWERS

1. “Stress occurs when a human experiences a threat to either their physical integrity or their mental/cognitive well-being.”

2. There are various ways to define stress depending on your particular perspective.

Examples:

i) “Stress is when the pressure your feel exceeds your ability to cope with it.”

ii) “Stress in an internal experience in response to threats.”

iii)“Stress is a change in your environment that requires work in order to get back to your usual function.”

3.Humans have a “primitive” response to stress that is often called the “fight or flight ” response. It is a physiological response to stress.

The following are the steps that happen within your body when exposed to a threat:

i) The cerebral cortex of the brain recognizes the cause of stress as a stimulus from the senses.

ii) The amigdulla of the brain recognizes the threat.

iii) The hypothalamus activates to control the stress response and sends a message down the spinal cord to the adrenal gland.

iv) The adrenal gland sends the adrenalin hormone into the blood. Adrenalin increases the sugar levels in the blood, increases the heart rate and increases the energy supply to the muscles.

vi) The physiological response to stress gets your body ready to fight or run.

4. In modern times when people are experiencing long-term stress (chronic stress), they have constant supplies of cortisol in their blood and this can be bad for them.

Some problems related to long-term cortisol secretion:

i) Cortisol turns stored carbohydrates into sugar and makes you “wound up”.

ii) Cortisol makes your bones weaker

iii) Cortisol changes your immune system and makes you more likely to get ill.

iv) Cortisol causes neurons in the brain to be damaged.

v) Cortisol puts more lipids (fats) in the blood that can cause heart disease and stokes.

5. “Everyone responds to stressful situations differently. Our perception or appraisal of events is different.”

6. When a person’s “resources” keep getting depleted by stress without being replaced, they become vulnerable to depression, high blood pressure, and stomach symptoms.

7. Our particular individual way of responding to stress could be developed when we are in the womb. The mother’s stress levels during pregnancy seem to influence the baby because cortisol can pass from the mother to the baby via the placenta.

i) Elective Caesarian Section Birth: lowest stress response

ii) Regular Vaginal Birth: medium stress response

iii) Assisted Delivery Birth (forceps, suction, Dr. pulling baby out): highest stress response

9. Where does the stress come from in repetitive jobs? The stress comes from having no control over conditions and decisions in the workplace. “Workplace Alienation”

10. Today, we see that everyone faces stress in the workplace and in times of recession we see that “from shop floor to top floor, people are now job insecure.”

11. Females are more stress responsive than males. Women are 3 times more likely to develop depression due to stress in their lives. However, women tend to use the social support of friends more often than men.

12. What seems to be responsible for much of our modern day stress? (hint: laptop) New technology seems to be adding to our stress with cell phones, blackberries, and laptops we are always connected to our jobs and responsibilities. Technology controls us and very few people are smart enough to limit their use of new technology.

13. Stress is a multi-billion dollar industry for drug companies as people self-medicate with pain killers or get prescriptions to fight the symptoms of stress. Explain how the new anti-stress pill would work? The anti-stress pill would block CRH from the hypothalamus and therefore stop the chain reaction of stress hormones from being released into the blood stream.

14. Most doctors think that only a small portion of the population (that is highly or chronically stressed) should use the anti-stress pills when they become perfected. What do doctors recommend for the rest of the population? People should take a look at their lives (perhaps with the help of a professional) and find the causes of stress and try to mitigate them.

15. Give two example of where you have anticipated a stressful situation and caused yourself stress.

i) Exams

ii)

16. Intimacy, closeness and friendship help prevent the feelings of stress and reduce the chance of chronic stress. Give an example of a segment of the population often does not have the relationships that produce these good feelings? The elderly