Understanding Psychological and Physiological Stress

📋 Course Outline

1. Stress Definition
2. Stressors Types
3. Psychological Stress Components
4. Physiological Stress Responses
5. Acute Stress Response
6. Chronic Stress and Cortisol
7. Internal Stressors
8. External Stressors
9. Psychological Stress Responses

📖 1. Stress Definition

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Stress: A psychological and physiological response to a stimulus (stressor) that demands attention or coping efforts, experienced as a reaction to significant events or stimuli.

• Stressor: A stimulus, either internal or external, that triggers the stress response by demanding attention or action from an individual.

• Internal Stressor: A stress-inducing stimulus originating from within the individual, such as perceptions, emotions, or biological factors (e.g., attitude, rumination, low self-esteem, nervous system dysfunction).

• External Stressor: A stimulus from outside the individual’s body or environment that provokes stress, such as exams, arguments, or workload.

• Psychological Components of Stress: The subjective mental and emotional reactions to stressors, including perceptions, assessments, and emotional states like worry or excitement.

• Physiological Components of Stress: The bodily responses to stress, such as increased heart rate, adrenaline release, and hormonal changes, which are often similar across individuals.

📝 Essential Points