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Robyn Oliphant
Psychology 1010
Professor Campbell
February 13, 2016
Stress Reactions
Introduction:
There are two different types of stress reactions, those of a physical nature and
those of a psychological nature. Each reaction affects the human body in different
ways. These reactions can produce a change in every system of the body that can
affect an individual in both good and bad ways. The results of these effects are
ultimately caused by the physical or psychological stress reactions.
Literature Review:
Physical reactions to stress have many outcomes that can come from the effects
of health and aging and the effects on the immune system. In all species, there is a
fight-or-flight response. This is how the species react to an emergency situation, where
their minds decide if they are going to face the current situation or run for the hills. The
brain gives a response to the threat that is seen and helps their bodies decide the
choice to make. In figure 14.1 on page 554 of the textbook Psychology, it explains the
process that happens in fight-or-flight in our brain and the systems it involves. The
hypothalamus releases hormones which activates the pituitary gland. The pituitary
gland then releases a hormone known as ACTH into the blood stream which start up the
adrenal glands. This process enables the nervous system to be able to react faster.

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With the increase in system activation, oxygen increases to help muscles be energized
to attack or escape from the threat.
Stress effects our health and our aging process in years to come. Stress
accelerates the aging process that takes place in the human body. Stress and ageing
now consistently appear in the literature as factors that act upon the immune system in
the way that is often damaging (Vitlic, A., Lord, J., & Phillips, A. (2014).) Chronic stress
affects the wear and tear on others individuals and increases aging. Being overly
stressed can lead to diseases over long periods of time which can include cancer,
cardiovascular disease, depression etc. To prevent chronic stress from having this
effect on us, we have to find a personal release from the stress that we face. For
example: traveling, exercise or family time. Something that will help an individual get
away from the chronic stress they are facing.
Psychological Reactions can be linked back to the fight-or-flight response that we
all have when we feel threatened. The mind starts to evaluate the current situation to
see the threat and if we are able to manage it. With our psychological reactions to
stress comes two subcategories: stress interpretation and burnout.
As we look at stress interpretation, it is how we view overall an upcoming event,
activity or thing in our society and environment. An individual interprets what they think
of the stressful event by breaking it down into a threat or challenge. The situation and
the environment that we are in helps categorize this as a threat or challenge. For
example, while watching a scary movie and hearing something in the house creak, an
individual may interpret this as a threat, which increases their heart rate and makes
them become very aware of the situation. If the same creak occurred while they were

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simply at home, it would more likely be considered as a challenge. Their mind would
interpret this as just an aspect of their environment at that given time.
The other psychological reaction we receive from stress reactions is a burnout.
This is defined as a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion created by
long-term involvement in an emotionally demanding situation and accompanied by
lowered performance and motivation. (Schacter, D. L., Wagner, D., Gilbert, D., & Nock,
M. (2008). pg.559) This situation usually takes place when an individual tries to define
themselves and their lives with one specific aspect of life that they are involved with.
Nothing else seems to matter but that one aspect of life. Many encounter this type of
psychological stress reactions with work, when something isnt accomplished how they
once thought. High-pressure workplace environments lead to a high prevalence of
occupational burnout. (Yu-Ying, L., Jui-Chen, C., Shu-Yuan, L., & Shu-Fang, W.
(2014).) People judge themselves based on that one aspect which then starts to mold
how they live the rest of their lives. Instead of burning out with one specific area,
involving more than one area can help them stay strong in more than one aspect of life.
Application:
From the two reactions of physical and psychological reactions of stress, we
learn that both types of stress affect people in their day to day lives. An example of
physical stress reactions are usually seen over a length of time. During high school, I
played sports, worked two part time jobs and then had homework from all my classes.
It became very stressful but somehow I learned to deal with it. When one of the
stressors was taken away, though, I realized the stress effect on my immune system. I
started to get really sick and felt like my body was shutting down from the lack of things

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that I was used to doing. Another example would be when parents start to have
children, they become more stressed and their physical appearance usually starts to
change. A big one that is noticeable for many is the changing of hair color from brown to
gray. The stress of being a parent has a physical stress reaction.
An example of psychological reaction would be in the burnout process. When a
boss or employer doesnt realize the effort and hard work a person is putting in to make
their job the best it can be, they may start to burn out. They may feel that no one
notices what they do and feel under appreciated causing them to burn out and not care
anymore. Ive hit that point in my current job. I receive criticism of how I need to do a
certain element of my job better but the part that I have excelled at means nothing
causing me to feel burned out.
Conclusion:
From this experience I have learned a lot about stress reactions and what causes
them. The ways that our bodies react when we are put into certain stressful situations.
The complexity of the body with just being stressed is truly remarkable. In the future
with this topic I would like to learn more of how to deal with stress properly. It talked
about this a little with the stress effects on the immune system. I would like to go more
in depth with what we can do to help ourselves in those stressful life moments. This
topic will definitely help me in my day to day life. I will be better able to realize when I
am overly stressed with school, work and family and then I can take a step back and
relieve some of the stress that I am feeling. I really enjoyed this topic and the insights
that I had the opportunity to read and learn about. It gives a great over view of how

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important it is to have a balanced life and be able to recognize how our own bodies
function.

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References
Schacter, D. L., Wagner, D., Gilbert, D., & Nock, M. (2008). Psychology (3rd ed.). NY.
Vitlic, A., Lord, J., & Phillips, A. (2014). Stress, ageing and their influence on functional,
cellular and molecular aspects of the immune system. Age, 36(3), 1169-1185 17p.
doi:10.1007/s11357-014-9631-6
Yu-Ying, L., Jui-Chen, C., Shu-Yuan, L., & Shu-Fang, W. (2014). The Correlations
Between Job Stress and Occupational Burnout Among Nursing Staff. Journal Of
Nursing & Healthcare Research, 10(4), 276-285 10p. doi:10.6225/JNHR.10.4.276