
Bodily Stress Reactions Biopsychosocial Model
1. Voluntary Nervous System Conscious • enables you to scratch your ear, shake hands, turn your head
2. Autonomic Nervous System Mainly unconscious • blushing, getting gooseflesh, having an orgasm • reacts powerfully to stress Responds to the “Four Fs” • fight, flight, fright, and “sex”
Sympathetic Nervous System Releases adrenaline in the brain and travels down and outward from the spine to: • every blood vessel • sweat glands • every hair in your body
Sympathetic Nervous System • releases epinephrine from nerve endings in adrenal glands • releases norepinephrine from nerve endings throughout your body
Parasympathetic Nervous System Mediates calm activities • promotes growth • promotes energy • relaxation, sleep • all optimistic processes
3. What are the physical effects of stress? • growth inhibition • effects upon memory and concentration • damage to neurons inhibiting your ability to think clearly
4. Why do we need psychological outlets for stress? • we can even imagine an outlet and get relief. • sympathetic people decrease our stress • unpredictability makes stress more stressful. • feelings of loss of control increase stress on the body