HSS 1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Parasympathetic Nervous System, Sympathetic Nervous System, Autonomic Nervous System

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Health Sciences
• Course: HSS 1100
• Professor: James Gomes

Document Summary

Stress is a mental and physical response of our bodies to the changes in our lives and has been described as a disease of prolonged tension . Stress in itself is neither positive nor negative but our reactions to stress can be positive or negative. Stress can lead to psychological and social problems including dysfunctional relationships. Our reaction to stress can become habits that lead to health enhancing personal growth or to debilitating adverse health effects. Stress is a cause of many health problems including migraines, alcohol and drug dependence, gastrointestinal problems, hypertension and other chronic diseases including cancer. Stressor is any physical, social or psychological event or condition that causes our bodies to have to adjust to specific situations. Stressor may be tangible such as a parent or a roommate or intangible such as emotions arising from our relationship or meeting our in-laws for the first time. Adjustment is our attempt to cope with a given situation.