SOC 2805 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Adrenal Fatigue, Tachycardia, Tachypnea
Self-Generated Stress
• Self-generated stress is something of a paradox, because so many people think of external
causes when they are upset.
• Recognizing that we create most of our own upsets is an important first step towards
coping with them.
Physical Reaction to Stress
• Endocrine System: controls your stress response.
o Demands on the physical or mental systems of the body result in hormone
secretion
1. Adrenalin and testosterone
• Endocrine responses:
o Increased pupil dilation
o Perspiration
o Increased heart rate and blood pressure
o Rapid breathing
o Muscle tenseness
o Increased mental alertness
General Adaptations Syndrome
• Alarm Response: “Fight or Flight”
o reparse the body for immediate action
• Adaptation Phase:
o If the source persists, the body prepares for long-term protection, secreting
hormones to increase blood sugar levels.
o This phase is common and not necessarily harmful, but must include periods of
relaxation and rest to counterbalance the stress response.
o Fatigue, concentration lapses, irritability and lethargy result as the stress turns
negative.
• Exhaustion: In chronic stress situations, sufferers enter the exhaustion phase:
o emotional, physical and mental resources suffer heavily, the body experiences
‘adrenal exhaustion’ leading to decreased stress tolerance, progressive mental and
physical exhaustion, illness and collapse.
Symptoms of Stress
• Physical:
o Sleep pattern changes
o Fatigue
o Digestion changes
o Loss of sexual drive
o Headaches
o Aches and pains
o Infections
o Indigestion
o Dizziness
o Fainting
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