Stress Management notes
Unit 1
Stress (gas model)
Stress prac 1
Sources of stress
Environmental –
Environmental stressors (stressors) are factors whose influence is to constrain productivity,
reproductive success, and ecosystem development (see Chapter 9). To some degree, stressors
affect all organisms as well as their populations, communities, and eco scapes (landscapes and
seascapes). Stressors may be natural in origin, being associated with such environmental
influences as:
• competition, predation, disease, and other interactions among organisms
• constraints related to climate or to inadequate or excessive nutrients, moisture, or space
• disturbances such as wildfire and windstorms
The effects of natural stressors are not always negative. Some individuals, populations, and
communities may benefit from the effects of natural stress, even while others suffer a degree of
damage.
Kinds of Stressors
The diverse kinds of environmental stressors are grouped into classes, although they are not
entirely exclusive.
• Physical stress is a disturbance in which there is an intense exposure to kinetic energy, which
causes damage to habitats and ecosystems. Examples include such disruptive events as a
hurricane or tornado, a seismic sea wave (tsunami), the blast of a volcanic eruption, an
explosion, or trampling by heavy machinery or hikers.
• Wildfire is another disturbance, which involves the uncontrolled combustion of the biomass of
an ecosystem. A wildfire can be ignited by people, or naturally by lightning. A severe fire
consumes much of the biomass of an ecosystem, but even a less-severe wildfire may kill many
organisms by scorching and poisoning by toxic gases.
,• Chemical pollution occurs when one or more substances occur in a concentration high enough to
elicit physiological responses in organisms, potentially causing toxicity and ecological change.
Chemical stressors include pesticides, gases such as ozone and sulphur dioxide, and toxic
elements such as arsenic and mercury. Pollution may also be caused by excessive nutrients,
which can distort productivity and other ecological functions. Note that the mere presence of a
potentially toxic agent does not necessarily cause pollution. (The distinction between
contamination and pollution is examined later in this chapter.)
• Thermal pollution is caused by the release of heat (thermal energy) into the environment, which
results in ecological stress because species vary in their tolerance of temperature extremes.
Thermal stress may occur at natural springs and submarine vents where geologically heated
water is emitted. It is also associated with discharges of hot water from power plants.
• Radiation stress is caused by excessive exposure to ionizing energy. The radiation may be
emitted by nuclear waste or explosions, or it can be diagnostic X-rays or solar ultraviolet energy.
• Climatic stress is associated with insufficient or excessive regimes of temperature, moisture,
solar radiation, wind, or combinations of these.
• Biological stressors are associated with interactions occurring among organisms, such as
competition, herbivory, predation, parasitism, and disease. For example, individuals of the same
or different species may compete for essential resources that are limited in supply. Herbivory,
predation, parasitism, and disease are trophic interactions, in which one species exploits another.
Exploitation can be anthropogenic, as when humans harvest wild animals or trees, or it can be
natural, perhaps associated with defoliating insects or disease-causing pathogens.
• Biological pollution occurs when people release organisms beyond their natural range. This
might involve the introduction of alien species that invade and alter natural habitats, or it may be
the release of pathogens into the environment through discharges of raw sewage.
Social
Social stress is a term that refers to strain that is formed as a result of one’s relationships and their
social environment. This may include stress from one’s friendship groups, academic competition,
or struggles at home.
This term is not recognized as a major type of stress, but it is nonetheless one of the most
common types experienced by society.
A survey conducted on social stress by a high school student studying emotional stress collected a
wide variety of opinions about the stresses of relationships formed as a student, voiced by the
students of Prosper High School.
, The students recognize that social stress is a vast problem faced by many students, but it’s often
overlooked by the bureaucrats of the education system. 92% of the student body believe they
experience social stress on a daily basis. 84% of students claimed that adults exacerbate the social
stress put on teenagers.
The students voted and claimed the three central causes of social stress to be academic struggles,
perfectionism, and over scheduling, with 84% of students voting for academic struggles, 68%
voting for perfectionism, and 64% voting for over scheduling, seeing as they were all allowed to
vote for more than one cause.
64% of students that responded to the survey acknowledged that social stress is a top priority
issue to resolve in society, and 60% answered that the best way to cope with social stress is to
build a supportive network of friends that will help one with their stresses and troubles.
Effects of Social Stress
In his academic journal, Stankiewicz explains the detrimental effects of long-term social stress.
He is able to describe this using a detailed experiment that was conducted by him, in which he
used mice to prove his theory that social stress has extremely destructive effects on the average
mammal, mentally and physically.
In order to test his theory, Stankiewicz conducted an experiment using average mice. In order to
implement social stress onto the animals, Stankiewicz forced the mice to constantly be surrounded
by other mice from the same litter. This built a bond of familiarity between all of the mice.
Then, after twelve weeks of invariably being surrounded by their littermates, each individual
mouse was put into a separate cage for three weeks before results and effects of the mice were
recorded.
The results showed the mice actively emitting the Arginine Vasopressin hormone inside the
hippocampus, which is a chemical known to affect anxiety, memory, and increase blood pressure.
The mice were also shown to have developed small ulcers, and brain damage.
Unit 1
Stress (gas model)
Stress prac 1
Sources of stress
Environmental –
Environmental stressors (stressors) are factors whose influence is to constrain productivity,
reproductive success, and ecosystem development (see Chapter 9). To some degree, stressors
affect all organisms as well as their populations, communities, and eco scapes (landscapes and
seascapes). Stressors may be natural in origin, being associated with such environmental
influences as:
• competition, predation, disease, and other interactions among organisms
• constraints related to climate or to inadequate or excessive nutrients, moisture, or space
• disturbances such as wildfire and windstorms
The effects of natural stressors are not always negative. Some individuals, populations, and
communities may benefit from the effects of natural stress, even while others suffer a degree of
damage.
Kinds of Stressors
The diverse kinds of environmental stressors are grouped into classes, although they are not
entirely exclusive.
• Physical stress is a disturbance in which there is an intense exposure to kinetic energy, which
causes damage to habitats and ecosystems. Examples include such disruptive events as a
hurricane or tornado, a seismic sea wave (tsunami), the blast of a volcanic eruption, an
explosion, or trampling by heavy machinery or hikers.
• Wildfire is another disturbance, which involves the uncontrolled combustion of the biomass of
an ecosystem. A wildfire can be ignited by people, or naturally by lightning. A severe fire
consumes much of the biomass of an ecosystem, but even a less-severe wildfire may kill many
organisms by scorching and poisoning by toxic gases.
,• Chemical pollution occurs when one or more substances occur in a concentration high enough to
elicit physiological responses in organisms, potentially causing toxicity and ecological change.
Chemical stressors include pesticides, gases such as ozone and sulphur dioxide, and toxic
elements such as arsenic and mercury. Pollution may also be caused by excessive nutrients,
which can distort productivity and other ecological functions. Note that the mere presence of a
potentially toxic agent does not necessarily cause pollution. (The distinction between
contamination and pollution is examined later in this chapter.)
• Thermal pollution is caused by the release of heat (thermal energy) into the environment, which
results in ecological stress because species vary in their tolerance of temperature extremes.
Thermal stress may occur at natural springs and submarine vents where geologically heated
water is emitted. It is also associated with discharges of hot water from power plants.
• Radiation stress is caused by excessive exposure to ionizing energy. The radiation may be
emitted by nuclear waste or explosions, or it can be diagnostic X-rays or solar ultraviolet energy.
• Climatic stress is associated with insufficient or excessive regimes of temperature, moisture,
solar radiation, wind, or combinations of these.
• Biological stressors are associated with interactions occurring among organisms, such as
competition, herbivory, predation, parasitism, and disease. For example, individuals of the same
or different species may compete for essential resources that are limited in supply. Herbivory,
predation, parasitism, and disease are trophic interactions, in which one species exploits another.
Exploitation can be anthropogenic, as when humans harvest wild animals or trees, or it can be
natural, perhaps associated with defoliating insects or disease-causing pathogens.
• Biological pollution occurs when people release organisms beyond their natural range. This
might involve the introduction of alien species that invade and alter natural habitats, or it may be
the release of pathogens into the environment through discharges of raw sewage.
Social
Social stress is a term that refers to strain that is formed as a result of one’s relationships and their
social environment. This may include stress from one’s friendship groups, academic competition,
or struggles at home.
This term is not recognized as a major type of stress, but it is nonetheless one of the most
common types experienced by society.
A survey conducted on social stress by a high school student studying emotional stress collected a
wide variety of opinions about the stresses of relationships formed as a student, voiced by the
students of Prosper High School.
, The students recognize that social stress is a vast problem faced by many students, but it’s often
overlooked by the bureaucrats of the education system. 92% of the student body believe they
experience social stress on a daily basis. 84% of students claimed that adults exacerbate the social
stress put on teenagers.
The students voted and claimed the three central causes of social stress to be academic struggles,
perfectionism, and over scheduling, with 84% of students voting for academic struggles, 68%
voting for perfectionism, and 64% voting for over scheduling, seeing as they were all allowed to
vote for more than one cause.
64% of students that responded to the survey acknowledged that social stress is a top priority
issue to resolve in society, and 60% answered that the best way to cope with social stress is to
build a supportive network of friends that will help one with their stresses and troubles.
Effects of Social Stress
In his academic journal, Stankiewicz explains the detrimental effects of long-term social stress.
He is able to describe this using a detailed experiment that was conducted by him, in which he
used mice to prove his theory that social stress has extremely destructive effects on the average
mammal, mentally and physically.
In order to test his theory, Stankiewicz conducted an experiment using average mice. In order to
implement social stress onto the animals, Stankiewicz forced the mice to constantly be surrounded
by other mice from the same litter. This built a bond of familiarity between all of the mice.
Then, after twelve weeks of invariably being surrounded by their littermates, each individual
mouse was put into a separate cage for three weeks before results and effects of the mice were
recorded.
The results showed the mice actively emitting the Arginine Vasopressin hormone inside the
hippocampus, which is a chemical known to affect anxiety, memory, and increase blood pressure.
The mice were also shown to have developed small ulcers, and brain damage.
