An Introduction To Stress And Health

Description

An Introduction to Stress and Health is the first textbook of its kind to fuse the psychosocial with newer behavioural neuroscience perspectives. Very uniquely, it provides a broad perspective of the multiple biological processes influenced by stressful events, the conditions that allow for either exacerbation or diminution of these stressor effects, and the pathological conditions that can emerge as a result of stressful events. The author systematically reviews the key research over the past 30 years, including the most up-to-date studies, and presents his insights in a lively, interesting pedagogical fashion to allow you to fully appreciate the diversity of the field of stress and its impact on our health. Key features include: * A consideration of the value of numerous therapeutic strategies to diminish distress and stress-related pathologies. * An exploration of many new conceptual perspectives relevant to stress processes and pathology. * Information is presented in an easy-to-read manner with lots of pointers to the key concepts to remember, and many devices in place to reinforce your understanding of these.
An Introduction to Stress and Health is an indispensable text for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students taking courses in health psychology, stress, health and illness, or any other courses focusing on stress and health issues.

Reviews

This book provides a remarkably comprehensive, authoritative, informative and thoughtful overview of the subject of stress. It is scientifically sound and accurate, yet full of humor, stories and anecdotes, which exemplify, clarify and simplify complex concepts and information. Stress is one of the most important and influential experiences in the life of every person, constituting a major source of misery and illness. I therefore recommend this book to any intelligent and educated person who wants to understand the nature, mechanisms, and implications of stress, as well as the ways to overcome its potential adverse consequences. -- Raz Yirmiya, Ph.D The Hebrew University of Jerusalem This is a highly entertaining book about a very serious topic. Beautifully written, funny and organized in a way that students and the general public will understand complex notions about stress. If this book doesn't interest a new generation of students wishing to develop a career in stress research, then no book will! -- Sonia Lupien

Author description

Hymie Anisman received his PhD in 1972 (University of Waterloo), and has been a Professor at Carleton University, Ottawa, since that time, while also holding an adjunct appointment with the Institute of Mental Health Research (Royal Ottawa Hospital). Professor Anisman was a Senior Ontario Mental Health Research Fellow (1999-2006), is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and has held a Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience since 2001. The principle theme of his research has concerned the influence of stressors on neurochemical and neuroendocrine systems, and how these influence psychological (anxiety, depression) and physical (immune-related and neurodegenerative) disorders. His work has spanned animal models to assess stress-related pathology as well as studies in humans to assess stress, coping and appraisal processes. In this regard, he has assessed the impact of chronic strain emanating from discrimination and stigmatization on well-being, depression and PTSD among refugees from war-torn regions and among Aboriginal groups that suffered childhood traumatization, distress associated with abusive relationships and life transitions, as well as the transmission of trauma effects across generations. In addition to sitting on the editorial boards of several journals and on numerous grant panels, Professor Anisman has published more than 350 peer reviewed journal papers and book chapters, and several review papers within neuroscience and psychology journals, and has edited two books, one dealing with stress processes and the second concerning psychoneuroimmunology. A mainstay of his Research program has been the training of students. More than Professor Anisman has completed 20 PhD and 50 MA/MSc students have graduated from his laboratory. His research has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Ontario Mental Health Foundation (OMHF), the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Canada Research chairs program (CRC).

Table of contents

Chapter 1 THE NATURE OF STRESSORS Some basic definitions and concepts Characterizing stressors Measuring stressors Individual differences: Vulnerability and resilience Concluding comments Chapter 2. APPRAISALS, COPING AND WELL-BEING Appraisals and Coping skills Emotional responses Coping with stressors Social support Concluding Comments Chapter 3. HORMONAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH STRESSORS Hormones and behavior Assessing the relation between hormones and behaviors Biological stress responses The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and glucocorticoids Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) Stress, energy balances and eating to cope Prolactin Estrogen and Testosterone Oxytocin Concluding comments Chapter 4. NEUROTRANSMITTER PROCESSES PROMOTED BY STRESSORS Neuronal and glial processes in relation to challenges Neurotransmitter changes elicited by stressors Biogenic amine: norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin Acetylcholine (ACh) ?-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) Glutamate Cannabinoids Growth factors Sensitized neuronal responses Concluding comments Chapter 5. IMMUNOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF STRESSORS What the immune system is supposed to do The immune system (a very brief primer) Immune-hormone interactions Stress, central processes and immunological alterations: Animal studies Stressor effects on immune functioning in humans Stressors and cytokine changes Sensitization Concluding Comments Chapter 6. STRESS IMMUNITY AND DISEASE Immunity and Disease Infectious Illness Autoimmune disorders Cancer Diabetes Concluding comments Chapter 7. CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Diseases of the heart The heart's typical response to a stressor Psychosocial factors associated with heart disease Personality factors in relation to heart disease Physiological stress responses that affect heart disease Diabetes Concluding remarks Chapter 8. DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS What is depression? Theoretical Constructs related to Depressive Illness: Cognitive perspectives Neurochemical perspectives on stressor-provoked behavioral disturbances Neurochemical explanations of depressive disorder Growth Factors in Depression Depression - What's it good for anyways Concluding Comments Chapter 9. ANXIETY DISORDERS Subtypes of anxiety Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) Panic Disorder Phobias Obsessive-compulsive disorder Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Concluding comments Chapter 10. ADDICTION Stress in relation to the addiction process Reward and aversion in relation to addiction Dopamine and reward processes Corticotropin hormone in relation to stress and addiction A different perspective on addiction: eating related peptides An integrated perspective Treatment for Addictions Concluding comments Chapter 11: TRANSMISSION OF TRAUMA ACROSS GENERATIONS A voyage across generations Intergenerational effects of trauma Impact of trauma on later responses to challenges Impact of prenatal insults Epigenetic Changes Collective and historic trauma Concluding comments Chapter 12. STRESS BUSTING: TREATMENT STRATEGIES Relaxation training Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) Meditation Mindfulness The Third Wave of Behavioral Therapies Pharmacotherapy Antidepressant Agents Antianxiety agents Herbal (naturopathic) treatments Concluding remarks Chapter 13. NAVIGATING STIGMA AND SEEKING HEALTH Discrimination and stigmatization Stigma related to mental illness Responses to stressors and social support Trust in the health system. Turning to the internet. Concluding remarks