Psy 210 Week 4 Checkpoint Effects of Stress

What steps of the general adaptation syndrome will I experience?

With the increased stress levels, at a minimum I would experience the alarm reaction. In our reading it states that this “is the body’s initial response to a stressor. This reaction mobilizes or arouses the body in preparation to defend itself against a stressor”. Then as time goes on, I would move into the resistance stage. In this stage as stated in our reading, the “levels of endocrine and sympathetic nervous system activity are lower than in the alarm reaction but still higher than normal. In this stage the body attempts to restore lost energy and repair bodily damage”. Then if this stress level keeps going, eventually I would enter the exhaustion stage. At this stage I not only would be exhausted, but I would be opening up my body to sickness and diseases.

What emotional and cognitive effects might this stressor produce?

During this process I could experience one or more of the three emotional responses to this stress such as anxiety, anger, and depression. If I suffered anxiety, it would be a temporary condition of arousal. If I experienced anger, it would be from the frustration of the work load. Moreover, if I was to get depressed, it could result from the prolonged level of stress that I would be under in this job. Whereas, cognitively I might suffer memory losses with all of this if the stress levels were to get to high or prolonged.

If this stress continues, how might it affect my health?

If this stress was to continue long term it could affect me in several ways. It could make me sick, or it could actually cause diseases within my body because my body is not able to fight things off correctly. I could also suffer depression and have issues with my memory.

How might I resolve this situation effectively?

I would make a detailed plan of action and schedule my time wisely to help insure that I can carry the load without causing too much stress....