Stress Response Basics
This is the body’s response to a demand, threat, change, or challenge.
Stress
These two cardiovascular changes commonly occur during the stress response.
Increased heart rate and increased blood pressure
This theory suggests emotional stress can create real physical changes in the body.
Psychophysiologic theory
This disorder involves neurologic-like symptoms such as paralysis, blindness, or seizure-like episodes not fully explained by disease.
Conversion disorder
This therapeutic approach recognizes the client’s distress without saying the symptoms are fake.
Validating the client's symptoms
This is the main purpose of the physiologic stress response.
Protection or survival
Muscle tension from stress may contribute to headaches, jaw clenching, neck pain, and this type of pain.
Back pain or body aches
This theory explains emotional distress being experienced or expressed as physical symptoms.
Somatization theory
This pattern involves emotional distress being expressed through multiple physical symptoms.
Somatization
Deep breathing, guided imagery, journaling, and grounding are examples of these interventions.
Stress-management or coping strategies
This nervous system branch is activated during the fight-or-flight response.
Sympathetic nervous system
Stress-related GI changes may include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or this common symptom.
Abdominal pain
This theory views illness as a combination of biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors.
Biopsychosocial theory
This disorder centers on preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness despite little or no physical symptoms.
Illness anxiety disorder
This therapeutic goal helps the client focus on ADLs, routines, and realistic activity rather than only symptoms.
Encouraging function and independence
These adrenal hormones help increase alertness, heart rate, and energy availability during stress.
Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol
Chronic stress can weaken this body system and increase infection risk.
Immune system
This is why nurses should not tell clients with stress-related symptoms, “It’s all in your head.”
Because the symptoms are real to the client and may involve real physiologic responses
This behavior involves intentional production or exaggeration of symptoms for external gain.
Malingering
This nursing response should be avoided because it dismisses the client’s distress and damages trust.
"Nothing is wrong with you." or "It's just stress."
This phrase describes the body’s immediate survival response to threat.
Fight, flight, or freeze
Chronic stress may slow this healing process after injury, surgery, or illness.
Wound healing
This nursing question helps assess the client’s cultural understanding of symptoms.
"What do you believe is causing these symptoms?"
This is the key difference between illness anxiety disorder and malingering.
Illness anxiety disorder is not intention, while malingering is intentional for external gain
A client repeatedly seeks reassurance that they do not have cancer despite several negative tests and minimal physical symptoms. The client remains intensely afraid of serious illness.
Illness anxiety disorder