HOMEOSTASIS AND

STRESS
Module 17
• Homeostasis is bodily balance. The body aims to maintain its balance
despite changes in its internal environment and the external
environment. For example, the body will compensate for internal
changes such as hypothermia with physiological responses such as
shivering to create heat,
• Homeostasis can be threatened by physical, psychological, social and
spiritual forces
• A failure of the human body to effectively cope with stressors and to regain
its balance and normal functioning will lead to death.
• Although at first glance stressors may appear to be only destructive to
homeostasis, that is not the case. Without stressors we would not be able to
survive. For example, the human body would not breathe without a
stressor; it is the presence of carbon dioxide in the body
• When stressors become so great and intense and the body is no longer able
to cope with them and adapt to them effectively that harm occurs to the
client
 General Adaptation Syndrome theory, in
correct sequential order, include:
• The stage of alarm
• The stage of resistance
• The stage of exhaustion
Psychological stress definition
• There’s a good chance we can all identify negative stress, but did you
know that stress can also be positive?
• Good stress, called eustress, can actually be beneficial to you.
• On the other hand, bad stress typically causes anxiety.
Psychological stress effects
• It’s no secret that the long-term effects of distress can damage our
health.
• Stress has the ability to negatively impact our lives. It can cause
physical conditions, such as headaches, digestive issues, and sleep
disturbances. It can also cause psychological and emotional strains,
including confusion, anxiety, and depression.
• Acute to chronic
more common stressors include:(Dr. Gary
Brown)
• relationship conflicts at home
• new or increasing work responsibilities
• increasing demands
• financial strain
• loss of a loved one
• health problems
• moving to a new location
• exposure to one or more traumatic incidents, such as a car accident or
a violent crime
Some of the more common physical, psychological,
and emotional signs of chronic stress include:

• Changes in mood
• Clammy or sweaty palms
• Decreased sex drive
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty sleeping
• Frequent sickness
• Headaches
• Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders
Types of stressors
• either physical or psychological.
Crises/catastrophes
• This type of stressor is unforeseen and unpredictable
Major life events
• Common examples of major life events include: marriage, going to
college, death of a loved one, birth of a child, divorce, moving houses,
etc
Daily hassles/microstressors
• This category includes daily annoyances and minor hassles
Ambient stressors
Environment - Typical examples of ambient stressors are pollution,
noise, crowding, and traffic.
Organizational stressors
• "Toxic Leadership", both in companies and in governmental
organizations.
Ways to manage stress
• Find a balance
• Be kind to yourself
• Lean on the people you trust
• Keep a journal - . This can be a useful tool to help you better
understand your stressors
• Eat well-balanced, regular meals
• Exercise regularly
• Get plenty of rest
• Schedule your worry
nurses should instruct clients about stress
management techniques such as
• Daily exercise
• Massage
• Meditation
• Prayer
• Deep Breathing
• Music Therapy
• Hypnosis and Self Hypnosis (during sleep)
Evaluating the Client's Use of Stress
Management Techniques
• The client will demonstrate stress management techniques in the correct
manner and as taught
• The client will have less anxiety as demonstrated with decreased feelings
of being threatened
• The client will verbally express a decrease in terms of their level of anxiety
• The client will exhibit less fear
• The client will have a restored level of energy
• The client will demonstrate better coping decision making and problem
solving processes
• The client will be without the physiological changes that occur with
stress and the General Adaptation Syndrome
Module 18
What Is Behavioral Therapy?
• is to reinforce desirable behaviors and eliminate
unwanted ones.
Types of Behavioral Therapy
• Applied behavior analysis - uses operant conditioning to shape and
modify problematic behaviors. rewards and punishment to modify
behavior
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - adds a cognitive element,
focusing on the problematic thoughts behind behaviors. perceiving,
recognizing, conceptualizing, learning, reasoning, problem solving,
memory, and language. ‘ mental activities’
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) - s a form of CBT that utilizes both
behavioral and cognitive techniques
• Exposure therapy - expose people to the source of their fears while
practicing relaxation strategies. It is useful for treating specific phobias
and other forms of anxiety.
• Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) - focuses on identifying
negative or destructive thoughts and feelings.
• Social learning theory - Observing others being rewarded or punished
for their actions can lead to learning and behavior change.
Techniques ( basic principles that contribute
to behavioral therapy)
• Classical Conditioning -
 behaviors are learned by
connecting a neutral
stimulus with a positive
one,
• Aversion therapy- : This process involves pairing an undesirable
behavior with an aversive stimulus in the hope that the unwanted
behavior will eventually be reduced….
• For example, someone with an alcohol use disorder might take
Antabuse (disulfiram), a drug that causes severe symptoms (such as
headaches, nausea, anxiety, and vomiting) when combined with
alcohol.
• to help a person give up a behavior or habit by having them associate
it with something unpleasant.
• Flooding- is an intensive type of exposure therapy in which you must
face your fear at a maximum level of intensity for an extended
amount of time.
• Systematic desensitization- s used to treat extreme aversions through
a combination of graded exposure and relaxation. By level
Operant Conditioning
• Operant conditioning focuses on how reinforcement and punishment
can be utilized to either increase or decrease the frequency of a
behavior
• Contingency management- This approach uses a formal written
contract between a client and a therapist very effective in producing
behavior changes since the rules are spelled out clearly
• Extinction- Another way to produce behavior change is to stop
reinforcing behavior in order to eliminate the response. Time-outs are
a perfect example of the extinction process ( best in toddler)
• Behavior modeling - allows individuals to learn new skills or
acceptable behaviors by watching someone else perform those
desired skills.
• Token economies - allowing kids to earn tokens for engaging in
preferred behaviors and lose tokens for undesirable behaviors.
What Behavioral Therapy Can Help With?
• Bipolar disorder
• Anxiety
• Alcohol and substance use disorders
• Phobias
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) etc…..
Benefits of Behavioral Therapy
• help kids and adults manage symptoms like stress, anxiety, and any
other related to mental health conditions. Additionally, children
benefit in the long term as they can apply the techniques any time
they need to cope with negative emotions.
Things to Consider
• Behavioral therapy has a number of advantages. However, behavioral
approaches are not always the best solution
• It's Not Enough for Complex Mental Health Conditions
• It May Not Account for Underlying Problems - Behavioral treatments
tend to focus on current problems with functioning and may not fully
appreciate or address the underlying factors
• It May Not Address the Whole Picture