Physiological Processes And Treatment Of Plaque Psoriasis

Physiological Processes And Treatment Of Plaque Psoriasis
Physiological Processes & Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic immune–mediated inflammatory skin disease that is not contagious but has no
cure. Psoriasis often presents as patches of thick red skin and silvery scales called plaque psoriasis.
This proliferation of skin cells often affect the face, trunk, and extremities and have a familial
tendency. Sudden onset is often triggered by stress, trauma, medications, or infection and is an equal
opportunistic disease that manifests on the skin and can begin in childhood or at any age
(Arcangelo, 2013).
Approximately five million adults suffer from this inflammatory disease and psoriasis can occur in
all age groups (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases [NIH], 2013).
The purpose of this paper is to explore the pathophysiological, maladaptive, and psychosocial
effects of psoriasis; discuss and explore the pharmacological interventions for pediatric and geriatric
patients, and synthesize the body's response to treatments available.
Pathophysiology of Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that develops when there is a maladaptation in the body's
defense system. This disease is driven by the immune system involving the Th lymphocyte cells.
Under normal homeostasis, the regeneration of epidermis tissue renew under normal pathological
conditions with the shedding of the outer layer of skin every 14–20 days. During flair–ups,
lymphocytes infiltrate into the epidermal
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HIV/AIDS And Homelessness: The National Council For The...
What is HIV? It is a virus that attacks the body's immune system that can lead to acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS if not treated. The Kaiser Family Foundation (2008), states
that HIV attacks the body's immune system, specifically the CD4 cells (T cells), which help the
immune system fight off infections. If left untreated, it reduces the number of T–Cells in the body,
making the person more likely to get other infections. Also noted is the fact that HIV destroys so
many of these cells that it renders the body helpless in fighting off the infections, while it takes
advantage of the weaker immune system. This occurrence is part of the last stage that signals that an
individual has AIDS.
The Center for Disease Control (2001), ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to the National AIDS Housing Coalition (2011), housing status has a direct impact on
HIV incidence and on the people living with HIV/AIDS. What is also stated, is that issues
surrounding unstable housing equate to poor health outcomes. Homelessness tends to magnify the
risk factors as it relates to HIV. The lack of housing is a significant factor in health disparities among
individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The health issues associated with HIV/AIDS not only
impacts the individual, it affects communities as well. Communities have opposed facilities in their
neighborhood that would address the HIV/AIDS homeless population. The Not In My Backyard
syndrome as described by Takahashi (1997) is an organized resistance of communities that perceives
a threat to the siting of controversial land uses and facilities. These communities oppose facilities
such as group homes and homeless shelters for individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
Homelessness and HIV/AIDS diagnosis continues to be an ongoing problem, but groups that
support the Not In My Backyard syndrome continues to oppose the placement of housing that is
low–cost and affordable in their

The Effects Of Cortisol Mediated Chronic And Acute Stress...
Overview of Cortisol–Mediated Chronic and Acute Stress and Immune System Response
Introduction
The nervous, endocrine, and immune systems share a close relationship critical to maintaining
homeostasis during psychological and immune stress (Carlsson, Anneli, Ludvigsson, & Faresjö,
2014). Chronic stress, primarily mediated by the glucocorticoid cortisol, is associated with
deleterious health outcomes and immune deficiency. However, acute stress is associated with
protective health effects and immune enhancement. Stress has generally been regarded as adaptive
when acute and short–term but maladaptive when chronic (Dhabhar, 2006; Carlsson, Anneli,
Ludvigsson, & Faresjö, 2014; Johnson, Riley, Douglas, & Riis, 2013; Flinn and England, 2003;
Wiegers, Reul, Holsboer, & de Kloet, 1994).
The aim of this review is to discuss the mechanisms by which the nervous and immune systems
interact to affect each other during periods of stress (psychological and physiological), the specific
effects of cortisol–mediated stress on the immune system based on the magnitude and duration of
the stressor, and the models proposed to explain these effects.
General mechanisms of neuroendocrine and immune system relationship
Under conditions of stress, the nervous system, via the SAM (sympathetic–adrenal–medullary) and
HPA (hypothalamic–anterior pituitary–adrenal cortex) systems, produces neurotransmitters and
hormones (such as cortisol and catecholamines) that bind to receptors on immune system cells;

Cancer Progression And Survival: A Biobehavioral Approach.
Cancer Progression and Survival: A Biobehavioral Approach
Multiple epidemiological and psychological studies have investigated the relationship between
psychological factors and the progression of cancer. Lack of social support, trauma history,
depression, and distress and the most commonly cited psychological processes when looking at
cancer outcomes. A meta–analysis conducted by Pinquart and Duberstein (2010) examined the
association between social support and cancer progression and found that higher levels of perceived
social support, having a larger social network, and being married decreased the mortality rate by
25%, 20% and 12% respectively. In contrast studies done on depression, stress, and trauma have
consistently found them to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Inflammation is facilitated by the tumor cells as well as tumor related macrophages, both of which
are strong producers of inflammatory cytokines. Kiecolt–Glaser et al. (2003), showed that stress
related factors promote the production of pro–inflammatory cytokines. Leukocytes play an
important role in inflammation and patients assessed to have higher depressive symptoms were
found to have greater leukocyte expression in genes mediating inflammation., oxidative stress, and
immune activation. Inflammation is also known to central nervous system effects that may influence
psychosocial abnormalities in a cancer patient. Depression had specifically been associated with
higher IL–6 which is known to induce neuronegative reactions in the CNS. Psychological
interventions have shown to varying reliability and magnitude on cancer patients.
Significant effects have also been observed for cytokine outcomes in relation to increase in
production. Antoni and colleagues (2011), demonstrated that stress management intervention during
early stages of breast cancer produced changes in leukocyte gene expression. Specifically, down–
regulation of genes that promote inflammatory and metastasis processes. Another study observed
that in breast cancer patients who experienced a recurrent diagnosis and had a prior intervention had
a reduced risk of death (Andersen et al., 2010). All of this shows the importance of determining the
biobehavioral relationships in

The Psychological and Physiciological Effects of Guilt Essay
Abstract: Guilt has physiological and psychological effects. The psychological effects can include
something bad, such as feelings of worthlessness or inferiority. Guilt can also serve in a positive
way as a motivator. A person may suffer physiological effects such as insomnia and physical pain.
Discussion: Guilt is feelings of culpability, especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of
inadequacy. There are negative physiological effects caused by guilt. Guilt can make someone over
responsible. They will think that life has to be perfect, and will do everything to try to please
everyone. It may make someone over conscientious so that they may neglect their needs to avoid ...
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This serves as a motivator to change. As guilt causes discomfort, it can be used as a need to change
things in your life, and eliminate the guilt. For example, if someone bullied an individual, they
would probably eventually realize they have wronged that person and feel guilty. The guilt would
motivate the bully to change their attitude, which would lead to a better life.
Moreover, continual guilt may affect someone physiologically. Someone feeling guilty may suffer
from: languidness, imagined illness, real illness, headaches, stomach disorders, and vague pains.
Guilt can also cause cardiovascular strain which reduces relational intimacy and a startle response
which creates feelings of alienation. It may even be a detriment to work performance because it can
cause hyperarousal. A person may also feel chronically fatigued. Without apparent cause, one may
experience physical aches and pain.
More seriously, guilt can keep someone from sleeping because of immoderate time spent in REM.
This lack of sleep causes increased susceptibility to disease. During sleep, the body's immune
system undergoes repair. Therefore, with lack of sleep, the immune system does not have time to
repair itself and is weakened.
Guilt may also immobilize you. An individual may be so overwhelmed by the fear of doing, acting,
saying or

The Current Idea I Have For My Paper
Eric Nhan ESS 102 April 16, 2015 Research Paper Synopsis of Sci–fi Paper The current idea I have
for my paper is a story about an astronaut who is dealing with the effects of radiation and the health
effects of long–term space travel after a five year mission. He recounts his mission throughout the
story and at the same time details his decline in health and fame. There are two ways that the story
can turn to and I have decided which one I will go with. The first deals with commercializing space
travel where the company that he worked for begins sending tourists into space and hides his failing
health from the public (maybe by faking his death). The other side is that there is a temporary ban
on human space travel and more reliance of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Lack of Gravity One of the main causes of change in the human body is space is the lack of gravity
because the body no longer needs to support its weight [1]. This leads not only to muscle loss but
the loss of bone tissue as well [1]. Experiments were conducted on rats and some rats lost one third
of muscle in particular areas after only seven to ten days [2]. Another experiment found that bone at
certain areas was dissolving around 1–2% a month in astronauts [2]. After longer periods, this can
jeopardize missions if the astronauts do not have enough muscle or their bones are not strong
enough to move safely [2]. In order to prevent muscle and bone loss, NASA is using osteoporosis
drugs and exercise [1]. Exercises include an hour of cardio and an hour of weightlifting everyday
[2]. The exercise sends signals to the body to build muscle and bone, which resulted in astronauts
returning with around the same amount of bone that they had before the mission [1]. Even with
exercise, many astronauts are fairly weak when they return, some having trouble to walk [2]. One
other impact from the lack of gravity is fluid redistribution because the body has adapted to push
fluids to the upper body, but without gravity this causes swelling in the head [1]. This swelling
causes issues with eyesight, by changing the shape of the eye and retinas [1]. This was discovered
when an astronaut on the ISS noticed he

The Negative Effects Of Stress
The mind and the body being connected have a great effect on an individual in many ways. Since
the body is able to control certain involuntary responses, emotions dealing with thoughts, behaviors,
and feelings may affect greatly. Events happening in life may also disrupt someone's health by
interfering with their psychological routine, as well as correlations between what is going on with
our feelings and thoughts. With this in consideration, there are ways to relieve or attack the negative
changes on the body by using therapy, activities in daily life, and body development. In the book
Stress Management, there is a statement that says "when a person has many stressors every day, the
body begins to wear down. It doesn't have enough time between stressors to recover... The person's
immune system may weaken and fail to fight off disease and infection." (Gregson) If the average
person sits down to think why there are so many physical changes on themselves, the conclusion
will be brought down to one thing, stress. There may be signs ranging from sweaty palms to change
in appetite and fatigue. The flight or fight system every individual's body has determines whether
their hormones say play jeopardy or escape. Eventually, those hormones will start to fail. Luckily,
there are many ways to reduce stress. For someone who is anti–social or does not move around a lot
and is dealing with stress, a resolution would be to get off their feet. They can exercise regularly and
eat healthier

The Psychological Immune System By Leslie Bell And Daniel...
The methods by which human beings rationalize their thinking can be explained through many
theories and speculations. Two important theories about human thought are explained by Leslie Bell
and Daniel Gilbert in their essays "Hard to Get: Twenty–Something women and the Paradox of
Sexual Freedom" and "Immune to Reality", respectively. Bell applies the term splitting to explain
how the women she spoke with are able to cope with the conflictions they feel over their sexual
desires. Splitting is a tool used within psychoanalytic theory to describe a means of dualistic or
binary thinking. Similarly, Gilbert coined the phrase psychological immune system to explain
human self–rationalization behavior when someone suffers a severe setback. The psychological
immune system is a method of protecting the mind from the harsh reality of some events. Both
splitting and the psychological immune system approach the idea that human behavior is designed to
protect the well being of the mind whether it is through simplification, detachment, or fabrication of
the true circumstances.
The psychological immune system works by using specific tactics and strategies to help us
transform and understand a seemingly horrible event into a positive one or one that we can
understand. Gilbert explains that the psychological immune system is able to protect the mind by
"unconsciously cooking the facts and then consciously consuming them" (Gilbert 132). This means
that when presented with a

The Negative Effects Of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is a condition in which a person does not get enough sleep (What Are Sleep
Deprivation and Deficiency). A majority of people need anywhere between eight to nine hours of
sleep (Why Lack of Sleep Is Bad For Your Health). When a person does not get the amount of sleep
that they need, the body does not have the proper amount of time to repair itself. Some symptoms of
sleep deprivation are always being hungry, gaining weight, one becomes more impulsive and has
mood swings, indecisiveness, lack of motor skills, increase in acne and falling asleep without
realizing it (11 Signs). A person can also be affected by microsleeping. Microsleeping is the
condition in which a person falls asleep throughout the day for seconds or sometimes minutes
without them realizing it. The lack of sleep can have many negative effects on one's health. Sleep
deprivation can cause an increase in acne, it can cause harm to the central nervous system, digestive
system, and it can cause psychological problems. The lack of sleep can take a toll on one's immune
system. At night, the immune system produce molecules to help fight infections. For example, a
molecule called cytokines is used to help fight infections and help one to sleep which gives the
immune system more time to fight off illnesses (Healthline). Acne is caused by bacteria. Not getting
enough sleep weakens the immune system which means bacteria can cause one to break out.
Another part of the body that is affected physically by

Detrimental Effects Of Sleep Deprivation
Detrimental effects of sleep deprivation Life can be quite stressful, and very tiring at times. The
days can be long, and filled with many stressors. For most, these stressors include things such as
work, school, and other events incorporated into an individual's schedule. Most of these stressors are
important, but they should not be taken on without the proper amount of sleep. Lack of sleep can
produce an outstanding amount of negative effects on the brain and body. With the negative effects
generated from sleep deprivation, certain effects on the body and brain can propagate and
exponentially result in death. The body and brain depend on each other. These two entities cannot
endure without one another. Both however, cannot function for long without the immune system.
Sleep has a vast effect on the immune system and its ability to carry out its duties. Eric J. Olson
M.D. notes, "during sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which
help promote sleep" (par.2). With these cytokines being produced during sleep, and promoting more
sleep, it would seem as though you could very well start a domino effect. Olson also adds, "Sleep
deprivation may decrease production of these protective cytokines. In addition, infection–fighting
antibodies and cells are reduced during periods when you don't get enough sleep" (par.2). By
increasing your chances of getting sick and also getting less sleep, lack of sleep in the beginning of
this cycle spirals a series

Multiple Sclerosis Papers
The immune system of a human body is fascinating and life–saving, when functioning properly. An
immune system lacking proper function will consequently lack the ability to protect the human
body. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, immune–mediated disease of the central nervous system,
primarily affecting the brain and spinal cord. There are four types, or courses of the multiple
sclerosis disease. The first type is known as relapsing– remitting, the second type is primary
progressive, the third type is secondary progressive, and lastly the fourth type is progressive
relapsing. Multiple sclerosis is a disease that lacks a definitive cause or etiology, yet there are
theories that attempt to explain the pathogenesis of the (MS) disease. A ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Experts believe that MS stems not from just one factor, but multiple. These factors are immunologic,
environmental, and genetic factors." (Rumrill, 2009, p.76). The most widely accepted cause of
multiple sclerosis is an auto–immune response. This auto–immune response is caused by both
genetics and environment. "Many genes have been studied, including the genes on chromosome
6p21 in the area of the major histocompatibility complex [MHC; histocompatibility leukocyte
antigen (HLA) in humans], specifically the alleles –DR and –DQ have shown strong correlations
accounting for 10–60% of the genetic risk of MS. The correlation between these susceptible genes
and autoimmunity is thought to involve their role as antigen–presenting molecules to CD4 T cells.
This deregulation in self–recognition, which has been shown to be related to the T–cell signaling
pathways, can result in epitope spreading and eventual autoimmunity." (Sternberg, 2012, p.251). An
immune–system that has a flawed major histocompatibility complex, (MHC), may lack the ability to
differentiate a pathogen from their own healthy normal cells. Although the auto–immune response
etiology is most popular, and accepted, there are more. The location of multiple sclerosis patients
has brought about another etiology, the UV sunlight etiology. Multiple sclerosis patients are not
evenly distributed throughout the world; they are located in certain regions for the majority. "The
latitude is another etiology of MS; the latitude could explain the geographic distribution of MS.
Multiple sclerosis is found at a drastically lower rate in equatorial regions. As the latitude increased,
so did the incidence of MS. The latitude is directly related to the degree of exposure to UV sunlight
catalyzing the production of vitamin D3 in the skin. Vitamin D3 is associated with both genetic and
immune regulatory factors. Studies have shown that a deficiency in

I Call It The Pursuit Of Happiness, By The Mega Marketing...
Understanding Who We Truly Are Many people will agree with the idea that happiness is the key to
a successful life. Everybody has their own perception of happiness, whether it is a loving family, a
healthy lifestyle, or maybe even money. As people progress through the journey of life, or as I call it
the pursuit of happiness, they undergo an ample of events or experiences that help them understand
the difference between who they think we are, and who they really are. By going through these
favorable or unfavorable experiences, they become emotionally stronger. However, this situation is
not always the case. Most of the times, people find themselves unintentionally altering reality and
avoiding the truth to make almost every situation beneficial. To properly understand happiness, we
have to first tackle the idea of understanding ourselves. The way we view ourselves shapes our
experiences of events to a great extent because we finally understand why we go through what we
do. After thoroughly reading both "Immune to Reality", and "The Mega–Marketing of Depression in
Japan", I am confidently able to say that reality in our lives is strongly based on our subjective
perceptions of things. To effectively comprehend the stories of ourselves we can begin by looking at
what factors shape how we understand and communicate our emotional experiences. We all know
that culture is ones upbringing and roots that are embedded into their minds at a young age. In
addition to that, we found

Psychological Stress
Psychological stress is a ubiquitous facet of life, which is onset by the recognition of a stimulus and
prompts a reaction in the brain to counteract the effect of stress and maintain homeostasis. A
multitude of studies have proven that there is a correlation between psychological stress and the
presence of an immune disorder. Psychological stress is induced in various ways and is able to
manifest within oneself if no relaxation techniques are implemented; moreover, disorders such as:
heart disease, diabetes and asthma are developed by psychological stress. Finally, recent research
has suggested that an improvement of the immune system is observed when relaxation techniques
are implemented regularly to relieve psychological stress. A correlation ... Show more content on
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17,000 Swedish families agreed to participate in this study and consented to provide a five year
follow up; which entailed, an extensive questionnaire and biological samples such as urine, blood
and hair samples. In this study, the main focus was on four domains: serious life events, parental
stress, lack of social support, and parental worries. If a child was to experience three out of the four
domains, they were said to have been exposed to high levels of psychological stress. These children
which had high levels of psychological stress displayed a significantly decreased response to
diabetes associated autoantigens during their five year checkup. This was because regulatory T cells,
a small percentage of T cells which suppress the effect of autoantigens, were down regulated during
stress and this lead to an exacerbation of the inflammatory response. Additionally, the levels of T
helper 1 cells (Th1 cells) were exclusively elevated in highly stressed children, which in turn, leads
to an increased risk of autoimmune diseases, more specifically, Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). "Exposure
to prolonged and severe stress may have an overwhelming impact

Outline and Evaluate Research Into the Relationship...
Outline and evaluate research into the relationship between the immune system and stress related
illness
The main function of the immune system is to protect the body from infectious agents such as
viruses and other toxins. The immune system can fail us in two ways–either by becoming under–
vigilant, letting infections enter the body, or over–vigilant, so that it is the immune system itself,
rather than an infectious agent that causes illness.
Most studies of the relationship between stress and the immune system have focussed on acute(i.e.
short lived) stressors and have found a decrease in immune cell function.
Selye (1956) developed a model called the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) which explained
the short–term effects of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The students were also given questionnaires to assess psychological variables such as life events and
loneliness.
They found that the students had a significantly lower white cell count during exams and this was
most reduced in students who had reported high levels of life events and loneliness.
They concluded that exam stress reduces immune function, potentially leaving the individual
vulnerable to illness and infections. Immune function is also affected by psychological variables
such as the stress of life events and feelings of loneliness. These long term stressors may make
individuals more vulnerable to the added effect of short term stressors such as exams.
In evaluating the GAS Theory, it is helpful to note that it was the first systematic attempt to describe
the body's response to stress. However, all Selye's early work was carried out on rats, using physical
stressors. There are physiological differences between rats and humans making it difficult to
generalise his research findings to people.
Another criticism of the GAS theory is that it ignores individual differences. It assumes we all
respond in the same way to stressors, but we now know that personality and gender can significantly
affect reactions to stress.
There are people who may have Type A behaviour which is characterised by intense competitiveness
and impatience and which is believed to increase the risk of coronary

Laughter Improves Health Essay example
Laughter is an essential human phenomenon. Smiling in response to pleasant physical conditions
occurs in early development, usually in the first month of life. As a motor reflex, laughter is usually
present by the time a child is 4 months old. By the age of eighteen months, a child smiles once every
six minutes, and by four years of age, the rate increases to one smile every one and one–third
minutes. The ratio of laughs to smiles increases from one laugh to every ten smiles as eighteen
months to one every three smile at four years. The individual differences in the rate of both laughing
and smiling become greater as the children grow older. (Stearns, 1972) The instinctual development
of smiling and laughing occurs very ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The causes of laughter can be divided into three main groups. One manifestation is laughter as a
reflex, such as due to ticking. Another is as a psychosomatic response prompted by a specific
stimulus. This is an informative stimulus such as a word, sentence, gesture, action, recollection,
situation, etc. This requires the involvement of perception, learning, and memory. This reaction may
or may not be terminated voluntarily. The third is again a psychosomatic response, but is
differentiated because it is not caused by an adequate informative stimulus and can be terminated
voluntarily.
Within this categorization, there are different types of laughter: mirthful laughter, pathological
laughter, etc. Mirthful laughter, a lesser studied, but highly interesting type will be the focus of this
discussion. A commonly held belief is that mirthful laughter and humor result in positive physical,
psychological, and social fitness. With such a expansive area of influence, it is difficult to
understand how such laughter influences the body.
Laughter in healing
Studies of the physiology of mirthful laughter, scientifically known as gelotology, are a fairly recent
phenomenon. Descriptions of convalescence through positive emotional states have renewed interest
in the healing potential of mirthful laughter. Norman Cousins' accounts of the therapeutic effects of
laughter during his treatment and recovery from ankylosing spondylitis

Effects Of Stress On The Human Body
Psychological Stress on the Human Body: Effects and Management
Carlisa Robinson
University of South Alabama ABSTRACT
The presented research examines the impact of stress on the human body with a specific focus on
the immune system. There is an essential need to examine, analyze and review surrounding theories
and studies regarding psychological stress on the immune system. The occurrence of catastrophic
events and global disasters over the last seventeen years have put a focus on life expectancy in the
twenty–first century. The impacts of these events have led to widespread adversity and have a high
correlation with the reduction of stress management and induction of illness and death. Due to those
factors, the aftermath of such traumatic changes have shown light on the aspects of deterioration,
interaction and relationships of stress on physical and mental health. Revival of the studies and
reviews presented years after events provide longitudinal contributions to this research. Theories
formulated were combined based on existing psychological and chronic stress studies, reviews and
theoretical approaches to stress during and after these events and their aftermath, newly found data,
and alternatives to proper coping mechanism and strategies. The new presented theory focuses on
the increase in life expectancy through maintaining proper stress mechanisms and strategies.
Presented are the fundamental theories which have been the basis for understanding the effects of

The Stress During The Past Year
The most impactful stress during the past year was the death of my baby son combined with school
work and a change of jobs–and they relate with each other. The score on my Social Readjustment
Rating Scale is 220. The stress that built and still continues is an ongoing problem. The course work
has been overwhelming, and because I had to work fewer hours to get it all done, financial stress
also appeared. Overall, the stress has affected by diet and eating habits to the point where I do not
eat enough. The term "biopsychosocial" relates very closely to my situation: "Psychologists define
biopsychosocial model in the context of psychological disorders applies to health psychology as
well, because health psychology integrates biological, psychological, and social factors in health."
Stress is the response to environmental factors, the circumstances and events that threaten
individuals and tax their coping abilities. A stressor is a chemical or biological agent, environmental
condition, external stimulus or an event that causes stress to an organism.
The alarm stage is a temporary state of shock during which resistance to illness and stress falls
below normal limits. In trying to cope with the initial effects of stress, the body releases hormones
that, in a short time, adversely affecst the functioning of the immune system, the body's network of
natural defenses. In the resistance stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome, glands throughout the
body manufacture different hormones

The Effects Of Optimism On Cancer Survival Rate
The previous section has shown that previous study had yielded contradictory results. To account for
the inconsistent findings, we have to first understand the inner mechanisms of the effects of
optimism on cancer survival rate. Salovey (2000) has proposed various potential casual pathways
from dispositional optimism to cancer survival outcomes. One of the potential mediators of
optimism and survival outcome might be immune system. In other words, optimism tends to
enhance the immune system which in turn enhance cancer survival rate. Indeed, Ah (2007) examines
the intimate connections among social support, optimism, and immune response. Ah hypothesized
that optimism plays a mediating role for immune response and cancer outcome. 54 cancer patients
participated in the study. They completed questionnaires regarding stress level, optimism, and
satisfaction social support. Participants' blood was assessed to measure the immune system (ex.,
white blood cell such as natural killer cell. The results showed that only optimism is associated with
immune response and cancer prognosis, while perceived satisfaction of social support was not
associated immune response.
Given that immunology mediate the relationship between optimism and cancer survival rate, it is
possible that the inconsistent results of the previous studies might be accounted by mechanisms
related to immunology.
One possible explanation might be that previous studies looked at different types of cancer, while
some type

The Link Between Psychological Stressors and Overall...
Existence of distinct links between psychological stressors and a persons' overall health have been
proven through various objective studies. The degree of the stress response can also be directly
linked to the severity of its effects. Specific research indicates that stress is related to increased risk
of improper immune system functioning, liver disease, and coronary artery disease. When exposed
to environmental threats, the body's immune system carries out dynamic processes through the
secretion of various chemicals and production of various kinds of cells, to maintain homeostasis.
Whether the stressor is acute or chronic, research now indicates that psychological stress has a
strong connection to immune system functioning, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In addition to being susceptible to certain diseases, other researchers have discovered that
"...extended stress duration and possibly diminished restorative processes have effects that mimic,
exacerbate, and sometimes accelerate the effects of aging on immunity" (Hawkley, & Cacioppo,
2003). Researchers Hawkley and Cacioppo studied this effect through the use of behaviorally
"slow" and "fast" laboratory mice. After exposing the two different types of mice to stressful
situations, they discovered that the "slow" mice exhibited higher amounts of anxiety and "...faster
age–related immune declines than did the "fast" mice" (Hawkley, & Cacioppo, 2003). Therefore,
this particular study confirms the correlation between diminished immune system functioning as a
result of age and stress. It also supports the idea that stress can exacerbate the declined function of
the immune system. In addition to the autonomic and neuroendocrine pathways connecting
psychological stress and the immune system, similar pathways exist in organs of the body such as
the liver. Pathways that connect pathophysiological interactions of stress with the liver can be
divided into two major subdivisions: HPA axis and autonomic nervous system. According to Chida
and his research team, "...autonomic nervous connection between the brain and the liver reportedly
compromises the efferent sympathetic/adrenomedullary system and

Stress: A Documentary Analysis
I learned from this documentary that stress is everyone's inferno, deviling our minds. Stress at one
point helped us survive however, it is now the scrooge of our lives. Stress is not a state of mind but
something measurable and dangerous. Stress can kill brain cells and even unravel our chromosomes.
I found this information frightening because although I knew stress can cause health detriments, I
never knew it was to this extent. Stress was once believed to be linked to ulcers however a discovery
of immune bacteria rejected that hypothesis. As technology and science advanced, scientists
discovered that when an individual is stressed, the body shuts down all non–essential systems
including the immune system. When the body shuts down the immune

Symptoms And Treatment Of Cancer
Introduction Receiving a potentially life–threatening diagnosis, such as cancer, has the potential to
be an extremely stressful event and may have long–term effects. Depending on the diagnosis, many
cancer patients may experience long–lasting, or chronic stress due to a variety of factors including
receiving treatment, experiencing symptoms and side effects of treatment, waiting for test results,
and learning that the cancer has recurred. Patients with cancer often report cancer–related
posttraumatic stress (National Cancer Institute, 2012). According to the National Cancer Institute,
patients who report cancer–related posttraumatic stress often experience repeated frightening
thoughts, trouble sleeping, feeling detached from reality, fear, and helplessness (2012).
Unfortunately, this stress negatively impacts immune functioning and can lead to tumor progression
and metastasis (Hassan et al., 2013). If a cancer diagnosis is stressful, and evidence supports a
negative impact of stress on cancer prognosis and recovery, then reducing the stress experienced by
cancer patients will lead to better outcomes. Previous research identified social support as a major
predictor of reduced stress levels in individuals with cancer (National Cancer Institute, 2012). Social
support promotes psychological well–being and posttraumatic growth, a sharp contrast to
posttraumatic stress. Posttraumatic growth is defined as the positive psychological change
experienced after a highly challenging

Medical Marijuana As A Treatment For Different Diseases
The United States health care industry has been fighting the increased use of medical marijuana as a
treatment for different diseases. Recent research suggests that diseases like AIDS/HIV, Alzheimer's,
Arthritis, Cancer, Crohn's disease, Glaucoma, Multiple sclerosis and Epilepsy can be helped with
Medical Marijuana. Therefore, given this information, federal government and states should lessen
the restrictions on the usage of medical marijuana to help treat different diseases. Alcohol and
Opiates were two of the most widely used substances for pain before medical marijuana. People that
used opiates as a form of self–medication usually get addicted to them. American Society of
Addiction Medicine states "Opiate addiction is driving this epidemic, with 20,101 overdose deaths".
People often share their unused pain relievers, unaware of the dangers of nonmedical opioid use
which causes the high number of overdose deaths. Opiates are so addicting that "Opiates make up
83 percent of admissions for intravenous drug addictions" (. American Society of Addiction
Medicine). In 2014 study, for example, found that states with medical marijuana had fewer
prescription painkiller overdose deaths than those without (Huffington post). Another form of self–
medication that leads to addiction is alcohol. The use of alcohol to depress the effects of pain is as
old as the fermentation process itself. Using Alcohol to stop pain can be very dangerous. Alcohol
helps make people feel better when

Negative Effects Of Stress In School
There has been an increasing awareness of the negative effects that the rigors of school have on
students mental and physical health. In his memoir, Frank McCourt explains how he experienced
stress during school in the form of physical harm from teachers and bullying from fellow students.
That has not remained, as modern day students are experiencing more mental than physical stress.
An increase of mental stress still causes serious mental issues and will lead to physical damage in
the student as well. The justification for an increase of academic rigor in schools is this prepares
them for entering the "real world". But this tactic is not helping students to prepare and is simply
harming them. A regular day as a student consists of taking 1–2 hours to get ready for school, being
in class for 6 hours of the day, 1 hour to get home, and 2+ hours of homework. This means that a
minimum of 9 hours each day is spent centered around school. That number can easily rise as
students participate in athletics, school clubs, or have extra work. Adolescents also require 9–9 ½
hours of sleep. When necessary activities such as showering and eating are taken into account the
student has only 4 hours left to meet the need of their social lives, families, jobs, and religious
activities. This causes students to stay up later, which leads to sleep deprivation. And "according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a vast majority of American teenagers get at least
two hours less

Chronic Psychological Stress: A Case Study
Chronic psychological stress is associated with the body losing its ability to regulate the
inflammatory response. The inflammatory response is the body's defense mechanism that protects it
from infection and injury. Inflammation is partly regulated by the hormone cortisol and when
cortisol is not allowed to serve its function the immune cells become insensitive to cortisol's
regulatory effect. Prolonged stress alters the effectiveness of cortisol to regulate the inflammatory
response by decreasing tissue sensitivity to the hormone. Unchecked inflammation is thought to
encourage the development and progression of many diseases leading to a greater risk for
depression, heart disease and infectious diseases.
Professor Cohen used the common

The Immune System : A Complex Network Of Innate And Innate...
The immune system is a complex network of innate and adaptive compartments that work together
in order to protect and fight against pathogenic invaders. The immune system also acts as a regulator
of host homeostasis in order to ensure that the body is operating under optimal conditions. The
composition of microbiota is associated with the adaptive and innate immune systems, which work
together in order to maintain a constant relationship between the increasingly different microbiota
and pathogens found within our body.
Under optimal working conditions, the relationship between the immune system and microbiota is
interweaved between the innate and adaptive components of the immune system that cultivates an
appropriate immune response. Many immune related illnesses such as allergies, autoimmune, and
inflammatory disorders are all due to the failure in controlling misdirected immune responses
against self, microbiota–derived, or environmental antigens. Further, the use of antibiotics and
changes in diet also affects the composition of microbiota.
In terms of the relationship between the microbiota and immune system during development, the
fetal GI tract is said to be completely sterile. The first exposure the immune system has to bacteria
occurs when the child passes through the birth canal . The exposure that the immune system has
during this passage is what determines the long–term role of the mucosal and systemic immune
system . The maternal colostrum and breast milk

Summary: Can Infection Give You The Blues
Paige Bartlett
SID #: 1466220
PSYCH 202 AL
1. Kasten, Erich (2015 May/June) "Can infection give you the blues?" Scientific American Mind
26(3). 46–49
2. The article claims that many psychological disorders, especially depression, can be caused by
inflammation in the brain.
3. Although the work of various "experts", mainly psychiatrists and researchers, were summarized,
none of them were directly quoted in the article.
4. As title itself was a question, the subtitle of the article may be more relevant. The subtitle reads
"An overactive immune response can seed psychological illnesses". The information in the article
does seem to support this. The author explained the science behind how infections can cause
swelling, and how the swelling can ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I assume the research was done with the hope that they could benefit those who have depression
caused by immune reactions, although no specific motivation was cited for the actual research.
Scientific American Mind printed the article. This means the average reader is assumed to be an
American with an interest in psychology, but not necessarily much expertise in the subject. The
motivation for the article is likely to present interesting information to the public. Since it does serve
the purpose of interesting and entertaining a reader, it may try to be more dramatic in places. For
example, the article began with a personal story to hook the reader, which might increase reader
interest, but it doesn't serve as good scientific support.
d) Much of the article uses logical explanations. It has clear, scientific information. The focus was
on presenting the academic content, not on presenting the emotional side of the topic. However, the
article did begin with a story of someone the author knows whose depression stemmed from an
underlying health problem. In this way, it did set us up to believe the article's claim, by starting with
something more personal and

Disadvantages Of Cardiovascular Disease
In addition, AAS in supratherapeutic doses could slightly impair the immune system functions while
reducing an individual's resistance to certain types of infections. AAS is also well tolerated in the
renal system. Largely excreted from the body through the kidneys, and no inherent strong toxicity in
process. However, steroids are slightly weather resistant to infection in men and it appears to be
caused by testosterone. Testosterone is a immunosuppressive hormone. Also, androgens could
modulate the immune system and the effects on the immune system may vary depending on the
particular conditions and how the individual's body reacts to the steroids. AAS is also used as a
supportive treatment for compromised kidney functions and, AAS ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Also, estrogen can have a favorable impact on cholesterol and a positive effect of estrogen on
cholesterol values with issues of estrogen maintenance with health risks. Many individuals decide to
use tamoxifen to fight estrogenic side effects; when using steroids for long periods of times (What
are Steroids).
Likewise, oral steroids are particularly potent at stimulating hepatic lipase and suppressing HDL
levels. It first pass of concentration and metabolism in the liver. Stanozolol may be milder than
testosterone with regard to androgenic steroid side effects whereas injectable steroids are generally
less stressful to the cardiovascular system than oral steroids. With more hepatic lipase activity in the
body, antiatherogenic are cleared from circulation more quickly. Testosterone cypionate noted a 21%
drop in HDL cholesterol with a dosage of 300mg per week. Then increased the dosage to 600mg and
it did not have any significant effect. The dosage threshold for strong HDL suppression is very low.
Also, with plaque deposits in the arteries it is more permanent. Bad shifts in lipids by long term use
shows significant damage to the cardiovascular system whereas overtime the plaque deposits will
begin to narrow and clog arteries as AAS is more consistent in lowering HDL levels. However, the
general pattern during steroid use is lowering of HDL

Stress as a Social Determinant of Health Essay
A) Can stress ever be a positive social determinant of health?
Stress a term used to describe the human response to pressure when faced with challenges or even
dangerous situations, resulting in an increase in our energy and alertness, a prolonged exposure to
stressful stimuli can lead to harmful effect on health, a functional definition of stress may be hard to
establish, the research of stress probably started with Selye Hans (1956) using the term "stress" in
his book "the stress of life" referring to stress as the unpleasant environmental events and the
physiological reaction toward it, examining the effect of anxious but different physical and
emotional stimuli on laboratory animals, suggesting that persistence exposure to stress ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(2013) proposed that eustress at work enhances peak performance of the employees, suggesting
ways to generate the good stress at work in order to achieve better employees performance.
The pressure and challenge of writing an essay or going through examination, is a good example of
eustress in daily life, the stress generating from these experiences motivates us to prepare ourselves
for the big moment, were the adrenaline rushes through our system generating extra energy and
alertness, same situation can be observed in a dangerous situation, when you are suddenly surprised,
your body will activate the "fight or flight" response, triggering the adrenal medulla to initiate the
secretion of hormones that results in the production of epinephrine and norepinephrine allowing you
to access extra energy to overcome the stressor, when the situation is successfully resolved, a feeling
of confident, accomplishment is developed, increasing the person satisfaction and self–esteem, the
simple daily running and exercising habits, generates eustress as well, putting some degree of
pressure on your body, and then successfully managing that pressure will result in the same process.
While eustress has appositive effect on our physical activities and excitement, it also support our
motivation and inspiration.
Although it's known that chronic stress weaken the

Canadian Income Inequality And Its Impact
Canadian Income Inequality and Its Impact Sarah Pitre – 100 511 731 University of Ontario Institute
of Technology Canada has always taken great pride in its health care system. Publicly funded,
Medicare has helped many, but has also aided in masking one of this country's largest growing
problems. Income inequality is highly prevalent throughout Canada, affecting the health of its
citizens, and over–burdening its health care system. The growing gap between incomes is largely in
part to the economic neoliberalism taking place within Canada. The stress placed on lower and
middle income families through various social determents of health is taking its toll on society and
its individuals. The oppressed state of undermined ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This income inequality started with Canada's most recent recession, but as we left this recession
income inequality continued to rise. The Gini coefficient is the most widely used measure of
inequality, comparing the dispersion of income throughout a nations citizens. Over the past few
years the Canadian Gini coefficient has been steadily increasing. In a study completed by Picot, G
and Hou, F of Statistics Canada it was found that "Income inequality typically rises in recessions, as
it did in the early 1980s and 1990s, and therefore might be expected to fall in economic expansions.
But this did not occur in the late 1990s' expansion, and this period instead displayed the largest rise
income inequality in the past three decades." This rise in income inequality continues to burden
Canadian residents, increasing social determents of health within the country. The government has
placed the responsibilities of housing, child care, education, retirement and much more on the
individual. With all of the stress and responsibility placed on individuals, the Canadian government
continues to make cuts to public expenditure on government aids. Depriving citizens of any safety
nets and blaming them for being unable to acquire these underfunded social services. All of this
stress has a significant impact on one's overall health and wellness. From cancer to child mortality,
nearly every

The World Shapes Who We Are, And What We Believe Or Stand...
How we view the world shapes who we are, and what we believe or stand for in today's society. This
view, or subjective perception, indirectly influences other people's lives. We tend to pass it on in
hopes of having more people support our main idea, and for others to join hands for a cause we
believe in. Daniel Gilbert's "Immune to Reality", Azar Nafisi's "Reading Lolita in Tehran", and Beth
Loffreda's "Losing Matt Shepard" all embody the idea of constant battles in society, and where
people are not able to achieve something or the other because of the ways they have been brought up
and raised. The visual and print media are vital in today's advanced form of communication.
However, what happens if you are not getting the whole story when ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Beth Loffreda's first–hand accounts with a conventional situation like this shows how things get
completed for individual benefit. The fact that the idea of him not getting burned was not true didn't
seem to bother any of the individuals of the media. They were so fixated on their notes and were
immune to the idea that they could possibly have different stories. The media essentially works
together with one another to come up with stories that tailor to other needs, instead of reporting the
real issues or problems that should be addressed. This idea goes hand–in–hand with Daniel Gilbert's
ideas. Gilbert discusses how people have a psychological immune system that prevents us from
feeling negative towards a situation. He states, "The psychological immune system is a defensive
system, and it obeys this same principle. When experiences make us feel sufficiently unhappy, the
psychological immune system cooks facts and shift blame in order to offer us a more positive view"
(Gilbert, 136). The psychological immune system shields our brains from the negative externalities
and helps us keep positive thoughts flowing. This system cooks or formulates facts to provide our
minds explanations of what

Depression And Stress Research
Abstract: The relationship between stress and depression and the immune system is not complex.
Both stress and depression effects the immune system functions. Figuring out how stress and
depression affects the immune system and why an important immune system is needed to maintain
success in a career field is a psychological issue that has been proven through many research
studies. Research done on this topic has made the understanding of the topic more resourceful for
individuals looking to achieve that success. Identifying stressor and key factors of depression helps
to reduce the chance of experiencing that sever dangerous states of stress and depression. By cutting
the chances in half of an issue that can possible prevent you from achieving the goal of success
pushes you one step closer to the ultimate goal.
Throughout life, we as humans are faced with psychological issues. As we know psychology is the
study of human behaviors. Therefore, psychological issues are closely related to conditions ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As we know are immune system is the body defense weapon. Immune system function can be
weakened by stress and depression. A deficient immune system caused by stress and depression is
due to how the body's response is when dealing with the problem. As discussed earlier in the paper
depression affects the digestive system by the lack of appetite. When the body is not receiving the
nutrients it needs to maintain a normal homeostasis your body begins to get weak. Another factor of
stress and depression is the lack of sleep which decreased the body capabilities to replenish itself.
Therefore, when the body is weak and not function to its full potential you are then prone to
infection. A weak immune system plays a role in how we function on a daily base, not being able to
function jeopardize your success in a chosen career

Sleep Apnea And Its Effect On Life Expectancy
The article by Peikoff (2015), 9 Things You Never Knew Your Body Does While You Sleep in
Cosmopolitan magazine provides general explanations on the various processes the body cycles
through while individuals are sleeping. The article outlines process such as the body's tendency to
lower in temperature, toxin cleanses, paralysis, neural cell repair, and immune system activation
which occur during sleep (Peikoff, 2015). It goes on to outline many statistics concerning sleep
apnea and its effect on life expectancy in females (Peikoff, 2015). Moreover, many of the claims the
article makes, as outlined above, have a biological and psychological scientific basis; however, the
article fails to mention the sources from which its conclusions was drawn from. That said, in this
paper three differing journal articles will be presented that focus on the different processes that take
place during sleep. The scientific journal articles will be analyzed and compared to the
Cosmopolitan article. as summarized above. The journal article by Motivala and Irwin (2007), Sleep
and Immunity: Cytokine Pathways Linking Sleep and Health, published in Current Directions in
Psychological Science journal, details the mechanism sleep influences the immune system. The
study analyzes the role of immunological signalling molecules cytokines and interleukin on
regulating sleep(Motivala & Irwin, 2007). Cytokine molecules are crucial to sleep regulation in that
higher levels of the signalling molecule are

Psych Exam Chapter 12
Chapter 12, Exam 3 Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ 1.
The definition of _____ is a negative emotional state occurring in response to events that are
perceived as taxing or exceeding a person's resources or ability to cope. A) a hassle B) stress C) a
stressor D) appraisal 2. Which of the following is the BEST definition of stress? A) the demands that
are made on you by other people B) deadlines, daily hassles, or inconveniences C) a negative
emotional state caused by your perception that you are unable to cope with events or circumstances
D) the mental processes that people use to make sense out of their environment 3. During their third
year at college, Tammy and Timothy both lost their part–time jobs in ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
13. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS): A) measures acculturative stress. B) uses
personality measures to estimate the length of time it will take a person to recover and readjust from
the stressful effects of major life traumas. C) was an attempt to quantify and rank the impact of
stress–producing events in a person's life. D) measures the effect that everyday events that annoy
and upset people has on health and well–being. 14. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS),
which was an attempt to quantify and rank the impact of stress–producing events in a person's life,
was developed by: A) Richard Lazarus. B) Robert Ader and Nicholas Cohen. C) Thomas Holmes
and Richard Rahe. D) Janice Kiecolt–Glaser and Ron Glaser. Page 3 15. Holmes and Rahe
believed that any change that required you to adjust your behavior and lifestyle would cause stress.
In an attempt to measure the amount of stress people experienced, they developed the: A) Ways of
Coping Questionnaire (WCQ). B) Daily Hassles Scale (DHS). C) Social Readjustment Rating Scale
(SRRS). D) Cognitive Reappraisal Rating Scale (CRRS). 16. In contrast to the conclusions reached
by early stress researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe, contemporary health psychologists
now believe that: A) to improve its predictive power, the Social Readjustment Rating Scale needs to
be expanded from 43 life events to 125 life events. B) positive life events, such as vacations or
marriage, have a

The Psychological Effect Of `` Immune `` And `` By Barbara...
Happiness is a euphoric state, it is the light at the end of the tunnel, it is what individuals seek to
achieve. Human beings inherently want to be happy. Happiness is unique because it has seven
billion different definitions. In his book Immune to Reality, Daniel Gilbert argues that individuals
are only as happy as the subconscious function of their brain allows them to be. Additionally, he
questions the state of happiness by citing the psychological immune system. The psychological
immune system is a subconscious process of the human brain, which favorably rationalizes human
decisions whether they were right or not, regardless of outcome it always finds something favorable
to take away. In Barbara Fredrickson's Love 2.0, she introduces the vagus nerve as a biological
apparatus to increase loving potential; Fredrickson links higher levels of loving potential to
increased overall health. Most importantly, Fredrickson establishes the relationship between love
and happiness as an interdependent one, "Having at least one close relationship like this is vital to
your health and happiness" (108). Fredrickson believes that humans have the power within them to
biologically alter themselves and to shape their own identity. Inversely, Malcolm Gladwell
proclaims that human identity is shaped by the environment an individual is subject to in his book
The Power of Context. Gladwell affirms that humans have the power to shape their identity,
however only by changing the

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Case Study
Chapter One – Irritable Bowel Syndrome
This chapter will examine the definition and diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, review
prevalence rates and epidemiology and discuss the burden of this illness on both the patients and the
healthcare system. In addition, the current ideas surrounding the pathophysiology of IBS will be
discussed alongside treatment options.
Definitions and Diagnosis
Functional gastrointestinal disorders are characterized by recurring and persistent unexplained
gastrointestinal symptoms which occur as a result of abnormal gastrointestinal tract function in the
absence of structural damage (Boyce, Talley, Burke & Koloski, 2006). One of the most recognized
of these conditions is the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The ... Show more content on
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While several pathophysiological mechanisms have been put forward such as visceral
hypersensitivity, disordered motility, genetics and childhood trauma (Lovell & Ford, 2012), this
thesis will focus on the two most promising researched theories at present – immune activation and
the brain–gut axis namely to their role in sleep.
The first option in the research is that IBS is caused by a chronic yet low–grade activation of the
immune system which could explain IBS symptomology and associated feelings of anxiety (Hughes
et al, 2013). The gastrointestinal system is made up a number of nervous and immune systems
which are activated in response to inflammation or infection, a process which can be affected by
sleep quality (Schurman et al., 2012). Evidence for this theory comes from research which shows
that IBS patients have higher levels of cytokines (secreted by the immune system in response to
inflammation) than healthy control patients across a number of studies (Bashashati et al, 2012). In
addition, there is also emerging support for a post infectious IBS subgroup in which symptoms
begin suddenly after a bout of gastroenteritis (Thabane & Marshall,

Moulluscum Contagiosum Virus Research Papers
Molluscum Contagiosum is a skin infection that is caused by the Molluscum Contagiosum virus.
The virus causes benign, elevated skin lesions that can spread to other parts of the body when
touched. The incubation period for the virus is anywhere between two and seven weeks. This virus
encodes proteins that prevent programmed cell death, inflammation, and immune cell recruitment.
The Molluscum Contagiosum virus doesn't present any physical harm to the body; it's more
psychological damage that is done due to the unsightly lesions that are left on the skin. This disease
can affect both children and adults, though it is more common in children. The Molluscum
Contagiosum virus is caused by having direct contact with a surface or skin to skin contact

How Psychological States Affect the Immune System Essay
How Psychological States Affect the Immune System
Title: How psychological states affect the immune system.
Subject(s): AIDS (Disease) –– Patients –– Psychology; IMMUNE system –– Psychological aspects
Source: Health & Social Work, Nov96, Vol. 21 Issue 4, p287, 5p
Author(s): Littrell, Jill
Abstract: Discusses the premise that the psychological state affects the immune system with
reference to the psychological state of persons with enhanced functioning immune states and those
with suppressed immunity, HIV and AIDS. How stress affects the immune system; How
psychological health assists the immune system; Advantages of intervention on the psyche and
immune system of HIV and AIDS patients.
Database: Academic Search Elite ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Because mental health professionals have developed interventions for changing people's
perspectives on life and their resultant feelings, it becomes possible, through psychological
interventions, to influence immune system functioning.
The literatures reviewed in this article assume an underlying model of illness that includes
environmental events, coping mechanisms, psychological states, activation of particular regions in
the nervous system, and immune system function as variables (Anton), Schneiderman, et al., 1990).
The model explains how environmental events such as loss or trauma make immune system
suppression more likely. However, immune suppression is the end result of a cascade of events
involving mediating variables. The occurrence of an environmental stressor makes immune
suppression more likely but by no means inevitable. Given an environmental stressor, people
appraise the situation and have the option of acting in ways to reduce the impact of the stressor. The
processes of appraisal and behaving to reduce the impact of the stressor are collectively called
"coping."
Depending on a person's coping mechanisms, particular psychological states can occur. A
psychological state has a wide variety of manifestations. Psychological states are associated with
activation of particular brain

The Inter-Relationship between Stress and the Human Immune...
The Inter–Relationship between Stress and the Human Immune System upon Health Outcomes
The impact of stress on human immune system functioning and health outcomes is an area of recent
interest. This investigation as to how health outcomes are affected by this inter–relationship will
firstly operationalise all of the variables (health, stress, immune system); and secondly, by
describing the functions and reactions of the immune system to clinically induced stressors,
establish that there is a correlation between stress and immune response. The final area of
investigation will discuss how the human body, when exposed to a variety of stressors, causes major
changes within the immune system (which can be scientifically measured), and ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
There are two main categories of stress: acute and chronic. Acute (or external) stressors include
films, work overload, unexpected or uncontrollable noise, prestige or status loss, electric shock,
uncontrollable situations, physical illness, surgery, threats to self–esteem, and traumatic experiences.
Examples of chronic stressors include sleep deprivation, role strain and social isolation (Elliott and
Eisdorfer, 1982). Chronic stress within an individual is often associated with negativity, and the
observable physical manifestations include exhaustion, disease and even death (Rice, 1999).
Individual differences in responding to stress are influenced by genetics, developmental and
environmental influences, as well as being linked with one's own life experiences (McEwen and
Stellar, 1993). However, stress does cause some common changes. Emotionally, stress can lead to
feelings of depression, anxiety and anger (McEwen et al, 1993). Accordingly, on the basis of the
above criteria, it is clear that stress has a direct correlation on health outcomes. In order to assess the
interaction between stress, the immune system and health outcomes it is necessary to operationalise
the contextual meaning associated with health in this instance. Stedman's medical dictionary (1961)
defines disease as "an interruption or perversion of function of any of the organs and/or tissues or an

Physics Of Running Research Paper
Running is a natural form of human mobility. Running is an imperative aspect for most sports and is
also a simple way that requires little to get exercise anywhere. Although, many people have adapted
to improper forms of running over time, numerous physical injuries are the results. With the help of
understanding the physics behind running, people can learn to run in such a way that expends less
energy from the body. Keeping physics in mind will allow the human body to experience many
health and psychological benefits and develop the thought of effortless running. Running is a sport
that requires a knowledge of physics and the different health and psychological benefits. Keeping
that in mind, having poor form when it comes to long distance ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Running efficiently provides many positive psychological benefits, for example, it helps fight
depression. Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the
way a person eats, sleeps, feels about himself or herself, and thinks about things (Depression, n.d.).
Although, running can be a cure for this illness. Achieving a physical goal, such as a 10k, is good
for treating depression because generally people with depression have poor self–images and
completing a goal such as a 10k would boost one's confidence and suddenly have a positive
reflection towards themselves. Beyond the goal–oriented therapeutic benefit, endorphins can really
help pick up one's mood. . Endorphins, the "feel–good" hormones of the body, have a lot of things
going for them. These naturally occurring opiates can make a person feel better physically by
helping to suppress pain. They also slow the aging process, gives stress relief and sends the immune
system into overdrive and when running takes place, a flood of endorphins are released. Another
positive aspect that is an outcome from running is the production of the famed "Runner's High."
Runner's high is a feeling of euphoria that is experienced by some individuals engaged in strenuous
running and that is held to be associated with a release of endorphins by the brain. The high

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