Lesson Notes

Lesson 3.2a  Cancer: A Variety of Causes – Even Stress

This lesson looks at how stress is related to cancer. It is important to understand that stress does not cause cancer, but there is a link to those who suffer from cancer and their level of stress. Taking care of yourself, which includes getting enough sleep, can ensure that the body has enough natural killer cells which is a type of immune system cell that helps protect us from illnesses – such as cancer, which is now Canada’s #1 cause of death.

Lesson 3.2b Cardiovascular Disorders: The Leading Cause of Death in the United States

In this lesson we look at what was once the #1 killer in Canada. Before it was taken by cancer, cardiovascular disorders accounted for the most deaths in Canada and the United States. If people do not deal with stressors in their lives, they are more prone to having the fat that is released during “fight-or-flight” and having it stick to the walls of our blood vessels which can lead to heart attacks.

Determining if someone is more prone to heart attacks, researchers have looked at personality types to help answer this question. What they have discovered is that people who have a Type A Personality are more likely than a person who is Type B. Again this does not mean that Type A Personality causes a heart attack, but unless they take precautions to deal with the stressors they impose on their lives, they are more susceptible.

Other ways to try to reduce the chance of cardiovascular disorders is to use the concepts developed by Martin Seligman in Positive Psychology or to develop a sense of hardiness – a resilient personality trait that focuses on the self, and taking control of your life.

Lesson 3.2c  Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A Disease of Modern Times

This lesson talks about the one of the most powerful disorders that can result from severe stress. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) came to prominence after veterans of the Vietnam War returned home. Many of these soldiers had difficulty coping with life back at home and forgetting the traumatic experiences they were faced with in war. Movies such as Brothers take a look at how soldiers  deal with this difficulty. PTSD does not only develop from people’s experiences in war, they can also experience PTSD from any traumatic stressor (i.e. natural disaster, sexual assaults, and physical abuses). Unfortunately, for many people who suffer from PTSD they may experience these feelings for years to come, especially if there is a triggering event (such as a car that back fires may resemble a gun being fired).