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Coping with Chronic Stress pp 105–130Cite as

Effortful and Involuntary Responses to Stress

Implications for Coping with Chronic Stress

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Part of the book series: The Springer Series on Stress and Coping ((SSSO))

Abstract

When Elaine received her diagnosis of breast cancer, she was faced with stress in virtually all aspects of her life. The diagnosis itself was unexpected and acutely stressful—her surgeon found and removed a 2 centimeter tumor and four positive lymph nodes. Yet the diagnosis was only the beginning of a long and frightening process. Her surgery was difficult and left her with the loss of her breast, feeling self-conscious and concerned about her appearance and her sexuality. In the ensuing months she faced several cycles of chemotherapy that left her fatigued, somewhat nauseous, and embarrassed about the loss of her hair. She felt unable to fulfill her responsibilities to her family or her job, because all of her daily routines at home and at work were disrupted. Her husband had withdrawn from her, apparently unwilling or unable to talk about her illness. She was worried about her oldest daughter, who was assuming far too many responsibilities for a 14-year-old girl by trying to care for Elaine, her siblings, and her father. And when she finally laid down at night, a time when she hoped to escape all of the stresses of her disease, Elaine was hounded by uncontrollable thoughts and images of her cancer, the aversive treatment procedures, and fears about her own and her family’s future.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, 05405-0134, USA

    Bruce E. Compas, Jennifer Connor, Dana Osowiecki & Amy Welch

Authors
  1. Bruce E. Compas
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  2. Jennifer Connor
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  3. Dana Osowiecki
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  4. Amy Welch
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Benjamin H. Gottlieb

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Compas, B.E., Connor, J., Osowiecki, D., Welch, A. (1997). Effortful and Involuntary Responses to Stress. In: Gottlieb, B.H. (eds) Coping with Chronic Stress. The Springer Series on Stress and Coping. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9862-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9862-3_4

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