The Pursuit of Happyness: An Analysis of Emotions and Stress

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The Pursuit of Happyness: An Analysis of Emotions and Stress Introduction Stress, mood disorders, and psychological disorders can be found in this true story about a man named Christopher Gardner. The movie starts with Chris, his wife and young son investing all their savings on bone-density scanners. After some time he had little luck selling them putting a lot of stress on the family and as a result his wife leaves him, he loses his house, all his money, and his car. He is forced to be homeless and to provide for his son. He is desperate to find a job and determined to conquer his problem. He is also in the position of raising a child as a single parent. Chris and his son deal with stress, psychological disorders, depression, anxiety, sensation and perception, and intelligence. Stress Stress is not just a stimulus or a response. It is the process by which one appraises and copes with environmental threats and challenges. The events of life flow through a psychological filter. How one appraises an event influences how much stress he experiences and how effectively he responds. (Myers, 2008, p. 435). Signs of stress might include lack of sleep, decreased immunity, high blood pressure, headache, back pain, heart palpitations, increased smoking, and abuse of drugs or alcohol, anxiety, sadness, and depression. Stress management can include physical activities and relaxation techniques. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2009). Stressors can lead to the stress response system, best known as “the fight or flight response”. This is the body’s response to a threat or danger. During this reaction, stress hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine are released from the adrenal glands. Then the sympathetic nervous system increases heart rate and respiration, slows digestion, and sends blood flow to major muscle groups giving the body energy and strength. This was what happened to
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