The Stress Response in The Body
It may be helpful to describe the biologic response to stress. The purpose of the response to stress is the mobilization of energy from the body's storage sources (such as liver and fat cells) to fuel the fight-or-flight response. This energy is delivered to the systems that are critical for fight or flight: namely, to the muscles in your legs in case you need to run away and to the brain for improved thinking and memory.
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The autonomic nervous system and stress hormones form the core of the stress response of the body. When faced with a challenge or a threat, the brain kick-starts the autonomic nervous system, which shifts the body's systems into a higher gear. Although these processes occur in all of us when we are stressed or challenged, they aren't exactly the same in any two people. Some of us may have more sensitive triggers or may release greater or lesser amounts of the different hormones.These differences are largely tied to your genetic makeup. Some people may actually be predisposed to have a severe biological response to stress, just as some people are predisposed to developing a certain illness.
Believe it or not, research has shown that behavioral patterns, which can be genetic in nature, are linked to stress. Some people simply have a natural tendency to put themselves into situations that have a higher probability of producing stressful events. If you experience trauma in early life, whether psychological or physical, this can also aggravate the stress response, because it is tied to traits such as a negative mood, depression, anxiety, defensiveness, and hostility.
The good news is that personality traits and behavior patterns--the ones we might consider positive--also influence the stress response regardless of your genes. Among the most important ones are the following:
Hardiness has been researched extensively, most notably by Dr. Salvatore Maddi of the University of California, Irvine. Currently the director of the Hardiness Institute, which he founded, Maddi began his work by studying the traits of employees of Illinois Bell Telephone when it was acquired by AT&T in the 1980s. His goal was to determine who survived in good mental and physical health and why. Maddi's work revealed similar tendencies as those noted by clinical psychologist Dr. Susan Kobasa, from the City University of New York, who studied the lives of concentration camp survivors as an integral part of her research. Being hardy or resistant to stress is a typical characteristic of people who can remain healthy and balanced despite adverse circumstances or a heavy workload. Essentially, a hardy or resilient person lives in alignment with his or her inner values. Individuals with hardy personalities thrive and remain healthy in the midst of enormously stressful situations.
Hardiness, which we might also call resiliency, has at its foundation a set of common characteristics, including these "3 Cs":
In contrast, individuals who do not thrive physically in stressful environments hold very different attitudes. In general, they
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The autonomic nervous system and stress hormones form the core of the stress response of the body. When faced with a challenge or a threat, the brain kick-starts the autonomic nervous system, which shifts the body's systems into a higher gear. Although these processes occur in all of us when we are stressed or challenged, they aren't exactly the same in any two people. Some of us may have more sensitive triggers or may release greater or lesser amounts of the different hormones.These differences are largely tied to your genetic makeup. Some people may actually be predisposed to have a severe biological response to stress, just as some people are predisposed to developing a certain illness.
Believe it or not, research has shown that behavioral patterns, which can be genetic in nature, are linked to stress. Some people simply have a natural tendency to put themselves into situations that have a higher probability of producing stressful events. If you experience trauma in early life, whether psychological or physical, this can also aggravate the stress response, because it is tied to traits such as a negative mood, depression, anxiety, defensiveness, and hostility.
The good news is that personality traits and behavior patterns--the ones we might consider positive--also influence the stress response regardless of your genes. Among the most important ones are the following:
- A clear and coherent sense of meaning in life
- Optimism
- Tolerance for ambiguity
- Flexibility
- Relience
- Hardiness
- High self-esteem
Hardiness has been researched extensively, most notably by Dr. Salvatore Maddi of the University of California, Irvine. Currently the director of the Hardiness Institute, which he founded, Maddi began his work by studying the traits of employees of Illinois Bell Telephone when it was acquired by AT&T in the 1980s. His goal was to determine who survived in good mental and physical health and why. Maddi's work revealed similar tendencies as those noted by clinical psychologist Dr. Susan Kobasa, from the City University of New York, who studied the lives of concentration camp survivors as an integral part of her research. Being hardy or resistant to stress is a typical characteristic of people who can remain healthy and balanced despite adverse circumstances or a heavy workload. Essentially, a hardy or resilient person lives in alignment with his or her inner values. Individuals with hardy personalities thrive and remain healthy in the midst of enormously stressful situations.
Hardiness, which we might also call resiliency, has at its foundation a set of common characteristics, including these "3 Cs":
- Commitment. You engage fully in your life's activities, with no restrictions on imagination or effort. This engagement adds meaning to your life.
- Control. You believe that your efforts can influence the outcomes of events, and you can distinguish between the aspects of a situation that you can control and those you can't. This clearheadedness helps you accept that which is beyond your control and focus your energy where it will have the biggest impact.
- Challenge. You accept change as a constant, a normal and expected part of life. When faced with new demands, you are able to seek understanding and move forward to solve problems. This willingness to face and engage with new developments fosters confidence, openness, and optimism.
In contrast, individuals who do not thrive physically in stressful environments hold very different attitudes. In general, they
- are bored with life;
- find life to be meaningless;
- consider change to be threatening;
- believe themselves to be at the mercy of their circumstances;
- prepare for the worst; and
- consider the status quo to be normal and view change as unusual
Understanding that you can have a healthy response to stress with simple, learned personality and behavioral adjustments can help you to respond effectively to both acute and chronic stressors and to dampen their dangerous effects on your mood, your health, and your life.
(Source: Scott, C. J. Optimal Stress - living in your best stress zone. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010.)
(Source: Scott, C. J. Optimal Stress - living in your best stress zone. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010.)
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