What is Stress?

This video explains the concept of stress, its physiological effects, and its impact on the brain and body. It emphasizes that while stress is a normal human response, frequent stress can be harmful, making it crucial to learn how to manage it effectively.

Negative emotions evolved as a means of protection, signaling when something isn't right or warning against potential harm. These emotions are normal and human, often lasting no more than 90 seconds. When humans feel fear, certain processes turn on, such as an increased heart rate or heavy breathing, to help defend or run from the source of danger. This is called a "fight or flight" response, also known as a stress response. The stress response can vary from sweaty palms and panting to a full-blown panic attack. The intensity of the response depends on how dangerous your brain perceives the situation to be, not how dangerous it actually is. Most stressful situations encountered in day-to-day life do not involve physical danger. Instead, people fear a dreaded conversation, an important presentation, an exam, etc. To the brain, however, fear is fear, so the same signals are sent and the same response occurs in the body. The stress response puts a lot of physical demands on your body. When you regularly experience a fight or flight stress response, it can damage both the brain and the body. There is no way to avoid stress altogether, so it's important to learn to live with stress. A healthy brain is able to maintain functioning and bounce back.