It often is a result of life's circumstances which are not always within our control It is not always the obvious choice when trying to figure out what is wrong with us psychologically, emotionally or physically.

It is often caused by things too complex to pin down, e.g. relationships (our contribution vs. the contribution of others), financial problems, trouble we sometimes find ourselves in, etc. To manage stress, we need to find its root cause then solve for it. If we can not find solutions, then stress will most likely stay with us for as long as those issues are not addressed. However, solving life's challenges takes time, effort and courage.

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There are 2 types of stress:

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1. Eustress - This is positive stress which results from good things, e.g. expecting a new baby, a new job, a promotion, preparing for a wedding, etc. This type of stress motivates and energizes us. It increases our productivity and increases our happiness.

2. Distress - This is negative stress and results from unfortunate circumstances, e.g. loss of a loved one, unhappy relationships, unfulfilled dreams, financial hardship, etc. It is complex to resolve and will often have a negative impact on our health, emotions, attitude and quality of life.

 

All stress can be acute (short-lived) or chronic (long-term). However it comes, distress can affect our brain structure and function. When stressed, our Amygdala will hi-jack our pre-frontal cortex. This means that instead of having well thought our reactions, we will instead have emotional and reflex responses. We will product higher levels of cortisol and adrenaline to help our bodies to cope through increased energy and alertness.

However, over time if we do not regulate this, we will get shrinking of the Pre-frontal cortex and growth of the Amygdala. We will degrade the executive function of the brain and rely more heavily on our emotions. We will get adrenal fatigue and begin to experience lassitude. We will lose our drive and experience cognitive distortion. Over time we may begin to develop stress-related diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, etc

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We can use some tools to reduce the effects of stress in our lives. These include:

1. Developing deep and meaningful relationships

2. Maintaining gratitude journals

3. Practicing mindfulness

4. Developing our passions

5. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercising

6. Having personal time

7. Gaining awareness of our stress triggers

8. and of course, solving the root cause of the stress

 

These tools are instrumental in healing our brain. In neuroscience we, we learn that our brains can change in structure and function (neuroplasticity /brain plasticity) if we use certain tools, e.g mindfulness. If we use these tools, we will regain the executive function of our pre-frontal cortex and therefore make sound decisions. We will also regulate the function of the Amygdala and increase production of dopamine (joy and motivation hormones) and seratonin (mood, sleep and cognition hormones).