Understanding Stress: Causes, Responses, and Solutions

**1. Acute Physical Threat (Predator/Life-Threatening Event)** - **Example**: Being chased by a lion or hippo. - **Response**: The body triggers the **fight-or-flight** response, flooding the system with stress hormones to enhance survival chances. - **Outcome**: - You **run*...

**1. Acute Physical Threat (Predator/Life-Threatening Event)** - **Example**: Being chased by a lion or hippo. - **Response**: The body triggers the **fight-or-flight** response, flooding the system with stress hormones to enhance survival chances. - **Outcome**: - You **run** and escape. - You **fight** and win (with the help of your community). - You **freeze** if fighting or fleeing isn't an option. - **Stress Resolution**: Completing the stress cycle through **celebration, communal activities, and relaxation**. **2. Unresolved Stress from Sudden Relief (Incomplete Stress Response)** - **Example**: Running from a lion, but it suddenly gets struck by lightning. - **Response**: Your body is still full of stress chemicals but hasn't **completed the response**. - **Outcome**: The brain remains on high alert until a **physical or emotional action** signals safety. - **Stress Resolution**: Telling others about the event, celebrating survival, or physically discharging the stress. **3. Modern Threats (Work, Money, Social Stressors)** - **Example**: A rude coworker, work deadlines, financial pressure. - **Response**: The same **fight-or-flight** response as if facing a lion, but the body can't react in a way that resolves stress (e.g., you can't physically fight your boss). - **Outcome**: Stress lingers because **social norms prevent natural responses**. - **Stress Resolution**: The body **needs a different way** to complete the cycle (e.g., exercise, movement, deep breathing). **4. Chronic Stress (Long-Term Stressors)** - **Example**: Ongoing work stress, discrimination, time pressures, financial instability. - **Response**: The stress cycle repeats daily, leading to a **build-up of unresolved stress**. - **Outcome**: The body remains in a **constant state of stress**, damaging physical and mental health. - **Stress Resolution**: Developing a **consistent stress-relief practice** to help the body complete the cycle. **5. Social Appropriateness Blocking Stress Resolution** - **Example**: Experiencing harassment or mistreatment but feeling unable to respond due to social expectations. - **Response**: The stress response activates, but expressing it is **suppressed** due to politeness or social norms. - **Outcome**: Stress remains **trapped in the body**, causing chronic tension. - **Stress Resolution**: Engaging in activities that help **release the tension**, such as exercise, artistic expression, or mindfulness. **6. Survival vs. Completion (Choosing Safety Over Expression)** - **Example**: Ignoring harassment because responding may escalate the situation. - **Response**: The brain **chooses safety over stress resolution** (e.g., smiling and walking away instead of confronting someone). - **Outcome**: While the strategy ensures immediate safety, it **does not complete the stress cycle**. - **Stress Resolution**: Finding a **safe outlet** for stress after the event, such as talking to a friend or engaging in a stress-relief activity. **7. The Freeze Response (When Fight or Flight Aren't Options)** - **Example**: A gazelle caught by a lion **plays dead**; a person experiencing a traumatic event becomes **paralyzed** and unable to react. - **Response**: The **nervous system shuts down** as a last resort to survive. - **Outcome**: If survival happens, the brain may struggle to process the event, leading to **lingering trauma or dissociation**. - **Stress Resolution**: Engaging in **grounding techniques, therapy, and movement** to restore a sense of control.