By Laurel Mellin, Medical Xpress, June 10, 2020
Let's face it: We're all under stress right now. The uncertainty and constant health threats surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have upended our lives.
We may need two vaccines: one to protect us from the coronavirus and another from the toxic effects of too much stress. Could we train our brains to prevent this stress from becoming lodged in our brains, so we can bounce back faster from stress—and even collect a kernel of wisdom from the experience?
Perhaps. Neuroscience research points to the stress-reactive circuits in the emotional brain as a trigger of toxic stress. These circuits are made of neurons that can guide us to respond ineffectively to stress. Once triggered, they unleash a cascade of stress chemicals. Instead of the brain orchestrating a symphony of effective self-regulatory processes and moderation, we have a garage band of dysregulation and extremes, which can cause chronic stress and rising rates of emotional, behavioral, social and physical health problems.
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