Kelly McGonigal, in her 2019 TED Talk https://www.npr.org/2019/08/02/747384008/kelly-mcgonical-can-we-reframe-the-way-we-think-about-stress, reveals that stress may not be as harmful as we have been led to believe. In her talk, McGonigal references a Harvard study that showed that re-framing our interpretation of our stress response as our body preparing us for action actually prevented any harmful health impact from stress. She further described how dopamine, released during the body's stress response, encourages us to seek support, further mitigating any harmful impact of stress on our bodies. Choosing to view stress as helpful preparation, rather than Anxiety, gives us the ability to make the most of stressful situations by seeing ourselves as Courageous and strengthening our social support networks.
Next time you're feeling stressed, take a moment to think about this amazing body, and take comfort.
