Stress and the Brain

Watch this video on how the brain processes real and perceived threats. Jaime Tartar notes that the human brain and nervous system are wired to defend us from threats to our survival. However, more complicated life stressors and hassles force us to decide about our relationships, work, and ambitions. We must pay attention to our knowledge, skills, and experience to respond to individual stressors. Answers may lie in psychotherapy, social support, good sleep habits, and other strategies. However, he warns that our actions to reduce or avoid stress may have complications or negative side effects, such as time and energy spent or drug dependence. Tartar reminds us that we control our stress response. We can ignore the signs at our peril or act on them to improve our lives.