How to build brain resilience for a happier, healthier life
Everyone handles stress differently. While one person may experience a brief setback before picking themselves back up, others may find themselves falling into a spiral of negative thoughts with an inability to look forward. The truth is, the way your brain handles stressful situations plays a role in how resilient of a person you are. We tapped Alyssa Scolari, a licensed counselor and owner of See You Through It Counseling, to explain how our brains are wired to deal with stressful situations—plus how you can build your mental strength to become more resilient.
What is brain resilience?
One of the most remarkable functions of our brain is that it's able to protect us from threats via a "fight, flight or freeze" response. "Historically, this was instrumental for our ancestors to help them navigate life-threatening situations, such as encounters with predators," Scolari says. While we may be facing different situations today, our brain's reaction to these stressors is still similar. "When we perceive a potential threat or challenge, our brain's amygdala, or its early warning system, springs into action, evaluating the situation and sounding the alarm if necessary," Scolari notes. "This alarm triggers the release of stress hormones, primarily cortisol and adrenaline, preparing our body to either face the threat head-on (fight), retreat from it (flight) or momentarily immobilize (freeze)."
At the same time, our brain's prefrontal cortex, or the area responsible for higher-order thinking, reasoning, and decision-making, has a hand at assessing the situation more rationally. "Ideally, this region should moderate the amygdala's reactive impulses, ensuring our responses are measured and appropriate—however, when under chronic stress, this balancing act can become skewed." That's where brain resilience comes into play. If you're someone who deals with chronic stress, your prefrontal cortex's inhibitory influence on the amygdala may be compromised. When this happens, your reactions to stressors can become more pronounced and less controlled. "You might overreact to minor challenges, feel perpetually anxious or struggle to make decisions," Scolari adds.
How can you gain brain resilience?
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Murad, and are for informational purposes only, even if the advice of physicians and medical practitioners are included. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should not be considered specific medical advice.
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