The Big 4 - The Stress Response System
The stress response is part of the Limbic system,
the reactionary part of our brain.
When our experience causes a stress response, an area of the brain called the amygdala reacts instantly, sending a distress signal to…
the hypothalamus. This area of the brain is a kind of command centre for our autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary body functions such as
heart-rate, blood-pressure, and breathing.
These changes can happen faster than we are aware,
even before our higher-order vision system
understands what we are seeing.
This is where our fight, flight, & freeze reactions come from.
Chronically activating this stress response
can contribute to both physical and mental health problems.
Identifying Triggers of Stress
Physical
Muscle tension
Shallow breathing
Upset stomach
Rapid heart rate
Headaches/Dizziness
Nausea
Chronic fatigue
Frequent colds or flu
Cognitive
Memory problems
Inability to concentrate
Poor judgement
Constant worries
Racing thoughts
Overthinking
Behavioural
Withdrawal/Avoidance
Crying
Procrastination
More accident prone
More conflicts
Change in appetite and
eating patterns
Change in daily habits
Emotional
Irritability
Fear
Guilt
Nervousness
Frustration
Feeling overwhelmed
Dread
Anger
Practicing the Big 4 skills
has been clinically shown to reduce the stress response
when we encounter stress in our lives.
