Understanding The Toxic Stress Response: Its Effects on Resilience and Goals
Stress is an inevitable part of life.
And it’s not all bad. In small doses, stress can be healthy and normal. Stress helps us stay focused, energized, and even perform better under pressure.
This duality can be confusing. Stress in certain contexts is helpful, while in other contexts it can be destructive. That is why, for many individuals who have been exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), learning to recognize the stress from these experiences (“the toxic stress response" as it’s called in the literature) can be especially challenging.
What is the toxic stress response?
How does the toxic stress response affect my resilience and goals?
What can I do about the toxic stress response?
Today, I want to lay out the importance of understanding the toxic stress response and practical ways you can move forward towards a more resilient future.
What is the toxic stress response?
According to Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child, the toxic stress response emerges when a child experiences “strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity—such as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, exposure to violence, and much more—all without support from beloved adults.”
In other words, this is stress brought on by prolonged exposure to ACEs. As a child is subjected to these extreme conditions, the body and mind’s natural response is to adapt. Children’s brain chemicals are physiologically altered, developing new behavior patterns.
When left unaddressed, toxic stress can result in many outcomes. As children move into adulthood, the toxic stress response can begin to manifest in different behaviors.
Behaviors such as:
Self-destructive actions
Harmful relationships
Indecisiveness or a lack of confidence
And more
Unlike standard levels of daily stress, brought on by the ebbs and flows of life, toxic stress embeds itself into our DNA. And the results can have wide-ranging physical and mental, social and economic impacts.
It’s clear from the research that the more ACEs an individual has, the potential for higher their exposure to toxic stress––and the lower their life expectancy, as well as the more likely they are to see lasting health consequences. ACEs are linked to specific chronic health issues, such as diabetes, cancer, and/or high blood pressure, as well as mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and suicide attempts.
In the face of such significant impacts from toxic stress, it’s no wonder many individuals who experienced ACEs also find their goal-setting and resilience hindered.
How does the toxic stress response affect my resilience and goals?
We’ve established the far-reaching impacts of toxic stress. Now, let’s look at how these impacts affect our everyday pursuits.
Effects on cognitive function and decision-making: When we experience toxic stress, our cognitive functions can become impaired, making it difficult to think clearly, concentrate, and make sound decisions. This can negatively affect our productivity and ability to work towards our goals.
Relationship between toxic stress and procrastination: Toxic stress can cause us to feel overwhelmed and paralyzed, leading to procrastination. Instead of taking action to achieve our goals, we may find ourselves avoiding tasks and responsibilities, further exacerbating our stress levels.
Interference with motivation and self-confidence: Toxic stress can sap our motivation and self-confidence, making it challenging to stay committed to our goals. We may begin to doubt our abilities and lose sight of the bigger picture, which can further hinder our progress.
Taken together, the impacts from toxic stress can leave you feeling frozen in place. Sapped of confidence and drained of energy, you can feel like your pursuits are blocked from the inside.
Let’s take a look at a few tactics that can help.
What can I do about the toxic stress response?
According to the ACEs Aware Trauma-Informed Network of Care, there are several strategies to regulate the stress response. They include: quality sleep, balanced nutrition, physical activity, mindfulness practices, experiencing nature, mental healthcare, and supportive relationships. Committing to any one of these or more can result in reducing the impact of the toxic stress response.
I’m here to help
You can mitigate the toxic stress response quickly using specific mindfulness activities and mindset shifts..
The first step is understanding the science behind ACEs and the toxic stress response. Knowing this information alone can provide some relief. Hearing from others who have built resilience in the face of ACEs and other adversities, can be inspiring and motivating.
If you want to know more about ACEs and learn strategies for mastering resilience, get a copy of my book here. You’ll get the full framework for transforming adversity into your purpose along with 8 ingredients to mastering resilience and tangible ways to mitigate the impact of toxic stress.
Another way to build resilience is through my on-demand virtual course. The course is designed to take you even deeper into your own personal inner workings. It provides a path of reflection and reframing through the ingredients outlined in the book.
Looking for a more hands-on experience? Contact me at DrLorry@masteringresilience.com to learn about my in-person, one-on-one Mastering Resilience(™) Intensive tailored to your specific needs.