Stanford: Stress is GOOD for you!

Hello everyone,

I have good news: Stress is good for you. It can make you stronger, resilient, and creative!

As it turns out all the medical advice about stress and its harms to humans have been based on animal studies. For studies on the effects of stress rats were put under severe stress, such as repeated near drowning experiences, electric shocks, etc. Then the effects of such cruel and inhumane treatments on their bodies were used to conclude that stress is bad for our health. However, not only majority of people never experience such severe forms of stress, we, as humans, have much better coping mechanisms than animals.

In fact, according to Stanford health psychologist and author of The Upside of Stress, Dr. Kelly McGonigal, our ability as humans to change our perception of stress can mean the difference between life and death. Research has shown that some 20,000 people die each year in the United States simply because they believe that stress is bad for their health.

The Upside of Stress reviews the relevant research and gives practical steps on how to make stress your friend. In fact, just believing that stress is good for you can not only protect your health under stressful situations but also make you stronger, physically and mentally.

My favorite part of her book is when she talks about getting excited in the face of stress. I have found getting excited in the face of stressful situations, daily annoyances, and life challenges can transform lives from feeling a victim of circumstances to feeling in control and confident. The same situations that used lead to sorrow, dismay, or anger are now sources of excitement, energy, creativity and achievement.

So how do you turn stress, fears, worries, anxieties, and everyday annoyances into sources of energy and excitement so that you can avoid back pain, anxiety, and depression and enjoy better health? Join me on Saturday, December 5 at 9am for a free workshop titled, "Turn Stress into Energy and Excitement in 3 Easy Steps!" Learn more at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/turn-s...xcitement-in-3-easy-steps-tickets-19565864026

Here’s a TED talk by Dr. McGinigal on how to make stress your friend

http://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend

Stay informed. Stay well.

 

Thats a load of crap sorry

 

They let anybody talk on these Ted talks .... All of the sudden people have been working so hard to deal with there stressors and this young lady throws this crap out even the audience thought she is nuts .. Sorry Fred i dont mean to be rude but i feel this can put alot of people on this site in a tale spin

 

Sorry Fred to put a downer on this, but it's just my opinion. It may well be good for someone who doesn't have TMS and these measures (whatever they are), may help builds ones tolerance and broadens ones resilience zones. But as people who have TMS and barely know how to manage stress, further stress can only dampen ones health further.

 

Wow, you two. Those are pretty negative responses to what is, in fact, an interesting intersection between neuroscience and TMS. Dr. Kelly McGonigal, PhD, is not exactly a quack - she's a pretty well-known psychologist who teaches at Stanford University. I believe that her new book is probably based on this study from UC Berkely, or certainly something like it - I remember hearing this news sometime in the last year (probably on NPR, that's all I listen to):
http://www.brother-usa.com/MFC/ModelDetail/4/MFC8910DW/spec#.VlIi-vnnthE

 

Sorry Jan i agree with Mike it was a ridiculous study .... Maybe like mile said if u dont have tms but for people who are really suffering and u tell them stress is good could be crippling

 

And I believe that overcoming TMS, in my case, was 100% about changing my mind. THAT is what this is all about. Changing our minds about the damage that the normal stresses of life can do to us.

The description of McGonigal's Ted Talk says this: " new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case."

In other words, it's all about our response. And TMS recovery is all about our response.

It may not be for everyone, but I expect that it will resonate for plenty of TMSers.

 

I guess u could put that twist on it... It you maybe right but i will give it another listen ...

But just more info that can throw people of track or help them , to much info to many books to many opinions on how to heal .

Stick to Sarno and Steve O books that all u need. I feel self care and kindness will take u there

 

Hi Jan, that makes sense, she's taken mindfulness and perhaps repackaged it, but the header did actually provoke a reaction , I was thinking how has stress been good for me?

Again, sorry for being negative, the header really provoked me. I'm having a night of pain.

 

Mike

I agree i ask myself the question and my brain told try it and see what happens sorry Jan no disrespect. I enjoyed this women approach Abigail Steidley

 

Hope you are ok mike. Take care if you.

 

Thanks Crissy, it's been a bad night, I'll have to get some meds later today.

 

Mike

Self care get the meds and calm your body down

 

Thank you very much for that article Fred, very interesting! It explains the psychology of risk takers and competitors. Looks like we've been brainwashed that stress is bad for us. Like Billie Jean King says: "Pressure is a privilege." I always liked Stanford University, the times I've played tennis there, I always felt the environment personified the mindbody.

I haven't read the book or watched the Ted Talk yet, but I don't think it's incompatible with Sarno. I think Dr. Sarno says when you feel the TMS physical pain or affective TMS emotional equivalents like anxiety/stress/tension, switch your thoughts to the psychological. Face the emotional tension filled situation head-on, deal with it, think your way through it, rather then repress it until it fills the subconscious TMS reservoir of rage to overflowing creating TMS symptoms for a protective/defense mechanism to prevent a socially unacceptable explosion of rage. (Sorry for the run-on sentence, but I gave my editor the night-off.)

 

Mike, I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I'm pulling for you, my friend.

 

Hi All,

I've done a little research and picked up the book, only really for my curiosity.

One thing that does stand out, that although she has titled the book "Stress is good for you", it does come with the following caveat which makes it easier to digest:

She acknowledges that not all life events can be managed away: “Not every trauma has an upside . . . you shouldn’t force a positive interpretation on every instance of suffering.” But only a few pages on she writes: “Choosing to see the upside in our most painful experiences is part of how we can change our relationship with stress.”

On another note, Peter Hansom M.D reached the same conclusions in the 1980's. he's also the best selling author of The Joy of Stress & Stress for Success.





Regards

 

hey Mike

I also check it out…and agree with the premise but its a hard pill to swallow…but I guess we need to have a open mind to all things that can heal.
Call your Dr this morning and get relief

 

there are different forms of stress guys! inner self directed stress like TMS is No bueno!
However, if you have exposure to heat like in a sauna a process called Hormesis takes place. one study recently by a reputable academic showed that 2 hours daily in a sauna for a week(i know thats extreme) boosted Growth horomone levels by 1600%!

When the body is thrown out of kilter it is able to adapt and the more you do this , the more adaptable and stronger the body becomes....much like strength training

 

Thanks Irish, I always find your post full of insight.

 

Thx irish that is very interesting