Page 92 - Course 3 The Neurobiology Series
P. 92
Key Messages: Brain Shaping
The threat response is designed to be a temporary change. If the threat response is
activated too often due to ongoing adverse experiences, the stress chemicals can 1
stay permanently on high.
When stress chemicals are set permanently on high, the person’s ‘balance’ is skewed
2 towards vulnerability – it is much harder to manage any extra stressors that come along.
This means the person is more likely to react more intensely to smaller problems .
High stress chemical levels and low DOSE changes how a person sees the world - we
call this their ‘colour lenses’ - they may enter situations feeling defensive and on high 3
alert.
There are different types of stress: Growth Stress – which leads to resilience & good
4 coping skills; Tolerable Stress – which leads to adaptation & recovery; and Toxic
Stress – which leads to long-term health issues & EF difficulties.
To increase resilience, we need to support children with moving out of the Comfort Zone and
learning to tolerate Growth & Tolerable Stress. We must also equip them with the skills to 5
notice when they experiencing Toxic Stress, and the confidence to seek timely support.
