Speaking of Psychology How to keep stress from harming your health, with George Slavich, PhD
13 snips
Apr 6, 2022 AI Snips
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Episode notes
Anticipatory Inflammation Explained
- The brain pre-activates inflammation when social danger appears to prepare for possible physical wounding.
- This anticipatory immune signaling likely evolved to speed wound healing after conflict.
Ancestral Example Of Social Threat
- Slavich describes an ancestral example where strangers turn hostile and the brain primes the immune system.
- This story illustrates why social threat can trigger inflammation before any wound occurs.
Ruminating Prolongs Biological Threat
- Chronic health harm depends on how long and often we ruminate, not only on exposure to stressors.
- Persistent mental rehearsal keeps the brain signaling threat and sustaining immune activation.