That is really interesting. I remember reading something else about how out of the survivors, there were two distinct groups, people who saw themselves as survivors and those who saw themselves as victims. There was a clear difference between quality of life depending on which.
I wonder what happens if the cortisol thing is cross-referenced, would there be a correlation?
I believe (or am learning) most emotional regulation isn't a lack of will-power, but mostly stems from a lack of knowledge on how to balance our neurochemistry.
I agree. I think the willpower part might be more genetic, but can be trained. Those who don't think about these things and find it easy still, are the lucky ones.
And yep - it is pretty easy to start people on the right track as children, unfortunately, most parents are too busy soaking in blue light, while eating sugar, gasping at what they are reading about some random celebrity! :D
I think so. Apparently what gives some of the survivors stress is knowing they survived because they had to be a bit of the 'bad guy' by giving up people from their own community, giving them a better chance of survival (not being killed first, at least.)
So yeah, thinking of yourself as a victim or as someone who is okay with knowing that they had to do what they had to do will probably show difference in Cortisol response. Not sure if the research talks about that, just know that explaining people that their 'evil actions' make sense evolutionary speaking (always do as much as you can for survival) showed a lowering stress response.
Crying! It's so true. Also 'Silent Face Syndrome' (unofficial term for a new phenomenon) is now a thing: where the child doesn't get enough facial expressions/response from the parents as they're staring at their phones. It's a huge stressor for a child who doesn't yet have all the means of communication, and gets a huge part of its brain and even immunological development from literally 'being seen'.
It is interesting to consider, that in history (for example with the Nazis) they were able to do what they did in the first place, using much the same logic. Over the last decade or so, it has returned, where groups feel they are fighting for their survival against other groups.
I am pretty sure I have written about this a few times in various ways. I also have noted that teens aren't very good at reading facial expressions, so they are less able to no friend from foe, as they don't pick up on whether someone is lying or not. Most of the content they consume doesn't improve the ability to read micro-expressions and even the voices are altered to change tones. It is going to cost them dearly. Cost us all.