Tara Susman Pena | Source | Senior Technical Expert at International Research & Exchanges Board

Under tense circumstances, when we perceive that we or our loved ones are in danger, the body’s stress responses kick in, readying us to function in a life-threatening situation. The part of the brain that activates this response—the amygdala—can’t tell the difference between a lion that might attack us and a scary text. The physiological response to both is the same: We narrow our focus to concentrate on survival.