Stress Induced Neuroplasticity and Mental Disorders

Figure 1

Stress-induced emotion flow and mental disorders. (a) At stressful events or threatening events, an organism will first be scared with the fear emotion. And to cope with the stressful events, the organism collects energy in the body to try to “fight or flight” with angry emotions. Fear is the scariness at the stressful events, and anger is coping with the stressful events. If the organism can cope successfully with the stressful situation, the organism will reappraise the situation and get positive emotions and be happy. If the organism failed to cope with the situation, the organism would get negative emotions and be sad. Stress-fear-response (anger)-consequences (happiness or sadness) constitute the emotion flow in our lives. (b) The emotion flow at stressful events is like a rainbow after a storm.

(a)

(b)