8. Stress and Neurodiversity

Stress is the body’s response to a challenging or demanding situation. When someone feels stressed, the body releases certain hormones. The hormones are chemical signals that the body uses to tell the body systems what to do. The hormones the body releases when someone is stressed get them ready to meet the challenge or demand in this dangerous environment. During the stress response, the body gets ready to flee or fight by increasing your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Stress is a physical and mental response to perceived threats or challenges. Stress can have positive or negative effects on a person’s well-being, depending on the type, intensity, duration, and coping strategies of the individual (Adamsen, 2023). However, too much pressure can become stressful and affect our happiness and quality of life, leaving us feeling physically and mentally unwell.