Stress and Resilience: How Toxic Stress Affects Us, and What We Can Do About It

Article & Video (3.5 Minutes)

When the stress in your life just doesn’t let up, and it feels like you have no support to get through the day—let alone do everything you need to do to be the best parent you can be—it can seem like there’s nothing that can make it better. But there are resources that can help, and this kind of stress—known as “toxic stress”—doesn’t have to define your life.

In this video, learn more about what toxic stress is, how it can affect you, and what you can do—both by yourself and in connection with your community—to deal with what you’re experiencing. Because even when toxic stress is caused by things you can’t control, like poverty, abuse, or racism, there are still ways both big and small to help you cope.

After you’ve watched this video, you may be wondering: now what? Here are a few suggested resources for parents and policymakers and practitioners.