Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: The Acclaimed Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping

by Robert M. Sapolsky

Here’s an additional idea that doesn’t even feel half-baked yet. One of the themes of this book is the goal of contrasts. Physical stressor, you want to activate a stress-response; psychological stressor, you don’t. Basal conditions, as little glucocorticoid secretion as possible; real stressor, as much as possible. Onset of stress, rapid activation; end of stress, rapid recovery. Consider a schematic version of this, based on those Norwegian soldiers learning to parachute: the first time they jumped, their blood pressure was through the roof at the time of the jump (Part B). But in addition it was up for hours before with anticipatory terror (Part A), and for hours after—still weak-kneed (Part C). By the zillionth time they jumped, what was the profile like? The same massive stress-response during the jump (Part B), but two seconds before and after, nothing—the parachuters are just thinking about what they’re going to have for lunch. This is what “conditioning” is about. Sharpening the contrasts between on and off, between foreground and background. Increasing the signal-to-noise ratio. Framed in the context of this book, when someone has gotten a zillion jumps’ worth of experience, they turn on the stress-response only during the actual stressor. As discussed earlier, what have been winnowed away by that experience are parts A and C—the psychological stress-response. This is great. But what I’m grasping at is an idea about a subtler goal. This thinking owes a lot to conv...