The Dr. Pat Show: Talk Radio to Thrive By!: Why Stress is Important with Co-host Dr. Dan Cohen

It’s true that 75 to 90% of doctors office visits are due to stress and stress related illnesses. It’s also true that stress plays a role in cancer, heart disease, asthma and a long list of other major illnesses. Stress also leads to all forms of addiction and maladaptive behaviors. Naturally therefore, we’ve been taught that we must do everything in our power to avoid or mitigate stress.

But what causes stress? If someone holds a gun to your head then it’s natural for you to experience the symptoms of stress, but how often does that happen to you? Typically we experience stress when certain of our beliefs are triggered. Almost all of these beliefs, after we peel down through their multiple layers and get to the core, reveal the most common belief that almost all of us share, which is, I’m not good enough or I’m unworthy. This root belief is why we experience stress.

Why is stress important? It’s a reminder that we are still carrying that belief. That part of us that holds this belief is in conflict with that part of us that knows the truth, that part of us that is good enough and is worthy and never experiences stress. When are we going to decide to become that part of us?