Personal Narrative: The Psychobiology Of Stress

Throughout my life, I have been told I am a great listener and can understand complex problems. I have had experience listening to different kinds of problems and providing support for both sides of a given disagreement. Directly impacting people’s lives and helping them in this way is a highlight in my life, and becoming a licensed clinical social worker would allow me to continue this dream in a more prepared and educated manner. Early in high school, I discovered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Fascinated immediately, I went on to “type” my closest friends and family. The more acquainted I got with MBTI, however, the more variation I noticed among people who were deemed the same personality type. This could either be due to

The location of Chicago would allow for numerous opportunities for me to help some of the more vulnerable populations that have their stress pathways constitutively turned on more often than those with privilege. From my coursework in “The Psychobiology of Stress” last quarter, my passion to help these populations deepened with the idea that people vary in their response to stress. Much of this variation is due to socioeconomic status, which is only perpetuated by the racism and prejudice present in our society. Furthermore, the diseases that stress can cause are diverse, so the way we treat these diseases, and the stress itself, must be just as diverse and individualized. Though I have a research-driven, theoretical background with my psychology major, biology minor, and research assistantship, working with the individual or the social group as a whole as they truly live in the world is an exciting prospect. Understanding how the theories I have learned about in my psychology and neuroscience coursework may play out in an applicable social work setting is the most logical next step for me to take on my journey to help make a difference in the

Though I am still undecided on which path I would choose, in the future, my hope is that I can make a difference, whether it is one person at a time or on a broader scale to address the roots of racism and prejudice in our society. A major guide in my life has been whether I can lessen the need of those around me, particularly if they are discriminated against; racism is noticeably a passion of mine, but being able to ameliorate discrimination of any sort of is my goal, whether it is based on disabilities, gender, mental illnesses, or other factors that society uses to categorize