“An event, or series of events, that causes moderate to severe stress reactions, is called a traumatic event. Traumatic events are characterized by a sense of horror, helplessness, serious injury, or the threat of serious injury or death. Traumatic events affect survivors, rescue workers, and friends and relatives of victims who have been directly involved. In addition to potentially affecting those who suffer injuries or loss. They may also affect people who have witnessed the event either firsthand or on television [or the internet and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Youtube etc.].“

-- Center for Disease Control, 2021

“[W]hether or not we call them ‘stressful’. Hormones play a key role in what happens, acting on both the brain and the rest of the body.

Poverty and racial and ethnic discrimination, and a lack of educational opportunities and economic advancement, take their toll. Adverse experiences in infancy and childhood, including poverty, leave a lifelong imprint on the brain and body. This undermines long term health, increasing the incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, substance abuse, anti-social behavior and dementia.“

-- Society for Endocrinology, 2018