If you are like most people, you have taken many shots to boost your immunity to organisms such as those that cause measles and mumps. Every year I get the flu vaccine.

Is it possible to get a  vaccination against psychological stressors? Yes. Read on.

Vaccines work by preparing the body to fight off a specific organism.  A dead or partial version of the organism enters your blood stream, instigates a strong immune (killer) response and alerts the body to be on the lookout for that same organism in the future. If your body encounters the full, living organism, your immune system attacks it quickly and mercilessly. 

Something similar happens when you exercise briskly. For instance, earlier this week I did interval training on the university fields. I ran 65 meters as hard as I could, walked back, and repeated. I did the cycle 10 times, aided by a running partner who outran me every time. At the end of the final run, I looked as if I were dying. I could hardly breath, my face was red, and I had little energy left. That physical challenge acted like a vaccine, strengthening me in body and mind. I now have slightly stronger muscles, including a stronger heart. My body is more ready to run than it was before. Interestingly, my immune system likely became stronger.

These changes are part of the reason humans earn, on average, one more hour of healthy life, for every hour of exercise. The catch is that the exercise vaccine lasts only a short while. A person needs frequent booster sessions. 

Both injected vaccines and exercise have a limit in that if overdone, they can cause serious problems. The injected organisms need to be inactive. The exercise needs to be moderate over the long term. If you work out hard every day or so, you may impair your immune functioning.  

Psychological stressors also can act as vaccines. The challenge involved in responding to them improves your immune functioning and strengthens your mind and body, so you are better able to deal with future stressors. On the dark side, if the stressors are strong and persistent, they can wear you out , suppress your immune system, and shorten your life. However, studies show that individuals who think of stressful events as challenges and their body reactions (e.g., a pounding heart) as responses to challenge, do not break down physically or psychologically, even with relatively high levels of stressful events.  

So, the next time something goes wrong in your life, think of the experience as a psychological immunization; think of your physical and psychological reactions as responses to a challenge. Try to make true the famous statement of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”