Stress response to external stressors is modulated by internal appraisal

[ReSTART]

Perhaps a basic concept but interesting nonetheless.

From Wikipedia

According to Lazarus, there are two kinds of appraisal: primary appraisal, which is aimed at establishing the significance of an event's meaning to the organism; and, secondary appraisal, which assesses the ability of the organism to cope with the consequences of the event

He was perhaps best known for his work on coping, gaining attention for studies that showed that patients who engaged in denial about the seriousness of their situation did better than those who were more "realistic." He also found that stress often had less to do with a person's actual situation than with how the person perceived the strength of his own resources.

Transactional Model of Stress and Coping of Richard Lazarus