Researchers at Columbia University have examined the psychology of mental illness for years, and now they are in the early stages of developing a vaccine for stress.

According to the American Institute of Stress, long-term stress is to blame for nearly 60 percent of all illnesses and disease among humans. Researchers at Columbia are observing the interactions between the brain and the immune system, as well as genetic factors that contribute to depression and mental disorders. 

The vaccine, while expected to be usable many years from now, will not eliminate all stress – as some stress is a good thing – but it will aim to stop stress levels from getting too high, to a point where mental illnesses like depression, anxiety and PTSD become possible.

To read the full report by The Atlantic, click here.