Posted by noa on May 12, 2003, at 18:13:09
In reply to Re: Crying in the bathroom « Eddie Sylvano » WorryGirl, posted by Eddie Sylvano on May 12, 2003, at 10:12:24
Would it help if I welcomed you to the "Flaming Amygdala Gang"?
By which I am refering to the quick-triggered hypersensitivity factor in our brains. I know it is much more complex that this, but it helps me, personally, to visualize my hypersensitive and highly reactive amygdala going into full alarm stage when encountering certain cues. Including those "someone's mad at me" cues that I feel my amygdala picks up even before I'm aware of it consciously.
I started visualizing this after reading "Mapping the Mind" by Rita Carter because she explains so well how the amygdala, a more primitive part of the brain that helps us survive by signaling danger, gets the environmental signals before the cortical part of the brain, our more advanced, logical part, that can put it into context and think through problem solving, etc. etc. But because the amygdala sends us into emergency action mode (anxiety/fear reactions and all the feelings that follow them), it can inhibit the thinking brain from ever really getting into gear to interpret and/or respond to the cue.
Well, if it helps, welcome. Meet my amygdala. It is my constant companion. Sigh.
poster:noa
thread:224644
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030506/msgs/226168.html