Today we are going to take a look at something I think EVERYBODY ought to know.
It is a part of the anatomy big media companies know about and spent millions studying in order to compel you to part with your money, have you make illogical choices, and get caught up in other peoples’ agendas…
… which is also linked deeply to your self-esteem and memory.
It’s called the amygdala.
It is a small almond-shaped part of your temporal lobes of your brain and of its many purposes, scanning for danger is likely number one.
FIRST, watch this:
THEN, read this:
The amygdala, an almond-shaped group of nuclei located in the limbic system, deep within the medial temporal lobes of the brain, is the boss when it comes to processing and storing memories of various emotions. In fact, the amygdala experiences emotions even before the conscious brain does. Repetitive triggering of the stress response makes the amygdala more reactive to apparent threats, which stimulates the stress response, thereby further triggering the amygdala, on and on and on in a vicious cycle. The amygdala serves to help form “implicit memories,” traces of past experiences that lie beneath conscious recognition. As the amygdala becomes more sensitized, it increasingly tinges those implicit memoirs with heightened residues of fear, causing the brain to experience ongoing anxiety that no longer has anything to do with the circumstances at hand.
At the same time, the hippocampus, which is critical for developing “explicit memories” —clear, conscious, records of what really happened—gets worn down by the body’s stress response. Cortisol and other glucocorticoids weaken synapses in the brain and inhibit formation of new ones. When the hippocampus is weakened, it’s much harder to produce new neurons and thus make new memories. As a result, the painful, fearful experiences the sensitized amygdala records get programmed into implicit memory, while the weakened hippocampus fails to record new explicit memories.
When this happens, you wind up with no real memory of what set you off to begin with but with a very clear sense that something bad—something very bad—is happening.- Dr. LIssa Rankin, from her book, 'Mind Over Medicine'
At the same time, the hippocampus, which is critical for developing “explicit memories” —clear, conscious, records of what really happened—gets worn down by the body’s stress response. Cortisol and other glucocorticoids weaken synapses in the brain and inhibit formation of new ones. When the hippocampus is weakened, it’s much harder to produce new neurons and thus make new memories. As a result, the painful, fearful experiences the sensitized amygdala records get programmed into implicit memory, while the weakened hippocampus fails to record new explicit memories.
When this happens, you wind up with no real memory of what set you off to begin with but with a very clear sense that something bad—something very bad—is happening.- Dr. LIssa Rankin, from her book, 'Mind Over Medicine'
Ultimately, what you need to know about this is this:
- Your amygdala is constantly on the scan for trouble, and unless you take charge and understand this, you will constantly live in some degree of FEAR, and be at the mercy of every fearful thing it is scanning for.
- In order to heal or think, you MUST activate your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) regularly. Your PNS is responsible your rest and digest state, which translates into, learning to relax – regularly – is vital for healing. If you cannot break the stress response, you will find it nearly impossible to heal, think clearly, or have authentic emotional connections and responses.
What do you need to do in order to relax regularly and from within? - STOP reading the newspaper, watching the TV and newsfeeds on your computer or electronic device. As mentioned above, media and marketing companies spend millions in order to figure out how to create emotional instability in you (without you knowing) so as to create urgency for their product, service or agenda. Why do you think you are attracted to seeing ‘bad’ news headlines? Are drawn to tell “ain’t it awful” stories… (like the weather)?
When you find yourself being drawn to a ‘negative’ or ‘bad news’ story, STOP and say, “there goes my amygdala!” Then re-set your PNS (i.e. do something to relax you) and choose again with awareness. - The more you ignore that companies and others, with commiserating agendas, have a vested interest in keeping you in the “ain’t it awful” and the “my life isn’t complete without that” camps (whatever ‘that’ is: relationship, new house, children, money, etc.), the more you separate yourself from the truth of what actually is happening.
In other words, as Dr. Rankin explained, “When this happens, you wind up with no real memory of what set you off to begin with but with a very clear sense that something bad—something very bad—is happening.” This is how you remain stuck, and is very deeply rooted in your limbic system, the part of your brain responsible for emotional connection — appropriate or otherwise.
DECIDE that love, not fear, is going to guide all of your choices; then do whatever action you must do to handle a situation — just let love run through your action. - ACCEPT that staying in a fearful state makes you stupider, more distrustful, malleable, influencealbe,and gullible, and CHOOSE to draw your power back to you. Take your power back by asking Byron Katie’s four questions:
- “Is this true?”
- “Can I absolutely know that it’s true?”
- “How do I react, what happens, when I believe this thought?”
- “Who would I be without that thought”
Start taking back control of what you can control, that which is NOT outside of you. Emotions, for instance, are not something to be controlled, they are navigation signals for sourcing out what needs to be resolved.
Follow these steps and continue on the journey of Revealing Your REAL You.
Have a super week!
Loved this post!
I don’t really get how were linking Rankin’s work here – especially considering she is no longer a licensed medical professional and when she was licensed it had been as a gynecologist – but I will recommend checking out the work of Dan Siegal PhD., a neurologist and professor at UCLA who’s lab studies the amygdala and who subsequently published on and coined the term, “mindsight.” He did an interview with PsychAlive discussing how, when and why ones amygdala goes “offline.” His opinions about getting back “online,” are not only scientifically and evidentially substantiated, but also reveal the complexity of the problem.
Thanks for your reply Lisa, I really appreciate you taking the time to post your views and share a valuable resource.
I will definitely check Dr. Siegal out.
With regard to Dr. Lissa Rankin, everyone is entitled to their opinion about someone, and I have more than enough space in my world to let people make their own decisions about who they gravitate toward. Here are Dr. Rankin’s creds according to a doctors’ review website: http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Lisa_Rankin/reviews, according to their site, she is board certified and able to accept insurance policies from several companies for her patients. Just like anybody, there are those who love her and those who don’t.
Cheers,
Tymothy