Freaking Out Blowing Up &

Shutting Down Reclaiming your defended brain

Esther Perry, MA, LPC

Welcome to your brain!

Let’s take a

look around

The Thalamus

The Thalamus receives sensory information and shares it with the Frontal Cortex and the Amygdala.

The Thalamus Relay

THE FRONTAL CORTEX

The Frontal Cortex

The frontal cortex is the main decision center of the brain.

This includes:

• Judgment

• Problem Solving

• Memory

• Language

• Planning

• Impulse Control

• Expression

• The Frontal Cortex is trained by what you put in.

• It learns from your previous choices and behaviors and creates habits which are offered as automatic solutions.

The Frontal Cortex

The Thalamus Relay

The Amygdala

The Amygdala’s job is to detect threats and sound the alarm.

THE AMYGDALA

• The amygdala is part of the emotion center and alerts us to danger.

• To activate, the amygdala initiates an emergency protocol.

In an emergency, who is more in charge?

THE BRAIN TAKEOVER

• The first step of the emergency protocol

is to short circuit the cortex.

• Overthinking danger is risky!

DEFENSE RESPONSE

THE AMYGDALA

• The amygdala is part of the emotion center and alerts us to danger.

• To activate, the amygdala initiates an emergency protocol.

• The amygdala takes control of the brain and the body.

The Vagus Nerve

Sends and

receives messages

between the

brain and

these internal

organs.

THE BODY TAKEOVER

THE BODY TAKEOVER

The Amygdala

triggers the

release of two

hormones,

Adrenaline

and

Cortisol

that prepare the

body to defend

itself using:

Fight, Flight

or Freeze.

• Brain hyper-focuses on looking for danger

• Lungs breathe hard to fill your body with oxygen

• Heart races to send oxygen to muscles

• Muscles get loaded with energy and start to shake

• Body sweats to cool down hot muscles

• Turns off digestion to save energy

What Happens to the Body?

THE BODY TAKEOVER

THE BODY TAKEOVER

THE AMYGDALA

• The amygdala is part of the emotion center and alerts us to danger.

• To activate, the amygdala initiates an emergency protocol.

• The amygdala takes control of the brain and the body.

• Neural networks are created that hardwire triggers and responses.

Neural networks become stronger the more they are used.

AMYGDALA

SENSES

EMOTIONS

THOUGHTS BODY

THE AMYGDALA

• The amygdala is part of the emotion center and alerts us to danger.

• To activate, the amygdala initiates an emergency protocol.

• The amygdala takes control of the brain and the body.

• Neural networks are created that hardwire triggers and responses.

• If regularly activated, it can become an automatic default response.

The Traumatized Amygdala

For people with a trauma history, the amygdala,

thalamus, cortex and related areas

can become overworked and underdeveloped.

LOOK FOR: Freaking Out, Blowing Up &

Shutting Down

You Might Observe:

Overactive and Underdeveloped

AMYGDALA

SENSES

BODY THOUGHTS

EMOTIONS

Eventually the brain/body can only tune into HIGH impact experiences.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Retrain the Amygdala

• Calm the Vagus Nerve

IN THE MOMENT

HOW? WHY?

• Turns on Frontal Lobe

CALM THE VAGUS NERVE

Mouth/Throat:

• Breathe, whistle, sing, hum, chew gum, laugh, drink or gargle water,

splash cold water on the face

Chest/Lungs:

• Breathe, ice pack on the chest, tap under collar bone

Heart (physical and emotional):

• Exercise, movement, focus on positive relationships, meditation, yoga,

mindfulness, prayer

Muscles:

• Exercise, yoga, dance, martial arts, stretching, massage, acupuncture

Stomach/Digestion:

• Probiotics, get enough fiber and protein, tense and release abdomen

muscles, eat small snacks often if not hungry, stay in tune with hunger

and full signals

CALM THE VAGUS NERVE

• Focus on Breathing OUT

• From Your Belly

• Go Slowly & Consistently

• Balances Oxygen Levels

• Calms the Vagus Nerve

• Turns Frontal Lobe ON

HOW?

WHY?

BREATHING

• Calms the Vagus Nerve

• Give Time & Space o Remove Triggers

o Allow Movement

o Let Energy Release

• Rest

IN THE MOMENT

HOW? WHY?

• Turns on Frontal Lobe

• Uses up energy

• Refreshes lost energy

Retrain the Amygdala

• Calms your brain and communicates safety

• Keeps the body from using backup energy

• Decreases tension and increases body awareness

• Rebalances “happy” chemical release

• Calm the Vagus Nerve frequently

• Sleep

• Eat

• Relaxation/Stretching

• Exercise

WHY? HOW?

EVERY DAY

Retrain the Amygdala

• Opens the Window of Tolerance which allows the network to be accessed and corrected

• MINDFULNESS

o Notice (don’t judge) feelings & senses

o Grounding

o Meditation/Prayer

o Yoga

o Journaling

o Art

o Music

EVERY DAY

WHY? HOW?

Retrain the Amygdala

Window of Tolerance

Network Overload

Network Offline

Network On and Stable

Resources

• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD

• Healing Anxiety and Depression by Daniel G. Amen, MD and Lisa C. Routh, MD

• Neurologic: The Brain’s Hidden Rationale Behind Our Irrational Behavior by Eliezer Sternberg

• Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry by Catherine Pittman, PhD and Elizabeth Karle, MLIS

• Breathing gif: http://imgur.com/gallery/Huou7Gh