Freaking Out Blowing Up & Shutting Down It’s not you… It’s your brain Esther Perry, MA, LPC
Freaking OutBlowing Up &Shutting DownIt’s not you…
It’s your brain
Esther Perry, MA, LPC
NEURONS
Neurons
are the
nerve cells
that
connect
the brain
and body.
The Thalamus receives sensory
information and shares it with the
Frontal Cortex and the Amygdala.
The Thalamus
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
The Amygdala
The Amygdala’s job is to
detect and manage threats.
• Saves short recordings of your senses
from stressful experiences.
• When a current experience matches a
recording, the emergency protocol starts.
• The amygdala takes control of the brain
and body to react.
• This reaction creates a chain of neurons
linking senses, emotions, thoughts, and
body responses.
THE AMYGDALA
THE BRAIN TAKEOVER
DEFENSE RESPONSE
The first
step of the
emergency
protocol is
to cut off
the Frontal
Cortex.
The Vagus Nerve
(Bundle)
Sends and receives messages
between the amygdala and these internal
organs.
THE BODY TAKEOVER
THE BODY TAKEOVER
ACTIVE TAKEOVER
If the autonomic nervous system is triggered, the body releases Adrenaline
and Cortisol
which prepares the body to
activelydefend itself.
• 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
• Temperature changes
• Turns off digestion to save energy
Freaking Out and Blowing Up
PASSIVE TAKEOVER
If the body needs to conserve
energy, the
Dorsal Vagal Response
shuts the body down to passively
defend itself and save energy.
• Difficulty focusing (even on stressors)
• Lack of breath
• Slowed heart rate
• Flat facial affect
• Disassociation
• Collapse, including fainting
• Shut down unnecessary functions
• Sleepiness
• Stunted growth
• Numbed to pain and emotion
Shutting Down
THE BASAL GANGLIA
Once a reaction
chain repeats
enough times,
the network will
be saved in the
Basal Ganglia.
THE BASAL GANGLIA
When the chain moves here,
it becomes a muscle memory (autopilot).
The more the amygdala reacts,
the more intensely the reward system pushes the brain and
body to look for activities that add pleasure or remove distress.
Balancing Defenses
Retrain the Chain
FACE TO REPLACE
• Sleep 7-9 hours every night to stay charged.
• Calm the Vagus Nerve regularly.
• Exercise without headphones and screens.
• Practice Mindfulness daily to stay aware of your
senses, body reactions, thoughts and emotions.
• Unplug from electronics to stop avoidance.
• Use treatments that engage the full chain:
EMDR, Neurofeedback, Somatic Approaches,
Medication, DBT, CBT, etc.
Sleep Tips• Get in bed when you’re ready to sleep, train your brain to match the
bedroom with sleep.
• Make a routine and stick to it, train your brain to have a sleep time.
• Avoid screens 1 hour before bed, blue light triggers feeling awake.
o If needed, blue-light filter glasses can be worn in the evening.
• Avoid naps after 1pm as it can interrupt evening sleep signals.
• Exercise will increase tiredness and regulate sleep signals.
• Phone Apps:
o Blue light filters will reduce blue light on the phone - “Twilight”
o Sleep meditations, sounds and stories - “Calm”
o Sleep trackers and smart alarms - “Sleep Cycle”
• Sleep sounds with specific frequencies and patterns to increase sleep
signals (goo.gl/pcJqMz) or look for ASMR videos on YouTube.
CALM THE VAGUS NERVE
Mouth/Throat/Face:
• Breathe, whistle, sing, hum, chew gum, laugh, drink or gargle cold water, splash cold water on the face
Chest/Lungs:
• Breathe, ice pack on the chest, cough, weighted blanket
Heart:
• Meditation, mindfulness, prayer, focus on gratitude, share (be vulnerable) with trusted friends or family
Digestion:
• Take probiotics, eat fiber, tense and release abdomen muscles, eat small snacks often for upset stomach, be mindful of hunger/full signals
Whole Body:
• Massage, stretching, acupuncture, yoga, exercise
• Focus on breathing OUT
• Hold one hand on belly
and one hand on chest
• Go slowly & consistently
• Balances oxygen levels
• Stimulates Vagus Nerve
• Turns Frontal Cortex ON
HOW?
WHY?
BREATHING
http://imgur.com/gallery/Huou7Gh
Mindfulness
• Set aside a time and place every day.
• Remove all distractions.
• Focus attention to yourself.
• Notice your senses, body, emotions, and thoughts.
• Try not to judge what you discover inside yourself.
• If needed, remind yourself of the bigger picture and
realize that feelings pass. Use breathing, if needed.
• Challenge yourself to increase how often and how
long you are mindful until you can see the results.
• Keep it up!
Mindful Activities
• Prayer, Scriptures, and Meditation
• Yoga or Martial Arts (goo.gl/vhP1wz)
• Guided Meditations (goo.gl/wRdAXD)
• App: Stop, Breathe, and Think
• Playing an Instrument or Singing
• Gardening
• Journal (Writing, Gratitude, Bullet, etc)
• Tapping (goo.gl/1UcFju)
• Crafting, Art and Creating
• 5 Senses Grounding (goo.gl/MYAV2W)
• Spend Quality Time with Loved Ones
Managing Electronics
Phone Apps:
Stop, Breath & Think - mindfulness app
Forest – help grow trees by taking phone breaks
Offtime – set limits and block activity for focus
Cold Turkey – block phone for set times
OurPact – parental control for limiting use
Kaspersky SafeKids – parental control for limiting use
Computer Programs:
Cold Turkey – set limits on Mac or Windows to focus
FocusMe – set limits on phone, Mac or Windows
References
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York: Penguin Group.
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therapy. New York: Penguin Group.
Field, T. & Diego, M. (2008). Vagal activity, early growth, and emotional
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Koenigs, M. & Grafman, J. (2009). Post-traumatic stress disorder: the role
of medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala. Neuroscientist, 15(5): 540-548.
References
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