The Amygdala

The amygdala activates the fight or flight response and activates when we experience anything through our senses that reminds us of a past trauma, stress, fear, anxiety, aggression, or anger. This part of the brain controls emotion and memory. It works with your frontal lobes which manage reasoning, thinking, movement, decision-making, and planning. This is a powerful duo. Millions of people can be affected from an automatic response from an “amygdala hijack” and it can occur in some people from PTSD, anxiety, trauma, or other mental conditions. You do not have to have a mental condition for your amygdala to become activated.

I have frequent trauma and PTSD responses and my amygdala gets a workout! Here are some of the activities I am and will continue to evolve as a part of my personal care plan to attempt to better control my brain’s reactions to stress.

• Spotify Music Playlists
• Meditation
• Prayer
• Mindfulness
• Breathwork
• Yoga
• Psychotherapy

*Disclaimer: consult a healthcare professional before attempting these techniques, as what works for one person may not work for another.

One of the most educational articles I have read on the amygdala and our Fight or Flight response is:
Amygdala Hijack: When Emotion Takes Over https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/amygdala-hijack

PTSD Dissociative Blackouts

In life, I have experienced modern day traumas from relationships, workplace, childhood, and emotional/physical abuse. I can have a blackout period of amnesia. I will not recall events happening between certain periods of time. For example, if the emergency services are called, I may not remember being placed into the ambulance as the interaction with a police officer may be too traumatic. I do not know my behaviors during this time, but I awaken with no recollection of the events that had taken place. I can forget essential personal information. A common memory loss area is passwords, but who remembers all their passwords these days!?

One way my body has decided to cope with trauma/PTSD is with disassociation. While it is possible to develop PTSD and dissociative disorders independently, it is more common for the conditions to occur simultaneously. When a person experiences prolonged exposure to trauma, they are likely to develop dissociative techniques to cope. Additionally, chronic trauma can further ingrain dissociative tendencies into one’s automatic brain responses, making these tendencies harder to combat and treat.¹

• I cannot hear certain sounds such as battle sounds or scary music themes
• I cannot view conflict photos; war, murder, or accident videos.
• Movies that have negative distressing relationship scenes or teenage drama conflicts are not a choice of preference.
• Some music can cause distress.
• I cannot watch violence of any kind! I disconnected my TV a few years ago.
• I can experience sweating armpits, clammy hands, my body may start automatic rocking for self-soothing.

There is much to learn about our brain and how it reacts to protect us. I am on my journey for more self-education and therapy to minimize disassociations and amygdala responses. I have a personal commitment to calm my body with the use of breathwork and yoga.

References
Amygdala Hijack: When Emotion Takes Over
https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/amygdala-hijack
Damage to the Amygdala: Understanding the Functions, Symptoms, & Treatments
https://www.flintrehab.com/damage-to-the-amygdala/
Trauma and the Brain
https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/calming-trauma#
Best Overactive Amygdala Treatment
https://mantracare.org/therapy/anxiety/overactive-amygdala-treatment/
Yoga Anatomy: The Vagus Nerve, Amygdala and the Stress Response
https://yogauonline.com/yoga-practice-teaching-tips/yoga-anatomy/yoga-anatomy-the-vagus-nerve-amygdala-and-the-stress-response/
All About Amygdala Hijack
https://psychcentral.com/health/amygdala-hijack#about-amygdala-hijack
1. PTSD Dissociation: Why It Happens & How to Heal
https://www.choosingtherapy.com/ptsd-dissociation/
2. Beasley, C. C., & Ager, R. (2019). Emotionally focused couples therapy: a systematic review of its effectiveness over the past 19 years. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 16(2), 144-159.