He is now in a safe environment, but his amygdala remembered and associated the smell of that particular soap with danger and a state of high stress.Īn example that you might relate to - last time you sat an exam you froze & panicked (due to fear of performance). It ended up being the smell of the soap in the shower that sent him off - the same soap that he used when he was at war.
Example - There is a story of a man that suddenly started having daily panic attacks and couldn't understand why (what the trigger was). With amygdala produced anxiety, you could have a reaction to a smell, sound or vision that is associated with a previous bad experience. You might not understand the unexplained extreme symptoms which can have you thinking there is something seriously wrong, are about to die or are “going crazy”. However, the Amygdala is required to trigger the F3 (if the Cortex’s thoughts create too much fear, it triggers the Amygdala).Īmygdala triggered anxiety - If you feel that a specific situation or sensation immediately activates an anxiety response, or if you notice physiological sensations first (pounding heart, sweating, panic, inability to think clearly), that seem puzzling or “out of the blue”, your amygdala is likely the cause. It can also be caused by subconsciously programmed reactions to situations (which you may not be aware of).Īnxiety can start in either the Cortex (by specific thoughts, worries or images) or the Amygdala (by subconscious threats or memories). It’s your thoughts and reactions to the situations, not the situation itself. Many people believe that certain situations are the cause of their anxiety, but anxiety always begins in your brain. The science behind what happens in the brain and body can be a huge help to understanding and mastering anxiety. The long-term activation of this can disrupt almost all your body's processes and can cause illnesses such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, depression, and heart conditions. But when stressors are always present, the F3 response keeps firing and builds up. Once a perceived threat has passed, everything returns to normal. This F3 stress-response system is usually self-limiting. However, with high levels of stress, especially over long periods, and with these hormones constantly in your bloodstream, your body & brain thinks you're under threat. Stress can also cause adrenaline and cortisol to be released into your body. The intensity can depend on the threat, how anxious you are at the time and whether you keep re-firing the F3 by fearful thoughts. It can also be triggered for a reason that you are unaware of. The F3 can be triggered by real threat, an imagined threat or a threat to your sense of worth or security. All body functions such as digestion are inhibited.Īll of the physiological Panic Attack symptoms listed above are symptoms of the F3 being activated. Your body shuts off blood flow to less essential areas of your body, like your fingers toes and face, in order to keep blood flowing where you need it most.
Two chemicals Adrenaline & Cortisol flood the bloodstream, increasing your heart and breathing rate and boosting energy supplies. When you feel a fear or threat, your brain triggers a life-saving physical response called the “fight-flight-freeze” response (F3).
Why do these physical symptoms happen? They seem unrelated. You can also have delayed symptoms - which pop up when you are past your period of anxiety - your body can be in an extended anxious mode that even when you relax it remains anxious. You can have many of these things happen at once OR as soon as you recognise a symptom as anxiety it could represent itself as something else.
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