Have you ever wondered what’s going on in your brain and body when you experience fear? Empower yourself by learning about the basic science behind the fear process.
Fear has helped humans survive and evolve, serving the vital purpose of warning us when danger is present. In fact, if we didn’t feel fear, we’d likely place ourselves in all kinds of deadly situations (walking into traffic, handling a poisonous snake, etc.).
It appears that our brains devote more space and energy to fear than any other emotion. Though feelings of fear are the product of multiple brain functions, here we’ll discuss a few of the most prominent players:
1. The Amygdala
- Located in the primitive, lower portion of the brain—which has been around since early in evolution—the amygdala detects threats and makes a split-second decision to initiate the fear response before the cortex (the "thinking" part of our brain) has time to overrule it.
- Early in evolution, the amygdala’s rapid reaction would have been very helpful in warning of a threat like a saber-toothed tiger preparing for attack. But, in the modern world, the amygdala often has the tendency to “warn” us of threats that aren’t actually dangerous.
- Dr. Daniel Goleman, in his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence, first referred to this lightning-fast response as the amygdala hijack. And, this happens before we have time to think critically about whether the threat is real.
2. The Hypothalamus
- Stimulated after the amygdala detects danger, the hypothalamus sends signals to adrenal glands that release hormones like adrenaline and norepinephrine into the bloodstream. This causes physical changes associated with the fight-or-flight response, including increased heart rate and blood pressure, dilated pupils and muscle tension.
3. The Hippocampus
- Along with the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus helps the brain determine whether the perceived threat is real, which informs us whether action is needed. The hippocampus is also the area where our memories are stored, putting fear in context and tying fearful memories to their original location.
Combatting the Amygdala Hijack
Now that you have a better understanding of how the fear response is activated, here are a few ways to ward off the amygdala hijack mentioned above:
If you’re experiencing excessive fear or anxiety, Travco Behavioral Health can help. Contact us today!
