Amygdala Facts in the following table should be every anxiety sufferer's bible.

I was organizing my Evernote notes and stumbled on this article I had saved back in July when I was going through major relationship stress.

Amygdala Facts in the following table should be every anxiety sufferer's bible.

AMYGDALA FACTS: 8 THINGS TO KNOW

(source: 2)

FACT 1: What triggers the amygdala?

Sensory Input. I see a snake I hear a creepy sound. I feel a tingling on my skin

Novelty. When you experience something out of your zone of predictability, familiarity or comfort.

A quick startle response. Experienced that? "Something just moved around the corner of my eye". "Walking into what I expect to be an empty room but see someone in it."

In social situations. These people werent supposed to be here First day of college in a new town New job, new coworkers, new boss

Input more associated with contexts than senses, e.g. having a thought or having conflicts

Memory
Input coming in from the higher brain, called prefrontal cortex.

"It's a rope, not a snake" vs. "It's a rope, what if it becomes a snake?"

"It's a thought, you can't control it." vs. "It's a thought, you better control it"

FACT 2: Amygdala triggering happens very quickly. In less than a fraction of a second. This is because it's part of the emotional brain. That means you 'feel' fear before you can understand what you fear and why you are fearing it. You cannot control this.

FACT 3: The amygdala switches off its alarm when it believes that there is safety. Once the amygdala alarm is switched off, symptoms reverse themselves to normal. Your heart rate's normal. Your breathing's normal. Your focus, concentration, and coordination are back.

FACT 4: Some people have a more sensitive amygdala. Roughly 20% of the population

FACT 5: Those with a sensitive amygdala are more likely to be triggered.

FACT 6: Did you show up with a sensitive amygdala from the birth? Maybe. But the next point is the one to remember.

FACT 7: Not everyone with a sensitive amygdala develops anxiety. In Jerome Kagan's longitudinal study, 55% of those born with a sensitive amygdala ("high-reactives") did not show signs of anxiety.

FACT 8: The amygdala can be trained. The way to do that is to work with FACT 1's #5. Train and use your prefrontal cortex to support recovery, not anxiety.