Mental health thread: I want to tell you a story about this little thing called The Amygdala.

I know it might be strange for the girl who constantly posts pictures of her tits to sit down and talk about mental health, but here we are. It’s important.

The Amygdala are two little clusters of nuclei in your brain that can be found deep inside the temporal lobes.

I know that’s a boring way to start a story, but bare with me. If you suffer from any form of anxiety, this story is for you.

The Amygdala are mean little clusters and they like to play tricks on you. When you’re scared, or worried, or nervous, that’s them, popping up and saying hello. They’re like the bullies of your brain, making you second guess everything, filling you with doubt and uncertainty.

They are what make you jump to the worst case scenario, even when you know everything will be fine.

Every once in a while, they ease up and make you feel good about yourself, but in the long list of the things they are responsible for, happiness is just one...

...while the others are fear, anxiety, and sadness.

And the worst part is, they learn and adapt based on our experiences and environment. The Amygdala are also responsible for your fight or flight instincts and because of that, they have to adapt and respond to fear.

Unfortunately, that makes them very susceptible to fear conditioning, wherein which we come to expect bad/fearful things based on what’s happened to us in the past. We usually refer to this as Pavlovian conditioning, but instead of salivating for food, our stomachs drop in fear.

If you’re a person who has experienced trauma, your Amygdala will make it that much harder for you to move forward from that, you can come to expect the worst in both situations and people. They really are little assholes, those tiny clusters.

However...

... being aware of their existence can go a long way towards battling that fear and anxiety they produce. Just like they can be conditioned to expect fear, they can also be taught to calm the fuck down.

Taking a moment to acknowledge their existence, and its impact on your brain, will help you let go and calm down when you feel yourself spiral.

Think of these moments as mini meditations. Wrangle them, show them who’s boss. Don’t let them win. Remember that they’re bullies.

When you go into an anxiety tailspin, stop, say hello to your Amygdala (they just want attention) and tell them you’re on to their tricks and you’re not going to fall for it. You can be prepared to cope without letting the fear overwhelm you.

It’s not foolproof, I still catch myself going into full anxiety and fear mode, but it helps me cope with the little things that used to have big impacts on me. Know that it’s my brain, knowing that it’s hardwired, really helps me understand and process what’s going on.

Hope that helps! Own your Amygdala, don’t let it own you!



Also... go drink some water, you probably need it.