For example, fear and anxiety exist to alert us of potential threats.
Since our emotions inform us about our environment, they impact behavior.
Whenemotions serve as a warningof potential danger, we can act to protect ourselves.
Verywell / Zoe Hansen
Learn more about the role of the amygdala in how we feel and behave.
What Is the Main Function of the Amygdala?
Emotional responses, including fear, ignite behavioral responses.
What Feelings Does the Amygdala Control?
It is involved in activating thefight or flightresponse, impacting how we react to potentially dangerous situations.
While this is adaptive and helps us stay safe, it can become dysregulated and lead to anoveractiveresponse.
Those with an overactive amygdala may feel these responses acting up even when they are not in danger.
This can be stressful and exhausting.
What Can Damage the Amygdala?
it’s possible for you to also sustain a concussion ortraumatic brain injurythat damages the amygdala.
It is possible to sustain irreversible brain damage.
What Happens When the Amygdala Is Activated?
By engaging theautonomic nervous system, the amygdala prepares you to protect yourself and stay safe.
It allows you to react quickly to a perceived threat.
When we perceive a threat, the amygdala kicks in to activate our bodys stress response.
However, for some, the frontal lobe does not effectively shut down the amygdalas triggered state.
As noted previously, this can occur following trauma.
While this can keep you safe in the moment, it wears you down over time.
How Can I Calm My Amygdala?
The amygdala can be trained," Dr. Lakhan says.
Basically, we can strengthen the connection between the amygdala and frontal lobe to allow de-escalation.
Therapy by a qualified mental health professionalcan treat the symptoms that come from an overactivated amygdala.
If a traumatic event or events caused this response,trauma-informed therapycan help.
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