Living in the Hear and Now
The counselor we got for our premarital counseling gave us an interesting insight on psychological traumas.
Below is my understanding of what our counselor explained to us, so the detail might not be totally accurate. It’s going to look like a re-cap on Psych 101…
When a human being experiences extreme physical or emotional stress, it goes through Amygdule, which is located in the central part of our brains and functions a little bit like a gateway. This almond looking organ controls fear and sets off “fight or flight (or paralysis)” responses in the face of danger.
What was interesting to me is that when fear hits, Amygdule shuts off the access to frontal cortex, where cognitive functions such as impulse control, judgment, problem solving initiation, and planning ability reside (this is also where the information about our identity is stored). As a result, the brain goes into an almost primitive self preservation mode. It reacts, rather than responds, to the situation without tapping into who we are or how we might handle the issue according to our values and personalities. This is why people tend to exhibit uncharacteristic behaviors under stress.
Instead of making decisions based on the potential future impact and our principals, Amygdule in crisis mode employs the more readily accessible past tactics, tracing how we have dealt with similar circumstances before (likely in a dysfunctional way).
So in a sense we are living in the past when stress and fear takes over… Lost in the waves of panic and anxiety, we sink deeper into brokenness by desperately reacting to a desperate situation.
But there are ways to reprogram our brains to gain access to the frontal cortex, even when traumatic reaction is triggered, says our counselor. Breathing deeply from the stomach, as opposed to short panting from the chest, helps. Our faith in God, really helps.
“Remember He is with you in this present moment. Ask Him to hold you and make you stand. He will help you to reclaim who you are. He will stand between you and your fear to protect you.”
As I imagined God filling the room right there and then, tears welled up in my eyes.
People who have gone through childhood traumas often have difficulty trusting God. Yet every time we experience His presence in the midst of a trouble, a cerebral pathway is rewired to its wholeness. Yes, it is a long and cumbersome process. But our brains are receptive to restoration by its wonderful design.
Dear God, help me to live in the presence. Set me free from the fear of the past and anxiety for the future. I want to experience you, right here and right now.
The counselor we got for our premarital counseling gave us an interesting insight on psychological traumas.
Below is my understanding of what our counselor explained to us, so the detail might not be totally accurate. It’s going to look like a re-cap on Psych 101…
When a human being experiences extreme physical or emotional stress, it goes through Amygdule, which is located in the central part of our brains and functions a little bit like a gateway. This almond looking organ controls fear and sets off “fight or flight (or paralysis)” responses in the face of danger.
What was interesting to me is that when fear hits, Amygdule shuts off the access to frontal cortex, where cognitive functions such as impulse control, judgment, problem solving initiation, and planning ability reside (this is also where the information about our identity is stored). As a result, the brain goes into an almost primitive self preservation mode. It reacts, rather than responds, to the situation without tapping into who we are or how we might handle the issue according to our values and personalities. This is why people tend to exhibit uncharacteristic behaviors under stress.
Instead of making decisions based on the potential future impact and our principals, Amygdule in crisis mode employs the more readily accessible past tactics, tracing how we have dealt with similar circumstances before (likely in a dysfunctional way).
So in a sense we are living in the past when stress and fear takes over… Lost in the waves of panic and anxiety, we sink deeper into brokenness by desperately reacting to a desperate situation.
But there are ways to reprogram our brains to gain access to the frontal cortex, even when traumatic reaction is triggered, says our counselor. Breathing deeply from the stomach, as opposed to short panting from the chest, helps. Our faith in God, really helps.
“Remember He is with you in this present moment. Ask Him to hold you and make you stand. He will help you to reclaim who you are. He will stand between you and your fear to protect you.”
As I imagined God filling the room right there and then, tears welled up in my eyes.
People who have gone through childhood traumas often have difficulty trusting God. Yet every time we experience His presence in the midst of a trouble, a cerebral pathway is rewired to its wholeness. Yes, it is a long and cumbersome process. But our brains are receptive to restoration by its wonderful design.
Dear God, help me to live in the presence. Set me free from the fear of the past and anxiety for the future. I want to experience you, right here and right now.
posted by Megumi @ 1:17 PM
2 Comments:
Wow, this is really interesting. Yes, I know what "desperately reacting to a desperate situation" is like... I'm waaaaaaaay too reactive. My cerebral pathway must be rewired! Thank you for sharing! God's the only one who can rewire us if this is such an automatic response.
yes--as ever--thank you for sharing. your posts blow me away with your insight.
much love.
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