Amygdala
The 3 F's of the Amygdala
Fight, Flight, and Freeze
What is a defense mechanism
It is your response to a situation that you perceive as unpleasant, angering, stressful, fearful, or threatening
Name the four parts of the brain that we discussed when talking about defense mechanisms.
Thalamus, Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Pre Frontal Cortex
How can you go 10 days without sleep?
Sleep a night, not during the day!
Positive defense mechanisms are harder to use
TRUE: Doing the wrong thing is taking the easy way out. It is harder to do the right thing, but the outcome will be better.
Your Amygdala is your brain's ________ response center
Threat
What are the two types of defense mechanisms?
Positive and Negative
When someone resorts to a negative defense mechanism, they are usually stuck in this part of the brain: ________
The Amygdala is important when there is an actual danger or immediate threat. Most often that is not the case.
What has 13 hearts but no lungs or stomach?
A deck of cards
All people respond to stress in the exact same way
FALSE: everyone has a different stress response as well as different stress triggers.
What are some of yours?
Your Amygdala is about the size of an __________
Almond
Use of a positive defense mechanism gives you ____ _______
Self-Respect
What is one way you can change an existing SCHEMA of information?
Example: You have the schema that "rollercoasters are terrifying" and you have never ridden one.
By introducing yourself to new information and evidence through experience or research.
Example: Ride a more mild rollercoaster and if you enjoy it, work your way up to a more intense coaster. You can also watch videos to help you know what to expect on a rollercoaster.
If a rooster lays an egg on the exact peak of a barn, which side does it fall?
Roosters don't lay eggs!
Your previous experiences, memories, and learned information are stored in your Amygdala
FALSE: these can be found in your HIPPOCAMPUS
Remember: information is learned through experience, exposure, research, reading, media, watching television, and movies, and what you were taught growing up. These develop schemas that can help you better assess perceived threats.
Give an example of a situation when your Amygdala is needed to help you
You are in immediate danger: there is a fire, a tornado, a dangerous animal charging towards you, etc.
Give 3 examples of negative defense mechanisms
Physical aggression, yelling, throwing things, name calling, running away (non-emergency), shutting down,etc.
Identify the SCHEMA in this scenario:
On a trip to the zoo when he was five, Andy was bitten by a goat. He is now 37 and sees a goat for the first time in 32 years. Andy becomes terrified and runs away.
Goats bite.
This information is based on Andy's experience and is not the full truth. Not all goats bites and many are safe to pet or keep as pets on farms. Andy did not have any evidence to challenge that schema.
What has roots as nobody sees,
Is taller than trees,
Up, up it goes,
And yet never grows?
A mountain
Your Thalamus only takes in information about what you see and what you hear
FALSE: your Thalamus takes in all sensory information including what you smell, taste, feel (touch), see, and hear.
Using clues in your environment can help you identify potential dangers or rule out non-threats
Give an example of a situation when your Amygdala is activated but there is no real threat
Someone makes a negative comment; You are asked to do work; You are told to wait; You wanted something special and it wasn't available, etc. (many different examples)
Give 3 examples of positive defense mechanisms
Talking it out, expressing how you feel using a calm voice and kind words, asking for a break, walking away (in conflict), focusing on yourself, listening to quiet music, doing something you enjoy (not for task avoidance though), pair something unpleasant with something more positive, etc.
Sometimes you need to give yourself a pep talk to use a positive defense mechanism because they are harder to use. Try this:
I'm never gonna ____ ___ up. Never gonna ___ ___ down. Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry. Never gonna say goodbye. Never gonna tell a ___ and hurt you.
You've just been rick-rolled.
This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.
Time
The Pre Frontal Cortex is responsible for executive functioning and making informed and logical decisions
TRUE: once the other areas of your brain have processed the incoming information and decided that there is no real or immediate threat, your Pre Frontal Cortex will help you use a positive defense mechanism