The Brain
Which part of the brain is developed fully at birth?
The Amygdala (the lizard brain)
True or false: Everyone reacts to stress in the same way
False, everyone's bodies and minds are different, so it's important to be self-aware about how you handle and experience stress
True or False: In breathing exercises, it's important to breathe from your belly instead of your chest
True: belly breathing / breathing from your diaphragm helps your nervous system calm down
You see someone yawn, and then you yawn a few seconds later (amygdala, prefrontal cortex, or mirror neurons?)
Mirror neurons
What is the largest US state?
Alaska
What part of the brain fully develops by 25?
The prefrontal cortex (the wizard brain)
Give an example of positive, tolerable, and toxic stress.
Staff will decide if correct, examples:
-Positive: studying for a test, practicing for a sport, starting a new job, etc.
-Tolerable: when a loved one passes away, breaking a bone, parents get divorced
-Toxic: violence, poverty, chronic illness or disability
True or false: The first step for coping with stress is to be self-aware and notice when you are stressed in the first place
True: Once you can tell that you are stressed, and even what has caused the stress, then you can cope in the best way that works for you
You realize that there's a fire in the building and immediately run away (amygdala, prefrontal cortex, or mirror neurons?)
Amygdala
How many pounds are in a ton?
2,000 lbs
What is the role of the prefrontal cortex?
Thinking, decision making, planning, "the wizard brain"
Give five examples of symptoms of stress
Acne, trouble sleeping, dizziness, headaches, getting sick a lot, chest pain, increased heart rate, back pain, muscle pain, breathing harder/faster, sweaty, upset stomach, clenched jaw, grinding teeth
Explain the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique
You use your five senses to name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can smell, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste
You are creating a study plan for your big exam coming up (amygdala, prefrontal cortex, or mirror neurons?)
Prefrontal cortex
What state is the Grand Canyon located in?
Arizona!
What is the role of the amygdala?
The amygdala controls our emotional responses to fear, fight/flight/freeze, "the lizard brain"
Explain the difference between positive, tolerable, and toxic stress
Positive stress: normal and essential stress that motivates you to get things done
Tolerable stress: it's more frequent and prolonged but is still manageable
Toxic stress: strong, frequent, prolonged stress that can be caused by long-term events or back-to-back events, interferes with daily life
Explain how box breathing works
You breathe in for 4 seconds, hold at the top of your breath for 4 seconds, release for 4 seconds, and then hold again for 4 seconds. You repeat this 4 times
*You can change the amount, it doesn't need to be 4, it just needs to be consistent
You can tell that you're friend has had a bad day based on her facial expressions, so it makes you a little sad on their behalf
Mirror neurons
How many legs does a lobster have?
10
What is the role of mirror neurons?
To imitate body language, facial expression, and emotions, the "copycats" inside our brain
What is the connection between our amygdala, our prefrontal cortex, and stress?
"REGULATE THEN REASON": we have to calm our lizard brains/amygdalas down when we are stressed so that we can think clearly and use our wizard brains/prefrontal cortexes
Give five examples of different things that could be in your safety plan
Some examples include: drawing, meditating, exercising, listening to music, reading, praying, gardening, crying, etc.
Because of a traumatic event, the color blue causes intense fear and anxiety (amygdala, prefrontal cortex, or mirror neurons?)
Amygdala
What was the first U.S. state?
Delaware