The oldest part of our brain structure sits toward the back of our head and its is shared with other mammals. It’s based on instinct and engineered to be alert to threat, signal our central nervous system when danger is perceived and mobilize our bodies to do whatever’s necessary to keep us safe. This is a valuable system when we need to jump out of the way of an oncoming car or maybe dodge a falling tree, but it isn’t quite as helpful when the danger we perceive is not imminent or requiring an urgent response. The newer part of the human brain, the Prefrontal Cortex, is uniquely human and regulates our interpretation of reality. It is the seat of reason and logic and meaning and, as such, processes information in a slower, more deliberate way. When we are afraid, the Prefrontal Cortex has a tendency to fade to the background in deference to the more important job of keeping us alive.
All of this is like a well-oiled machine that has served our species well. The problem arises in a situation like the one we are facing in the world today where we are exposed to the idea of threat and danger while most of us aren’t actually facing an immediate threat to our survival in the moment. If we don’t understand what’s happening, we can get locked in high alert mode where our back brain continues to send signals to stay mobilized in preparation for danger thereby create an feedback loop of physiological and psychological stress that eventually depletes our adrenal system and can weaken our physical and emotional immune systems.
Just because we feel afraid doesn’t mean we’re in danger.
Emotional reasoning is a common Cognitive Distortion (ref. David D. Burns, MD) where we rely on our emotions as indicators of reality. One way to stay calm is to understand that feeling afraid is a normal response to any perceived threat, but the feeling itself doesn’t mean we are in danger. One common analogy is the instinctual startle response most have when seeing a rope that looks like a snake. Real or not, our back brain will do its job by mobilizing our muscles, narrowing our vision and releasing hormones like cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine to respond effectively. This all happens very quickly and without conscious thought. Once we realize it’s a rope and not a snake, our heart rate slows and body goes back to baseline (this process takes much longer for those with trauma histories). But if we’re not sure if it’s a rope or a snake, our brain may get hijacked into an ongoing startled state as we become consumed with getting closer and hyper-focusing on the potential source of danger.
The more we are exposed to breaking news and a feed of dire predictions, the more we become preoccupied with identifying possible sources of danger and perceived threat. We will start to actively search for ropes that look like snakes and telescope our attention in on the areas of least control.
The antidote is to take control where we have it by deliberately accessing our Prefrontal Cortex, which requires slowing things down. When you try to do this, you’ll notice a natural resistance to the effort involved in slowing the mind. It will be unsettling to settle down; it may even feel wrong or frightening in and of itself, but if you can tolerate the discomfort, you will be rewarded with calm on the other side.
Here are some tips to keep your Prefrontal Cortex on the front lines during crisis.
- Manage your exposure to things that activate fear. Plan how much time you will spend on social media and news reports ahead of time and stick to your plan. Left to it’s own devices, your back brain will run the show and keep you captivated on the very things that scare you.
- Separate facts from thoughts. Facts are things happening in the world; these are things you can’t control. Thoughts are your interpretation of the facts. In order to manage your mind and get authority over your stress level, it’s crucial to make this distinction. Access your Prefrontal Cortex by acknowledging that situations in the world do not dictate your feelings; your thoughts are the determinant of your feelings. So decide on purpose what you want to make things mean.
- Name your emotions and let them be. Once you can identify your thoughts independent of the circumstances, you’ll be better able to name your emotions. Thoughts are what create our feelings and being able to name them helps bring our Prefrontal Cortex back online by organizing our experience. It’s also important to give yourself permission to have whatever emotion you feel without judging it or trying to resist it or react to it. One simple way to do this is to have a conscious thought or write down something like, “I’m feeling scared right now and that’s ok.”
- Keep bringing your mind back to the present moment. Take attention breaks to notice the sunshine, tune in to your breath, connect with loved ones, watch your pets and admire their calm take on things, take walks,
- Use questions to give your brain a mission it can control. For example, how do I want to show up for myself, my family, my friends during this time? How can I be helpful? What am I doing during this time that I can appreciate, be proud of or give myself credit for? Who do I want to be through this experience? What are some good things I can be grateful for at this time? Writing the answers to these questions down will help put your attention on where your power is.
