The Defensive Brain
Sometimes your own brain is sabotaging you
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The Defensive Brain
What Iâm about to discuss is by no means a new concept - Iâve seen this previously labelled as the Lizard Brain, the Chimp Brain and the Caveman Brain. However, if you havenât come across this topic previously it can really help shine a light on why we all frequently make decisions, or say things, that in hindsight (or even at the time) make no sense.
The culprit is a small part of your brain called the limbic system, a layer squished evenly around the middle. It has various responsibilities including emotion and the formation of memories, but what makes it particularly interesting is that it was one of the earliest parts of the human brain to evolve. Hence the âcavemanâ tag, because in many ways thatâs what it still is - a remnant of an age when anything and everything was out to kill you. It is a defence reflex against potential threats, fast to react and constantly paranoid. Itâs what stops you from getting run over when you step onto the road and catch the glimpse of a van hammering round the corner - it detects a threat and before the rest of you has even worked out what the threat it is, itâs telling your legs to move and starting to raise your heartbeat. Perhaps the van then turned off down the junction, or perhaps the limbic system just saved your life.
The problem though is that your limbic system doesnât just react to physical threats but perceived threats as well. Things like embarrassment, risk of failure, the unknown. Meeting new people, taking on extra responsibility, speaking in public - these are all potential triggers to wake it up. It is the voice in your head that asks âwhat if Iâm not good enoughâ and âwhat if they laugh at meâ. And because it is so fast to react, it often grabs hold of the controls before the saner parts of your being are able to, and can then refuse to let go.
Obviously the severity of this effect varies from person to person, depending on what they got in the genetic lottery combined with life experiences (and this can continue to change throughout their life). At one end of the spectrum you have those lucky enough to be able to suppress these irrational fears with ease, and at the other end is where you find anxiety disorders. If the rest of the brain is unable to talk down the limbic system from DEFCON 1, it can completely flood your system with unneeded adrenaline, resulting in a panic attack. Most people however, find themselves floating somewhere in the middle - affected, if not completely hindered, by this internal conflict. It is often still more than enough though to stop people from pursuing activities they know will actually better them - networking, asking someone out on a date, going for a promotion. It is the wall which defines the perimeter of your comfort zone.
Knowing and understanding why this is happening though, is the first step to beating it. If youâre ever feeling a sense of dread about a situation, yet there is no physical danger - then you need to accept that your brain cannot currently be trusted. There are then two choices: argue your brain back into order, or ignore it. The former can be done by presenting yourself with questions such as âWhat is the worst thing that can actually happen here?â and âWhy is this any different from other things Iâve done in the past?â Shining the cold light of logic and truth on the situation is often enough to remedy things (writing it down on paper also really helps put it into perspective). The âignoring itâ approach sounds simpler but is often the harder to do, especially when the limbic system is already in full control and your nerves are shattered. Ultimately, a combination of both approaches is most effective.
Of course there is a third option, which is just to give in to your limbic responses. This is the path of least resistance â side-stepping whatever it is thatâs upsetting your mind will make those undesirable feelings disappear almost immediately. The problem though is that this subconciously reinforces that avoidance behaviour is the best approach to this situation and so the next time you are faced with this scenario, youâll find it even harder to take on, because your limbic brain hasnât been shown that things didnât work out as bad as it was expecting.
Obviously, different approaches will work for different people, and one personâs snowflake may be anotherâs iceberg, but understanding is always the best first step to finding a solution. And remember, the limbic system is not your enemy at all, but an important part of whatâs keeping you alive. Itâs just very efficient at itâs job and sometimes a little over zealous.
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