Amygdala Hijack

  How to cool my Amygdala, a prehistoric legacy that has probably outlived its utility ?

“Anybody can become Angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the Right person and to the Right degree and at the Right time and for the Right purpose, and in the Right way – that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.” — Aristotle.

   Anger is supposed to be a protective emotion, arising when we feel threatened. According to neuroscience, this triggers the amygdala which overrides rational thought and causes strident action and reaction.

   The “Amygdala Hijack”, as it has come to be known, was really useful in those days, when  we were moving around in the dense rain forests of Africa for gathering food, for survival of the fittest.

    But not now.

   The rules of the game has changed but the players are not.

   On the other hand, Suppressing anger has a pressure cooker effect and can lead to explosive results later on.

… …

   Both venting and suppressing anger has negative consequences and can be injurious to our

1) Relationships, 2) Career and 3) Health.

   Is there a middle path ?

   How to cool my Amygdala, a prehistoric legacy that has probably outlived its utility ?

Feeling threatened freezes our logic and allows emotions to take over.

  Studies have shown that simply naming threats and fears (writing down them) cools down the Amygdala.
# Mark Goulston