TWO CONCEPTS YOU CANNOT FAIL TO UNDERSTAND Pt. 1

We have seen that trauma responses vary in intensity and width, but essentially they all entail a fundamental reorganisation of psychic and physiological systems, the digestive system for instance, the respiratory, the muscular, the reproductive system, even the way our brains our wired. 

We have seen that trauma responses vary in intensity and width, but essentially they all entail a fundamental reorganisation of psychic and physiological systems, the digestive system for instance, the respiratory, the muscular, the reproductive system, even the way our brains our wired. 

THE TRIUNE BRAIN

It was American physician and neuroscientist Paul D. MacLean who in the 60s came up with the concept of the Triune Brain, and although more recent studies do not support this neat classification, the model remains a useful communication tool for understanding how threatening experiences remain imprinted in our bodies.

As the model shows we can portray the brain as a three brain system. Newer systems tend to partially attenuate the activity of the older systems. Partially in that older brain processes also affect newer ones quite regularly. The Thinking Brain, for instance, the latest addition in the evolutionary line, developed on top of the Mammalian Brain, and is able to moderate the emotional activity of the Mammalian brain through conscious planning, but only up to a certain point. The Mammalian Brain, in turn, developed above the Reptilian Brain, and does moderate the autonomic (automatic) reflexes of the Reptilian Brain, but is also able to send false signals of alert that put the Reptilian Brain on constant high alert. 

The Mammalian Brain coordinates the Fight and Flight behaviour as well as the writing of strong emotional memories, particularly trauma related ones. The Fight-Flight  response attempts to balance threatening stimuli by removing our proximity to it, by either attacking the source of stress or running away from it. It is more often engaged than we realise, with most of our reactions to negative stimuli being driven by this response mechanism rather than our Thinking-Brain. In traumatised individuals this system is continually in a state of hyper vigilance, causing important disruption in the processes of memory recall, planning, and distinction of right and wrong. 

The Fight-Flight response activates our organs in such a way as for us to spring into action very quickly, by increasing our heart and lung rates, as well as blocking digestion. The typical evolutionary explanation for this is that if you met a lion tomorrow on your way to your grocery store, you'd have no interest in asking yourself whether the lion has already had breakfast, you'd instinctively move away from it, and that is good! 

This brings us to the last most ancient system, the Reptilian Brain, which is responsible for our last defense mechanisms, the Freeze and Fawn response. We have all observed the reptilian brain in action when we see reptiles or birds freeze in what seem a dead posture after their attempt to fight or flee fails. The Reptilian Brain regulates upward and downwards many basic organ functions including orientation in space, heart rate, breathing, body temperature, sleeping, eating, hormone release and many others. All of this doing is unconscious, and its language is not words, but sounds and touch. This is again particularly true for traumatised individuals whose brain structures responsible for self-awareness may potentially be inactive. 

It is now understood that each of these "brains" have the ability to influence the others and are continuously interacting with one another, as for instance when we are hungry and our moral judgments become harsher, or when we see a documentary about poverty (Thinking-Brain) and our emotions shift into deep sadness (Mammalian-Brain).  Actually a super cool way to test this knowledge on yourself is to tighten your shoulders and hand grip in a position that mimics high stress, and then try thinking "Oh what a lovely day today, I'll have lots of fun!". It will  become apparent to you that in this position the most normal thought patterns are worrisome and uptight too. This is an important piece of information, especially when you are trying to explain this side of your life to someone barely interested. 

For all that really matters in life, thoughts follow body, not the opposite.

In fact, if you have ever asked yourself why you cannot remember certain things at the right moment when you are angry or sad, it's because when these older brain regions are hyper active, our Thinking Brains are essentially shut down. Our ability to plan and think ahead is reduced. It is only after their activity down regulates that our planning and reasoning is back online that we can reflect back and go "Damm it! Why did I do or say that!?"

Now if this is all too difficult to get your Thinking Brain around, check this nice short video comparing a brain in a state of readiness for new learning and one in a state of survival. 

So that's it for the TRIUNE BRAIN explanation that you super need to remember and understand. Our capacity not to panic and make a mess of things, very much depends on self-awareness and practice, but also largely on the degree of activation of our older brain regions.

Now there is one final concept you need to get your head around, and that's the Polyvagal Structure. 

Wishing you Well,

Your Shrink in Bansko