Watch video at: https://differencemakers.substack.com/p/your-brain-on-stress-and-anxiety-video
What’s Better Today, dear friend? Journey with me through the intricate dance of our minds when faced with the tempests of stress and anxiety. In the realm of our thoughts and emotions, understanding is a lighthouse guiding us safely to harbour. So let us explore together how our brain responds to the signals of anxiety, equipping us to face life's gales with grace and courage.
Watch: https://differencemakers.substack.com/p/your-brain-on-stress-and-anxiety
The Bible has 365 admonitions to “not fear” - one for each day of the year. Which is appropriate considering so many of the problems we experience in modern life tend to be rooted in one fear or another. Be anxious for nothing, we are told. Fear not. But how to? After all, our brain’s have been designed with one key job in mind, to keep us “not dead!” And our brain is beautifully ad incredibly designed to achieve just that. And our bestest tool to do so - yeap, fear! The freeze flight or fight response we all know and love… to hate.
So, how come, the Lord designed us to survive by giving us a near perfect fear response to avoid and evade threats, and then admonished us to “not fear”? Well, He has given us another tool. One that my skittish and perpetually anxious dog doesn’t have, and that is a brain that can also make choices and think and evaluate and ultimately, choose to trust in Him.
But. Yes, I’m sorry there is a “but”. There is one thing to understand about our response to threats, real or imagined. Yes, we can make a conscious choice, but we have a choice a split second after our unconscious brain has already reacted to the threat. Once you know this, you have a much greater chance of catching yourself reacting in fear or anxiety and choosing to respond by casting that very care onto your Lord and Saviour.
Let me nerd out on the neuroscience, I believe that you’ll be enlightened and better able to deal with your own fears and anxieties more effectively.
Imagine, if you will, the Thalamus, the grand central station of sights and sounds. Here, each vision and note is meticulously sorted, preparing to embark on a journey to the cortex. The Cortex, in its wisdom, breathes meaning into those raw images and melodies, awakening us to the world around us. It is the Prefrontal Cortex, that steadfast sentinel, that turns down the clamour of anxiety once the storm has passed.
In the core of our being lies the Amygdala, the sentinel of our emotions, ever poised to sound the alarm of fear. As messages pass through, the Amygdala imbues them with emotional weight, shaping our reactions. The Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminals is a curious companion in this narrative, sustaining the echo of fear and prolonging our unease.
In moments of anxiety, the Locus Coeruleus leaps into action, stirring our hearts to beat quickly, raising our blood pressure, and setting our senses ablaze. The Hippocampus stands as our memory keeper, collecting fragments of experiences, both poignant and profound.
Picture this: the senses, our life's messengers, deliver their tidings to the Thalamus, which swiftly delegates tasks to the Amygdala or the Cortex. Smells and touches bypass formalities, speaking directly to the Amygdala, igniting memories with a startling intensity. This is the expressway of fear, a rapid highway that outpaces our conscious awareness.
The Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland summon the Adrenal Glands, unleashing the stress hormone Cortisol. In excess, Cortisol becomes a thief, robbing the Hippocampus of clarity, leaving memories fragmented and out of context.
In the throes of anxiety, the Sympathetic Nervous System takes the helm, steering our vessel into turbulent waters. Our bodies prepare for battle or flight, with adrenaline as our ally. Digestion takes a back seat, for who can think of supper when survival is at stake?
Yet fear, dear friend, is not the adversary here. It is a wise companion, safeguarding our journey. Anxiety, however, is a shadow, an elusive fear with no anchor in time or place, fuelled by past echoes and fragmented memories, perpetuated by the ever-watchful striatum.
But there is hope, as soft as a purr. By understanding this dance within us, we learn to harness the light of our Prefrontal Cortex. We can gently turn down the volume of misplaced fear, ushering in a peace that transcends the storm.
So breathe deeply, and as you sail through life's tumult, remember there is a beacon within you—a calm centre ready to guide you home, through every shadow and storm.
Embracing Peace Amidst Life's Storms: A Journey with Grace
What’s better Today, friend? Gather with me as we navigate the challenging journey of life’s storms—a journey where stress and anxiety swirl like tempests upon the sea of our minds. Yet, even amidst these gales, there is a lighthouse of understanding to guide us safely into the harbour of peace.
The Scriptures remind us, not once, not twice, but 365 times, to "fear not." Like manna from heaven, this reassuring command meets us daily, a testament to God's profound understanding of our human condition. In a world where fears multiply like the grains of sand upon the shore, "Be anxious for nothing," He whispers gently through the pages of Philippians 4:6.
God, in His infinite wisdom, fashioned our brains with a purpose: to protect, to survive, to keep us "not dead." Our fear response—the instinctual dance of freeze, flight, or fight—is a gift, yet it can become a burden when left unchecked. As my skittish, perpetually anxious rescue dog reminds me daily. So why, one might ask, did the Creator bestow upon us such a mechanism, only to then call us to "fear not"? In His divine love, He gave us something more—a mind capable of choosing trust over trepidation, faith over fear. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart," advises Proverbs 3:5.
Yet, there exists a moment, a fleeting heartbeat, where our choice struggles to catch up with our instinct. We are called to discern, to gently coax our courageous heart to cast anxieties upon Him, as 1 Peter 5:7 invites us: "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
Imagine, if you will, the Thalamus, standing like a alert receptionist at the lobby of incoming sight and sound, orchestrating the grand symphony of sensory experiences. This is where our journey begins, leading us through the terrain of the Cortex, where meaning breathes life into raw perceptions. The steadfast Prefrontal Cortex quiets the clamorous echoes of anxiety after the storm has passed, reminding us that "He will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast," as Isaiah 26:3 promises.
Deep within lies the Amygdala, the watchful guardian of our emotions, ever ready to sound the alarm of fear. The colourful tableau of life is painted with emotional hues, each brushstroke crafted by these intricate processes. The Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminals keeps the vigilant watch, sustaining echoes of fear long past their time.
In the whirlwinds of anxiety, the Locus Coeruleus stirs our hearts to race and our senses to sharpen. Meanwhile, the Hippocampus, our keeper of memories, stores both the bitter and the sweet. The senses deliver their messages to the Thalamus, with some bypassing the formalities and heading straight for the Amygdala, setting memories ablaze like a morning sun upon the horizon.
In the grip of fear, the Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland call forth the adrenal forces, releasing Cortisol to the scene. This stress hormone, when unchecked, becomes a thief, stealing the clarity of our memories and leaving behind only fragments.
Our journey continues as the Sympathetic Nervous System takes command, navigating us through turbulent waters. The body readies itself for battle or flight, with adrenaline coursing like a river through its veins. Yet, in this storm, remember the gentle words of Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God."
Fear is not the enemy, dear friend. It is a wise guide, safeguarding our passage. Anxiety, however, is the shadow without substance, fuelled by past echoes and incomplete memories. But take heart, for you are not alone. By understanding this inner dance, we can harness the light of our Prefrontal Cortex, gently lowering the volume of misplaced fear, and ushering in a peace that surpasses understanding, as Philippians 4:7 declares.
So take a deep breath, and as you traverse life’s tumultuous seas, remember this: within you is a beacon—a calm centre, a divine presence ready to guide you home through every shadow and storm. For He who calms the storm with a word is with you always, even unto the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
