High levels of stress and anxiety can increase the volume of the amygdala, but fear not these changes are reversible. Here’s the low down on the amygdala and why yours may be a little larger from time to time (not that you’ll know unless you have an MRI). Please don’t go and ask your GP for an MRI to see how big your amygdala is, I’ll never hear the end of it! This is purely for gaining a better understanding of the physiological response in the brain to stress inducing events…..…phew glad we got that out of the way.
The amygdala are almond shaped, found on either side of your temporal lobe, and are responsible for memory and the processing of emotions. The main function of the amygdala is to enhance your performance by activating resources within the brain and regulating stress hormones. The amygdala identifies new experiences and signals to the rest of the brain to try and decipher what it is and how it will affect you the next time you encounter this experience. Experiences such as an exam, job interview, sporting event, meeting new people, public speaking or facing large crowds are just some day-to-day examples of when the amygdala will spring into action.
While your brain is interpreting this new situation, it releases chemicals which have the physical effect on your body known as sensory experiences. You may feel an increased heartrate, begin to sweat, feel your muscles tensing or other unpleasant feelings. These heightened feelings of arousal are what occur with anticipation, excitement, or anxiety. Depending on your life experiences, how your brain interprets the arousal will influence your behaviours around this new experience. If your brain interprets these experiences as a threat and causes distress and anxiety your amygdala will increase in size.
But there is good news! Acceptance of these feelings by using mindful calming strategies can help in channelling your increased energy into creating a more positive experience rather than one of anxiety. The Care4MH team promote daily mindfulness activities to help manage stress and anxiety. By regularly practising mindfulness you’ll be able to better cope with what life throws at you. Incorporating breathing exercises into your daily routine, taking walks and focusing on the sensory experience or switching off from technology and just being in the moment are all ways to ground yourself and settle your amygdala. If however you find that you often feel stressed or anxious, psychological therapy can help you reframe your thoughts and use the negative energy (level of arousal) to improve function. Follow us on Instagram @care4mh_team or Facebook Care4MH to get regular tips on everyday mindfulness or contact the team today if you’d like to make an appointment.
