Our emotional and cognitive brain and being a highly sensitive person
"When the emotional brain is activated, the cognitive brain kind of goes to sleep."
Julie Bjelland, LMFT is a psychotherapist and author specializing in the trait of high sensitivity (sensory processing sensitivity).
She explains “Highly Sensitive People have particular brain differences that make us more susceptible to high stress, overwhelm and even anxiety.
“Thankfully there is a way to train your HSP brain so you can live your fullest life.”
She says “What’s important to understand is…think of it as having two parts of your brain: there’s the emotional brain and there’s the cognitive brain.
“When the emotional brain is activated, the cognitive brain kind of goes to sleep.
“And within the cognitive brain is where you have rational thought and facts and information.
“Whereas in the emotional brain, you are trapped in emotion, irrational thought – you can lose focus, lose access to memory.
“That’s where we can get very reactionary and even have meltdowns.”
This kind of information about the neuroscience of emotional reactions has been very helpful to me; I have experienced anxiety, depression and self-criticism as “crazy” most of my life.
The writings, videos and programs by Bjelland and other psychologists and writers has helped re-frame what is going on with my high intensity nervous system. And that knowledge is very helpful and calming, even healing - to use an overworked term.
Sensory Processing Sensitivity
Bjelland notes that in her course, “We even talk about the sensory experiences.
“A lot of a HSPs don’t realize that some of the extreme irritability you might have on particular days or even moments when you feel like you’re angry, for example – sometimes that’s actually sensory triggering.
“Remember – this is a trait called sensory processing sensitivity.”
She explains more about some of the neuroscience aspects:
"We have an overly activated amygdala, for example, and that creates that fight flight freeze part where our brain doesn’t always understand that we’re not actually in danger so it sends out signals to to release adrenaline and that’s when we notice our heart racing."
Bjelland notes, "Being an 'untrained HSP is really hard. I know because I used to struggle too.
“Before I knew about this trait of high sensitivity I walked around in the world feeling like my sensitivity was a weakness.
"I felt different and misunderstood, like there was something wrong with me. Now I get to live my life aligned in my center, feeling balanced and strong."
Follow link below to her site to learn more about courses, free webinars, podcasts, posts and more.
The HSP Toolbox
Blooming Brilliantly Course
How to Grow a Heart-Centered Online Business
Brain-Training for the Highly Sensitive Person - Techniques to Reduce Anxiety & Overwhelming Emotions
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(The dog and cat photo is from Wikipedia article “Fight-or-flight response.” Amygdala image is from an article at news.ohsu.edu)
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