Do you wonder what part of your brain gets triggered during trauma or PTSD? Do you feel like there’s some switch that gets flipped that causes you to react the way you do when you are traumatized? All evidence points to the amygdala, and being aware of the part it plays in trauma is of utmost importance.

PTSD and the Amygdala in Present Day Life 

We are becoming increasingly aware of the existence of trauma in our lives at a time when trauma is basically at very high levels. So it is in our best interest to understand our brains and nervous systems, and the role that the amygdala plays in trauma and PTSD. It takes up a very small part of our brain mass, but it does tend to relate to everything that is disturbing about trauma and PTSD.

What is the Amygdala and What Does It Do?

The amygdala is a small structure in the brain located near the brainstem and underneath  the mass of gray matter that makes up most of the brain. It is a part of our brains that has been in existence for a long, long time. It’s been around longer than our executive functioning and reasoning ability in general. It seems to play a role in survival, and when it is triggered, it tends to bring on all of the memories of everything bad that has happened to us. It is important for us to be able to protect ourselves, which may have a lot to do with why we’ve survived as long as we have as a species. The problem is once it gets triggered, it automatically reinforces itself and tends to create a lot of havoc in our lives.

Why Should You Care About Your Amygdala?

If you suspect you have trauma or PTSD, then understanding the role that the amygdala plays is very important in recovery. If you understand how your mind behaves and works, then you have a better ability to work with it and keep it from damaging your life and relationships. The problem is that the amygdala is not rooted in the present; it is all about past injury, abuse, and pain. Understanding this is a key to helping to reign it in, because most of what happens to us is not a simple repetition of past horrors and abuse.

How You Can Help Your Amygdala Settle Down

While there’s no surefire way to help to calm your amygdala down, you can be good at recognizing when the amygdala is starting to fire up. Once you realize you’re caught in a negative thought spiral, or some kind of a shame spiral, you can use relaxation techniques to help to calm down the rest of your nervous system and help neutralize its reactivity. Simple relaxation techniques like deep breathing, guided meditation, and even yoga, help to calm down the nervous system, as well as to bring your awareness back to your body and help to ground it. These are excellent ways to balance out the effects of this part of your brain if it’s overactive.

Other Ways to Help Work With Your Amygdala

One of the most important things you can do is to understand basic neuroscience, and how different parts of the brain serve different purposes. One of the best authorities on this subject is Jill Bolte-Taylor, who has written several books on practical neuroscience. One of these is titled Whole Brain Living, and it helps you to understand that the amygdala is a component of one part of your brain, but that you have at least three other parts that are there to help you to live a more complete and functional life. Working with the other parts of your brain that aren’t tied into emotional reactivity can help to bring balance to your life and consequently more fulfillment and wholeness as well.

What if You’re Amygdala Continues to Give You Trouble?

While I’m not an expert on neuroscience, I have worked with many individuals over my social work career who have had overactive amygdalas, and I can tell you that there is much that can be done to help people to heal and recover from the effects of PTSD and trauma. I use several therapy methods that are helpful for this, including EMDR and Image Transformation Therapy, or ImTT for short. I encourage you to call the number at the top of the page or fill out an inquiry form below if you live in Texas or Maryland, and I can give you a free 20 minute phone consult to help you get a better idea about whether I can help you with your mental health challenges. You deserve to have the most fulfilling life possible, and anything you do to help your brain and nervous system will pay dividends far into the future.

Visit our page on trauma therapy to find out more about how Scott can help you and your amygdala.

About the author:  Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland.  He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin, Texas.  He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His most recent book is titled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon and in paperback on this website.