Your Thoughts Matter
In last week’s blog, I told you about the time when lightning struck and the tree crushed our cars. This event immediately set off what’s called the amygdala pathway of anxiety, and it helped my body react to make sure I was safe.
Soon after it happened, though, the other pathway of anxiety kicked in—the cortex pathway.
Back to my story.
After I was safe in another room, I realized I felt anxious and my thoughts were racing. I thought something bad happened. I was worried if we were going to be crushed. I was anticipating the roof crashing in on us.
What the Cortex Pathway of Anxiety is:
My thoughts were very negative. This type of anxiety comes through the cortex pathway of the brain to the amygdala.
The cortex is where we have thoughts, imagine, think logically and make plans.
After I was safe, I started worrying about what was going to happen. My worries traveled to my amygdala to tell it I was worried. The amygdala, once again, was activated.
The cortex pathway of anxiety not only takes our worries to the amygdala but also our other negative thoughts, over the course of a few seconds.
The anxiety we experience from the cortex arises from our worries, distressing thoughts, negative sensations or negative anticipation or interpretations. All of these thoughts go to the amygdala, which then gets activated.
What We Can Do:
When the cortex sets off the amygdala, we can utilize one or more of these activities.
1. Self-awareness - Knowing what you are thinking and feeling is the first step that can help lower your anxiety.
2. Catch the negative thoughts - We don’t have control over thoughts popping into our brain. We do have control once they get in. Grab those negative thoughts!
3. Write down the negative thoughts - Writing down our negative thoughts helps to get them out of our head. Sometimes, we then realize it’s not a serious thought and we can let it go.
4. Write down the opposite or positive thought to counteract the negative thought you just wrote down. This helps to release serotonin, the “feel good” chemical.
5. Reframe interpretations of events - After realizing everyone was safe and the house wasn’t damaged, I reframed my negative thoughts. Instead of “what ifs” and going to the worst-case scenario, I was grateful that the house and people were unharmed and very little damage occurred, except for the cars. And we can rent cars.
6. Check to see how you view yourself and others. Is it mostly negative or critical? Try looking for positives. If you catch yourself saying something negative about yourself, then say 2-3 positive statements about yourself. Do the same with others.
7. Move away from the well-worn path of worry. If you can plan, plan. Otherwise, focus on other thoughts or change the activity. There’s a Bible verse where Jesus says, “Don’t worry about tomorrow. Today has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34. I love that verse! It’s so true. Stay in the moment.
Try one of these suggestions for the next week and see how you feel.
When I saw we were all safe that night, I captured my negative thinking before it got a hold on me, reframed the negative and wrote down all I was grateful for. My anxiety decreased, and I felt so much better.
Written by Cindy Picht, LPC, Director