CREDIT YOUR LIMBIC SYSTEM FOR YOUR EMOTIONS, THOUGHTS AND MOODS

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CREDIT YOUR LIMBIC SYSTEM FOR YOUR EMOTIONS, THOUGHTS AND MOODS



 Research over the past decades has helped us understand the role of the brain in producing our emotions. Scientists have identified a key group of brain structures called the limbic system that underlies emotional experience. The limbic system includes the hippocampus, amygdala, cingulate gyrus, olfactory bulb, thalamus, and hypothalamus.

The limbic system plays a crucial role in activating the body's stress response through the hypothalamus, which controls our hormone system. Thanks to our limbic system, we can feel strong emotions, avoid danger, form new memories, experience pleasure, and many other essential functions. 

The limbic system and parts of the prefrontal cortex are believed to have complementary roles, with the limbic regions generating emotions and the prefrontal cortex regulating those emotions. For example, activity in the amygdala increases when we are frightened. , whereas activity in the prefrontal cortex increases when we try to control our emotions. 

At times, the limbic system can be out of balance. For example, many psychiatric conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder have been linked to over-activity in the amygdala.

It's easy to blame ourselves for our emotional struggles. After all, our feelings and behavior are affected. At the same time, we often overestimate our control over our brain function. When we've gone through significant trauma, for example, we'll likely experience a change in our hippocampus that has nothing to do with our will or strength of character. 

Many factors outside our control can affect our brains and emotions. For example, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that brain activity varied based on genetic differences, current mood, changes in weather, and poverty level. Sometimes, we're at the mercy of how our nervous system reacts when provoked.

And yet, we're not merely passive recipients of our brain states. Just as experiences outside our control can shape our brains, we can also reshape them based on how we choose to think and act. For example, we can change the structure of our brains through regular meditation practice. We can also quiet an overactive limbic system and increase activity in key prefrontal cortex regions through therapy.

The good news is we can use our brains to fix our brains. Awareness of how our environment and experiences impact us is the first step to recognizing and addressing concerns with emotions and moods. Due to the complexities that may be present, professionals trained in cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy can help facilitate the methods to improve your emotions and thoughts.

From the book Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple by Seth Gillihan, PhD


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