How To Retrain Your Brain In Response To Crisis, From An Expert

Danger, whether real or perceived, sends our brains into fight-or-flight mode as a means of protection. With the world in a general state of unease, many people are experiencing that trigger response. But if our bodies aren't in any real or present danger, how can we control our fear? 

The brain's main job is to keep us safe. It makes the heart beat, tells our bodies when to eat, and when faced with crisis, automatically goes into fight-or-flight response. 

"If you've had any kind of panicked response to a crisis in the past—whether it was a flat tire, a lost wallet, or something more or less severe—your reaction is now presupposed onto this crisis," Ali told mbg. 

Additionally, the way you perceive the world on a daily basis will affect how you respond to the current situation. "Do you generally view life as something that's happening to you," Ali asked. "Do you feel trapped and helpless? If so, that same reaction will occur now." 

"When we feel something uncomfortable," she said, "we're so trained to numb those feelings." Whether it's watching TV, snacking, or scrolling through social media, we often use those mindless activities as a way to avoid our emotions.

If you're frustrated with yourself for feeling anxious and overwhelmed, stop and remind yourself that it's OK. "We're dealing with unprecedented times," Ali said, "so whatever you're experiencing is normal." 

Similar to acceptance, meditation is a way to sit with our discomfort. "Sitting with anxious and fearful thoughts helps to quiet them," she said. 

Practicing meditation now makes it easier to take actions that will support you in the future, according to Ali. "If you sit with the hard emotions, they will pass through you," she said. And if you don't, they will likely reemerge in the form of bad behaviors. 

Our breath is a free and beneficial resource that we all have access to. "It's an anchor that helps to ground you in the present moment," she said. 

"The brain likes familiarity," Ali said. "It wants to know what's happening tomorrow, and the day after." With the global pandemic, certainty is not promised, so we have to learn to live in the present with the help of acceptance, compassion, meditation, and breathwork.