Is it just me, or does anybody else still sing “God is bigger than the boogie man” to themselves from the show Veggie Tales when they are scared?
If you don’t know what I am talking about, let me jog your memory. Junior (a small sprig of asparagus) is afraid to sleep because he fears the boogie man will get him. Larry the cucumber and Bob the tomato come to the rescue to teach Junior that God is bigger than anything and everything. We have nothing to fear. I have carried this with me since I was little and used to watch this on VHS in my brother’s room.
The word tells us, “Do not fear.”
In Isaiah 51: 12-16 scripture says, “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor? He who is bowed down shall speedily be released; he shall not die and go down to the pit, neither shall his bread be lacking. I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name. And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.” ESV
John 16:33 says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ESV
These are just a few of the many verses where our God comforts us by upholding us in his righteous right hand. So why does fear paralyze us sometimes?
Why do we fear?
The sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, or freeze) is a branch of the Autonomic nervous system. This system might sound familiar from a past blog: https://wonderfullymade-kmk.com/what-are-the-parts-of-the-nervous-system/. The SNS is why our heart rate, respiratory rate, and perspiration increase when we are afraid.
This response can happen in the moment of an event, like almost getting in a car wreck, or a memory can trigger this response to occur as well. For example, maybe you had a bad car wreck on a bridge, and every time you approach a bridge in your car now, you feel your heart racing, your breathing increases, and the stress sweat starts.
Memories that cause this response have an adaptive and a maladaptive effect. Adaptive is beneficial because it is our body’s way of protecting us from falling into a similar situation that could cause us harm. These memories can also hinder us and be maladaptive, causing our behavior to change and make us feel uncomfortable. This ideology comes from Dr. Ressler, but Dr. Huberman utilizes this language within his podcast and credits Dr. Ressler. Another neurological mechanism associated with fear is the HPA Axis.
The HPA Axis
The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis) is a three-part system involved in the autonomic nervous system. So, let’s break down each part:
-The Hypothalamus is a collection of neurons located deep in the base of the brain. The Hypothalamus controls your body temperature, desire to eat, thirst mechanism, and sex drive. It can release or hinder the release of hormones.
-The pituitary is located close to the roof of your mouth and releases hormones into the bloodstream.
-The adrenal glands sit right on top of your kidneys. Your adrenals release adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol.
This three-part system works together to respond to stress.
The Threat Reflex
An essential structure to understand why we fear is the Amygdala. The Amygdala is an almond-like shape located on both sides of the brain. The name derives from the Greek word Amygdale for almond. The Amygdala is a critical component of a threat reflex.
One example of the threat reflex is if we touch a hot pan, our body makes us pull our hand back. The example Huberman provides is if you step barefoot on a nail, the reflex pulls your foot up quickly to prevent further injury and pain. This reflex tries to protect us from outward threats.
Yall, what I learned next blew my mind. I find this so fascinating. Dr. Andrew Huberman explains, “This response has a long-lasting and short-acting component. The long-acting component can feed back to the brain and control gene expression. The change in gene expression creates new circuits and chemicals that can embed fear in our brain and body. “ This means that fear can be embedded into us; no wonder fear can influence us so much!
So, how do we erase fear?
Now, we know some of the neuroscience behind fear and its effects on our bodies. We should discuss how we can take control of the fear in our lives. Huberman says the best way to erase this fear is to talk out loud or write in a journal in detail the traumatic event that has started this fear.
The more we talk about it, the more we can change the story’s narrative from something that has power over us to a story we now control. It doesn’t change the story’s pain or reality but puts the power back in your hands.
Disclaimer: Working through traumatic events can bring up a lot of emotions. If you do this, ensure you have a good support system and involve a clinician, depending on the severity.
It is important to note that you can’t just erase the fear but must also replace it with a positive new memory. The Amygdala receives input from our senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound. The Amygdala has a couple of different outputs, and one connects to the dopamine system.
Dopamine
The dopamine system will help us to utilize this aspect to replace fearful memories with new positive ones due to it affecting memory, motivation, and mood. We can do this by saying that even though that brought me hurt or fear, I will do (x, y, or z) anyway. Not only that, but I will enjoy it despite what happened. Scientific literature supports the repetitive narrative, and replacing traumatic events with positive experiences can decrease the threat reflex, therefore decreasing the symptoms of the response.
Back to the wreck example, if someone did get in a wreck on a bridge, they cannot go their whole life without ever driving on a bridge again. At some point, they will have to drive across one. Yes, the first time, their body will probably react. But the more they do it, eventually, they will not be as fearful as they once were. A great friend of mine once told me, do not let fear cripple you! Do not let it keep you from living your life.
Take Courage
I do not know about you, but this information reminds me how much we don’t need to fear. If we can take the time to remember the neuroscience behind fear, We can talk ourselves down and remind ourselves.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah. 41:10. ESV)
Lord, thank you for your word reminding us that no matter what has happened or whatever we fear may happen, You are still God. You are in control, and we have nothing to fear. Let us rest in your righteous right-hand today. To the reader who may not know you yet, Lord, I pray that they let go of fear and hold tight to you. To you all the glory, Lord. Amen.
RESOURCES
Huberman, A. (n.d.). A science-supported journaling protocol to improve mental & physical health. Huberman Lab. https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/a-science-supported-journaling-protocol-to-improve-mental-physical-health
Huberman, A. (2021, December 6). Erasing fears & traumas based on the modern neuroscience of fear: Huberman lab podcast #49. YouTube. https://youtu.be/31wjVhCcI5Y