The hypothalamus has an effect on emotions in that it signals the pituitary gland to release hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream when they are needed.
Another part of the Limbic system is the hippocampus. It converts things that are in your mind now into long-term memory.
The amygdala, when stimulated, responds with aggression.
Simply described, they all work together as the limbic system that governs human behavior by performing important functions:
• sets the emotional tone of the mind
• processes your sense of smell
• controls your appetite and sleep cycles
• promotes relationships
• modulates libido
• filters and tags events (determines their importance and creates emotional responses).
For the purpose of defeating depression, the first and last noted functions are the most important. Learning how to manage the emotional tone of our mind, in this case managing depression is our goal. Achieving control will be achieved through better evaluating the importance of events and the intensity of our emotional responses. And it is believed to be possible.
Albert Ellis (1913-2007) noted American Psychologist believed that we have more control over our emotion that we know. He insisted we could work with our brain to mold our thoughts, that we could overcome depression by dismantling its hold on us. That’s a thought. Let’s take it as a possibility and work with it.
QUOTE
You largely constructed your depression.
It wasn’t given to you.
Therefore, you can deconstruct it.
Albert Ellis, Psychologist
The Limbic System is the major center for the formation and processing of emotions, for learning and for memory. It is the processor that analyses a lot of incoming data, processes that information and decides what to do with it. Your emotional responses are formed and categorized in this center. The limbic system is responsible for translating our emotional state into physical feelings of relaxation or tension.
From an evolutionary standpoint, the limbic system is the part of the mammalian brain that enabled our ancestors to immediately manage life-threatening situations. For example, fear signals stimulate the body generating a “fight” or “flight” response, a primitive state that gets us ready to fight or flee when we are threatened. This “hard wired response” happens immediately upon activation, such as seeing or experiencing a threat. In computer terms, this ability is deeply “hard-wired” because it is vital for the survival of the person and the race.
It is important to note that the more threatening the incoming data is interpreted, the greater will be the responses generated.
When stimulated, the heart beats faster, breathing rate and blood pressure increases, the hands and feet become cooler to shunt blood from the extremities to the big muscles (so we can fight or flee), and the pupils dilate so we can see better. This limbic response is immediate and powerful. In that light, you can understand that situations you perceive as threatening will immediately generate a significant response.
According to its design, the brain’s systems have the capacity to evolve to meet the demands of today’s society. Daily life clearly exemplifies that, in some ways, the brain has developed the ability to perform necessary complex tasks including problem solving, planning, organization, and rational thought. In other ways, especially the threat assessment system, it remains the same. In our endeavor, we are going to need to use both these aspects to overcome depression.
To gain a better understanding as to how these primal responses work, let us imagine life as it might have been in ancient times. Suppose a Neanderthal man is squatting at his campfire, stirring the ashes. The wife is using a stone knife to cut some meat, while the children are in the mouth of the cave, skirmishing over a particularly shinny stone. Suddenly, the air is torn with the sound of snarling seemingly coming from the bushes overshadowing the mouth of the cave. As expected, the brain immediately kicks the “fight” or “flight” response into action to ensure the survival of the group. As such, each of the humans would be experiencing such feelings as anxiety, alarm, panic, distress and other similar feelings. There would be a rush of adrenaline and every cell in their body would be on high alert. The problem is that many of the natural primal responses are now inappropriate in our culture. Things have changed drastically. We may be experiencing many of the same symptoms but they are inappropriate responses considering the culture we live in. The brain is responding in primal mode, yet the situation, while difficult, contains no immediate threat to life.
This example does show us that the built-in physical patterns of our brain have a dramatic impact on how we think, feel, and behave from moment to moment. Once we learn how to recognize those patterns we will be able to change our feelings and behavior.
THOT
Hippocampus, a part of the Limbic System
The hippocampus is the seat of long-term memory. This area of the brain takes the memories that are important in the moment and converts them into long-term memories.
So if you have ongoing negative thoughts that keep coming to your mind over and over, you are effectively developing very negative long-term memories.
In addition, thoughts that are significant are more firmly delegated to long-term memories. So if you are thinking that the ‘sadness’ is notable, the hippocampus is going to delegate that thought to important long-term memory because of the importance you put upon it. This has been working against you.
These memory-making habits will keep reminding you that you are sad and enhance the depression. You need to put a stop to such thoughts and decrease the importance you are attributing to them.
DECONSTRUCT DEPRESSION
I start to think there really is no cure for depression, that happiness is an ongoing battle, and I wonder if it isn’t one I’ll have to fight for as long as I live. I wonder if it’s worth it.
Elizabeth Wurtzel
We have adjusted our thinking and are now ready to implement some of the specific remedies to assist us in overcoming depression. In some instances, symptoms respond well to anti-depressant pharmaceuticals. Some people find natural OTC (over the counter) remedies very helpful. Others go for psychotherapy and find help through the ‘talking therapies’. Some even implement a strategy of medication and psychotherapy.
In many cases, remedies will need to be implemented in addition to a pharmacological regime. Of course, it is highly recommended that you consult a physician or medical professional if you think you might have depression, prior to reading this book.
Please read this book only if you have decided that you are no longer willing to allow depression to “win” the war. It may continue to win a few battles but you have determined to use guerilla warfare techniques to establish yourself as the victor.
Your first step is to make a contract with yourself. Take a piece of paper and write down
“I, (your name), do hereby covenant and agree, that I will
1. spend a half hour a day practicing one or more of the strategies outlined in this book and that designated time will be _________;
2. try every strategy at least 3 times to see if it will work well for me;
3. adopt at least 5 actions that will develop new habits that will entrench a successful lifestyle in my daily life; and
4.