In one sense, you are a threat detecting “machine”. No offense, here, as I am not saying that you are not human.
When it comes to your emotions, however, your brain is hard-wired to scan, detect, prepare you to deal with, and warn you about a possible threat that may harm you.
You might find it interesting to know that the threat detectors (primary emotions) that exist in you today have been around in humans since we lived in caves. These threat detectors are the primary emotions I mentioned in an earlier post and helped us survive as a species.
This is how the process works.
Your senses (eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin) are constantly scanning your surroundings. When a threat is detected, a fast track message goes to the amygdala in your brain and to the thalamus. This message is unconscious and very fast. The function of this message is to prepare your body to fight, run, or freeze in place. This is the fight/flight/freeze reaction Hans Selye wrote about. It is automatic. If you are a gazelle on the Savannah being chased by a cheetah or a caveman with an intruder outside your cave, you want this reaction to be fast and automatic. Your life may depend on it.
At the same time, a slower message goes to your cerebral cortex. This is the thinking part of your brain that has developed over time as we evolved as a species. The cerebral cortex enables you to assess the nature of the threat and choose a response to fit the situation.
Mastering your emotions involves being aware of the emotion and learning how to respond, rather than react, to the situation.
Thanks for reading and I encourage you to leave a comment.