Why cant intelligent people override emotions? Yesterday I was speaking with a health professional who suggested that managing moods, addictions or emotional surges was a matter of intelligence and rational thinking. He stated that most intelligent people can think their way out of it. I explained to him that this depends on the nervous system involved as well as the dynamics of the brain. Emotional surges come via the amygdala, a very primal part of the brain, and very over-active in people with ongoing mood/emotional issues. The hippocampus is the rational, problem solving part of the brain that calms us down and redirects to solutions. If the amygdala is out of control, the hippocampus is overwhelmed and not able to override this massive emotional surge. Sometimes in ongoing mood issues, the hippocampus reduces in size and functioning. Anything that has an anti depressant effect (ie counseling, supplements, meditation, exercise, medication, etc) work partly due to their calming of the amygdala and regeneration of hippocampus activity. Its important to remember that many brain functions and mood chemicals are involved in emotional problems. Its too easy to say that mere rational thinking should overcome it. Clear thinking helps but anxiety and emotional surges are largely physical. As I said to the guy yesterday, just be grateful that you have a strong hippocampus and that your executive brain function is more powerful than your amygdala. Meditation helps of course. Spend a minute now meditating on that calm problem solving part of the brain and intend that it become even stronger for you.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 22:41:00 +0000