Have you ever experienced an outburst of emotions when you are in stress or a feeling of panic during high stress levels?

It is common for every human being to experience this outburst during stress.

Amygdala is a small almond shaped part of your brain that controls your emotions during stress,anger and anxiety.

Amygdala is the main reason for reactions during Stress.It triggers and causes fear,high blood pressure and a high heart rate in humans during these times and it freezes the movement in animals during fear and alarming situations.

Calming the Amygdala or controlling your emotions during challenging situations is crucial because it could lead to risky decision making.

In this blog,let’s discuss the Amygdala effect and how to manage emotional outburst to stay stable and calm.

What is the Amygdala Effect? Understanding the Science Behind Emotional Reactions

The amygdala is the part of the brain that controls emotion.It records the reaction and delivers it next time you encounter a similar situation.It is responsible for the reactions during crucial situations.It has connections with the eye and the eye and it acts very quickly.

When you are in a critical situation or an unsafe environment the amygdala freezes the rest of the brain and acts in a way to keep you safe.This is called the Amygdala effect.

Daniel Goleman,a psychologist coined the word “Amygdala Effect” and he explains how it is connected to emotional intelligence.The reactions that are caused by amygdala effect are not always right.

It may also result in actions or words that make you regret later but it is due to the amygdala which thinks it is appropriate at that time.

How Stress Triggers Emotional Outbursts: The Connection Between Stress and the Amygdala

Stress is a mental pressure that is caused by a difficult or challenging situation.This happens mostly in your workplace.

• The incapability of you to complete work within the deadline causes stress.

• Work politics that affect your growth causes stress.

• When you are ill treated by your boss or your colleagues,it leads to stress.

• Too much workload to be handled everyday or often leads to stress.

• When you are indulged in a work you are not interested in doing,it leads to stress.

• When your mistakes are constantly pin pointed in front of others, by your seniors ,it leads to stress.

If you are in a situation to discuss things with your boss and colleagues and let them know your feelings,there are chances for a better environment and your stress decreases.

Otherwise you will be piling up your stress and at one point when your mind and body cannot handle it,the amygdala in the brain thinks it is safe for you to outburst rather than pile up stress.

The outburst can be crying,yelling,aggressive violent behaviour and verbal threat.

Signs You Are Experiencing the Amygdala Hijack: How to Recognize Emotional Triggers

When your amygdala triggers in a situation that it perceives is dangerous it gives the fight or flight response.

If the situation needs you to move away it instructs your body to move and run away or if the situation can be handled,it makes you stay there and fight the situation to keep you safe.

Some symptoms that you are in an amygdala effect is 

• High heart rate

• Shaking

• Sweaty palms

• High blood pressure

• Fear

• Anxiety

• Anger

• Rapid breathing

Techniques to Control Emotional Outbursts: Practical Strategies for Stress Management

When you are in a dangerous situation ,the amygdala takes over and freezes the front lobes of the brain.

This situation can be handled by taking deep breaths to calm down your amygdala and activate your frontal lobes.

In the long run, you can practise meditation,do breathing exercises and physical activity to be able to handle the amygdala effect.

If you are experiencing overwhelming stress,panic or anxiety then it is better to taked support from a trained professional to control stress. Stress Management is necessary for living a peaceful life personally and professionally.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Managing the Amygdala Effect

Emotional Intelligence is the capability of understanding difficult situations and having a control over your emotions.

By training your brain to be calm during critical situations you can handle stress and pressure effectively with a calm and composed mind.

Every leader or a business head should possess Emotional Intelligence to avoid stress,risky decision making and conflicts. It will also help leaders maintain a positive and peaceful environment in the workplace.

How to Build Resilience: Preventing the Amygdala Hijack from Controlling Your Reactions

Resilience is the ability to adapt to difficult situations.How can you build resilience and avoid the amygdala effect?

• Being authentic.If you and your skills are authentic then you will not face a situation where you will be tested with projects which require additional skills or skills that you don’t have.

• Learn from your opportunities.When you learn new things every day ,it will add a special skill in you and help you adapt to changing trends and situations

• Organize your work as High priority and urgent so that you don’t have to do it just before a deadline. Time Management helps to avoid work stress.

• Indulge in meditation or physical training to keep your body and mind fresh so that you can remain calm and avoid the Amygdala effect.

• Develop Emotional Intelligence so you can have control over your feelings and also understand others with empathy.This helps you keep calm when others make a blunder at work.

• Train your mind to be competitive and work in a stressful workplace ensuring that you are open to challenges and will face difficult situations with courage and problem solving mindset.

• The ability to say “NO”.Say no to things that are not your concern.Sometimes you keep doing others work to prove your friendship or your ability and sincerity.Alway remember workplace is not a space for personal feelings or for pleasing others.Do your work and learn to say no when you know it is not your concern.This can avoid stress and misunderstanding majorly.It will also avoid expectations from peers.

Conclusion:

Emotional outburst in a stressful situation due to amygdala effect is unavoidable,but by right practices you can control your emotions and use them in a more effective way during difficult situations.

Learning to control your reactions and responses during an amygdala hijack can help you regain your senses and not do something that will make you regret later.

Emotional Intelligence plays a major role in tackling Amygdala effect.

At Eclatmax Training and Consulting,we provide training programs such as Stress management training and emotional intelligence training to make you a better leader and a better human at your workplace.

These training programs are led by experienced trainers who guide you with 1:1 guidance.

For more information on our training programs , contact us today!