The Brain Has a Mind of Its Own

It doesn’t take an encounter with a bear or a threatening gun to trigger symptoms of the fight or flight response. I experienced similar phenomena when undergoing a consultation with a surgeon for an elective, life-altering surgery. Her bedside manner exuded a cold, indifferent and detached attitude. With barely a glance at me, she entered the consulting room and settled into her chair. A few perfunctory questions and she did her due diligence by rattling off the risks involved with a robotic monotone that had been programmed into her. A few hasty and superficial parting words and the meeting ended abruptly. I understand the necessity to discuss risks in informed decision-making (and for their own protection from litigation), but surely not that way. My main focus now was on my own reaction to her ‘harangue.’ As she spoke, brain fog set in. I experienced all perception and feeling through a thick mist, as if my brain was disconnected from my body. It was a frightening experience, and to this day I cannot recall one word. The fact that she said it doesn’t mean I heard it. . How do you explain this? Fear! The fear response is what biology provides in all human beings. Any threat, physical or mental, real or imagined, activates the brain to issue an automatic warning signal in defense of self-preservation. As a career social worker and lifelong student of psychology, I have since clarified the what, why, and how of that day in that room. The fight or flight response...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Brain and Behavior General Health-related Motivation and Inspiration Personal Psychology Treatment fight or flight Physicians surgery Source Type: blogs