The Limbic System and Stress

The Limbic System and Stress
Ron Eslinger
www.eslinger.net

Medically speaking, the human body is made up of four significant vital signs. They are heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate. A fifth vital sign was introduced in 2000. The fifth vital sign is pain. As with other vital signs, pain impacts a number of functions such as emotions, behavior, long-term memory and olfactory senses (sense of smell). The Limbic System influences these same functions. Understanding how the Limbic System operates is key to understanding and working with chronic pain.

The Limbic System is composed of the hypothalamus, pituitary, amygdala and hippocampus glands within the brain.

When functioning normally, the Limbic System sets the emotional tone of the mind and influences changes throughout the body through chemical messages. It filters external events through internal states and creates an emotional color for each event. The Limbic System tags events as internally important, creating priorities for responses. Highly emotionally charged memories are established through the activities of the Limbic System and are stored for future reference. Memories and emotions are stored and recalled correctly when the Limbic System is functioning normally.

However, what happens when the Limbic System is functioning abnormally numerous health problems can occur. Physical problems, such as a lack of sleep, too much stress, or chronic pain, exacerbate the problems created by an out-of-balance Limbic System. The results are devastating, leading to moodiness, irritability and ultimately to clinical depression. Often Prozac® or other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are prescribed to help those with out of balance Limbic Systems. In some cases, depending on the external factors, these imbalances can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is the essence of stress turning into distress.

Limbic System Out of balance can cause both Physical and Psychological Problems such as:
• Lack of Sleep
• Increased Stress
• Chronic Pain
• Irritability and Moodiness
• Clinical Depression
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

The Limbic System provides balance to many daily activities.

An out of balance Limbic System contributes to common problems we observe every day. We perceive these problems as negative thinking, decreased motivation, or disruptions in our normal routines. When the Limbic System malfunctions it results in a flood of negative emotions, tearing up for women and irritability in men.

In addition to negativity, lack of functionality also decreases motivation. A decrease in motivation can lead to social isolation. Even more serious physical symptoms can surface, such as appetite and sleep problems. These changes result in either eating too much or too little, or sleeping too much or not enough. One can even experience a decrease or increase sexual responsiveness.

The Amygdala deals with reward and fear acting as a filter for external events. Its responses are based on perceptions learned from past events. The Amygdala is protective and prone to signaling danger. You may have experienced a response from the Amygdala, when you experience a frightening event real or imagined that resulted in reflex reactions. How many of you have sat in a theater and watched a scary movie? You hold your popcorn in one hand and your drink in the other. All of a sudden somebody jumps out behind a corner on screen and your drink goes one way and you drench your friend. Your popcorn goes the other way and you sprinkle your neighbor with popcorn. The Amygdala System sees the screen and reacts. It does not realize the event is not actually happening to you. Your body responds as though you are a part of the event and as if the event were real. The Amygdala is always on guard and reacting to a perceived reality. Often this reaction is an over-reaction based on past experiences and perception. Ultimately, perception to the Amygdala is reality.

It listens to every thought!