Solving the “Monkey Mind” – Calming the Threat Response

Disruptive thoughts are commonly and somewhat lightly referred to as the “monkey mind.” It is not a joke and has a serious impact on our capacity to enjoy life. Since we can’t escape our thoughts, what do we do?

There are three core aspects to calming down your racing thoughts – 1) separating/ diverting from them 2) lowering threat physiology 3) moving on. This episode will address ways to lower the threat physiology.

There are many ways to calm down the body’s activated threat response by stimulating the calming effects of the 10th cranial nerve called the vagus nerve.

Some of them include:

· Breath work – many techniques

· Music – unique to each individual

· Rhythm/ dance

· Humming – stimulates the 7th cranial nerve close to the vagus nerve

· Rubbing forehead – stimulates the 5th cranial nerve and then the vagus nerve

· SSP (safe and sound protocol) provides auditory cues of safety (8th cranial nerve) that powerfully stimulates the vagus nerve.

These tools just last for a short time but are intended to be used enough that they become somewhat automatic. They are necessary to get your brain back “online” in order not to act out.

Find out more about David Hanscom, MD here

Find out more about Les Aria, PhD. Pain Psychologist here

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