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A highly influential, walnut-sized area – deep in the center of your brain – is live wired with functions all critical to your survival. The limbic system in your brain, in fact, influences problem solving, organization, and rational thought, among other things. From an evolutionary standpoint, the limbic brain is an “older” part of the brain of mammals, enabling humans to experience and express emotions, freeing them from primitive behaviors and helping to develop the surrounding cerebral cortex. In order for these functions to have an effect in the world, though, your LS must fuel the passions and desires to enable them.

What Makes Up Your Brain’s Limbic System (LS)?

When the LS is overactive you are likely to interpret neutral events through a negative filter. For example, if you have a neutral conversation with someone whose LS is overactive or “negatively set,” he or she is likely to interpret the conversation in a negative way. On the other hand, when this part of the brain is balanced, a positive interpretation of events is more likely to occur.

Appetite, Energy and Sleep Are Influenced by the LS

Your sleep and appetite cycles are controlled by the LS, especially the hypothalamus. Healthy appetite and sleep are essential for optimal health. However, disruptions in the LS can negatively affect sleep and appetite, which may mean an inclination toward too much or too little of either. LS structures are also intimately involved with bonding and social connectedness. We are social animals; when we are bonded to people in a positive way, we feel better about ourselves and our lives. Another important function of the LS is to process sense of smell, says Dr. Amen. “Brain messages from all the other senses [sight, hearing, touch, and taste] are sent to a ‘relay station’ before zooming to their final destination in different parts of the brain,” he says. Because your sense of smell (via the nose) goes directly to the LS, it’s easy to understand why aroma has such a profound impact on emotions.

3 Ways to Balance and Optimize Your LS

Physical Exercise: One study comparing exercise with antidepressants found that after 12 weeks, both therapies were equally effective. At 10 months, exercise was actually more effective – and it has no side effects. Vitamins and Supplements: Supplements containing Omega-3 fatty acids and fish oils – especially those containing a higher EPA content, and S-adenosylmethionine – have both been shown to support a healthier, happier mood.   Find Passionate Purpose: What is important to you? What and who do you care deeply about? Answering these questions can help your mood; and they can also help you live a longer, fuller life. To learn more about balancing your limbic system or how Amen Clinics can help you with depression or negative feelings in your life, contact the Amen Clinics Care Center online or call 888-288-9834 today.

Do you know people who see every situation in a bad light? Or someone who struggles with feelings of sadness, lack of motivation, or hopelessness? If so, they could be experiencing troubles with the functioning of the limbic system in their brain.

The limbic system, also called the emotional brain, lies near the center of the brain. Considering its size – about that of a walnut – it is packed with functions critical for human behavior and survival. The limbic system processes our sense of smell, stores highly charged emotional memories, and affects sleep and appetite cycles, moods, sexuality, and bonding. 

When the limbic system is less active there is generally a positive, more hopeful state of mind. When it is heated up, or overactive, negativity can take over. 

Problems with the functioning of the limbic system can result in:

It has been shown that enhancing emotional bonds between people will help heal the limbic system. How you get along with other people can either help or hurt your limbic system! The better you get along with those around you, the better you will feel. 

I teach my patients the following seven principles to help keep their relationships healthy and rewarding: 

1. Take responsibility for keeping your important relationships strong.

Don’t be the type of person who blames other people for the problems in your life. It will take you down the rabbit hole of victimhood. Take responsibility for making your key relationships better and look for ways to improve them today. If you do this, your relationships will improve almost immediately.

2. Never take relationships for granted.

They need to be constantly nurtured, like plants need water.

3. Protect your relationship.

A surefire way to doom a relationship is to discount, belittle, or degrade other people. Protect your relationships by building those people up.

4. Clarify any hurts early.

Whenever there is a question of motivation or intention, check with them about their behavior or motives. You cannot read other people’s minds.

5. Notice what you like more than what you don’t.

It’s very easy to notice what you do not like about a relationship, but when you spend more time noticing the positive aspects of the relationship, you’re more likely to see an increase in positive behavior.

6. Maintain and protect trust.

So many relationships fall apart after there has been a major violation of trust, such as an affair or other form of dishonesty. Once a violation has occurred, try to understand why it happened.

7. Deal with difficult issues.

Whenever you give in to another person to avoid a fight, you give away a little bit of your power. If you do this over time, you give away a lot of power and begin to resent the relationship. Avoiding conflict in the short run often has devastating long-term effects. In a firm but kind way, stick up for what you think is right. It will help keep the relationship balanced.

You CAN change your brain, and change your life…and we at Amen Clinics want to help you. Call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit our website to learn more or schedule an appointment.

 

Just as a good actor can play different parts, we also assume various roles in our everyday lives. But there’s a vast difference between the roles actors play and the ones we play. When an actor takes on a role, it’s a conscious and deliberate choice. The roles we play are less conscious and are often outside our awareness. As you go about your daily routine, think of yourself as an actor and try to become more mindful of the different roles you play.

Everyone’s an Actor

Most of us play different roles at different times, with different people. Being aware of what makes you act, or react, in certain situations can benefit every relationship in your life. We’re all capable of shifting between submissive and dominant roles depending on who we’re with at the time.

Relational Barbells

Imagine a barbell shape – two circles connected by a line. The two circles represent you and another person. The connecting line represents your relationship.

Horizontal Connection

If the barbell is horizontal, the relationship is a safe one. There is openness and honesty. Both individuals accept the other for who they are. This is the sign of a growing and developing relationship. Neither party dominates; there’s a safe equality.

Vertical Connection

A vertical barbell represents a hierarchical relationship, one in which there’s a real or imagined power imbalance. One party is above the other and dominates the relationship. Think in terms of top and bottom. The top represents winning, dominating, and controlling; the bottom is losing, dominated, and controlled. Each role defines the other. It’s difficult to break out of an adversarial pattern, which is often brought on by miscommunication and disagreements. In a vertical relationship, there’s a tendency for individuals to think in black and white terms. We regress to a more primitive, fight-or-flight limbic system way of functioning – aggression, struggle, lying, self-protection.

What’s the Limbic System?

The limbic system, also called the emotional brain, lies near the center of the brain. Considering its size – about that of a walnut – it’s packed with functions critical for human behavior and survival. The limbic system stores highly charged emotional memories and affects sleep, appetite, mood, and bonding. When the limbic system is less active there’s generally a positive, more hopeful state of mind. When it’s overactive, negativity can take control. It’s been shown that enhancing emotional bonds between people will help heal the limbic system. How you relate to other people can either help or hurt your limbic system. The better you get along with those around you, the better you will feel. Here are 3 helpful tips for how to keep your relationships safe, healthy and enjoyable:

Focus on the Positive

It’s easy to notice what you don’t like in a relationship, but when you spend more time appreciating what’s working well, you’ll be more likely to see an increase in positive behavior.

Listen Before You Speak

Instead of trying to convince the other person that your viewpoint is correct, attempt to see things from their perspective. The main objective isn’t to win the argument but to remove potential threats, address concerns and find common ground with the other person. Building a bridge is the best way to avert a quarrel before it even starts.

Deal with Difficult Issues

Whenever you concede a point just to avoid a fight, you give away a little bit of your power. Over time, this loss of control will make you resent the other person. Avoiding conflict in the short run often has devastating long-term effects. In a firm but kind way, stick up for what you think is right. This will help keep the relationship balanced. The brain influences every part of our relationships. Healthy brain function is associated with better quality relationships, while poor brain function is linked to escalating tensions and relational conflict. Brain SPECT imaging helps people understand the underlying psychological or medical reasons for their relationship problems by: • Demonstrating that symptoms and behaviors are not imaginary, thereby reducing emotional pain and stigma • Gaining a better understanding of what is actually going on inside the brain • Helping to target treatment specifically to the area of the brain that is struggling Our Full Evaluation of your biological/psychological/social/spiritual history, coupled with two brain SPECT imaging scans (in concentrating and resting states), cognitive testing, and clinical assessment is designed to address unique needs and offer targeted treatment options. At Amen Clinics, we’re committed to restoring and healing relationships. If you or someone you know is dealing with a troubled relationship, call us at 888-288-9834 or visit us online to schedule an appointment today.