The complexity of modern life repeatedly puts us in situations that trigger the Old Brain; however, we do not face the same kinds of threats as we did back in the ago. Survival does not necessarily require physical prowess and speed. Neither does the threat go away as quickly and decisively as it did once we had killed the saber tooth tiger. Here in the 21st century, anxiety producing situations can be micro-aggressions that are the product of our daily grind: rush hour traffic, food insecurity, cost of living, internet trolls.
The impact of these pressures increases over time, often without our recognizing their weight. We are busy trying to make it for ourselves or on behalf of people who are precious to us. We adapt to these pressures – and often we are rewarded for “being strong.” In fact, the body is in a continual state of alarm because of the action of the Old Brain.
But we do not recognize the changes. They are gradual and we are busy being strong. This is known as the general adaptation syndrome (GAS). Over time this perpetual readiness causes our bodies to deteriorate. We develop headaches, ulcers, nervous ticks, muscle cramps, insomnia. We are distracted from developing coping strategies to counteract our anxieties and so our anxieties escalate into trauma.
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