[Notice: The series are a personal effort in understanding the brain/mind and how it will apply to my life and practice of the fighting/marital arts. Any errors or omissions are mine alone and do not reflect on the sources from which I draw my thoughts and understanding. If you find any please allow me the human condition of making errors and provide me the information I need to learn, grow, and prosper.]
Something happens! It does not really matter which, i.e. emotional vs. physical, as both draw on a lot of the same neural stuff as the physical pain one might feel in a situation, i.e. getting hit or attacked, etc.
Here is how it works (kinda):
1. The source of your reaction starts:
2. The amygdala sounds the alarm where the brain does a few things.
a. The thalamus sends a "Go" signal to the brain stem which releases a stimulant through out the brain.
b. The SNS sends a signal to all your major organs and muscle groups making them ready for either flight or fight depending on the final analysis by the brain.
c. The hypothalamus which regulates the endocrine system tell the pituitary gland to signal the adrenal glands to release a bunch of stuff to include the adrenaline solutions that really get the body going.
3. Your brain is now on "total alert."
4. Stress harmonies are running rampant through out your entire body.
5. Your heart rate increases.
6. Your eyes dilate.
7. Blood is pumped directly to the larger muscle groups.
8. Lungs dilate for increased air exchange (You can now hit harder and faster).
9. Immune system is suppressed to reduce inflammation if wounded.
10. Stress reactions are pumped up to stimulate the amygdala more leading to more and it cycles.
11. Reproduction (sex) is dumped.
12. Digestion is dumped (mouth gets dry and you get constipated).
13. Emotions are intensified getting ready for action (you focus on the negativity and thus react intensely setting you up for fear and anger).
14. You are so pumped you lose control of actions (unless trained for it yet the control is at least reduced).
15. Your ability to appraise, your ability to provide proper intentions and your priorities go down significantly (your take on the situation is different than your assessment after ergo why some think they were defending themselves when in reality they were fighting).
So, in the end the goal is to train and practice so you overcome a lot of natures defense mechanisms or at least control them to some extent to act properly or as close as possible to defend in lieu of fighting. Where we get into trouble is ignoring these factors by ignoring training of the mind/brain in our fighting/martial/self-defense practice/training. This is a serious flaw to todays martial art world especially when they say they teach, "Self Defense!"
Bibliography:
Hanson, Rick and Mendius, Richard. The Practical Neuroscience of Buddha's Brain: Happiness, Love & Wisdom. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 2009.
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