Expanding our range of services to now include newcomers / recent immigrants has increased my awareness of their mental health challenges, especially in youth. The primary mental health challenges appear to stem from unrecognized / unacknowledged trauma. This can take the form of anxiety, depression, and/or behavioral acting out. Of course, the issue of unrecognized trauma is not just related to newcomers but affects so many people throughout the world. These individuals are stuck in “survival mode.”
When someone is living in survival mode, they are not actually living, they are just getting by. They are in a constant state of flight, fright, or freeze. This functioning is controlled by the amygdala and when it occurs, the logical prefrontal cortex is turned off. Thus, a person makes impulsive decisions and can act in overly emotionally charged manner. The brain shifts to a short term focus and has difficulty planning more than 24 hours ahead. People either become hypervigilant or numb to their surroundings. Basic social and physical needs can be ignored. Additionally, there is a sense of constant exhaustion. All the above are signs of people living with trauma and not necessarily realizing it. To them, this is their normal functioning. They do not know any other way.
Individuals in survival mode are only living in the present and not looking to the future. This can be confusing to understand. The difference is not where you are looking, but how you are looking. When someone shifts out of depression (stuck in the past) or anxiety (fear of the future), then a healthy relationship with time is possible. You are grounded in the present, meaning you are aware of your surroundings, feel an internal sense of control, and can think logically about the situation. Thoughts about the future shift from “what if” to “how to.” The future is more hope based and purpose driven with an acceptance of possibilities.
Individuals who are able to work through their trauma are able to better regulate their overactive amygdala so that their logical prefrontal cortex can come online and help them make rational and logical decisions. There are several ways you can better regulate your amygdala. Bottom-up regulation uses the body to regulate the brain. Actions such as a physiological sign, prolonged exhalations, and a splash of cold water / temperature shock all help decrease one’s heat rate which calms the amygdala. Top-down techniques focus on activating the prefrontal cortex to regulate the amygdala. Activities like naming the emotion, cognitively reappraising a perceived threat, and grounding techniques like the five senses grounding, all help make a shift from experiencing increased danger to observing it to make a better determination. Finally long-term regulation techniques like mindfulness mediations and aerobic exercise can actually alter the physical structure of the amygdala over time through consistent practice.
Watching individuals switch from survival mode to actually living is a powerful process. I am honored and humbled when working with people who make this transition. An individual’s true potential is revealed, and they are able embrace life. If you feel like you are stuck in survival mode, please realize you are not alone and help is available. Everyone deserves a chance to really live and enjoy life in the present and experience a future full of possibility.