The amygdala

noun (plural amygdalae | əˈmɪɡdəliː | ) Anatomy a roughly almond-shaped mass of grey matter inside each cerebral hemisphere, involved with the experiencing of emotions.

Physiologically, it’s the amygdala, the fear centre, that drives a lot of the actions that we are not able to comprehend.

It is the animal brain, the one that’s obsessed with sex, fear, food and safety. For the amygdala, everything is a threat. It drives us into a fight, flight or freeze mode.

The amygdala is closer to the spine than the rest of the brain, so its “knee-jerk reactions” reach the body faster than anything else.

What we can do is to become aware of the amygdala and its reactions, help it understand that the book you are writing, the work that you are doing is not going to kill you, and then with a few deep breathes respond rather than react.

It’s easier said than done but it is worth investing in as a skill.

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