In this episode, I discuss fear and trauma, including the neural circuits involved in the "threat reflex" and how specific experiences and memories come to activate that system. I also discuss how our body is involved in trauma and fear. First, I describe the logic of fear mechanisms and how "top-down" processing-- meaning connections from the parts of the brain that assign meaning to our feelings, are involved in fear and erasing fears and traumas. Then I discuss what successful fear and trauma treatment must include and consider various treatments for whether they meet that standard, such as EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Ketamine, other drug-assisted therapies, and more. I also review new data on how 5 minutes per day of deliberate, self-imposed stress can erase fear and depression. And I review the role that social connection plays in erasing or maintaining fears by activating specific molecular pathways in the brain and body. Finally, I review supplementation with over-the-counter compounds for their effects on anxiety and fear and when to take them, if at all.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Introducing Fear, Trauma & Trauma

(00:02:31) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:06:49) What is Fear?

(00:11:45) Autonomic Arousal: “Alertness” vs. “Calmness”

(00:13:44) Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA axis)

(00:17:36) “The Threat Reflex”: Neural Circuits for Fear

(00:28:24) Controlling Fear: Top-Down Processing

(00:32:27) Narratives: “Protective or Dangerous”

(00:35:58) Attaching Fear to Events: Classical Conditioning & Memory

(00:41:45) How Fear Learning Occurs: Long Term Potentiation, NMDA

(00:46:10) Extinguishing (Reducing) Fears

(00:50:25) Cognitive (Narrative) Therapies for Fear

(00:57:56) Repetition of Narrative, Overwriting Bad Experiences with Good

(01:05:28) EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing

(01:14:00) Social Connection & Isolation Are Chemically Powerful

(01:18:23) Trans-Generational Trauma

(01:25:00) PTSD Treatments: Ketamine, MDMA, oxytocin

(01:39:25) How Do You Know If You Are Traumatized?

(01:46:16) Deliberate Brief Stress Can Erase Fears & Trauma

(01:49:50) Erasing Fears & Traumas In 5 Minutes Per Day

(01:59:42) Nutrition, Sleep, & Other General Support Erasing Fear & Trauma

(02:02:30) Supplements for Anxiety, Fear: Saffron, Inositol, Kava

(02:10:00) Synthesis

(02:11:46) Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Erasing Fears & Traumas Based on the Modern Neuroscience of Fear