Atherton,+Doris,+Emotional+Hijacking

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 * Emotional/Amygdala Hijacking and Mindfulness Training **

We have spent significant time learning about management techniques, ways to avoid confrontation, and ways to cope with undesirable situations. I wanted to know more about the bio-physical aspect of problems in the classroom. We have all heard about students, teachers, and situations escalating beyond control, but I wanted to know why it can’t just stop…why is it so impossible for it to just end? What I learned is that even as evolved human beings, our amygdala causes us to operate on a default or primitive level. The amygdala creates a chemical reaction in the brain that makes it difficult, or even impossible, to just walk away. But there is hope!

** Top 5 Things Learned ** 1. We feel before we think. Emotions come before thought. You cannot escape it; rather, you can learn to manage it.

2. The amygdala stores memories of emotional significance with an emphasis on threats. It is the first part of your body and brain to respond to any perceived threats, and it doesn’t distinguish between types of threats (stress or physical). As soon as it perceives a threat it begins to prepare the body for a freeze, fight or flight response by flooding it with chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol. Those chemicals cause the chest to tighten, heart rate to accelerate, muscles to tighten up, and also begins to shut down working memory and thinking parts of the brain. There is truth to the statement “I was so angry I couldn’t think right.”

3. It can take 4-6 hours for the chemicals released by the amygdala to leave the blood stream. This is significant because it allows several small threats to contribute to an increase in those chemical levels thus building to a boiling point.

4. It is possible, with mindfulness training, to reduce the frequency and severity of emotional hijacking.

5. Once a hijacking has taken place there is little that can be done aside from time and space to calm down and allow the pre-frontal cortex to regain control of the mind. The best way to avoid these types of situations is to take a preemptive strike. Students and teachers alike should learn and practice mindfulness skills that will help them to avoid getting into hijack situations in the first place. ** Resources ** =**__ The Problem Defined __**= 1. Motivational speaker Bill Benjamin explains amygdala hijacking in a very practical manner. I rate this resource 5 out of 5 because he is relatable as well as informative. media type="youtube" key="ngHxN4YZ7gY" height="315" width="420" media type="youtube" key="ShAeGDqT0xU" height="315" width="420"

2. This resource provides more specific information regarding amygdala hijacking. I rate this resource 4 out of 5 because the speaker is hard to understand at times. media type="youtube" key="YM3cXZ7CFls" height="315" width="420"

3. This resource provides further explanation regarding emotional hijacking as well as several resources on “retraining” your brain on how to deal with hijacking experiences. I rate this resource 4 out of 5 because it is very informative but I would have liked to have seen more retraining techniques or further explanation of the ones mentioned. Retrain Your Brain to Learn from an Amygdala Hijack

4. This article/website is a wonderful tool for anyone dealing with children. We teachers are not the only ones dealing with these hijacked minds! I rate this resource 5 out of 5 because it specifically addresses emotional hijacking in children in a clear, relatable way. Practically Speaking: Empowering Parents and Enabling Children

=**__ The Solution __**= 5. There are several methods or strategies for dealing with emotional hijacking. One way is to take “opposite action.” The key is to do the opposite of what you may want to do. If you want to scream, then you should quietly walk away. I rate this resource 3 out of 5 because it is entertaining and demonstrates the idea, but provides little insight into the actual skill. Seinfeld: Emotional Intelligence-Self Management

6.This site provides a great deal of methods and strategies for dealing with or preventing emotional hijacking. The ideas presented on this site are referred to as DBT or Dialectic Behavioral Therapy/Training. It is cognitive training designed to prevent undesirable behaviors. I rate this resource 4 out of 5 because it does provide many valuable techniques, but the site itself is not clearly laid out and this information was a hidden gem that I had to hunt for because of several missing links. DBT Lessons

7. This is another resource that presents a tool, in this case stress management, in a humorous way. The idea is to find a way to “de-stress” such as //I Fell Pretty// or Mairzy Doats or other similar tools that remove the person from the situation and provides time for the hijacking victim to calm down. I rate this resource 3 out of 5 because it has entertainment value and demonstrates a tool but it doesn’t provide any information on the tool itself. media type="youtube" key="Kmv3WlKa6U8" height="315" width="420"

8. This site is a must have for teachers, parents, and students. It is jam packed with techniques, tools, and skills for managing your stress or stressful situations. It also provides information on a variety of mental disorders and specific strategies for working with students/children afflicted by them. I rate this resource 5 out of 5 because it is full of valuable information and easy to navigate. It should be in every teachers favorites list! HelpGuide.org

9. My final resource is our text book! //Classroom Management: A Proactive Approach// by Martin Henley discusses the plethora of issues that educators will be faced with as well as a myriad of techniques and solutions. I rate this resource 5 out of 5 because it is very comprehensive and user friendly!