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PHOBIA LIBRARY

Read up on fear, panic and phobia to get a general overview of phobias and trauma and fear management. Learn mindfulness based self care principles and exercises for managing phobias from my books on trauma and self care.
JUMP TO A CHAPTER
​Fear | Function | Thought | Treatment | Coping
For Help See: Fear in the Brain | Fear Dictionary
THE LIBRARY TOPIC HOME PAGES
​​Introduction to Trauma, Fear and Phobia
Part 1: ​Defining Fear and the Fear Response
Part 2: Emotional & Cognitive Functions of Fear
Part 3: Maladaptive Thought Processing
​Part 4: Professional Therapy & Mindful Self Care
​THE PHOBIA COLLECTION DOWNLOADS
​Browse Collection of Phobias by Topic
Download Collection of Phobias
Download Dictionary of Fear and Phobia
Download Self Care Guides for Coping

PART FOUR - TREATMENT​
​​TREATMENT OPTIONS
MINDFUL SELF CARE
​ Learn the cognitive treatment options for self care centered in mindfulness, common defense mechanisms, boundaries, stressors, and strategies for coping with anxiety and panic for fear
TREATMENT | THERAPY | SELF CARE

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DOWNLOAD THE SELF CARE GLOSSARY

TREATMENT DIRECTORY

>> Treatment Home Page - Disclaimer
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​PROFESSIONAL THERAPY OPTIONS
Make the Best of Professional Therapy
Search for Medical Professionals (external)
Therapy Options ​INCORPORATING SELF CARE OPTIONS
​SELF CARE: Defining What It Really Means
Core Elements of Mindfulness ​Mindful Coping Strategies ​Self Care is not a substitute for professional therapy and treatment. Author is not a medical professional.

​RELATED SELF CARE GUIDES BY KAIROS
​View All Downloads
​ALL CONTENT PROVIDED BY MY BOOKS ON MINDFUL SELF CARE FOR TRAUMA AND FEAR
Download for Free Here

SELF CARE

Rewiring Your Brain
WITH MINDFULNESS

The beauty of self care centered in the meditative practice of mindfulness. Learn mindful coping mechanisms for managing anxiety, panic and fear.
Mindfulness practice is self care for the health and well-being for the mind, body and soul.
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PRACTICE CHANGES BRAIN STRUCTURE
MINDFULNESS PROMOTES HEALING

MINDFUL SELF CARE DOWNLOADS

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THE MINDFULNESS GLOSSARY
Promote a Mindful Approach to Self Care
Guide to Learn the Principles of Mindfulness
​ Companion Glossary of Mindfulness Terms
Collection of Mindfulness Poetry by Kairos​
Understanding and Coping With Stress

NEUROPLASTICITY

DOWNLOAD GUIDE TO NEUROPLASTICITY The

​STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE BRAIN
Mindfulness can change the shape of the brain as well, in a process known as neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change its structure and function in response to experience or damage. Neuroplasticity enables us to learn and remember new things and adjust to new experiences. Neuroimaging meditation studies found that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation changes our brains, rewiring them towards more positive thoughts and emotions. Research shows that gray matter (the area of the brain responsible for emotional regulation, planning, and problem-solving) as well as the cortical thickness (responsible for learning and memory) both increase with regular meditation practice. Alternatively, the amygdala, which regulates how we feel stress, fear, and anxiety, decreases in size.

CHANGES TO THE HIPPOCAMPUS
The hippocampus (Greek ἱππόκαμπος, meaning "seahorse") is a major component of the brain. You have two hippocampi, one on each side of the brain. The hippocampus is part of the limbic system (an area that supports a variety of functions including emotion, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, and olfaction). Emotional life is largely housed in the limbic system, and it critically aids the formation of memories and plays important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory, and in spatial memory enabling navigation). The hippocampus is located under the cerebral cortex and is in the medial temporal lobe.

Eight weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was found to increase cortical thickness in the hippocampus which affects learning, memory, emotion regulation and self-referential processing. The left hippocampus is the area of the brain that helps us learn. It is also a player in cognitive ability, memory and emotional regulators like self-awareness and empathy. Research confirms that the cortical thickness of the hippocampus grows in volume through meditation. It also shows that the density of gray-matter density increases.

In a study conducted by Harvard Medical School, MRI scans were taken of people before and after mindfulness meditation. The study demonstrated results after 30 minutes a day over a period of 8 weeks. The scans found an increase in the grey matter in the hippocampus, an important part of the brain for learning and memory. The images also showed a reduction of the same grey matter in the amygdala, a region connected to anxiety and stress.

MRI scans have proved that regular practice of mindful meditation and the increase of gray matter in the hippocampus directly affects your capacity for learning and memory.

CHANGES TO THE AMYGDALA
The amygdala (Latin from Greek, ἀμυγδαλή, amygdalē, meaning 'almond', 'tonsil') is one of two almond-shaped clusters of nuclei located deep within the temporal lobe. Shown to perform a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making and emotional responses (including fear, anxiety, and aggression), the amygdalae are also considered part of the limbic system.

The amygdala is the part of the brain that produces feelings of anxiety, fear and general stress. It is physically smaller in the brain after frequent meditation. Research shows that even a eight-week crash course in mindfulness leads to a measurable decrease in the size of the amygdala. The smaller it gets the less impact on our emotional responses like fight-or-flight. As the amygdala shrinks, the prefrontal cortex becomes thicker. This part of the brain is responsible for higher-order brain functions such as concentration, decision-making, and awareness.

There is a decrease in brain cell volume in the amygdala which is responsible for fear, anxiety, and stress. Further research found that after meditation training mood and arousal were affected and participants described an improvement in their psychological well-being. Another study showed that an eight-week course of mindfulness the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for initiating a response to stress, seems to contract.

Meditation lessens the inflammatory response in people exposed to psychological stressors, particularly for long-term meditators. Mindfulness dampens activity in the amygdala and increases the connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is the cerebral cortex which covers the front part of the frontal lobe. This brain region has been implicated in planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making, moderating social behavior, and moderating certain aspects of speech and language. The basic activity of this brain region is considered to be orchestration of thoughts and actions in accordance with internal goals. Both the amygdala and the PFC help us to be less reactive to stressors and to recover better from stress when we experience it.

POWER OF NEUROGENESIS
​The Power of Learning
The brain can continue to form new brain cells via a process known as neurogenesis. These new neurons originate deep in the brain and migrate to other brain areas, where they form new connections with other neurons

Research shows that the adult brain can generate new nerve cells and incorporate them into neural circuits. These neurons are believed to be important for learning, memory, and responding to stress.

  • To foster the development of new neurons include more brain-friendly foods into your diet. Good choices are walnuts, eggs, salmon, and avocados. Other suggestions include getting plenty of sleep and participating in regular aerobic exercise.

Never Stop Learning
Enriching your mind by learning new things rewires your brain. Learning causes changes in your “memory campus," or the hippocampus. The effect applies to both young and old.

Every time we practice an old skill or learn a new one, existing neural connections are strengthened and then with time the neurons create more connections to other neurons. Even new nerve cells can be generated. Learning new things increases visible gray matter in the brain.

The brain prefers images over text when it comes to memory retention. Studies show we only remember about 10% of information that is presented orally. However, that number jumps by about 65% when an image is added to the learning process.

  • In a study conducted in the United States, it was proven that people who eat food without artificial coloring or preservatives managed to obtain 14% higher scores on intelligence tests. Therefore, what we eat affects the way our brains operate and functions.
Quick Links to the Elements of Mindfulness
This content is provided for informational purposes only. Author is not a medical professional. Talk to your doctor to determine what therapy is right for you.
Self care techniques are meant to supplement professional treatment not replace it.
PRIME DIRECTIVE OF THE LEARNING LIBRARY

BROWSE PHOBIA COLLECTION​
​Phobia collection is presented in eight themed parts
​VIEW LIST INDEX or ​JUMP TO A PART
PART [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ]

PHOBIA COLLECTION BY TOPIC

common ~ abstract ~ ordinary ~ bizarre ~ catastrophic ~ psyche ~ icky - academic ~ knowledge ~ education ~ literary ~ art ~ music ~ religion ~ political ~ law ~ order military ~ war ~ discrimination ~ science ~ chemical ~ energy ~ time ~ numbers ~ technology ~ nature ~ environment ~ astronomy ~ weather ~ geography ~ people ~ family ~ community ~ anatomy ~ medical ~ disease ~ emotions ~ senses ~ sensations ~ movement ~ conditions~ love ~ relationships ~ sexuality ~ lifestyle ~ places ~ events ~ objects ~ clothing ~ tools ~ vehicles ~ home ~ cooking ~ food ~ entertainment ~ sports ~ recreation ~ toys ~ games ~ monsters ~ characters ~ spooky ~ nightmares ~ delusional ~ joke ~ fiction
​​DOWNLOAD PONDERING THE PHOBIA
​Now Available for​ Download for Offline Reading
All the phobias in one download. Browse by both topic/subject and by alphabetized list
Download/Share: http://bit.ly/ponderingphobia

​OTHER PHOBIA AND FEAR DOWNLOADS:
​Dictionary of Trauma, Phobia and Fear
Self Care Guides for Fear & Phobias​
Library articles provided by my series Healing the PTSD Mind ​ and my series on mindfulness based self care Be Mindful Be Well​. The books are written from a trauma perspective. Content applies to fear, phobias and panic. Learn self care treatments with mindfulness techniques.
BE MINDFUL. BE WELL.
​Books copyright 2021 by By Kairos
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