Summary
The Huberman Lab Podcast episode on the neuroscience of fear, trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorders discusses the biology of fear and trauma, including the cells and circuits in the body and chemicals that give rise to the fear response. The autonomic nervous system and its two branches, sympathetic and parasympathetic, are discussed, as well as the HPA axis. The amygdala is identified as a critical component of the threat reflex, which is a generic response that involves the activation of certain systems and suppression of calming systems. Fear can be activated by prior memories or immediate experiences, and the prefrontal cortex can control or suppress the threat reflex through top-down processing.
The podcast also delves into the process of overcoming fear and trauma, which involves weakening the connections associated with the threat reflex and strengthening positive experiences. Current treatments such as SSRIs and Benzodiazepines indirectly alleviate anxiety and fear, but do not target the fear circuitry directly. Behavioral therapies such as prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing, and cognitive behavioral therapy have been shown to have a positive impact by retelling traumatic or fearful events in detail, which diminishes the physiological response over time. The retelling process is essential in forming a new non-traumatic association with the event or person.
The podcast also discusses emerging drug treatments for PTSD, including Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy and MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy. Both drugs are also being explored for chronic depression, eating disorders, and other psychiatric disorders. The podcast discusses the potential of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treating trauma, as well as how to assess and reduce fear and anxiety. The guest explains that MDMA can heighten positive experiences and allow for traumatic experiences to be overwritten.
Lifestyle factors such as quality nutrition, sleep, and social connection can indirectly support trauma relief and getting over fear. The podcast also touches on various approaches to dealing with fear, trauma, and PTSD, including supplements such as Saffron, Inositol, and Kava. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the logical structure of the circuits that underlie fear and PTSD to find the most effective treatments and approaches. They also suggest self-directed practices, such as deliberate self-directed stress through respiration, that may be useful for some individuals.
