Limbic System Impairment:

Understanding the Root Cause

The Thrive Neural Retraining program is based on the premise that the root cause of depression, anxiety, PTSD, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and many forms of environmental and "invisible" illness is often traumatic injury to the autonomic nervous system that results in limbic system impairment.

In other words, as a direct and often immediate result of a traumatic event, or a series of traumatic events, the wiring in the autonomic system can become impaired. This impairment, or damaged neural wiring, locks the limbic system into a non-stop "fight, flight or freeze" stress response.

When this occurs, a traumatic experience turns ON a deep and powerful stress response within the central nervous system ~ and then, afterward, this stress response does not turn OFF!

The initial traumatic event may be the result of a wide variety of different experiences including illness, physical injury, chemical exposure and/or mental/emotional stress or neglect. However, the impact of these traumatic injuries on the central nervous system (CNS) is often one and the same: a stress response (alarm) is triggered within the CNS, at which point the body is unable to regulate this alarm reaction, and the stress response continues to run unabated.

In contrast, the body's natural and healthy response to stress is to activate the stress response only briefly. Then, as soon as the stressful conditions have passed, the compensatory relaxation response automatically "kicks in", and this allows the body to relax and recuperate from the damaging effects of the recent stress. 

Consider, for example, the scenario of being chased by a tiger:

• When the chase begins, the sympathetic stress response immediately turns on, which triggers a wide variety of biochemical and physiological changes. A variety of stress hormones are rapidly activated by the limbic system while, at the same time, various parasympathetic systems in the body (associated with "rest and digestion") begin shutting down in a synchronized metabolic effort to free up the body's energy for the immediate "fight, flight or freeze" response.
• After the chase, while resting safely out of reach of the tiger, the parasympathetic relaxation response is then activated, at which point the stress response gradually begins winding down ~ and, in a healthy system, this stress response eventually turns off completely. During this relaxation process, the stress hormones diminish, digestion resumes, and the body begins to recuperate and regenerate following the stress of the chase.

Unfortunately, in those instances where the stress, trauma or injury to the autonomic nervous system is severe, the body's natural relaxation response may be inhibited, in which case, the limbic system will remain in a state of chronic, unrelenting stress.

This unresolved stress can, in turn, have a profoundly damaging impact because the body can never completely relax, recuperate and heal.

As a result, the effects of this stress are reflected in the wide range of debilitating symptoms associated with limbic system impairment, hypervigilance and dysregulation of the central nervous system.

Regeneration: During states of relaxation, digestion and sleep, the body is able to repair itself, and recover from the damaging effects of stress.  In this sense, relaxation is directly linked to the innate healing potential, rehabilitation and regeneration of the body.

Degeneration: In contrast, acute and chronic stress both have a profoundly debilitating and damaging effect on the body ~ and the more severe and prolonged the stress, the more severe the physical damage can be. 

This why individuals who have experienced sudden, extreme stress, or who have been under chronic stress for an extended period of time, often feel like their bodies are beginning to break down and wear out. The truth is, this is exactly what is happening ~ because the body has not had an opportunity to relax and heal.

Under normal conditions, the limbic system naturally functions as the "bodyguard" or "early warning system" within the autonomic nervous system: when an external threat is perceived, the limbic system instinctively and immediately activates ("turns on") the stress response ~ and then, when the threat is gone, the limbic system will calm down, allowing the stress response to "turn off" so relaxation can begin.

However, in the case of environmental illness and many other forms of limbic system impairment, damaged neural wiring results in an unrelenting stress response that does not stop.  This results in an extreme form of hypervigilance as the limbic system begins to trigger more severe reactions to more potential threats in the surrounding environment.

Fortunately, the practical application of recent discoveries about the innate neuroplasticity of the brain have demonstrated that this chronic stress response and the resulting hypervigilance in the limbic system can both be successfully mitigated using neural retraining.

• Neural retraining provides an opportunity to create new neural pathways in the brain that enable the body to reestablish its innate ability to respond to stress in a more natural, healthy manner.
• As these newly created neural pathways are strengthened, the body's optimal response to stress is reestablished, and the limbic system impairment begins to diminish.
• When this happens, the traumatic effects of limbic system injury can be reduced or even eliminated, allowing the body to rest, recuperate and gradually begin to heal.

In light of this, three of the most important goals of the Thrive Neural Retraining program are to support you in:

• escaping the viscous cycle of chronic metabolic stress by learning how to activate your body's natural relaxation response at a deep autonomic level;
• creating an opportunity for the body to begin recuperating and healing; and
• gradually developing the ability to handle future stresses with greater ease, resilience and equanimity.

Many of the changes needed to alleviate limbic system impairment are fundamental changes in the energetic signaling within the brain and the central nervous system. In many ways, these changes are comparable to "flipping the switch" that redirects a moving train from one track to another.

• When we apply this analogy to the central nervous system, one track leads to an impaired metabolic state with:
  • increasing sensitivity to more and more environmental triggers and
  • a chronic, debilitating stress response that never abates.
• The other track leads to a healthy metabolic state, in which:
  • the limbic system only alerts on true threats in the environment (and no longer triggers countless "false alarms"), and
  • brief periods of stress are followed by a healthy, natural relaxation response.

Once the "switch" in the limbic system is "flipped" from the impaired mode back to the healthy mode, the physical effects and benefits of this change can be quite dramatic.

In fact, it this potential for rapid "switching" within the limbic system that explains the remarkable accounts of sudden and complete recovery (such as my own) following years or even decades of limbic system impairment.

For the majority of people, however, the neural retraining process is usually more gradual, especially in cases where there may be a longer history of stress or trauma preceding the onset of any debilitating symptoms.

The process of retraining and recovery may also take more time if it is difficult to find a space in which you can begin your retraining while feeling safe and relaxed.

However, neither of these conditions prohibit the possibility of recovery!

• The good news is that stress, anxiety, depression and many forms of mental, emotional and physical trauma are extremely responsive to neural retraining. 
• As the vigilance in the limbic system diminishes, and the relaxation response grows stronger, our sense of physical, psychological and emotional safety can actually be transformed through the process of neural retraining. 
• Even a relatively simple change in perspective, attitude, and outlook can make a dramatic difference in how we perceive and respond to the stresses in our lives. 

In light of this, the potential for dramatic change and improvement is great, even if you have had a history of trauma or you are currently dealing with chronic stress. At the very least, it is certainly worth exploring the potential of neural retraining in order to have an opportunity to enjoy the new-found freedom this transformational change can provide.

When a dedicated commitment is made to neural retraining, there is huge potential for reversing the effects of limbic system impairment. The brain and central nervous system can be remarkably responsive to customized forms of neural training that capitalize on the fundamental principles of neuroplasticity.

Thrive Neural Retraining is based on these principles, and the program is designed to support you in creating a neural retraining process that will be:

• customized for your unique neural retraining needs and
• personalized based on your unique interests, preferences and goals.

Next: Learn more now about the Thrive Neural Retraining program