The Lizard Brain is really the limbic system in the human brain. Lizards only have limbic systems and not much else, in terms of brain functions. The limbic system controls the six “Fs”:
Sometimes its necessary to fight to preserve our lives and sometimes it’s important to just get away from abuse. But if we spend our lives running away or getting into altercations, we are out of balance.
It is also so important to eat. But if we are out of balance with that, the result is poor health, obesity, eating disorders, and lack of energy.
Fear is probably the most destructive element of the lizard brain. If even slightly out of balance it can lead to neuroses, obsessive disorders, personality disorders, and other disruptive mental behaviors.
The lizard brain’s propensity to freeze up has certain protective features, on a primitive level, but can be deadly when we need to make a presentation in front of a group or need to explain ourselves clearly in emotional situations. It is related to fear. Fear comes first, then freezing up. Both don’t serve a worthwhile purpose in humans.
Fornication (or indiscriminate sexual activity) can be a legitimate survival strategy for reptiles. In the human species the results are not as wholesome when unwanted and uncared for children are the aftermath, sexually transmitted diseases, and lifestyle degradations.
The lizard brain doesn’t care about the consequences of our actions. It is based on impulse alone. It is not based on planning, goal setting, concern for the common good, or any other moral concept. It wants what it wants now. It wants to survive at any cost. If it means fornicating wildly to ensure survival, it will compel us to do it. If it wants to feed and others are in the way, it will make sure it gets its share of the kill and push others aside. If it wants us to be at war and fight, run away and escape, or freeze in fear, it will drive us to do all of these things.
Happily, humans are equipped with much more than the limbic system and its red zones. And the more we know about this subject the better our ability to avoid its unfortunate pitfalls.
- Fight
- Flight
- Feeding
- Fear
- Freezing up
- Fornication
Sometimes its necessary to fight to preserve our lives and sometimes it’s important to just get away from abuse. But if we spend our lives running away or getting into altercations, we are out of balance.
It is also so important to eat. But if we are out of balance with that, the result is poor health, obesity, eating disorders, and lack of energy.
Fear is probably the most destructive element of the lizard brain. If even slightly out of balance it can lead to neuroses, obsessive disorders, personality disorders, and other disruptive mental behaviors.
The lizard brain’s propensity to freeze up has certain protective features, on a primitive level, but can be deadly when we need to make a presentation in front of a group or need to explain ourselves clearly in emotional situations. It is related to fear. Fear comes first, then freezing up. Both don’t serve a worthwhile purpose in humans.
Fornication (or indiscriminate sexual activity) can be a legitimate survival strategy for reptiles. In the human species the results are not as wholesome when unwanted and uncared for children are the aftermath, sexually transmitted diseases, and lifestyle degradations.
The lizard brain doesn’t care about the consequences of our actions. It is based on impulse alone. It is not based on planning, goal setting, concern for the common good, or any other moral concept. It wants what it wants now. It wants to survive at any cost. If it means fornicating wildly to ensure survival, it will compel us to do it. If it wants to feed and others are in the way, it will make sure it gets its share of the kill and push others aside. If it wants us to be at war and fight, run away and escape, or freeze in fear, it will drive us to do all of these things.
Happily, humans are equipped with much more than the limbic system and its red zones. And the more we know about this subject the better our ability to avoid its unfortunate pitfalls.
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