Erasing Fears & Traumas Using Modern Neuroscience | Huberman Lab Essentials
Neuroscience of Fear and Effective Strategies for Trauma Extinction
Gain a deep understanding of the biological circuits governing fear and trauma. Learn how to replace old fearful responses with new, positive associations using evidence-based methods.
Short Summary
- Successfully treating fear requires both extinguishing the old response and replacing it with a new, positive association.
- The threat reflex connects the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and dopamine systems into core fear circuitry.
- Detailed recounting of trauma progressively reduces its physiological impact over repeated sessions.
This episode dissects the cells, circuits, and chemicals creating the fear response. It reviews therapeutic models, including behavioral, pharmacological (Ketamine/MDMA), and deliberate stress protocols, providing a roadmap for unlearning fear and managing trauma.
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Top Comments (10)
Thank you for watching. Please click the subscribe tab and then the "bell" icon to subscribe to our channel here on YouTube and get notified when new content is posted... And thank you for your interest in science! -- Andrew
everyone reading this have a blessed day thank you for being here
Acceptance. Once you realize the physical response is not dangerous in itself, uncomfortable but not dangerous. And once we can realize the thoughts are simply our brain trying to protect us and not harm us it makes facing these things easier. You have to feel it to heal it. Don’t treat your perfectly normal anxiety response as a threat itself and allow yourself to feel the feelings without trying to escape and think the thoughts without trying to solve or fight with them. Anxiety is a protection mechanism built to protect us so it can’t harm us. Think about it as a smoke detector going off but without a fire. It sounds and feels real but it’s just trying to keep us safe even if it’s overacting. Our brains and nervous system can do the same. The great thing is neuroplasticity, we can literally rewire old pathways and turn the nervous system down. The old you is still there, just face your fears on your own time and understand you aren’t broken.
Dr. Andrew's contribution to human race is immense
You just handed me the tools to survive what I'm currently dealing with. Thank you, sir.
This one really got to me. It’s fascinating how science now confirms what a lot of us learned the hard way , that the brain can rewire itself. When I read Step Into the Life You Deserve by Arden Kale, he talked about this exact idea from a mindset angle: you can’t delete fear, but you can outgrow it through action and repetition.
Severe childhood trauma caused severe anxiety, PTSD, bad insomnia and extreme fears from 10-30 years of age. These were constant. The crippling anxiety destroyed all my joints and I had to get knees, hips, shoulders, cervical fusion, and teeth replaced. When I grew up the only treatment starting at 14 years old was alprazolam which started years of addictions. Because of medicine and the grace of the Lord, I’m alive and thriving. Severe anxiety is crippling and also if left out of control will destroy so many areas of the human body.
Thank you for this. I wish this kind of information was available years ago! Recovering from trauma can feel like an extremely lonely pursuit and the necessary resources often seem unavailable. Free information,such as this, is so valuable for those who are suffering. If you’ve gone through some horrible things, please remember you aren’t alone. Things really can get better. Research, reach out, and be kind and patient with yourself. 🥰🥰🥰
Relive the fearful/traumatic events by describing them in detail, over and over gain to form new neurological pathways is the same as Dr. Jordan Peterson saying, face your fears voluntarily, that's the cure. I really like how both Neuroscience and Psychology support each other.
This episode perfectly explains why the "comfort zone" is a trap. The idea that deliberately inducing controlled stress (like cyclic hyperventilation) can help build resilience to uncontrolled stress (trauma) is a powerful "Morning Shift" concept. It’s not about avoiding stress; it's about taking ownership of your HPA axis and learning to control your own threat reflex.
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Top Comments (10)
Thank you for watching. Please click the subscribe tab and then the "bell" icon to subscribe to our channel here on YouTube and get notified when new content is posted... And thank you for your interest in science! -- Andrew
everyone reading this have a blessed day thank you for being here
Acceptance. Once you realize the physical response is not dangerous in itself, uncomfortable but not dangerous. And once we can realize the thoughts are simply our brain trying to protect us and not harm us it makes facing these things easier. You have to feel it to heal it. Don’t treat your perfectly normal anxiety response as a threat itself and allow yourself to feel the feelings without trying to escape and think the thoughts without trying to solve or fight with them. Anxiety is a protection mechanism built to protect us so it can’t harm us. Think about it as a smoke detector going off but without a fire. It sounds and feels real but it’s just trying to keep us safe even if it’s overacting. Our brains and nervous system can do the same. The great thing is neuroplasticity, we can literally rewire old pathways and turn the nervous system down. The old you is still there, just face your fears on your own time and understand you aren’t broken.
Dr. Andrew's contribution to human race is immense
You just handed me the tools to survive what I'm currently dealing with. Thank you, sir.
This one really got to me. It’s fascinating how science now confirms what a lot of us learned the hard way , that the brain can rewire itself. When I read Step Into the Life You Deserve by Arden Kale, he talked about this exact idea from a mindset angle: you can’t delete fear, but you can outgrow it through action and repetition.
Severe childhood trauma caused severe anxiety, PTSD, bad insomnia and extreme fears from 10-30 years of age. These were constant. The crippling anxiety destroyed all my joints and I had to get knees, hips, shoulders, cervical fusion, and teeth replaced. When I grew up the only treatment starting at 14 years old was alprazolam which started years of addictions. Because of medicine and the grace of the Lord, I’m alive and thriving. Severe anxiety is crippling and also if left out of control will destroy so many areas of the human body.
Thank you for this. I wish this kind of information was available years ago! Recovering from trauma can feel like an extremely lonely pursuit and the necessary resources often seem unavailable. Free information,such as this, is so valuable for those who are suffering. If you’ve gone through some horrible things, please remember you aren’t alone. Things really can get better. Research, reach out, and be kind and patient with yourself. 🥰🥰🥰
Relive the fearful/traumatic events by describing them in detail, over and over gain to form new neurological pathways is the same as Dr. Jordan Peterson saying, face your fears voluntarily, that's the cure. I really like how both Neuroscience and Psychology support each other.
This episode perfectly explains why the "comfort zone" is a trap. The idea that deliberately inducing controlled stress (like cyclic hyperventilation) can help build resilience to uncontrolled stress (trauma) is a powerful "Morning Shift" concept. It’s not about avoiding stress; it's about taking ownership of your HPA axis and learning to control your own threat reflex.