Low GABA GABA: The Physiology of Anxiety | Praise Podcast

Anxiety inside the brain can often feel like a kids’ show running at full volume: bright colors, too much movement, everyone shouting their lines at once. That’s what happens when GABA, the brain’s calming chemical, runs low. Tune in for more! 🎧

https://momo634.com/p/low-gaba-gaba-anxiety-physiology

#bible, #inspiration, #motivation, #motivational, #inspirational, #MentalHealth, #faith, #anxiety, #neurodivergence, #neuroscience, #neurodiversity, #science, #psychology, #brain, #physiology, #GABA,

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00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 Anxiety inside the brain can often feel like a kid's show

00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 running at full volume.

00:00:06 --> 00:00:07 Bright colors,

00:00:07 --> 00:00:08 too much movement,

00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 everyone shouting their lines all at once.

00:00:12 --> 00:00:17 That's what happens when GABA, the brain's calming chemical, runs low.

00:00:18 --> 00:00:22 So instead of yo GABA GABA, it becomes low GABA GABA.

00:00:23 --> 00:00:24 Tune in for more.

00:00:27 --> 00:00:28 Hello,

00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 and welcome to Momo 634,

00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 a bite-sized podcast that's chock-full of inspiration,

00:00:35 --> 00:00:35 motivation,

00:00:36 --> 00:00:37 and positivity,

00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 straight from the intersection of faith and mental wellness.

00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 Please like, share, and subscribe.

00:00:45 --> 00:00:49 Momo 634, motivational moments just for today.

00:00:59 --> 00:01:04 Anxiety is a shift in how the brain manages electrical activity.

00:01:05 --> 00:01:09 One of the clearest patterns researchers consistently see is

00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 lower GABA levels in

00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 people with anxiety disorder.

00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 GABA is the brain's main inhibitory chemical.

00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 If you imagine your brain as a busy city,

00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 GABA is the traffic light system.

00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 It slows things down,

00:01:27 --> 00:01:28 keeps signals from piling up,

00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 and prevents everything from firing at once.

00:01:33 --> 00:01:37 When GABA is low, the brain loses some of that braking power.

00:01:38 --> 00:01:42 The result is a nervous system that is quicker to react,

00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 easier to overwhelm,

00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 more sensitive to internal sensations,

00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 and more likely to interpret neutral cues

00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 as threats.

00:01:53 --> 00:01:58 While some without lived experience with anxiety may dismiss

00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 this as a personality

00:02:00 --> 00:02:01 flaw or overthinking,

00:02:02 --> 00:02:07 it's actually a physiological state where the brain is more excitable.

00:02:09 --> 00:02:10 When GABA is depleted,

00:02:11 --> 00:02:12 the brain's alarm systems,

00:02:13 --> 00:02:13 like the amygdala,

00:02:14 --> 00:02:15 get louder,

00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 and the parts responsible for calming things down,

00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 like the prefrontal cortex,

00:02:21 --> 00:02:22 have to work overtime.

00:02:23 --> 00:02:28 That's why anxiety can feel like your thoughts won't slow down.

00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 Your body is buzzing.

00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 Small things feel bigger.

00:02:34 --> 00:02:38 And why the advice to just snap out of it doesn't work.

00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 It's a sign that your brain is on overload.

00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Think of GABA as the dimmer switch for your brain.

00:02:48 --> 00:02:52 When it's working well, the lights stay at a comfortable level.

00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 When it's low,

00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 the lights are stuck on bright,

00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 even if nothing dangerous is happening.

00:03:01 --> 00:03:06 Researchers also note that the gut microbiome plays a role.

00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 Some gut bacteria actually produces GABA,

00:03:10 --> 00:03:14 and disruptions in the gut-brain axis can influence how much

00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 GABA reaches the

00:03:16 --> 00:03:17 nervous system.

00:03:18 --> 00:03:22 This means anxiety isn't just in your head.

00:03:22 --> 00:03:26 It's a whole body conversation involving the brain,

00:03:27 --> 00:03:28 the gut,

00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 the immune system,

00:03:30 --> 00:03:31 and stress hormones.

00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 While gut issues may not cause anxiety,

00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 they can shape how intense it feels.

00:03:40 --> 00:03:45 Understanding GABA as a core anxiety signature shifts the

00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 narrative from why can't

00:03:47 --> 00:03:53 I calm down to my brain's breaking system is under strain.

00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 I'm linking sources for more information on the topic below

00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 this episode at momo634.com.

00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 I love Psalm 9419,

00:04:06 --> 00:04:06 which says,

00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 When anxiety overwhelms me,

00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 your consolation delights my soul.

00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 How has having a better understanding of the physiology of

00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 anxiety helped with self-shame?

00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 Chime in below.

00:04:26 --> 00:04:27 Thanks for listening.

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00:04:50 --> 00:04:50 Have a blessed day.