December 23, 2016
Interview with Dr. Marc Shoen, author of the book Your Survival Instinct Is Killing You
Mike Carruthers:
We humans have lasted so long in part because of our survival instinct.
Dr. Marc Shoen:
And at 1 time it had great value when we were running from tigers or spears. But today it’s now on overdrive it’s perceiving danger in situations that aren’t truly dangerous.
Dr. Marc Shoen, author of the book Your Survival Instinct Is Killing You, says basically this causes us to react to everyday stresses as if they’re going to kill us.
How we’re going to handle this next work situation, or Oh I’m stressed about getting this next project done. And by virtue applying this instinct to all these situations in our lives where it’s really not needed accelerates this process called inflammation.
Which has been linked to all kinds of problems with health and aging – how do we stop it? Well Dr. Shoen says 1 great way is to slow down the pace of your life.
Chill out a bit from what are the very things that are speeding us up? 1 is technology. Why that’s important? The higher inner speed we have, the greater likelihood we’re going to respond to situations with that survival instinct.
That survival instinct also impairs your decision making ability.
When we’re under pressure making decisions the survival instinct says we’re in danger. So what is does is literally shut off the blood supply to the part of the brain that’s a decision making center. So our decisions become fear driven.
