Amygdala hijack is an emotional response that is immediate, overwhelming, and out of measure with the actual stimulus because it has triggered a much more significant emotional threat. It occurs when the amygdala, which is part of the limbic system that regulates emotional and behavioral responses, triggers the fight-or-flight response when there is no serious threat to a person. The amygdala is involved in detecting and learning which parts of our surroundings are important and have emotional significance, and it is critical for the production of emotion, especially fear.

An amygdala hijack can happen to anyone, and it exhibits three signs: strong emotional reaction, sudden onset, and post-episode realization if the reaction was inappropriate. The symptoms of an amygdala hijack are caused by the body’s chemical response to stress, which releases two kinds of stress hormones: cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones prepare the body to fight or flee, and they increase blood flow to muscles, so a person has more strength and speed to fight or flee.

Some signs of an amygdala hijack may include shaking, increased blood pressure, racing heart, fast breathing, tense muscles, and nausea. During an amygdala hijack, a person may react in a way that they could regret later, such as being aggressive, argumentative, or violent in a manner that is dramatically out of proportion to the situation.

To prevent an amygdala hijack, a person can practice meditation to help calm their fight, fight, or freeze response. A conscious effort to deactivate the amygdala and activate the frontal lobes, the part of the brain responsible for rational, logical thinking, can also help.