First, this is a real thing that your wetware does, and it behooves you to learn about it and prepare for it.<p>Second, although <i>during</i> the process the "emotional brain [amygdala] activity processes information milliseconds earlier than the rational brain, so in case of a match, the amygdala acts before any possible direction from the neocortex can be received", you <i>can</i> during non-emergency time reprogram the "immediate action plan" that the amygdala will enact during non-emergency time.<p>- - - -<p>E.g.: "adrenaline re-imprinting" is a thing. There are self-defense courses that literally reprogram your brain to have a more useful response! We often talk about "fight or flight" and omit the third typical response: "freeze". The formula is "fight or flight or freeze". In an adrenaline re-imprinting self-defense course you learn to change the response to an organized, coherent defensive manouver. It's so effective that people (attackers) are literally intimidated at a deep organic level. One's body <i>knows</i> that even a small woman <i>in the throes of an adrenaline rush</i> can kill with a single blow, just like in the movies, and no one sane will persist.<p>Story time. I took one of these courses and it worked: I was about to be set upon by three young thugs and the defensive posture and response triggered and, sure enough, they halted, taken aback, and were thereafter wary of me. We talked for a bit and at one point I made a motion with my arm and the boys fell back and raised their arms to guard themselves. I tell you they were frightened of me, after seeing a full-on coherent adrenaline response! A few minutes later a police car rolled up to talk to them, I wasn't the first person they messed with that day, and I left.<p>Anyhow, yes, amygdala goes first if it thinks it needs to, but it is <i>your</i> job to equip your amygdala with <i>good programs</i> for those emergencies. Same principle as buying a fire extinguisher, eh? Safety first and all that?