,theamygdaleappraisesasituation—Ithinkthischargingdogwantstobiteme—andtriggersaresponsebyradiatingnervesignalsthroughoutthebody.Thesesignalsproducethefamiliarsignsofdistress:trembling,perspirationandfast-movingfeet,justtonamethree.Thisfearmechanismiscriticaltothesurvivalofallanimals,butnoonecansayforsurewhetherbeastsotherthanhumansknowthey’reafraid.Thatis,asLeDouxsays,“ifyouputthatsystemintoabrainthathasconsciousness,thenyougetthefeelingoffear.”Humans,saysEdwardM.Hallowell,hesehigherthoughtprocesseswithourhardwireddanger-detectionsystems,andyougetanear-universalhumanphenomenon:worry.That’snotnecessarilyabadthing,saysHallowell.“Whenusedproperly,worryisanincredibledevice,”hesays.Afterall,alittlehealthyworryingisokayifitleadstoconstructiveaction—likehavingadoctorlookatthatweirdspotonyourback.
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