An adventure with your brain

That's right! I'm your (text-style:"bold")[BRAIN]! So I hear that you want to go for a walk... (after:3s)[but where should we go?] [[Walk around the block?->Around the block]] [[Walk to the beach?->Beach]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[<style> img { max-width:75%; max-height: 75%; } </style> <img src=https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/most-beautiful-neighborhood-street-picture-id1087256254?k=20&m=1087256254&s=612x612&w=0&h=tqRSeIMnpnfUzu7NjHHzz8s6U8ft8wqhLbjDYWw2oak=> </div>] You live in an interesting neighbourhood, with lots of different people. Do you like to chat with people you meet on your walks? [[Yes->Yes]] [[No->No]]

Beaches are great places to hang out! Let's head down! [[To the beach!!->To the beach]]

Let's see who we'll get to meet today? [[Go for your walk around the block->Go for your walk]]

Fair enough! Stranger danger is still a thing right??? So let's just keep our head down ok?[[Let's go for our walk->Go for your walk]]

It's been a nice walk.... Not too many hills... Just the right temperature... BUT WHAT WAS THAT? You've heard a [[crunching sound->look]] behind you.

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[<style> img { max-width:75%; max-height: 75%; } </style> <img src=https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxuU3pt2ijpjqNq7i2_nlJZXe9aFtaZhNYuQ&usqp=CAU> </div>] Mmmmmm... the feeling of (text-colour:yellow)[sand] between our toes! It's a bit chilly, so we bascially have the beach all to ourselves! A perfect, relaxing walk. [[Keep walking->keep walking]]

As you walk along the soft sand, you get the brilliant idea to walk just in the water, along the shore. What a great idea! [[Take your shoes and socks off]]

You are just walking along, letting your mind wander. Feeling the chill of the water on your feet. Seeing the occasional tiny crab shuffle under a rock. [[THEN SHOOTING PAIN!!]]

You look down and see a tiny jelly fish. There is no one around. Aren't these things [[poisonous]]?

This is when your brain takes over. So much for your [[pre-frontal cortex]]! Your brain has sent the message to your [[amygdala]] that you're in PAIN, and have seen a jellyfish. Your [[hippocampus]] is now spinning through all the the nature shows about how dangerous [[jellyfish stings]] can be.

Yes, we've shut down the pre-frontal cortex now. I don't think we need your thinking, reasoning and problem solving part of your brain right now! [[Let your brain keep going->poisonous]]

The amygdala is totally ready for this! It's constantly scanning all our senses for things that are alarming. When the amygdala senses something that should be scary, it shuts down the prefrontal cortex and starts scanning the hippocampus for all the (link-undo:"worst-case scenario ")

The hippocampus is the main memory sorting area of your brain. If you remember something, it's because it went through the hippocampus. It is also active when you are (link-undo:"retreiving memories")retreiving memories.

It's really starting to hurt now. Your foot is THROBBING. It's making your heart race too! (Or is it your BRAIN that's making your heart race)? What are you going to do? There isn't anyone around to help. What if you [[DIE->DIE]] here? Alone on the beach!

You recognize that you're panicking... going into fight, flight or freeze mode... and WOW, running away sounds GREAT right now! Crud! What do you do??? [[Calm yourself down-> calm]] or [[Just run and get help -> helprun]]!

You have decided to listen to your panic and try to run. But now you've managed to hurt yourself more by trying to run on it! Your heart keeps pounding. Will you ever find help? You're in full fight or flight mode now, your pre-frontal cortex isn't working at all, and your hippocampus is choosing only scary memories for you. You feel like you're going to [[throw up!]]

You can feel all the signs of fight or flight mode coming on. You decide to re-engage your pre-frontal cortex to stop your amygdala which has taken over. What do my hands feel like? How cold it is? Is there any wind? Do I hear sounds of any humans? Your breathing sloooooows, the throbbing is still there, but it doesn't hurt quite as much. Your stomach has settled a bit. There! You just [[heard]] something!

You hear the sound of a car locking. You look around and see someone has parked nearby. You are able to get close to them, and ask for help! Being able to hear that has [[saved the day! ->end]]

The end.

As you find youself nauseaus, heart racing, pale, you are just listening to your own worst fears? Will you ever [[find help? ->end]]

You quickly turn around but can't see anything. You hear it again! And again! There MUST be something there! Your heart quickens, so does your breathing. Your brain is going into [[fight and flight mode!]]

This is when your brain takes over. So much for your [[pre-frontal cortex->PFC]]! Your brain has sent the message to your [[Amygdala]] that you're in DANGER, and have something about to eat or attack you. Your [[hippocampus->Hippocampus]] is now spinning through all the news about how dangerous [[walking alone]] can be.

You recognize that you're panicking... going into fight, flight or freeze mode... and WOW, running away sounds GREAT right now! Crud! What do you do??? [[Calm yourself down-> Calm]] or [[Just run and get help-> Run]]?

Yes, we've shut down the pre-frontal cortex now. I don't think we need your thinking, reasoning and problem solving part of your brain right now! [[Let your brain keep going->fight and flight mode!]]

You find youself nauseaus, heart racing, pale. You are just listening to your own worst fears! What is about to eat you? You go into full fight mode and start screaming and flailing around at [[the noise]].

Oh for Pete's sake! It was just a raccoon hunting for some garbage! You'll be fine. You enjoy the rest of the walk, [[grateful->end]] that you didn't look silly panicking about a raccoon!

And out walks a scared little raccoon. 2 other walkers pass by, but cross the street assuming you're NUTS and that YOU might be potentially dangerous. So you might have survived, but has [[your reputation?->end]]