The human brain, weighing just three pounds, is packed with billions of flexible, changing cells (neurons), brain

cells so small 30,000 could fit on the head of a pin) capable of forming trillions of connections. Throughout our life, human brain cells die and new ones grow. The result is that our brain is never the same from moment to moment. Because our brain is always changing, we can grow up and learn better ways to cope with new challenges. Microscopic neurons, our brain cells, send messages to each other at the incredible speed of one thousand times per second. All of these features make our amazing brain the most powerful, quick and adaptable learning tool in the universe!

What does the term "coping brain" mean?

Every time we are challenged by new or upsetting experiences, our brain must come up with ways to deal with our stress or worry. Sometimes our brain needs to find better ways to deal with our upsets because the old ways don't work anymore. We need all three coping brain functions, thinking, feeling and self-protection, to get over experiences that make us stressed, worried, angry or upset Training our brain to use healthy coping methods means we can heal our own emotional wounds so we also feel better about ourselves.

Look at all the things our coping brain does:

Our brain can instantly change from thinking up new ideas, to telling us what we are feeling, and protecting us from danger -- all from moment to moment learning and storing memories telling parts of our body what to do figuring out how to come up with safe ways to keep us alive and free from danger.

How does our amazing adaptable brain do all of these things at once? To successfully cope and adapt all humans have three powerful coping brain functions. You may be surprised to know that thinking is just one of these functions. We also are also born with several instinctive coping brain functions that begin to operate the moment we come into the world.
1. Instinctive survival Survival is the #1 job of our brain, and particularly the Reptilian Coping Brain. Coping is the ability to both protect our self from outside threats, and adjust or adapt to life changes and challenges. Because reptilian brain coping functions help to keep us alive we are all born with an instinctive or automatic survival coping behavior. Because it is an automatic response, we dont even need to think before we act to protect our self when we feel threatened or injured. 2. Attack or hide response

Humans and all other vertebrates animals that have a spine (called vertebrae) running down their back that carries nerves connecting to the body have two instinctive and automatic abilities we are born with that we don't have to learn ways to defend themselves when threatened or injured. Their reptilian coping brain instincts are either attack to protect one's life, or we can hide. Since we are born with these response options, choices of how we can behave, humans may act like lizards or alligators when threatened or wounded, if they didnt have the other Coping Brain functions to help control reptilian brain instinctive impulses. 3. Aggression One type of reptilian coping behavior is trying to show you're stronger or more mean by using aggressive behavior, which means showing that you are the boss and laughing when other people get hurt. One type of aggression is students starting fights on the playground or being a bully who threatens and hurts other kids. This makes kids feel bad and also afraid of the bully. 4. Anger Display This reptilian-based behavior is another kind of automatic reptilian brain response that is used to frighten a person or group to keep them from trying to hurt or control us. When we display anger we are not only frightening others, but also preparing our self for battle. Anger increases blood pressure, heart rate and releases stress hormones into our brain and body to prepare for either attacking of hiding (running away). Reptiles and mammals besides humans, have reptilian brains that trigger anger as a way to protect themselves and keep others from harming them or their babies. Humans often get angry when their feelings are hurt, but they don't know why. A good way to remember this part of our Coping Brain is to add D in front of anger. This is how reptilian survival brain causes us to show anger when we fear we're in D-ANGER. 5. Fear Fear is an instinctive, primitive response to help us to avoid threats, injuries or death. We all fear for our lives when we're hiking and come upon a wild bear or mountain lion. However, we also fear things that we have learned through experience are capable of hurting us. One automatic fear we quickly learn is touching a hot stove. Another common fear is being frightened of spiders and other insects that hide and bite, as well as snakes and wild animals. When become constantly fearful of specific things we call it a phobia (pronounced FO-Bea). 6. Revenge Revenge or retaliation is the reptilian coping brain urge to avenge or get even with others when we have been injured, threatened or something is taken from us that we value. Quite often revenge leads to even more violence between humans since both

sides in a conflict use reptilian responses to increase their harm to each other. The reptilian urge for revenge leads humans to punish people or groups because we are hurt by their actions -- and sometimes even by their words! We know that reptilian revenge can easily turn into violent conflicts or start wars between groups or countries. Since revenge stems from primitive reptilian coping brain instincts. If we don't learn to control those instincts, they can cause us to hate or attack even particular types or whole groups of people. 7. Tribalism and territorial behavior One of the most primitive ways reptilian coping brain seeks to protect us is joining forces with others. Among teenagers or adults it might be joining a gang. Alternatively, we may desire to compete so we win or dominate another school in athletic games. College or professional sports teams are examples of how reptilian brain urges us toward tribalism (joining with others to fight outsiders). Most professional sports teams are named for and have fans from particular cities. When teams from different cities play against each other they develop fierce rivalries. Being territorial, our reptilian instincts also cause us to seek protect our self and increase our sense of safety by defending a place or space where we live. This is why humans and lower animals often fight to protect their family, home or land. Reptilian tribalism also strengthens our social identity how we are known to others, by being part of a social group, nation, religion, political party, etc. Another type of territorial behavior is excluding and criticizing others who are different from us and outside of our group. 8. Reproductive instinct Reptilian brain instincts go beyond our own self-survival. They include survival of our kind and species by causing us to select mates and produce offspring like our self. This is why all vertebrates, including humans, tend to mate with their own kind. We have an instinctive urge deep in our body and brain that drives us to duplicate ourselves. We are most often attracted to possible mates with whom we have common qualities or desirable characteristics, how we look, behave or what we believe we admire. This is why we have children more like us when we create our own family. Emotional Brain The emotional coping function is also known as the mammalian brain since it is common to all mammals whose babies are born live and completely dependent upon their mother for survival. Neuroscientists refer to this small but essential brain function as the limbic system. As we will see, without our emotional brain mothers would not feel an instinctive need to nurture and feed their young. Nor would babies recognize and sense that their survival depends upon staying close to their mother for protection. This relatively small but important brain function serves a variety of coping and sensory purposes including our capacity for emotional attachment to

others. When we talk about our feelings, we are describing sensations and impulses (non-thinking, automatic actions arising from our emotional coping brain). We cant help think of our emotional coping brain without realizing its connection to reptilian instincts that also help us to survive. However, emotional brain does much more than keep us alive. It is the link to our thinking (neocortex) brain that allows humans to know and name what they are feeling (like happiness or sadness). We need an emotional brain to help us form judgments, preferences and attitudes that tell us who and what we like or dislike. When we feel we really like a certain movie star or character in a book, our emotional coping brain urges us to see that actor's movies or read books about our favorite characters.

Feelings and Emotions The connection between Coping Brain functions We often use the words emotions and feelings as though they are the same thing. When it comes to coping skills and brain tools, we can see they are the result of different brain coping functions. We have an immediate response when our emotional brain senses we are having an emotional experience (like having fun spending time with a close friend). However, our feelings go beyond sensing an experience. Feelings result from our thinking (neocortex), emotional (mammalian) and reptilian (survival) brains' reaction to what we are feeling inside. Thinking brain is always working hard to understand what kind of experience emotional brain is sensing or processing. Neocortex is also connected to reptilian brain since it's like an emergency signal (stress) we need to respond to. Emotional brain is also sensitive to reptilian warnings when something seems like a threat or sign of danger (upsets our feelings). Here is another way of explaining the relationship between emotions and feelings: Feelings are the subjective, inner meaning (or interpretation) we give to our emotional experiences. Two people may have the same stressful experience (like their pet dying), but inner feelings are determined by each person's own neocortex, which gives meaning to an emotional experience and considers the best way to cope with an upsetting situation. One person can become sad and cry. Another person, who might not feel so attached to their pet , might decide to go out and replace it with another one. Brain timing is important. Reptilian impulses tend to lead us to respond quickly using anger or avoidance. Thinking brains take a while to figure out why we feel the way we do and what we should do about it. Neocortex provides meaning (that we call our feelings) by explaining to us what emotional brain is experiencing -- whether it's happiness or hurt feelings.

THINKING BRAIN As we have seen, two of our three human coping brain elements (reptilian and emotional) are mostly instinctive and use coping capabilities we have at birth. By

contrast, our thinking (neocortex) human coping brain has the ability to learn and use language. These functions require the linking of learning brain cells we call neurons. These microscopic, multi-functional neurons are building blocks not only for thinking and learning, but for deciding the way we behave. Thinking brain makes possible our organizing and planning abilities. It also enables us to figure out the meaning of our emotional experiences, such as why we are upset or hurt. The meanings of emotional experiences are what we call our feelings. Not only is neocortex by far our largest coping brain, it is the center for learning and using self-management, being able to control our behavior and set rules for ourselves skills. It enables us to judge and plan what type of coping response we use when we are upset, stressed and hurting inside. Neocortex uses words to name our experiences so we can gain control over the non-verbal, not spoken, but communicated silently between brain cells or through gesture or facial expression instinctive coping brain elements. To learn as well as use healthy coping skills, we must first understand how to use our thinking brains ability for solving problems.

7 Major Characteristics of Our Amazing Human Thinking and Coping Brain

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The battle between our three coping brains when were upset, angry or sad: Scientists have been unable to see how our three coping brain elements actually struggle with each other and decide how we respond to or cope with challenging experiences and changes in life. To help you understand and see this complex process in action go, to the home page feature "Captain Neo and our Brain Team." These imaginary Brain Team characters represent how our three brain functions interact and communicate with each other and possibly conflict and fight or argue with each other. The neocortex, our uniquely human thinking brain. Our human brain neocortex is responsible for coordinating all coping brain responses when we are faced with a stressful situation. This thinking brain is equipped with a variety of tools and abilities unlike any other brain in the animal kingdom. This is the only brain function that has the ability to name and group things and experiences by using words. Words are powerful brain short cut symbols that are also used to direct our coping response to stress and upsets. Using learning and language, neocortex is the conductor and director of our coping brain orchestra. It has the capability of taking the lead and sorting through and selecting from the two other instinctive coping brain impulses

under its control. To understand this task, read on to find out about the many tools and abilities this captain of our coping brain team is able to use.

Managing Anger & Sadness Responses to Stress

The greatest challenge to adolescents' coping skills is managing anger and sadness before it leads to serious periods of depression or harmful behavior. Healthy coping capability and self-acceptance is important for keeping us from either harming our self or others.