Anxiety Takes the Ice: How "Inside Out 2" Teaches Us to Tame Our Pesky Amygdala

Ever had a panic attack or felt overwhelmed by teenage mental health issues? Pixar’s new movie has a message for you.

In the latest Pixar move "Inside Out 2," we find Riley on the hockey rink with Joy leading the emotional control center in her mind. As the game intensifies, each emotion plays its part: Anger fuels Riley's drive, Fear ensures she’s cautious, Disgust reacts to her mistakes, and Sadness reflects her disappointments. But the game changes when the console suddenly turns orange. Anxiety makes her entrance, holding her suitcases and ready to stir things up.

"Where can I put my stuff?" Anxiety asks, catching the core emotions off guard and signaling a new phase in Riley's emotional journey.

Anxiety's arrival shakes up the familiar dynamic in Riley's mind, symbolising the onset of more complex emotions as she navigates adolescence. Director Kelsey Mann explains that, “She’s not really the type to take a back seat.”

That Pesky Amygdala

If you've ever experienced a panic attack or watched a teenager struggle with anxiety, this film resonates on a deep level. The amygdala, often dubbed the brain's "fear center," is central to this experience. It’s responsible for our fight-or-flight response, but in "Inside Out 2," Riley's journey shows us how to work with this powerful part of our brain.

Lessons from Riley's Journey

1. Befriend Your Amygdala: Instead of seeing Anxiety as an enemy, Riley learns to acknowledge its presence. Similarly, recognising the amygdala's role can help us understand and manage our fears better. It’s not about eliminating anxiety but integrating it into our emotional repertoire.
2. Create a Safe Environment: Riley’s experiences on the ice rink mirror how we can manage our amygdala's responses by creating environments where it’s safe to make mistakes. This shift from the anxiety zone to the learning zone allows for growth and resilience.
3. Turn Fear into a Tool for Growth: Fear and anxiety can be harnessed as tools for personal development. By facing our fears and providing ourselves with safe spaces to experience and understand them, we can calm our amygdala and turn anxiety into an ally

Taming the Amygdala

In Riley’s world, the initial chaos brought by Anxiety leads to a more balanced and mature emotional state. This reflects how we can learn to harness our own anxiety. The amygdala, while often driving our fears, can also be tamed and used to enhance our resilience.

Anxiety is not merely our foe but can be valuable ally in our journey towards self-discovery and empowerment. As Riley learns to integrate Anxiety into her emotional team, we too can embrace our fears, learn from them, and transform them into sources of strength.

So, the next time you feel your amygdala firing up, remember Riley’s journey. Embrace your Anxiety, understand it, and use it to navigate life’s challenges with courage and resilience.

Embracing Anxiety in the Workplace

In the professional world, our amygdala often triggers stress responses during high-pressure projects or personal conflicts. When we provide safe places to work we move from a high-fear environment to one that promotes learning and growth, creative thinking and collaboration.

A safe and psychologically supportive workplace enables employees to take calculated risks, voice their ideas without fear of ridicule, and learn from their mistakes. Organisations can foster this kind of environment by ensuring that their teams feel secure and valued.

Safe Places to Work highlights the importance of creating these supportive spaces, where employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work. This not only boosts individual performance but also enhances team dynamics and overall organisational success.

Just as Riley finds balance and strength through accepting her Anxiety, we too can thrive in environments that promote psychological safety and fearless learning.