by Andra Medea
Pressure’s high, things go wrong and people do things that make you shake your head. It happens every day.
Often the problem is flooding.
What is Flooding?
Flooding = Adrenaline Overload
Flooding is an adrenaline overload that overwhelms the brain. Suddenly you or somebody else is saying or doing things that make no sense.
Ever had someone come to you so incoherent and scattered that after ten minutes listening you still don’t know what they’re talking about? That’s flooding.
Ever been so stressed you can’t think? So mad you can’t talk? So overbooked you spend an hour struggling over a simple form? That’s flooding.
Flooding > Brain Disconnect
Flooding disconnects different parts of the brain, including the parts that do sequence. This is why upset people tell scrambled stories. Their brains can’t organize information. It’s also why you can have trouble thinking straight during a stressful day.
While people are flooding, they’re physically impaired. They really can’t do better. Once they calm down they can do much better, and think and function in their own interest.
Use C3 De-escalation™
C3 stands for Calm Circuit Connection. Under flooding, circuits disconnect to the part of the brain that handles sequence. One way to bring someone out of flooding is ask them to walk you through a simple sequence: “I get that you’re upset. But tell me what happened first.” Once part is clear, ask what happened next.
Any simple sequence will do. You can might ask people to spell their names, or give their telephone number. I’ve had people flooding so badly they couldn’t remember how to spell their own name. It startled them so badly they snapped out of it.
Be prepared
The earlier you act to prevent flooding, the better your odds at containing it. Flooding can happen to anyone. It can even happen to you.
For more about flooding and what to do about it, check out our C3 De-escalation™ courses listed to the right.