There is a physiology of distraction. Stress and pressure, especially coupled with self-doubt, result in excessive activation of brain structures and hormones responsible for preparing us for emergencies. These include the amygdala, the sympathetic nervous system, and the corticosteroids and catecholamines hormones. The prefrontal cortex or the site of working memory is sensitive to these hormones, and as it becomes overactivated, we become easily distracted and sensitive to cognitive interference. In effect thoughts are hijacked by the sources of threat while the prefrontal cortex stands idly by.