Understanding Your Brain’s Chemistry—and How to Reclaim Peace
In the fight for self-mastery, understanding your mental and emotional chemistry is crucial. The Chemical Scale is a tool that helps us recognize how subtle emotional and chemical shifts can lead us away from the peace and clarity of Level 0 and push us toward acting against our values. Knowing where you are on the Scale—and what to do about it—can make the difference between victory and loss.
How the Chemical Scale Works
The Chemical Scale ranges from Level 0 (peace and spiritual clarity) to Level 5+ (loss of willpower and control). It measures the buildup of emotional and neurological tension caused by subtle chemical changes in the brain. The further down the Scale you go, the more your thinking brain (prefrontal cortex) shuts down and your emotional/impulsive brain (limbic system) takes over.
These chemical shifts often follow a pattern called the Satanic Spin—a top-down view of a funnel-shaped coin well. Each lap of the coin (representing a full cycle through the Spin) pulls you faster and deeper toward the center. In the Spin:
- Flash – A subtle, incomplete trigger (a sound, image, smell, thought, etc.) grabs your attention.
- Spill – The Flash causes a release of brain chemicals—adrenaline, dopamine, cortisol, etc.—that affect your mood.
- Mood – Your feelings begin to shift. You feel off, disconnected, anxious, sad, or irritated.
- Filing Cabinet – Your brain searches for similar past feelings to make sense of the current mood, often landing on old memories that carry emotional pain. These memories become the next Flash.
This cycle can repeat multiple times without you even realizing it. Over time, it escalates your emotional and chemical state, dragging you further down the Chemical Scale, which can be visualized as the side view of the same funnel. The more you spin, the deeper down the well you get. Unless you fight back, you will eventually lose control and violate your own moral code.
Levels 0–5: What They Feel Like and What to Do
Level 0 – Peace & Clarity
You feel calm, spiritually connected, and fully present. You’re in sync with God, with yourself, and with those around you. You feel motivated, compassionate, creative, and in control.
Tools to Stay Here:
- Daily MAN PWR goals
- Prayer, writing, and scripture study
- Connection with others
- Service and Passion Projects
Level 1 – “Off”
You can sense something is slightly wrong, but it’s subtle. You may feel sluggish, irritable, unmotivated, or disconnected. This is the beginning of the chemical shift—just enough to make you want to avoid doing what you know is good for you.
Important note: Not every Level 1 is caused by Satan. Some chemical shifts are completely natural. For example, you might wake up already at Level 1 due to poor sleep, low blood sugar, illness, or even just feeling sore or worn out. Satan may not cause these dips, but he will take advantage of them if we don’t respond quickly and intentionally.
Tools for Level 1:
- Set an Alarm: Catch the chemical shift early. Use body cues like sighing, zoning out, or restlessness.
- Proactive Planning: If you know certain times or places pull you off-center, plan support in advance.
- Engage in a Reset Ritual: Go for a walk, breathe deeply, connect with someone, or revisit your core values.
Level 2 – Moods & BLAST
Now you’re fully in a mood. You might not even know why you’re upset—but you’re upset. You feel angry, anxious, lonely, discouraged, tired, or just emotionally out of balance. Satan often strikes here by flooding your thoughts with lies: “You’re not enough,” “You’ll never change,” “No one understands.”
Tools for Level 2:
- BLAST Check: Ask yourself—Am I Bored, Lazy/Lonely, Angry/Anxious, Sad/Scared/Stressed, or Tired?
- Feelings Wheel: Use it to name your feelings more accurately and begin sorting them.
- Mind-Body Check-in: How does this emotion feel physically? Where is it showing up in your body?
- Movement & Connection: Get your body moving or connect with a trusted person.
Level 3 – “Dude…” Moment
This is the first moment a value-breaking thought crosses your mind and feels okay. Satan’s whispers feel reasonable. You start thinking: “Maybe just once…” or “I deserve this.” It doesn’t feel like a big deal. You’re tempted—and part of you is already justifying the choice.
Tools for Level 3:
- Write It Down: Get the thoughts out of your brain and onto paper. They lose power when exposed to the light.
- Counter-Flashing: Actively recall positive, truth-based memories or images. Flood your brain with truth.
- Drills: Practice emergency routines for when temptation hits (pushups, flagpole, mantras, etc.)
Level 4 – The Irrational Conversation
Now you’re having a full-blown internal debate with Satan… and you’re losing. Every rational thought is now entangled with emotions, chemicals, and confusion. You still technically know your values, but you can’t feel them. It’s all gray.
Tools for Level 4:
- Physical Intervention: Do something with your body—run, scream truth, splash water, change your environment.
- Call Someone: You likely won’t win this alone. Call a mentor, sponsor, or another warrior.
- Pray Like a Warrior: This isn’t the time for fluffy prayers—plead for rescue and strength.
Level 5 – “Forget It”
This is when you stop resisting. You haven’t lost yet, but you intend to. You now plan on doing something you know is against your values, hoping it will bring relief. It feels like your values are gone, and all that matters is escape. It’s not about the behavior itself—it’s that you’ve lost the war between remembering and forgetting.
Levels 6-9 – Spiralling
You still haven’t acted out yet, but you plan to. This is the gap in time between the decision (Level 5) and action (Level 10). It might be seconds, or it could be hours, but loss is coming. It is possible to bounce back and win, but it almost always is the result of someone intervening.
Level 10 – Crash
You have done something contrary to your value system. Time to learn and move on.
Tools After a Loss:
- Q5 / Lost Battle Analysis: Learn what led you there.
- Mercy & Truth: Don’t stay in shame. God still loves you. Start over immediately.
- Rebuild Quickly: Focus on re-establishing Level 0. Rest, connect, and reset your goals.
Using the Scale to Win
The goal isn’t to never slip—but to recognize the shift and act early. Most people won’t win consistently at Levels 4 and 5. The real battle is fought (and won) between Levels 1–3. That’s why it’s essential to:
- Learn your patterns
- Set early alarms
- Practice returning to peace
- Involve God and others at every step
The Satanic Spin may push you through multiple laps before you drop a level. But if you interrupt the Spin—by shifting your mood, grounding yourself physically, or reaching out for connection—you can stop the chemical momentum and return to Level 0.
Final Thoughts
The Chemical Scale helps you understand what’s happening inside your brain and body before, during, and after temptation. It gives you language to name your battles and tools to win them. The more you study the Scale, the more you’ll recognize your early warning signs—and the easier it will be to return to peace before things spiral out of control.
There’s always a way back to Level 0.
Article written by Bryton Peterson, therapist intern, who works with the Men of Moroni and Sons of Helaman programs. If you are struggling, please contact Bryton directly for at 801-920-7025 or book directly on his calendar for a free consultation.
