Monday, February 23, 2015
The old way Vs. The new way
I have been reading through the old testament and I love this series by Andy Stanley: http://northpoint.org/messages/brand-new/
Saturday, July 26, 2014
West Branch Reservoir Camping July 2014
We saw a bald eagle in Northeastern Ohio while camping last weekend. It was seen flying through the swim zone at west branch state park in Ravenna, Ohio. I also should note that if anyone uses site 57 while there, to be prepared in the event of rain. The ground becomes very muddy and soaked where you step out from inside your camper. Suggestions would be to bring lots of straw, saw dust, tarps or other forms of barriers to help control for these conditions. We had a patio mat that became covered in mud/water.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Notes from the course "Calming An Overactive Brain" by Bill Kelley, Ph.D
I don't like to forget the good things I have learned. Below is a summary of the take home messages from this course I attended today:
Telling someone not to think about something will only make them think about that thing. For example, a picture of a white bear is shown and then the individual is told not to think about a white bear. Certain brain impulses "want to go" and trying not to think about it is hard.
The following video was shown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo&autoplay=1&app=desktop
Our brain has two major ways of processing information: Bottom up and Top Down.
Bottom up brain processing is mandatory. This type of processing must happen. Bottom up processing includes things like vision, vestibular, pain, temp, touch... any time the brain gets info from sensory stimuli, it has to work. "Is it moving or stationary?" "Is it hot or cold?"
Top down processing makes us more or less enthusiastic about what we are experiencing. It turns the volume up or down on certain stimuli. Attention is an example of top down processing. It includes our expectations of how things should be. Our ability to manage bottom up information comes from a strong top down processing system. (I have a feeling this is where sensory processing disorders arise). I also think motion sickness and Fibromyalgia may be related to a dysfunction with these systems.
We have multiple memory systems. Some systems help form and maintain habits. Others assist with conditioning. The hippocampus is very important for memory. It helps with daily memory Repetition is very helpful. The Amygdala carries emotional flavor to memories. The more senses involved, the more memorable. Emotional memory can be dissociated from actual memory.
Memories are often not accurate. The way questions are asked to children about what they remember can shape the memories of the children. Leading questions in a repetitive fashion can make a child believe something happened when it did not happen. Children are not capable of remembering events when they are infants because their memory hardware has not developed.
Emotional memories with multiple senses involved last longer than events with little emotion and a lack of sensory input.
The reward system motivates you. A reward is reinforcement. Reinforcement is not necessarily pleasurable (although it may be). Reinforcement increases the likelihood for a behavior to be repeated. Reinforcement of a behavior stimulates Dopamine. Dopamine is a "wanting Neurotransmitter." The release of Dopamine just states, "Do it again." It does not stimulate a pleasure response. Some people have higher reward activity for different stimulants. This is why some people may have an eating disorder and others may have an addiction to gambling or sex. Some may experience more reward activity when gossiping or causing conflict so they may purposefully gossip or create conflict to feed their reward system.
Dopamine drives the need to get something. The idea of something you like can stimulate Dopamine which will drive one to get the stimulus. Dopamine stimulates a craving response not a liking response. Online digital environments can stimulate a similar response as cocaine. This system is responsible for addiction. It is a bottom up processing system.
What can we do? Try to teach people to be better at self regulation. Try to teach people to want to self regulate. Increase social support- accountability/support groups. Decrease social support for the unwanted behavior.
Practical application: As a parent, my response to the undesirable behavior of my child may stimulate Dopamine in the child. If, for instance, I get frustrated and yell, that response may be sought purposefully my the child to stimulate their reward system. This will eventually turn into habitual bad behavior by the parent and child.
Behaviors that are repeated are quickly formed into habits by the habit forming part of the brain. Stress over exaggerates habitual and emotional responses and suppresses our ability to self regulate those types of responses. There is a constant battle between "just do it" and "stop" in our brains. Stress deactivates our control system and props up our habit system.
The Caudate is responsible for creating habits. A habit is an automatic response to improve well being. It is fast and efficient. It is learned and maintained by rewards. Can be a behavior, thought or emotional response. Habits can cause overactive behavior and an overactive brain. An example of an overactive habit would be a person with OCD. These individuals have behaviors turned into habits that should not be turned into habits.
The fear response occurs mostly through the Amygdala. Just looking at a frightened face stimulates the Amygdala. The Amygdala can be turned off by completing goal based tasks and thinking about tasks. Goal directed tasks turn off the Amygdala. Someone with a heighted fear response may do better if they are working toward accomplishing tasks and learning new things on a regular basis.
Learned helplessness is a double trap. Not only do you blame everything that is bad that happens on yourself, but you believe nothing will ever change and therefore, you may be more likely to miss the opportunity for change to take place.
One of the best ways to treat fear/anxiety is through guided exposure therapy and systematic desensitization.
Classic conditioning is when a something is pared with something else that causes a stimulus. Any reward will reinforce behavior. Habits are learned and maintained by rewards and reward circuits. A reward equals reinforcement.
The key to calming an overactive brain is to participate in activities that promote improvement in our ability to self regulate. Hypnosis works very well at improving our ability to self regulate. Learning to have proactive thoughts about behavior and that outcomes can be controlled help decrease fear. The following practices tend to calm an overactive brain: deep breathing, meditation, mind and body practices, acupuncture, massage therapy, movement therapies, Tai Chi, spinal manipulation, yoga and humor.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has shown some evidence to help decrease PTSD.
Physical exercise improves our brains ability to function more than mental exercises.
Telling someone not to think about something will only make them think about that thing. For example, a picture of a white bear is shown and then the individual is told not to think about a white bear. Certain brain impulses "want to go" and trying not to think about it is hard.
The following video was shown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo&autoplay=1&app=desktop
Our brain has two major ways of processing information: Bottom up and Top Down.
Bottom up brain processing is mandatory. This type of processing must happen. Bottom up processing includes things like vision, vestibular, pain, temp, touch... any time the brain gets info from sensory stimuli, it has to work. "Is it moving or stationary?" "Is it hot or cold?"
Top down processing makes us more or less enthusiastic about what we are experiencing. It turns the volume up or down on certain stimuli. Attention is an example of top down processing. It includes our expectations of how things should be. Our ability to manage bottom up information comes from a strong top down processing system. (I have a feeling this is where sensory processing disorders arise). I also think motion sickness and Fibromyalgia may be related to a dysfunction with these systems.
We have multiple memory systems. Some systems help form and maintain habits. Others assist with conditioning. The hippocampus is very important for memory. It helps with daily memory Repetition is very helpful. The Amygdala carries emotional flavor to memories. The more senses involved, the more memorable. Emotional memory can be dissociated from actual memory.
Memories are often not accurate. The way questions are asked to children about what they remember can shape the memories of the children. Leading questions in a repetitive fashion can make a child believe something happened when it did not happen. Children are not capable of remembering events when they are infants because their memory hardware has not developed.
Emotional memories with multiple senses involved last longer than events with little emotion and a lack of sensory input.
The reward system motivates you. A reward is reinforcement. Reinforcement is not necessarily pleasurable (although it may be). Reinforcement increases the likelihood for a behavior to be repeated. Reinforcement of a behavior stimulates Dopamine. Dopamine is a "wanting Neurotransmitter." The release of Dopamine just states, "Do it again." It does not stimulate a pleasure response. Some people have higher reward activity for different stimulants. This is why some people may have an eating disorder and others may have an addiction to gambling or sex. Some may experience more reward activity when gossiping or causing conflict so they may purposefully gossip or create conflict to feed their reward system.
Dopamine drives the need to get something. The idea of something you like can stimulate Dopamine which will drive one to get the stimulus. Dopamine stimulates a craving response not a liking response. Online digital environments can stimulate a similar response as cocaine. This system is responsible for addiction. It is a bottom up processing system.
What can we do? Try to teach people to be better at self regulation. Try to teach people to want to self regulate. Increase social support- accountability/support groups. Decrease social support for the unwanted behavior.
Practical application: As a parent, my response to the undesirable behavior of my child may stimulate Dopamine in the child. If, for instance, I get frustrated and yell, that response may be sought purposefully my the child to stimulate their reward system. This will eventually turn into habitual bad behavior by the parent and child.
Behaviors that are repeated are quickly formed into habits by the habit forming part of the brain. Stress over exaggerates habitual and emotional responses and suppresses our ability to self regulate those types of responses. There is a constant battle between "just do it" and "stop" in our brains. Stress deactivates our control system and props up our habit system.
The Caudate is responsible for creating habits. A habit is an automatic response to improve well being. It is fast and efficient. It is learned and maintained by rewards. Can be a behavior, thought or emotional response. Habits can cause overactive behavior and an overactive brain. An example of an overactive habit would be a person with OCD. These individuals have behaviors turned into habits that should not be turned into habits.
The fear response occurs mostly through the Amygdala. Just looking at a frightened face stimulates the Amygdala. The Amygdala can be turned off by completing goal based tasks and thinking about tasks. Goal directed tasks turn off the Amygdala. Someone with a heighted fear response may do better if they are working toward accomplishing tasks and learning new things on a regular basis.
Learned helplessness is a double trap. Not only do you blame everything that is bad that happens on yourself, but you believe nothing will ever change and therefore, you may be more likely to miss the opportunity for change to take place.
One of the best ways to treat fear/anxiety is through guided exposure therapy and systematic desensitization.
Classic conditioning is when a something is pared with something else that causes a stimulus. Any reward will reinforce behavior. Habits are learned and maintained by rewards and reward circuits. A reward equals reinforcement.
The key to calming an overactive brain is to participate in activities that promote improvement in our ability to self regulate. Hypnosis works very well at improving our ability to self regulate. Learning to have proactive thoughts about behavior and that outcomes can be controlled help decrease fear. The following practices tend to calm an overactive brain: deep breathing, meditation, mind and body practices, acupuncture, massage therapy, movement therapies, Tai Chi, spinal manipulation, yoga and humor.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has shown some evidence to help decrease PTSD.
Physical exercise improves our brains ability to function more than mental exercises.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
As now, so then
I am reading a book right now entitled Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. In this book, Kyle mentions the "as now, so then" principle. He states this is a principle of human behavior that explains why we should not put off tomorrow what we can do today. However we handle situations now will be how we handle them in the future. That is why putting something off leads to the "something" never getting done. He states, "the vast majority of the time, the decision you make today will be the decision you make tomorrow."
Thursday, February 13, 2014
"What's the wise thing to do when emotions are high and appetites are inflamed?" (Andy Stanley)
What does a wise person do when appetites and emotions are inflamed? Emotions and appetites influence our ability to make wise decisions.
Here is a great podcast by Andy Stanley on making wise decisions
http://northpoint.org/messages/ask-it/hold-my-hand/
Here is a great podcast by Andy Stanley on making wise decisions
http://northpoint.org/messages/ask-it/hold-my-hand/
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Stop thinking so much
and get something done! I have noticed that I am a thinker. Sometimes I overthink. In fact, the very fact that I am writing this may suggest I am overthinking over thinking. Ha! Ha!
I have sometimes wondered if the best psycho therapy would be to go to a far away land and serve on a mission field (people who need water, food, medicine, etc, and ultimately a relationship with Christ). If getting away is not possible, I have thought that unplugging (get off the internet and cell phone) and going to help someone build a house, plow a field, fix a roof, sweep the floor, bake a cake, mow a lawn, etc. may be the next best option for someone battling anxiety or depression. I have felt most fulfilled after mission trips, soup kitchens, and volunteer labor work. The focus was taken off my needs and put onto someone else's needs over an extended period of time. Anxiety is focus on problems. If we do something for someone else, the action allows us to get our minds off ourselves and anxiety decreases.
Here is a quote I found and liked out of Mansfield's Book of Manly Men: "Christian life is action: not a speculating, not a debating, but a doing. One thing, and one, in this world has eternity stamped upon it. Feelings pass; resolves and thoughts pass; opinions change. What you have done lasts- lasts in you. Through the ages, through eternity, what you have done for Christ- that, and only that, you are." Frederick W. Robertson
I have sometimes wondered if the best psycho therapy would be to go to a far away land and serve on a mission field (people who need water, food, medicine, etc, and ultimately a relationship with Christ). If getting away is not possible, I have thought that unplugging (get off the internet and cell phone) and going to help someone build a house, plow a field, fix a roof, sweep the floor, bake a cake, mow a lawn, etc. may be the next best option for someone battling anxiety or depression. I have felt most fulfilled after mission trips, soup kitchens, and volunteer labor work. The focus was taken off my needs and put onto someone else's needs over an extended period of time. Anxiety is focus on problems. If we do something for someone else, the action allows us to get our minds off ourselves and anxiety decreases.
Here is a quote I found and liked out of Mansfield's Book of Manly Men: "Christian life is action: not a speculating, not a debating, but a doing. One thing, and one, in this world has eternity stamped upon it. Feelings pass; resolves and thoughts pass; opinions change. What you have done lasts- lasts in you. Through the ages, through eternity, what you have done for Christ- that, and only that, you are." Frederick W. Robertson
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
"I want you to have
what I never had." These were common words I would hear from my father while growing up. His father (my Grandpa Beltz) was in WWII and came back a changed man. For debatable reasons, he was not able to be around to care for his kids. Dad was one of nine children. My grandma would work as a teacher and was not able be home to raise her kids. That left the nine kids at home to raise one another.
Dad was the Dad to me that he never had. He was there with me to go fishing, boating, hunting and camping. He was my baseball, football and wrestling coach from third grade until he was not permitted to coach anymore...and then he was present at all of my events. We would drive to Youngstown several times a week to play Class B baseball my senior year. He fixed my three wheeler, four wheeler and my bicycle without complaining. He taught me how to be a good businessman and how to be a wise steward with finances. I would go on the gas truck with him any chance I got and would visit customer's homes and that is when he taught me "one man's dream is another man's nightmare."
Dad gave me what he never had. I often wondered why? He could have resorted to a drunken lifestyle. He could have chosen not to work. After all, he didn't graduate from high school. He married my mother when she was 16 years of age. Yet, he fought the curses that come along with alcoholism and helped me become who I am today. As I walked away from his grave site three and a half years ago holding my son, I promised we would carry the torch and pass it on to future generations.
How did we become who we are? A few quick thoughts are because of God's grace, a strong mother, sister, support system at our church (Beechwood Christian Church in Alliance, Ohio) and something else. In Mansfield's Book of Manly Men, Stephen Mansfield states that Winston Churchill did not have a very supportive father. He gives examples of abusive language and absence in Churchill's life. He shares the following quote by Churchill: "Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong; and a boy deprived of a father's care often develops, if he escapes the perils of youth, and independence and vigour of thought which may restore in after life the heavy loss of early days." "Famous men are usually the product of a unhappy childhood. The stern compression of circumstances, the twinges of adversity, the spur of slights and taunts in early years, are needed to evoke that ruthless fixity of purpose and tenacious mother wit without which great actions are seldom accomplished."
Looking back, Dad was not only driven by his love for our family and God, but he was driven by the strong desire to be the Dad he never had. I believe the desire to make it better for the next generation is crucial to the success of our family. The desire to pass on more than what we had will be a fuel to build self discipline and to have hope for the future. The desire to give to others more than we were given is a desire to love others.
Dad was the Dad to me that he never had. He was there with me to go fishing, boating, hunting and camping. He was my baseball, football and wrestling coach from third grade until he was not permitted to coach anymore...and then he was present at all of my events. We would drive to Youngstown several times a week to play Class B baseball my senior year. He fixed my three wheeler, four wheeler and my bicycle without complaining. He taught me how to be a good businessman and how to be a wise steward with finances. I would go on the gas truck with him any chance I got and would visit customer's homes and that is when he taught me "one man's dream is another man's nightmare."
Dad gave me what he never had. I often wondered why? He could have resorted to a drunken lifestyle. He could have chosen not to work. After all, he didn't graduate from high school. He married my mother when she was 16 years of age. Yet, he fought the curses that come along with alcoholism and helped me become who I am today. As I walked away from his grave site three and a half years ago holding my son, I promised we would carry the torch and pass it on to future generations.
How did we become who we are? A few quick thoughts are because of God's grace, a strong mother, sister, support system at our church (Beechwood Christian Church in Alliance, Ohio) and something else. In Mansfield's Book of Manly Men, Stephen Mansfield states that Winston Churchill did not have a very supportive father. He gives examples of abusive language and absence in Churchill's life. He shares the following quote by Churchill: "Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong; and a boy deprived of a father's care often develops, if he escapes the perils of youth, and independence and vigour of thought which may restore in after life the heavy loss of early days." "Famous men are usually the product of a unhappy childhood. The stern compression of circumstances, the twinges of adversity, the spur of slights and taunts in early years, are needed to evoke that ruthless fixity of purpose and tenacious mother wit without which great actions are seldom accomplished."
Looking back, Dad was not only driven by his love for our family and God, but he was driven by the strong desire to be the Dad he never had. I believe the desire to make it better for the next generation is crucial to the success of our family. The desire to pass on more than what we had will be a fuel to build self discipline and to have hope for the future. The desire to give to others more than we were given is a desire to love others.
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