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.
