North Stars and Space Lisa B. Zaoutis, MD, FAAP, FHM
Changing our Minds a rebalancing act Lisa B. Zaoutis, MD, FAAP, FHM
Disclosure None Nada Nil Zippo Zilch Bupkis
Misfit?
PHM Bright future People Misfit?
How our brains were designed Overview What s not so helpful about that How changing our minds can change our brains
3.5 Billion 650 Million 600 Million 200 Million 60 Million 200,000 Cell Multi-Cell Nervous System Mammal Primate Homo sapiens Evolutionary pressure: SURVIVAL Individual: keeping oneself alive Species: reproduction
Priorities for the individual in a hostile world: 1. Sustenance Survival Brain 2. Safety 3. Comfort and pleasure Pleasure seeking < < SURVIVAL
Survival Brain
Priorities for the individual in a more hospitable environment: 1. Sustenance Survival Brain 2. Safety 3. Comfort and pleasure
200,000 Years Ago FOOD Scarce Plentiful Today Survival Brain Much effort Less tasty Easy to get Engineered for addiction Limited variety Ridiculous variety
200,000 Years Ago FOOD Scarce Plentiful Today Survival Brain Much effort Less tasty Easy to get Engineered for addiction Limited variety Ridiculous variety
200,000 Years Ago FOOD Scarce Plentiful Today Survival Brain Much effort Less tasty Easy to get Engineered for addiction Limited variety Ridiculous variety
200,000 Years Ago FOOD Scarce Plentiful Today Survival Brain Much effort Less tasty Easy to get Engineered for addiction Limited variety Ridiculous variety Obesity Epidemic
Survival Brain Groomed and well suited for a less hospitable environment Survival Brain Downsides for when things are going relatively well. Bad habits? Bad wiring?
Survival Brain Evolutionary Negativity Bias
Survival Brain Teflon Velcro
Survival Brain
Survival Brain
How Our Brains Work Example Evolutionary Negativity Bias Attention is biased toward negative Streamlined processing for negative stimuli If it bleeds, it leads Epistaxis ABCs, forget the lashes Negative experiences form memories more quickly How was your day?
Evolutionary Negativity Bias
How Our Brains Work Example Attention is biased toward negative If it bleeds, it leads. Evolutionary Negativity Bias Streamlined processing for negative stimuli ABCs, forget the lashes Negative experiences form memories more quickly How was your day?
Evolutionary Negativity Bias
How Our Brains Work Example Evolutionary Negativity Bias Attention is biased toward negative Streamlined processing for negative stimuli If it bleeds, it leads. ABCs, forget the lashes Negative experiences form memories more quickly and easily How was your day?
Our Basic Wiring
Neo-cortex (new) Limbic System (old)
Amygdala: 1. Rapid response 2. Enhances our physical reaction 3. Enhances learning
Amygdala sends fast message to sympathetic nervous system Symp Centers Increased HR, BP, etc.
Calls for release of epi, cortisol, norepi and hypothalamus Symp Centers Increased HR, BP, etc.
Fast... not discriminating
Prefrontal Cortex Neo-Cortex Input
Prefrontal Cortex Neo-Cortex Input The Amygdala Hijack Chronic stress: Lowers threshold Augments the response Speeds the process Further limits cortical input
Neuroplasticity and Self-Awareness
Neural Darwinism: survival of the busiest Increased neural activity causes: Neuroplasticity Epigenetic intracellular changes Synapses become more sensitive New synapses grow... and some new cells! Blood flow adjusts to meet increased demand
Experience-Dependent Neuroplasticity Neurons that fire together, wire together. Neuroplasticity Create deeper grooves Patterns, Habits: Adaptive or maladaptive?
Experience-Dependent Neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity London taxi drivers: thicker white matter in hippocampus Mindfulness meditators: thicker gray matter in regions that control attention, self-insight, empathy. Externally Applied Internally Applied
Self-Directed Neuroplasticity Sometimes you can t change what befalls you Neuroplasticity You can influence where you direct your attention You can reshape your brain for the better If you don t, other forces will External: work, demanding people Internal: harsh expectations or judgments, past trauma
Self-Directed Neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity Self-Awareness
Rewiring 101 A Skeptics View
Rewiring 101
Rewiring 101 Science Touchy Feely
How do you shape your brain for greater joy? Rewiring 101 Consciously choose activities that counter our evolutionary negativity bias. Deliberate internalization of positive experiences into memory
How: 1. Have a positive experience activates Rewiring 101 2. Enrich it 3. Absorb it installs
Rewiring 101 1. Have a positive experience Create one Do Retrieve Notice one Foreground Background activates
2. Enrich it Rewiring 101 Duration: 15-30 seconds applied attention Stay with this
Rewiring 101 How: 1. Have a positive experience 2. Enrich it 3. Absorb it activates installs
3. Absorb it Rewiring 101 Intend: Somatisize:
Rewiring 101 See one. Do one. Teach one.
Rewiring 101 How: 1. Have a positive experience 2. Enrich it 3. Absorb it activates installs
Changing our Minds a rebalancing act
How our brains were designed: with an evolutionary negative bias Overview What s not so helpful about that: missing out on many of the joys in PHM How changing our minds can change our brains Neuroplasticity and self-awareness is a powerful combination for change
Your skepticism is encouraged Motherly Advice Start with observing yourself See if any of this rings true for you (or someone you care about) If you try any of this, start small.
Closing: Wise Words Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny. -- Mahatma Gandhi
Credits & Bibliography https://www.tarabrach.com/