Reclaim Your Brain

1. Reclaim Your Brain by Balancing Mind and Brain

In order to reclaim your brain—and to best understand the self, the individual, the person, the soul—we need to look at both psychology and biology, mind and brain.

Mind and brain connection. To truly reclaim your brain, it's essential to understand the interplay between your psychological experiences and the physical functions of your brain. This involves recognizing that mental health issues often have biological roots and that managing your mind can directly impact your brain's structure and function.

• The prefrontal cortex (PFC) acts as the brain's "CEO," managing attention, concentration, and impulse control.
• The limbic system, including the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), is the seat of emotions and can become overactive, leading to anxiety, stuckness, and negativity.

Balancing the brain. The key is to achieve a balance between the PFC and the limbic system. When the PFC is strong, it can regulate the limbic system, promoting emotional stability and clear thinking. Conversely, an overactive limbic system can overwhelm the PFC, leading to a "busy brain" characterized by racing thoughts and emotional dysregulation.

Neuroplasticity. The brain is not fixed but constantly changing in response to experiences. This neuroplasticity allows you to rewire your brain through targeted interventions, such as managing negativity, practicing mindfulness, and rewriting negative stories. By actively engaging in these practices, you can strengthen your PFC and regain control over your busy brain.

2. Conquer Negativity by Detaching and Refocusing

Negativity is the default position of the human psyche, part of the brain’s survival system, which is why it’s so hard to eradicate.

Hardwired for negativity. The brain is naturally inclined towards negativity due to evolutionary survival mechanisms. The right hemisphere, which develops earlier, is more attuned to negative emotions, while the left hemisphere, associated with positive emotions, matures later. This inherent bias makes it challenging to overcome negative thinking patterns.

Strategies to manage negativity:

• Distance and Detach: Recognize that your thoughts are not facts and observe them without judgment.
• Distract Yourself: Engage in productive or enjoyable activities to shift your focus.
• Practice Gratitude: Cultivate an attitude of gratitude by listing things you appreciate.
• Shun the Shower of Shoulds: Identify and challenge the "shoulds" that create internal pressure.

Breaking the cycle. By consciously employing these techniques, you can interrupt the negative feedback loops that fuel a busy brain. This allows you to create space for more positive and balanced thoughts, ultimately improving your overall well-being.

3. Rewrite Your Stories to Reframe Your Self-Perception

Trying to know oneself is like being in a fun house full of mirrors! Which makes sense. A perfect, static model of the self is overly ambitious.

Stories shape reality. The stories we tell ourselves about our lives and experiences significantly influence our self-perception and behavior. Negative or inaccurate stories can create self-limiting beliefs and perpetuate cycles of unhappiness.

Rewriting for change:

• Write It Down: Freeze your thoughts on paper to analyze them objectively.
• True or False?: Question the validity of your stories and challenge their accuracy.
• Time Traveling: Identify whether you're stuck in the past or projecting into the future, and bring yourself back to the present.
• Judgment: Assess whether you're judging yourself or others in your story.
• Whose Business?: Determine whose affairs you're concerned with and focus on what you can control.
• Accounting: Analyze the pros and cons of believing your story.
• Opposites: Consider whether the opposite of your story might be true.

Self-reflection. By engaging in self-reflection and challenging your negative narratives, you can rewrite your stories to be more accurate, compassionate, and empowering. This process strengthens your PFC and allows you to create a more positive and fulfilling life.

4. Cultivate Mindfulness to Calm Your Busy Brain

Mindfulness stops you from living life on automatic pilot. You live with more conscious attention; you’re more aware of the mind itself.

Mindfulness defined. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention nonjudgmentally to the present moment. It involves observing your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without getting carried away by them. This cultivates awareness and helps you break free from automatic patterns of thinking and reacting.

Benefits of mindfulness:

• Improved emotional regulation
• Reduced negativity
• Enhanced relationships
• Increased intuition and insight
• Modulated fear response

Mindful living. By incorporating mindfulness into your daily life, you can reduce stress, improve focus, and cultivate a greater sense of inner peace. This involves slowing down, finding quiet, and paying attention to the present moment.

Mindfulness techniques:

• Observation: Pay purposeful attention to the unfolding of experience.
• The Power of How: Focus on the process rather than the goal.
• Finding Quiet: Seek out moments of silence and stillness.
• Slowing Down: Perform actions with deliberate slowness.
• Breathing: Monitor your breath and take slow, calming breaths.
• Mindfulness Meditation: Practice concentrated focus on a sound, object, or breath.

5. Right Your Relationships by Identifying Roles and Patterns

Good relationships can make us feel valued, needed, and accepted. A sense of belonging to a community or group increases our well-being, diminishes anxiety, and even boosts our immunity.

Relationships matter. Healthy relationships are essential for well-being, providing support, connection, and a sense of belonging. Conversely, unhealthy relationships can contribute to stress, anxiety, and a busy brain.

Horizontal vs. vertical relationships:

• Horizontal: Equal, cooperative, and honest relationships that foster growth.
• Vertical: Hierarchical, adversarial, and competitive relationships with power imbalances.

Recognizing unhealthy patterns. Identifying the roles you and others play in your relationships is crucial for breaking free from destructive patterns. This involves assessing whether you're in a horizontal or vertical dynamic and taking steps to create more balanced and equitable connections.

Strategies for improving relationships:

• Relationship Assessment: Recognize and understand the kinds of relationships you have.
• Identify and assert your values.
• Seek sounding boards.
• Seek professional help, if needed.

6. Address ADHD by Optimizing Stimulation and Self-Regulation

A busy brain is almost always a negative one.

ADHD and brain activity. ADHD is characterized by an imbalance in brain activity, often involving low stimulation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and an overactive limbic system. This can lead to difficulties with focus, attention, and impulse control.

Understimulation and overstimulation:

• Some individuals with ADHD experience understimulation and seek out novelty and excitement to activate their PFC.
• Others are easily overstimulated and become overwhelmed by sensory input.

Strategies for managing ADHD:

• Diet: Follow a gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free diet with no food additives.
• Exercise: Engage in daily intense aerobic exercise.
• Sleep: Prioritize good sleep hygiene.
• ADHD Coaching: Seek professional guidance for organizational and self-regulation skills.

Medication and supplements. Medication can help rebalance brain activity, while supplements like fish oil and L-tyrosine may provide additional support. The key is to find the right combination of interventions to optimize stimulation and self-regulation.

7. Manage Anxiety Through Heart Coherence and Relaxation

The heart has more than forty thousand neurons that sense, process information, regulate body physiology, and even remember—the equivalent of almost a little brain of its own, which can function more or less independently of the much larger brain in our head.

Anxiety and the brain. Anxiety is often associated with excessive activity in the basal ganglia, amygdala, and other limbic areas. This overarousal can lead to a busy brain characterized by worry, fear, and panic attacks.

Heart coherence. The heart plays a key role in regulating emotional experience. By practicing heart-focused breathing and cultivating positive emotions, you can increase heart rate variability (HRV) and promote a more coherent and balanced nervous system.

Techniques for managing anxiety:

• Heart-Focused Breathing: Practice slow, deep breathing while focusing on positive emotions.
• Butterfly Hug: Cross your arms and tap your shoulders to create a sense of safety.
• Calming Nutritional Supplements: Try magnesium, L-theanine, or GABA.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Challenge negative thought patterns.

Lifestyle changes. In addition to these techniques, it's important to prioritize sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet to reduce overall stress and anxiety levels.

8. Heal Depression by Addressing Thalamic Overactivity and Attachment

Our heart beats, but we are not our heartbeat. Our brain thinks, but we are not our thoughts.

Depression and the brain. Depression is often linked to overactivity in the thalamus, a key component of the limbic system. This overactivity can disrupt mood regulation and contribute to feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest.

Attachment and depression. Early attachment difficulties can also play a role in depression. A lack of consistent nurturing and support can lead to an overactive thalamus and a weakened PFC, making it difficult to regulate emotions.

Strategies for healing depression:

• Address Thalamic Overactivity: Use medication, supplements, or lifestyle changes to calm the thalamus.
• Rewrite Your Stories: Challenge negative self-perceptions and create more positive narratives.
• Practice Mindfulness: Cultivate awareness and acceptance of your thoughts and feelings.
• Improve Relationships: Seek out supportive connections and address relationship issues.

Circadian rhythms. Regularize your sleep schedule, expose yourself to natural light, and engage in regular exercise to support healthy mood regulation.

9. Overcome Stuckness by Interrupting Error-Detection Loops

You are not just your brain, you are not just your thoughts.

Stuckness and the brain. Stuckness, characterized by repetitive thoughts and difficulty shifting mental gears, is often associated with overactivity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and caudate nucleus. These brain areas are involved in error detection and can become overactive, leading to obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

Techniques to interrupt error-detection loops:

• Mindfulness Approach: Mentally separate yourself from the stuckness.
• Pencil In a Stuck Appointment: Schedule specific times to ruminate.
• Diversion: Engage in activities that distract you from your thoughts.
• Laugh at Your Stuckness: Find humor in your obsessions.
• "Stop" Technique: Mentally yell "Stop" to interrupt the thought pattern.
• Rubber Band Technique: Snap a rubber band on your wrist to redirect your attention.
• Head Shake: Shake your head to physically dislodge the thoughts.

Underlying issues. In some cases, stuckness may be related to underlying issues such as trauma or anxiety. Addressing these issues through therapy or medication can help reduce the intensity of the error-detection loops.

10. Heal Brain Injury and Medical Problems for Mental Wellness

Many are quick to believe that their too-busy brains result from today’s rapid-fire media culture, digital technology, and modern-world megadistractions.

Brain injury and mental health. Physical brain injuries, often overlooked, can significantly impact mental health. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to personality changes, anger dysregulation, substance abuse, and other psychiatric symptoms.

Unusual suspects:

• Lyme disease and co-infections
• Irlen syndrome
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Heavy metal toxicity
• Carbon monoxide poisoning

Holistic assessment. A comprehensive assessment, including brain imaging (SPECT), blood tests, and a thorough medical history, is crucial for identifying underlying medical problems that may be contributing to mental health symptoms.

Targeted treatment. Addressing the underlying medical problems, such as treating Lyme disease or correcting thyroid dysfunction, can significantly improve mental health symptoms and overall well-being.

11. Transcend Limitations Through Spirituality and Purpose

The brain is a key part of who we are, yes. But we find that the real us is beyond our thoughts.

Beyond the physical. While managing your mind and balancing your brain are essential for reclaiming your life, it's also important to cultivate a sense of spirituality and purpose. This involves connecting with something greater than yourself and finding meaning in your experiences.

Spiritual practices:

• Prayer
• Meditation
• Time in nature
• Connection with like-minded people
• Helping others

Finding purpose. Identifying your values and aligning your actions with your beliefs can provide a sense of direction and fulfillment. This may involve pursuing a passion, advocating for a cause, or nurturing meaningful relationships.

Transcendence. By cultivating spirituality and purpose, you can transcend the limitations of your mind and brain and live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. This involves finding harmony within yourself and others, embracing acceptance, and contributing to something greater than yourself.

Last updated: February 19, 2025