If you would like to submit a question or make a comment, please email Dr. Taylor at thebrain@arlenetaylor.org.
Yes, some people do, and it can make huge and positive differences in their lives. As a brain-function educator, I find that very rewarding, even exciting! It so happens that I just received an e-mail from a woman who did apply practically what she had learned and this is what she shared:
You recently did a series of presentations at an Elderhostel event at the St. Helena Center for Health that I attended and enjoyed very much. On my journey back to Alaska I had an opportunity to practice some of the techniques that you introduced to the group.
On Thursday I arrived at the Oakland airport around 1:00 p.m. for a 2:30 p.m. flight and discovered that my flight had been cancelled. My reservations now indicated that I was to leave Oakland at 9:00 p.m. with no connections in Seattle. That clearly was not going to work for me. After some searching, the reservation agent found a flight leaving San Jose at 2:15 p.m. with a connecting flight in Seattle.
The shuttle van picked me up and I asked the driver if he could get me to San Jose in time for a 2:15 flight. He said that he would try. So I thought of what I had learned from your presentations: I put on my seatbelt, took a deep breath, got out my Sudoku puzzles and started to work on them. The driver looked at me and in an astonished voice asked, “Why I are you so calm? Most of my passengers would be highly agitated and/or yelling at this point in their travels!”
I explained to him about the 20:80 rule, outlined some of the stress management techniques I had learned, described how cortisol has a deleterious effect on one’s brain and body and thanked him for doing the best he could to get me to the San Jose airport on time. I could not ask for more.
We actually had a very interesting conversation all the way to the airport, and I learned a lot about business enterprises that were previously unknown to me. And I made my flight in San Jose with time to spare. Thank you for your insights and for sharing such applicable information.
P.S. If you want more information on the 20:80 Rule, refer to the May-Jun 2007 Brain Bulletin.
I am proud of you for looking at your life and identifyiing ACEs. That is the first step. Remember, it is not about blame, it is about figuring out what happened to you, what you have experienced, and how that is impacting your behaviors and choices now. You might want to explore information about that CDC-Kaiser study (https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/about.html). You also may want to look for a good counselor who understands what this study has revealed and can help you with some practical recovery strategies. Sooner is better than later.
Anxiety is a form of fear, the emotion that arises when you feel unsafe. Fear of the unknown is a common trigger for anxiety. If you frequently feel unsafe due to real or imagined danger, and begin to worry about it (worry being anxiety’s twin), eventually you may begin to feel hopeless because worry and anxiety never solve anything. They do stress the brain, can suppress immune system function, lead to depression, and so on.
Stress can make the blood-brain barrier (BBB)—the selective anatomical and physiological barrier designed to protect the brain from large molecules—more permeable to substances not intended to reach the brain. Such a breakdown could permit the passage of substances into brain tissue that normally are kept out. For example, diseases such as Alzheimer’s are believed to render the BBB more permeable. Recent studies indicate stress can do so, too.
Research with mice showed that tiny doses of a large molecule (AChE), previously not thought to be capable of penetrating the BBB, breached this barrier when the mice were stressed by being forced to swim (an accepted protocol).
The potential implications of this are mind-boggling. Effective stress-management techniques may take on a new complexion. According to Al Komaroff in Journal Watch (January 15, 1997), it is plausible that the stress of being in a war zone may have allowed some toxic molecules (and small viral agents) to reach the brains of combatants, conceivably contributing to the symptoms of the Gulf War syndrome.
Here are a few things to consider. Anxiety is a form of fear that tends to trigger the stress response, suppress immune system function, and “downshift” the brain. Brains that are anxious tend to exhibit characteristics that may include:
I consider contemplative meditation to be a stress reducer and an aspect of spirituality. It involves calmly and quietly pondering a specific idea or concept as compared with concentrating on a specific sound, word, or mantra. It may include Directed, Mindful, Quieting, Stress-reducing meditation forms, as well as some types of prayer. Avoid getting hung up on any “rules” or “shoulds” about your style of contemplative meditation. I can tell you how I do it.
What you are describing is dangerous behavior. The examples you gave are way beyond a child pushing boundaries. They are intimidating behavior. They are way past defiance. They show lack of respect for both of you with no concern about consequences. They are above simply being angry about a parent’s death. They are showing a pattern of escalating abusive behavior against a parent and grandparent.
If unchecked, such behaviors can escalate into severe injury if not death for you or your daughter. There is also a risk that this type of behavior could generalize to the boy’s future relationships with a teacher, girlfriend, spouse, his own children, or others. You are not doing him, yourself, or anyone else a favor by allowing him to engage in this behavior without meaningful consequences.
No mother or grandmother wants to believe their child wants to be abusive. Your emotions can even make you question if things are really as bad as you think they might be. If you have not already done so, you might ask a physician to examine him carefully. Perhaps he has a brain tumor or some other physical condition that is underlying these behaviors.
As one child social worker put it, “Aggressive and abusive behavior is not a part of typical childhood or adolescence. It’s not a stage that your teen will “grow out of” if you ignore it. If you’re dealing with parental abuse in your home, your child is violating the rights of others. It doesn’t matter that it’s his parent’s rights; that doesn’t make it any less serious or illegal… The truth is, there can be several underlying factors contributing to parental abuse including poor boundaries, substance abuse (by either a parent or child), poor coping skills, underlying psychological conditions (such as ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder) and learned behavior. Some kids behave violently due to poor coping skills. Others are more deliberate and enjoy the power that comes from intimidating a parent… Parental abuse is a form of domestic violence.”
My brain’s opinion is that this type of behavior is a serious issue and needs immediate intervention. Here are a couple of resources that might be helpful as you review options (copy full URL and paste into your browser):
Parental Abuse: What to Do When Your Child or Teen Hits You
How to Talk to the Police When Your Child is Physically Abusive
I have one of my colleagues to thank for providing me with the quote you may be wanting. I am happy to hear that your family is making lemonade from lemons during this pandemic. When something like this happens there are only a couple of choices: chomp at the bit, so to speak, and get upset and irritable and “think about filing for divorce,” as was mentioned recently on one of the national news shows. Or choose to accept what is outside your control and take positive steps to embrace healthy strategies that are within your control. Sometimes all you can do is to change the way you think—because that does change the way you feel.
About Martin Luther. I might preface this with noting that it is imperative that people follow the national guidelines that are being provided—something that Martin Luther did not have. Nearly 500 years later, the world does have the advantage of not only additional research but of protective strategies.
During my master’s degree in Epidemiology and Health Education, we studied the history of some epidemics. One of them included mention of reformer Martin Luther. In 1527, so the story goes, Luther was faced with a deadly outbreak of bubonic plague in his small town of Wittenberg, Germany. A fellow pastor asked for his advice on how to handle the situation. Reportedly, this is what Martin Luther wrote:
“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others, and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me, and I have done what has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this as a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor fool-hardy and does not tempt God.” [Luther’s Works Volume 43, page 132. The letter, “Whether one may flee from a Deadly Plague,” written to the Rev. Dr. John Hess.]
First, each brain is unique. Therefore, each person’s opinion comes out of that brain and may have little if any relevance to your brain’s reality.
The saying your opinion is none of my business doesn’t imply a lack of caring. Rather a taking care that another brain’s negativity impacts my brain as little as possible.
You do choose how you will respond to criticism, especially unsolicited criticism. A quote by Viktor Frankl speaks to this:
Everything can be taken from us but one thing—the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance.
Second, recognize that criticism is often a defense mechanism used by individuals who struggle with self-esteem issues. After all, if they would never do what you did (assumption being they disagree with what you said or did), then they must be better than you are or at least do things more perfectly. This perception gives them a temporary, though specious, boost to their self-worth. It’s a dysfunctional strategy, however. In order to maintain their tenuous grasp on self-worth, they must continually find fault with others.
When you receive unsolicited negative comments, try scanning them mentally to ascertain if there is anything you can glean from them. If so, good. If not, metaphorically blow the comment away, much as you would blow a rose pedal from your outstretched palm. This is one example of implementing the 20:80 Rule: 20% of the negative effect to your brain and body is due to the event; 80% is due to your response to the event and the weight you give it.
I truly regret that your partner died and that you are now living alone. However, the behavior you are describing is no credit to your “beloved partner.” Do you think your “beloved partner” would like the way you are behaving? Would that appear as a positive way in which to remember? Death hurts. Period. That is the reason a grief recovery process is required so you can return to a state of feeling better. Do something. See a counselor. Access the mini-monograph on my website:
https://arlenetaylor.org/images/files/PDF/MiniMonographs/191014-LossGriefRecovery-Mini-Monograph.pdf
Why you? Why not you? This has happened and is happening to many others. That does not make it desirable, but you are not alone in experiencing this. Ask yourself, is the way in which you are choosing to behave be a credit to the person you love? Although your “beloved partner” is not here with you in tangible presence, you carry the memories within your very cells.
Grieve, yes. Heal, definitely. Recover and live a life your partner would be proud to see you living—not one that would be an embarrassment for the years you spent together. In my brain’s opinion, that is how you memorialize the memory of a person you love. You may be able to help many through the example of your life of healthy grieving and healthy recovery. What a great legacy!
Many people misunderstand “meditation” and think they should or shouldn’t engage in it. Emily Fletcher, who lectures on meditation at Harvard University, has tried to make this simple by dividing meditation into two general types or branches:
Desirable meditation is what one individual decides is good for him or her, and that’s an individual journey. For the average person in today’s world, the point is to allow meditation to help you de-stress and to get good at living life—not to get good at trying to make your mind stop thinking. The mind thinks involuntarily, just like the heart beats involuntarily. You cannot tell your heart to stop beating or your mind to stop thinking. Biofeedback has shown that you can learn to slow your heart rate, however, and stop it racing. In a similar way you can learn to choose the thoughts you want to hang onto, select the thought(s) you want to ponder during contemplative meditation, and stop your mind from racing.
The behaviors you described sound like behaviors exhibited by a brain that has some type of mental disorder. Individuals may stop growing emotionally when they have a traumatic event—losing your father and your mother at the age of two can be very stressful for a child. If you mother is willing to go to a good counselor and deal with her childhood and the way in which they have impacted her adulthood behaviors, she could likely grow up emotionally and develop healthier and more functional behaviors, but she must want to do this and be willing to put in the work. Borderline Personality Disorder, for example, is an example of a mental disorder (among others) that can develop when a child feels abandoned early in life. It is said to be one of the most difficulty mental behavioral dysfunctions to correct and can be dealt with successfully only if the individual is willing to get help and work on growing up emotionally, and developing, implementing, and maintaining more functional behaviors.
Remember the 20:80 Rule. Approximately 20 percent of any negative impact to your brain and body from a stressful situation is due to the event; 80 percent is due to the weight you give to the situation or event and your thoughts about it. Your mother may believe that her behaviors are acceptable and that it’s all the other people who have the problems. If that is the case, you can just love her and set your own personal boundaries to protect yourself from her dysfunctional behaviors. It may be necessary to get Meals on Wheels and a volunteer or paid person to take her to appointments. Take care of yourself. Sometimes the caregiver dies before the patient.
A brain phenomenon known as downshifting may help to explain what might be happening in your case. Think of your brain as having several interconnecting layers. Each is known for distinct functions, though all functional systems constantly interact. You can compare your brain layers to gears in a vehicle.
When you are driving a vehicle and the going gets tough, the automatic transmission shifts to a lower gear to help you get through. A similar situation can occur in the brain. This helps to explain why children who experience chronic or severe short-term stress can regress (downshift) and begin to exhibit survival behaviors. This brain phenomenon is not limited to children. It can happen to humans of any age.
In situations of trauma, or crisis (e.g., death of a family member, severe illness, hospitalization, too much adapting), or in the presence of any type of fear—all forms of stress—the brain tends to downshift automatically to access responses it perceives to be safer and/or that will promote safety.
When in a downshifted state, you are more likely to exhibit defensive, reactive, or deeply ingrained behaviors. For example:
Downshifting is a mixed-metaphor term that addresses a natural brain phenomenon. Some writers actually use that word (e.g., Leslie Hart, Marie Barron, Joseph Chilton Pearce), while Robert Sylwester prefers the terms reflective versus reflexive. I like the word downshifting, as it is an easy way to help you wrap your hands around the concept.
Briefly, the brain can be described in terms of three functional layers that, in turn, can be compared to gears in a vehicle. When you are driving a vehicle and the going gets tough, the automatic transmission shifts to a lower gear to help you get through. A similar situation can occur in the brain. In situations of trauma, crisis, or in the presence of any type of fear, the brain tends to downshift automatically as it attempts to access resources that promote personal safety or that are perceived to be safer. This natural phenomenon results in an automatic shift of attention and energy away from the thinking-brain layer toward the lower brain layers, and it can do so outside of conscious awareness. The emotional-brain layer (2nd gear) responds to signals of danger from both the action-brain layer (1st gear) and the thinking-brain layer (3rd gear). Signals of danger that might be perceived from the thinking-brain layer include evaluation, criticism, and anxieties created in one’s own imagination.
When an individual is feeling insecure, anxious, undecided, and tense, the focus of attention can become divided among the three brain layers. Each brain layer has its own agenda, in effect. Thus the person may think one thing, feel another, and act from impulses that are completely different from either of the other two.
Even a good thing taken to the extreme can become deleterious. For example, you would not want your attention and energy focused primarily toward the lower brain layers for prolonged periods of time. The good news? Your brain is so complex and capable that you can think about and implement preplanned strategies to help increase conscious awareness and high-level thinking—even when your brain is temporarily in a downshifted state.
This is a great question and a few years ago there might not have been any answers. First, stress is simply living. Every time you ask your brain and body to do something different and new—that’s stress. When your brain and body can no longer respond to requests for change there is no stress because—you’re history. Studies suggest that humans can experience stress during gestation. Naturally the type of stress will depend on what the mother is experiencing in either her internal or external environment: Positive Eustress, Negative Distress, or Hidden Misstress.
Experiencing high levels of negative stress during pregnancy or during the first few years of life can result in the development of reactive patterns that can alter the way the brain and body respond to what the child perceives as a stressor. It can also change the way in which the brain is templated, and the child may become hyper-reactive to whatever he or she perceives as a stressful situation for years on into adulthood.
According to Dr. Al Seibert, no stress exists in any situation unless an individual human brain perceives something as a stressor and experiences strain. The stress is less the result of what occurs or exists objectively and far more because of the way in which the brain perceives what is happening. This means that stress is as unique as both your fingerprints and your brain. Its subjectivity is reminiscent of an old proverb: One person’s pleasure is another person’s pain.
Fortunately, research has shown that the world is round. That has always been of great comfort to me, so I never feel as if I’m about “to fall off the edge.” Having said that, if you are talking about a sense of overwhelm or acute anxiety, most people have experienced that at least once in a lifetime. My response is to ask myself if I am in actual, valid danger at that moment. If I am, my next question is whether there is anything I can do about the situation. If yes, I take action. If no, I implement the Serenity Prayer and keep on brainstorming.
When there is no actual danger and the overwhelm or anxiety is due to unrealistic expectations (my own and/or those of others) or imagined fears (often learned in childhood), I ask myself several questions, take action based on my answers, and change the way I am thinking. Sample questions include:
If your answers to those questions do not suffice, it may be helpful to consult with your physician or counselor. There are times when medications are needed to help a person get back on track and to assist with balancing his/her brain chemicals.
Fatigue can be related to any number of factors. Any chance you have been caught in the SuperPerson Syndrome? (Refer to Brain References—SuperPerson Syndrome for additional information.) Are you living a high-level-wellness lifestyle in balance—with sufficient amounts of sleep and relaxation?
Most people are capable of developing skills throughout the brain and this is desirable. In order to make energy-efficient use of your brain’s biochemical preference, however, the goal is to match as many of your life’s activities (e.g., a majority if at all possible) to what your brain does easily. It truly is different strokes for different folks! One activity may be an energy drain for one person but require so little energy expenditure for another that it’s like falling off the proverbial log. The easier it is for your brain to accomplish a given task, the more likely it is that the task matches your own innate giftedness.
If you have no observable illness or disease, you may be experiencing fatigue because you are using brain energy at intensive rates.
Of course, I don’t know in what context your discussion about this occurred. However, studies have shown that the stress responses of fight-or-flight trigger the release of hormones and chemicals that impact the entire body. But it’s far more than that! When a woman is pregnant, the umbilical cord goes from the placenta to the fetus, transmitting everything carried in the mother’s blood. So, if the stress response is triggered in the mother, the hormones and chemicals released (such as Corticotropin Releasing Factor, adrenalin, or cortisol) also impact the fetus. After birth, extreme stress can even impact how tall a child will grow, plus it suppresses immune system function—which can increase your risk for disease and illnesses, which in turn could shorten your life.
Heartburn is the less-than-pleasant experience 15 million Americans undergo on a daily basis or the estimated 60 million who have an episode about once a month. Symptoms can involve a burning sensation in the chest, throat, and face that is usually worsened by either lying down or bending over. Symptoms may point to gastroesophagealreflux, which may involve the movement of stomach acid into the esophagus or to gastritis, an inflammation of the lining of the stomach.
A stress event may trigger heartburn in some people (and the stress response is believed to be triggered in the brain). The stress can be mental, emotional, or physical. Some healthcare professionals point out that if you experience heartburn after eating, this can be a clue that your body is having difficulty tolerating something you ate and has triggered the stress response. Fatty foods that contribute to obesity can also contribute to heartburn. For example, whopping cheese burgers and French fries; carbonated drinks; some of the “nightshade” foods such as white potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes (including pizza with marinara sauce); pies, cakes, and spicy foods. For some the casein found in dairy products and the gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley may play a part. For others it can be sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods (including those that contain hydrogenated oils or trans fats).
Because of the close connection between the brain and the gastrointestinal system, what stresses one system may result in triggering the stress response in the other system, as well, which can become a vicious cycle. Preventing heartburn is just one more reason to get serious about a Longevity Lifestyle.
Some researchers advocate this strategy as another tool for your stress-reduction kit. First you need to figure out which cerebral hemisphere is primarily involved. For example, if you feel emotionally distraught overwhelmed, or discouraged, your right hemisphere may need a time-out (it has higher numbers of connectors to the emotional brain layer or limbic system than does the left hemisphere). Consciously switch to the left hemisphere by engaging in a matter-of-fact task that uses left-brain functions such as balancing your checkbook (assuming, of course, that your stress will not be exacerbated because you have been writing checks for which there are no funds)! Make a list, or organize your closet or office space. Read some factual prose, write a set of pros and cons about a problem you need to solve, or repeat passages that you have memorized.
If, on the other hand, you feel stressed by deadlines and overburdened with time constraints, your left hemisphere may need a break. Switch to the right hemisphere by singing, playing a game for fun, taking a walk, writing a poem, engaging in some creative artistry, reading a story, or spending a few moments in meditation or deep breathing.
Experiment to see what types of activities work best for you and give you the most relief. Pay attention to your brain and your body when you do these switching activities. Identify how you feel and notice whether or not your stress is somewhat relieved. Remember that it’s different strokes for different folks. The discovery process can help you to reduce stress in a given situation as well as give you valuable information about yourself and your brain function.
The situation you describe is very unfortunate. As the eldest, you may have a bigger or even a more mature picture of what needs to be done, but you will need to communicate your views carefully because every brain is unique. Yours will perceive the situation differently from the brains of your siblings. You can ask for their reasonable help but you cannot force them, as you put it, to “step up to the plate and do what they are supposed to do for their parents.” Their brains may view things entirely differently.
Some sibling groups are able to meet together, evaluate at what their parents need, and come up with a workable plan. Ideally, all siblings contribute equally to the solution although not necessarily identically. Each may contribute in different ways. Some may just kick in money, others may agree to do specific chores every month (e.g., cut the lawn, blow leaves out of the gutters, take a parent grocery shopping).
Once the decisions have been made, one would hope that the siblings are mature and committed enough to follow through on what they agreed to contribute. If there is no follow through, the sibling group needs to revisit the plan and revise it as needed. If the parents are mentally competent, it can be helpful to have them be part of the group. Sometimes living can be simplified and parents may have suggestions if they are willing to be part of the discussion.
In terms of being frustrated, you can do something about that. You can live the 20:80 Rule, which may have filtered down from the Greek Philosopher Epictetus, who taught that it’s not so much what happens that matters as what you think about what happens. Estimates are that 20 percent of the negative effects to your brain and body can be attributed to the event or situation; while 80 percent can be ascribed to your perception of the event or situation—what you think about it and the weight you give to it.
It’s also similar to the 80:20 ratio of cause-to-effect known as the Pareto Principle: 80 percent of the effects come from 20 percent of the causes. In this case you might paraphrase that to say: 80 percent of the negative effect (your frustration) is caused by what you think about the 20 percent (the event or situation itself).
Recognize that “it is what it is.” No amount of cajoling, threatening, demanding, bribing, or shaming, or you name it can force your siblings to do what you believe needs to be done, right or wrong. “It is what it is.” Recognizing that can help you do your part—and stop trying to do everyone else’s part or avoid becoming upset when they fail to step up to the plate.
In 2008, Benson and Libermann led a study that found a long-term practice of the Relaxation Response changed the expression of genes involved with the body’s response to stress. Studies in many peer-reviewed journals have documented how the relaxation response both alleviates symptoms of anxiety and many other disorders and also affects factors such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen consumption and brain activity.
A recent study was coauthored by Manoj Bhasin, HMS assistant professor of medicine and co-director of the Beth Israel Deaconess Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Center—to examine changes produced during a single session of relaxation response practice, as well as those taking place over longer periods of time. They reported that pathways controlled by activation of a protein called NF-κB—known to have a prominent role in inflammation, stress, trauma, and cancer—were suppressed after relaxation response elicitation. The expression of genes involved in insulin pathways was also significantly altered.
Dr. Herbert Benson, internationally renowned cardiologist and co-senior author of the report, indicated that many studies have shown that mind/body interventions like the Relaxation Response can reduce stress and enhance wellness in healthy individuals and counteract the adverse clinical effects of stress in conditions like hypertension, anxiety, diabetes, and aging.
Studies have shown that stressors can impact every cell in your brain and body. Stressors can be very individualistic, however. Something that is a stressor for you may not be a stressor the person next to you in the grocery checkout line.
Stress-related interference with functions of the frontal lobes may show up in a variety of ways. You may experience a decrease in artistic or creative competencies (e.g., writer’s block, difficulty brainstorming options, diminished problem-solving skills). Or you may experience interference with your ability to make logical or rational decisions, exhibit a tendency toward increased injuries due to cognitive impairment, or notice that your thinking ability seems less clear.
Cortisol, released under stress, has been shown to interfere with the function of memory. Dr. Robert Sapolsky of Stanford University (author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers) has outlined several consequences of increased cortisol production, all of which can impact the function of memory:
That can certainly be a contributing factor. Human beings of both genders are a risk. Estimates are that seventy to eighty percent of males age 35-55 experience a moderate to severe mid-life crisis; and more than two-thirds of women experience a mid-life crisis. I had mine in my early thirties!
Worry and anxiety cause stress to the brain and can trigger the stress response. When initiated frequently or unnecessarily, the stress response can suppress immune system function and increase one’s risk for illness and diseases.
Just as creating a Loss Line has been landmark in assisting people to identify, grieve, and from personal losses, large and small, developing an Anxiety Grid may help individuals to identify, label, describe, and manage their worry and anxiety in a new way. There is no “magic form,” that I know of. The process is what can be helpful. Some brains need medication to help decrease the anxiety loop. However, simply taking medication without cognitive work may be a bit like taking insulin without living a healthier longevity lifestyle and expecting it to “take care of diabetes,” as one person put it. Following is an example to get you started.
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I regret he and you are having to deal with TBI and PTSD. In my brain’s opinion that’s a high price to pay for serving in the armed forces. There have been reports suggesting that the military has been generally unprepared to handle effectively either the incidence or the severity of some of these post-war injuries.
Recently I heard an interview on National Public Radio with Amy Fairweather, an attorney who works with individuals who have TBI or PTSD. You might want to check her website: http://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/
I understand that great deal has been learned in the last few years about TBI, PTSD, and other conditions such as mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos. My suggestion is to begin by contacting he Veteran’s Health Administration (if you have not alrady done so) and explore what they can offer to Veterans related to TBI and PTSD. If you do not have an office in your immediate area, here is a URL that may lead you to the nearest facility: www.va.gov/health/
PASS is an acronym for Prolonged Adaptive Stress Syndrome. An article about this is available on my website under Taylor’s Articles.
Briefly, I began to collect data as individuals described symptoms that mirrored PTSD to some extent but lacked two specific components: flashbacks, and a specific incident that could have served to trigger the symptoms. Eventually, I selected the acronym PASS (Prolonged Adaptive Stress Syndrome) to encompass eight commonly observed symptoms that may be present in varying degrees in individuals who have developed this syndrome after years of living in a manner that was energy-exhaustive for their brain. The eight characteristics are:
1. Fatigue
The brain likely has to work much harder when trying to accomplish tasks that do not match its own innate preferences or biochemical giftedness. The additional energy-expenditure requirements can contribute to a progressive fatigue that is not really alleviated by sleep. Other symptoms can include an increased need for sleep, interference with sleep, and decreased dreaming. These can conspire to cause further sleep deprivation and fatigue that sometimes borders on exhaustion.
2. Hypervigilance
Living an energy-exhaustive lifestyle can push the brain to activate a protective safety mechanism. This hypervigilance can be exhibited at times as a startle reflex, or increased jitteriness. The Reticular Activating System or RAS can push the individual into a state of protective alertness. The additional energy expenditure to enlarge the brain’s metaphoric lens can also contribute to fatigue. (Note: This is sometimes demonstrated in the BTSA as a “dog-leg” push toward introversion.)
3. Immune System Suppression
Failure to live one’s own innate giftedness, which, in effect, is akin to living a lie, can suppress immune system function (e.g., temporarily shrink the Thymus gland). Outcomes that may be observed related to immune system suppression can include a slowed rate of healing, exacerbation of autoimmune diseases, an increased susceptibility to contagious illnesses, and/or an increased risk of developing diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
4. Reduced Function of the Frontal Lobes
Interference with functions of the frontal-lobes may be exhibited in a variety of ways. Some individuals experience a decrease in artistic or creative competencies (e.g., writer’s block, difficulty brainstorming options, diminished problem-solving skills). Others evidence interference with their ability to make logical or rational decisions, exhibit a tendency toward increased injuries due to cognitive impairment, or notice slowed speed of thinking and/or reduced mental clarity.
5. Altered Neurochemistry
Interference with hypothalamus and pituitary function can affect hormonal balance. This may be observed in myriad ways (e.g., decreased growth hormone, insulin production irregularities, alteration in reproduction functions, increase in glucocorticoids that can prematurely age the Hippocampus). There are some reports, from studies involving the brains of mice and rats, that altered neurochemistry due to extreme or prolonged stress may interfere with the permeability of the Blood Brain Barrier. It is currently unknown how similar situations would affect the human brain.
6. Memory Problems
Cortisol, released under stress, can interfere with memory functions in a variety of ways. Dr. Robert Sapolsky of Stanford University (author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers) has outlined several consequences of increased cortisol production that impact memory. Following are three examples.
7. Discouragement or Depression
Conserve/Withdraw is a reaction form that the brain may use when an event or situation seems overwhelming and for which there seems no ready solution. Experienced over time, this can lead to discouragement and to a sense of hopelessness. The discouragement in turn can lead to the development of depression or to an exacerbation existing depression. Estimates are that 20 million people in the United States may be depressed at any given time, with approximately 15% of those being suicidal. A mismatch between an individual’s innate giftedness and the way in which he/she is expending vital energy is believed to contribute to both discouragement and depression.
(Two other reaction forms are Fight/Flight, which males are more likely to exhibit, and Tend/Befriend, which females are more likely to exhibit).
8. Self-Esteem Problems
Over time, a lack of success in life, as well as the cumulative impact of other symptoms, can whack one’s sense of self-worth. It can also exacerbate existing self-esteem problems. These issues can appear as behaviors that involve low self-esteem (victim stance) or inflated self-esteem (offender stance), or they can circle around between these two positions. A diminished sense of self worth can occur when a person is working very hard to be successful but is performing activities that are energy-exhausting and that contribute to fatigue and (eventually) to mistakes in performance. A diminished sense of self-worth can also impact the manner in which an individual “lives life” in terms of self care.
Note: The brain is believed to be the first body system to recognize a stressor. It has been said that stressors generally interact with the brain in a predictable ratio. The 20:80 Rule, as it is sometimes referred to, states that:
It is possible that the adverse affects on the brain and body resulting from life situations that lead to PASS symptoms may exceed the typical 20%. This seems likely, given that this form of stress involves not only external and environmental triggers, but the rate at which the brain itself must work, and the amount of energy that must be expended in order to accomplish the desired tasks. Therefore, this mismatch between one’s innate energy advantage and the activities that the individual actually performs on a daily basis, can be a serious and potentially life-threatening stressor. Over time, this type of stressor may contribute to an increased risk of self-medicating (altering one’s own brain chemistry) through addictive behaviors.
Think of the Relaxation Response as a type of meditation or prayer. Named by Dr. Herbert Benson, there are four easy steps that you can implement to break the stress cycle and provide benefits to your brain, immune system, and health.
In a recent study of the link between use of the Relaxation Response and gene expression, in which Herbert Benson MD was the co-senior author of the report, researchers found that although study participants elicited the Relaxation Response through many different techniques (including forms of meditation, prayer, or yoga), all forms were effective.
The condition now known as Selective Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder. It’s not that the child chooses not to speak; they are literally unable to speak in specific environments, unable to communicate effectively in social settings. In school, for instance. Estimates are that one in every 140 children (more girls than boys) may develop this condition. If left untreated, this condition may persist into adulthood. The child with Selective Mutism needs verbal reassurance, love, support, and patience. (Some require more extensive therapy and treatment.) There are several references on the internet if you want more information. One is the Selective Mutism Center. Dot. Org. What Is Selective Mutism?
And yes, my brain’s opinion is that everything begins in the brain and that includes anxiety, which is part of the core emotion of fear.
Let me begin by asking you a question: “Do you want your child’s brain to reach its IQ potential or not?” Your question does remind me of the ongoing debate about the pros and cons of corporal punishment in raising children and adolescents. As I pointed out recently in my Brain Blog, researchers have found a link between spanking and IQ levels. Following are some of the study conclusions:
In general, children tend to find spanking highly stressful and it can fall into the category of “abusive behaviors.” The child learns that it is okay to whack human beings who are smaller than they are “because they can.” Spanking experience(s) can leave them with a number of deleterious outcomes:
The benefits of reduced spanking appear to include:
There are ways to discipline that avoid these potential outcome but they take careful thought and time to implement. Most parents would like their children to be as smart and successful as possible. Avoiding spanking and dealing with misbehavior in other more functional and effective ways can help make that more likely to happen. If you want smarter and more successful children, these strategies are worth it.
Mindfulness is the practice of spending a few minutes each day in the present moment. Typically, most people are worrying about what just happened or have anxiety about what is going to happen in the future. Mindfulness meditation, as it is often known, is a way to help you choose what you are going to think about as a strategy for being in the present moment. How can you get started? Begin with just 3-5 minutes. Sit erect in a comfortable chair, breathe naturally (be aware of breathing in and breathing out), and take control of your thoughts. Choose to be thankful for something, focus on a positive and happy thought, or rejoice for something beautiful around you. Stay centered and focused. Purposefully ignore anything going on around you.
Remember that you are not trying to blank out in any way. You are choosing to avoid letting your thoughts run away with you, especially thoughts that ruminate about the past or are fearful about the future. You may be amazed at how many times other thoughts pop up and try to intrude into the moment. Simply say to yourself, “That may be an important issue in my life. Right now I choose to think about _____________.” Some find it very frustrating initially to keep their brain calm and focused on the present moment. It does get easier with practice. You may even end up spending 10 minutes in the morning and again in the evening.
How could it help? Studies at Massachusetts General Hospital showed that participating in an 8-week mindfulness meditation program appears to make measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy, and stress. This is the first study to document meditation-produced changes over time in the brain’s grey matter. The analysis of MR images, which focused on areas where meditation-associated differences were seen in earlier studies, found increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion, and introspection. Participant-reported reductions in stress also were correlated with decreased grey-matter density in the amygdala, known to play an important role in anxiety and stress.
Of course the aim is to be able to make calm mindfulness available to you at any time and in any environment. It may be as simple as being still and quiet for a few seconds, taking three successive breaths—paying attention to your inhaling and exhaling, and stilling the activity within your mind. You might have some pre-established phrase to repeat to yourself as you inhale and exhale (e.g., I am thankful to be alive in this moment). It can be rewarding to perceive how these little mindfulness breaks can benefit your brain and your sense of purpose.
Yes, actually. Some people do, and it can make a positive difference in their lives. A woman who did apply The 20:80 Rule recently shared her experience. Her e-mail went like this:
I recently heard Dr. Taylor speak at an Elderhostel event that I attended in Northern California. I enjoyed her presentations very much. On my journey back to Alaska I had an opportunity to practice some of the techniques that she introduced to the group.
I arrived at the Oakland airport around 1:00 p.m. for a 2:30 p.m. flight and discovered that my flight had been cancelled. My reservations now indicated that I was to leave Oakland at 9:00 pm but connections in Seattle were unavailable. That clearly was not going to work for me. After some searching, the reservation agent found a flight leaving San Jose at 2:15 p.m. with a connecting flight in Seattle.
The shuttle van picked me up and I asked the driver if he could get me to San Jose in time for a 2:15 flight. He said that he would try. So I thought of what I had learned at the seminar. Putting on my seatbelt, I took a deep breath, got out my Sudoku puzzles and started to work on them. The driver looked at me and said in an astonished, “You so calm. Most of my passengers would be highly agitated if not yelling at this point in their travels!”
I shared information about the 20:80 rule, outlined some of the stress management techniques I had learned, described how cortisol has a deleterious effect on one’s brain and body, and thanked him for doing the best he could to get me to the San Jose airport on time. I could not ask for more.
We had a very interesting conversation all the way to the airport, and I learned a lot about business enterprises that were previously unknown to me. And I made my flight in San Jose with time to spare.
Having learned to do something well doesn’t necessarily mean that you can do it easily (energy-efficiently) in terms of brain function. Typically, practice can help you complete a specific task more easily than when you originally were developing the required skills, but there will be an accompanying energy requirement that reflects an individual brain’s own innate advantage. The energy expenditure can be efficient or intensive.
For example, I have learned how to balance my check book and can do it “well” (with a minimum of errors). This specific task, however, is not “easy” for my brain to accomplish. Because it is energy intensive I tended to procrastinate.
As to the second part of your question, figuring out what your brain does energy-efficiently gives you the opportunity to manage your brain’s energy expenditures more effectively so that your brain energy lasts as long as possible (studies indicate levels of brain energy tend to decrease as the brain ages). Now I trade out the task of balancing my checkbook with someone whose brain does it very energy efficiently.
Become aware of the way in which your brain expends energy and identify tasks that are energy intensive versus those that are energy efficient. Here are several categories to consider:
Tasks that fall within this third category are often energy-efficient for your brain.
I suppose it could be just as valid to turn that question around and ask why not me? Life doesn’t come with any guarantee that we’ll be exempt from loss. In fact, as one bumper sticker put it, Life is hard and then you die. We chuckle, or we don’t chuckle, but it needles into our subconscious.
A friend of mine said, once I accepted that life is hard, it truly doesn’t seem so difficult.Perhaps that reflects, at least in part, the power of expectations. That’s been true in my life. I recognize life is hard. Consequently, during those times when life seems less difficult I feel like I’ve just received a gift. Living is an up and down course. When life seems easier I regroup for the times that I know will come when things will seem more difficult.
A hospital chaplain expressed it this way: Life on earth is not fair. Disasters do not make sense. The guilty are not always punished, the innocent are not always set free, and the generous are not always rewarded. Everybody suffers in some way. Even those who play by the rules get hurt. The question we ask our Higher Power is, ‘will you give us the strength to get through the loss?’ The answer is always yes.
My computer hard drive crashed a couple of months ago and I heard myself asking the very same question. In that situation it was more of an attempt at conversation, or my off-the-wall humor. Whatever, the repair technician took it seriously and his response was thought-provoking.
Setting down both screwdriver and magnifying glass and looking me right in the eye, he said, It had nothing to do with you. A chip in your computer just went bad. It would probably have failed regardless of who owned it. You just happened to be the owner and now you get to deal with its failure.
As an introvert, you will find there will be some worship styles that may be more appealing and comfortable. A 5,000-member charismatic church with loud music and dancing in the aisles may not work well for your brain. That doesn’t mean there is something “wrong” with either you or the congregation. It just means that introverts tend to lean toward observing and pondering more than actively participating.
You didn’t identify a specific denomination, so I cannot comment on that. If it is a Christian organization, you may enjoy reading Adam S. McHugh’s Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture. He points out that “introverted seekers need introverted evangelists. It’s not that extroverts can’t communicate the gospel, either verbally or nonverbally, in ways that introverts find appealing, it’s that introverted seekers need to know and see that it’s possible to lead the Christian life as themselves. It’s imperative for them to understand that becoming a Christian is not tantamount with becoming an extrovert.”
Aligning with a church does not mean you must or even should try to exhibit extroverted behaviors. It’s really impossible to sustain for any length of time and could be not only exhausting but also lead to illness eventually. The Introverted brain likes to observe and ponder. You can develop the skill of observing and yet not ever trying to “keep up” with an extroverted brain. To do this successfully requires that you know your brain bent, make healthy personal decisions about what works for your brain and what does not, and select your activities with care. Extroverts, who gain energy from stimulating environments, can find it a puzzle to understand the introverted brain that finds those same stimulating environments very energy draining to say nothing of stressful! It may be helpful to have a few calm, succinct phrases at the ready, too. Perhaps something like:
