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Education
Corner Brain Science
101: What Every Young Adult Needs to Know (1st part of a 4-part
series) After 25 years of working with young adults who struggle with depression, anxiety and addiction/dependency issues, I've yet to meet one student who didn't thank me for explaining what was going on in his or her brain in words they could understand. Giving students the knowledge about what's going on in their brain provides young adults with a sense of relief that they are not "losers," and that there is a logical reason behind their behavior and feelings. It also gives them a sense of hope and ownership for changing behaviors that don't support their well-being, as well as an understanding of how to help themselves in an effective way. I present Brain Science 101 in very simplistic terms. This leaves out a lot of details, but creates immediate understanding – which is the goal. This 4-part series will address:
Understanding Cravings The first thing to understand about the brain is that, for most people, it is not fully developed until around the age of 25. The frontal cortex, which governs your ability to discern, is still developing through adolescence and young adulthood. No wonder parents are always asking their teens, “What were you thinking?” The right answer is, “I wasn’t! That part of my brain isn’t fully working yet!” The brain is always changing, balancing, adjusting and readjusting to keep you alive and procreating. This is its primary motivation. Activities necessary for your survival are set up in the brain to provide pleasure, such as food and sex, and to avoid pain. This is your brain's motivational hierarchy. Essentially, you are hardwired to crave and perform those behaviors that reward you with pleasure. For example, cocaine is a drug designed to affect the pleasure part of your brain, and produces an intense euphoric state. Where do you think your brain puts cocaine use in its motivational hierarchy? At the top, of course, and it will also kick more normal activities down a notch or two. Cocaine has rewired your brain, and you now have a new higher power and little motivation to seek out activities that once gave you pleasure. There is a new king of the mountain and your brain wants it. Now you have to undo that message, and the good news is that you CAN, but you must first understand how the neurotransmitter dopamine is connected to your well-being. Look for Part 2: The Dopamine Connection, in our next newsletter.
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