However, he wasn’t too sure, as the drugs didn’t seem to do much for his endless worries, low self-esteem, and fear of being criticized by others. It sounded defeated when he told me that no one wanted to hear about what else was going on in his mind beyond his usual training of appetite, mood issues.
After completing the evaluation, I asked him if he had considered talk therapy, which came as a surprise to him. People are making claims like “no one does it anymore”, “psychobubbles don’t change anything”, “how can a stranger say something useful when you have friends you can talk to”. I was.
He challenged me and asked, “Is there evidence that treatments actually change the brain?”
Many people receive psychiatric treatment. research showed antidepressants It can alter brain pathways and stress responses associated with depression, anxiety. impulsive behavioramong other symptoms.
Others, however, do not want to take psychiatric medications or do not benefit from them.Advantage of psychotherapyexercise, mindfulness, yoga Meditation for mental health is backed by encouraging scientific data.
Various forms of talk therapy can lead to improvements in several subjective areas, including: self-esteem,Optimism, Understanding Strengthens interpersonal relationships such as intimacy and reciprocity. This is a healthy give-and-take when dealing with others. Psychotherapy has also been shown to reduce biological markers of stress. inflammation.
Negative Talk, Psychotherapy and the Brain
After agreeing to try the treatment, my patient came into the first session visibly nervous, with downcast eyes, clasped hands, and a curt, barely audible answer. “This is pointless,” “You’re going to tell me I’m helpless,” and “We talk, talk, and just prescribe something to me anyway.”
He was repeating messages that drilled into his head over time. He imagined that what I was thinking was coming from his inner template.
Looking at the patient’s brain activity during this negative, harsh monologue, it is possible that areas responsible for strong emotions, including an almond-shaped region called the amygdala, are overheating. Overactive amygdala can lead to anxiety and anxiety.
When my head is full, it becomes difficult to think, and the same messages often run through my head like a broken record. Talking to anyone, let alone a stranger like a new therapist, is a tough question to ask when you’re not feeling well (especially when more of the same upsetting messages are expected).
To help patients cope with these repetitive negative messages, brain We need to activate areas that help us think more flexibly, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC).
VMPFC is a key region of the brain involved in human communication. It is located on the inner surface of the brain behind the forehead. This domain is concerned with empathy for others and working through problems together.
VMPFC also prevents the amygdala from overfiring. Several psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, underutilize the VMPFC.
How Talk Therapy Affects Specific Brain Areas
One of the effects of talk therapy is that the VMPFC and other brain areas involved in reasoning and problem solving become increasingly active, suppressing emotions and giving us space to think about situations rather than reacting to them. That’s it.
By providing space, therapists help patients develop flexibility of thought.
As therapists, we do not examine our patients’ worst views of themselves or offer life advice to solve all their problems.
The world calls and demands action. encourages reflection. I do not impose my opinion on my patients. Any fanciful theories I have must be put aside. Because I discover people in front of me, people that theory doesn’t explain. I was shown how they see the world.
This makes patients feel less trapped and gives them a broader way of thinking about themselves and the world around them.
Sometimes when you expect something out of the world and find something different, VMPFC kicks in. This is called prediction error and to understand this he called VMPFC.
I found myself in this situation with my patient. I didn’t drug him by shrinking him into a chemical imbalance. Instead, I wanted to create space around him and join his rhythm. His tension eased as he learned how to think.
He started making eye contact, elaborated on what was on his mind, and even made jokes. He was discovering who he was beyond the constant way others saw him.
How to use therapy skills in everyday life
Many people struggling with mental health problems may not be able to get treatment due to the expense, lack of therapists and culturally competent care. There are several ways to incorporate it into your daily life.
In many ways it depends on how we treat our thoughts. Some tips are:
- Prefer reflection over reflection: We get stuck in difficult thought patterns because we don’t step back and consider other perspectives. When you find yourself stuck in a thought loop, it helps to catch yourself and consider how you might look at the situation in a different way.
- Bring softness, not hostility: When someone says something we disagree with, we often assume the worst about that person. Even if people behave or speak in a way that we don’t approve of, it’s helpful to remember that there is a story behind their point of view. The stronger your negative feelings for a person, the better you will be able to get to know him or her. This helps develop empathy and connection.
- Be curious, not critical. The mind is complicated and can go anywhere given the chance. It’s easy to think that all we need to know is our understanding of life, but being open and curious about what might confuse or frighten us is a great way to stay flexible. Helpful. What do we learn about ourselves by embracing the thought rather than defeating it and holding onto it rather than throwing it away, if our mind goes to a place where it is uncomfortable and defeats us? You should consider what you can do.
Christopher WT Miller, MD, is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst at the University of Maryland Medical Center and an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
We welcome your comments on this column. [email protected].
