Say Hello to Your Brain

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Have you ever tried to do something and failed, only to have someone say, "Try harder," or "Use more willpower?" If you have, chances are that didn't help, and possibly only made you feel worse? Well-intentioned or not, that type of suggestion reveals a profound lack of knowledge about how the brain works, and not only does it impede finding solutions, but it may also lead to self-blame and stigma around mental health and illness.

For example, using one's willpower means, in neuroscience terms, tapping into the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain that governs what is called executive function. The "CEO" of the brain, this area considers the big picture, plans, organizes, and inhibits impulsive actions. If one's problem is due to not being able to plan or direct action, then the prefrontal cortex may be the target of the solution.

However, most emotional and behavioral issues involve other parts of the brain primarily, or in concert with one another. As a clinical psychologist, I have often seen addiction viewed as a problem of lack of control (again, the prefrontal cortex), when the more "primitive" parts—not the cortex—of the brain are at work. Addiction often involves traumatic memories stored in the amygdala, the area from which fear emanates, as those who struggle with it often use substances to cope with these memories. The more this is understood, the more compassionate we can be, and the more likely that efforts to change will target the parts of the brain that bring about healing.

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While most people know a lot about the different muscles of the body and how to exercise them, fewer probably know about the different parts of the brain.

The brain is a remarkable organ, exquisitely shaped by millions of years of human evolution. Any mind-altering drugs taken in from the outside the body work precisely because the brain has the capacity, in the form of specific neurotransmitters, circuits, and receptors, to make them work. An opiate-based high mimics the action of naturally occurring endorphins; anti-anxiety drugs lower the reactivity of the amygdala and the central nervous system, but this also occurs when one activates the language centers in the cortex by speaking or writing ("I am scared"), which simultaneously diminishes the reactivity of the emotional parts of the brain.

What about commonly known strategies for improving well-being, such as exercise or eating salmon? While most of us know that they enhance mood and prevent depression, knowing the underlying neurobiology can bring clarity and a sense of agency. We can control what we eat and whether to work out. (Exercise releases endorphins, inhibiting pain and providing a sense of well-being, or "runner's high"; salmon contains the building blocks for serotonin, which regulates mood, as well as reduces inflammation, which research shows is a major underlying factor in many psychological and physical disorders.)

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Creativity, too, can benefit from knowledge about the brain. Writers, for example, often complain of being "stuck" or experiencing "writer's block." Exercises to unlock creativity often ask the writer to utilize all their senses rather than just the visual, or to create with the nondominant hand. These types of exercise simply tap into underused parts of the brain to open up areas of inspiration.

For example, the writer naturally relies on the language centers in the left temporal lobe, but visual images, smells, and emotional memories all reside in other parts of the brain, and accessing them can add emotion and depth to writing. And switching from your right hand to the left would stimulate the right hemisphere of the cortex (the brain is contralateral to the body), which houses spatial and holistic abilities. Applying such knowledge might reduce frustration and procrastination among writers and other creatives waiting for their well-worn circuits to rejuvenate.

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So go ahead, get acquainted with your own self-sustaining, beautiful brain. You don't need to be a neuroscientist to benefit from learning a few basic concepts. The best way to start is by learning the major structures of the brain: the parts of the hindbrain, the midbrain, and the cerebral cortex, and their functions. Then, if you wish, go deeper into the molecular level to the major neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, GABA, etc.) and how they work (synapses, receptors). It is truly fascinating, and understanding the fundamentals can play a role in fixing whatever ails and providing fresh inspiration.

Your brain will thank you for it.