neuroscience of self change
TRANSCRIPT
Dr. Gabija Toleikyte
Neuroscience of Self Change
Warm up
What brought you here?
Neuroscience of Self Change
• Brain • Personality
• Habits
• Break
• 5 brain activity based steps to create a lasting change
• Pub discussions
Slides
Me • Neuroscientist
• PhD – University College London, UK • MSc – Helsinki University, FI • BSc – VU, LT
• Business and career coach at SuperG Coaching
• Applied neuroscience seminars for companies, schools, universities, public
• Neuroscience in schools • Lecturer at Middlesex University
Brain
Fixed Live
Photo by Robert Ludlow
Parts of the brain
Book “Neuroscience” Purves et al, 2004
Human brain
Phineas Gage (1823-60)
http://onlinestorybank.com/2014/03/the-strange-case-of-mr-phineas-gage/
Prefrontal cortex
• Execu&vefunc&ons:reasoning,planning,decisionmaking,cri1calthinking,problemsolving.
• Personality:senseofself,values,self-control,mo1va1on.
Prefrontal cortex suppression
• Inability to control emotions
• Impulsivity, lack of inhibition
• Frustration, easily provoked aggression
• Lack of motivation • Lack of energy
Neurons • Brain contains over 86 billion of neurons. • Brain cells which contain information. • Neurons communicate with one another via small
electrical currents (nerve impulse) and chemical signals (neurotransmitters).
Neural networks • Neurons are connected into neural networks to convey
specific tasks. • Each thought, action or feeling is created by the activation
of a certain neural network/group of networks.
Brain “highways”
• Actions/thoughs/feelings which we repeat most often form brain “highways” where informations flows faster and more acqurately.
• These networks define our default thoughts, emotional profile and personality.
Brain plasticity
• Our brain is changing every day! • New neurons
(neurogenesis) • Death of unused neurons
(apoptosis) • New connections between
neurons • Changed power of old
connections
Brain plasticity and age • Neurogenesis happens
though all of our life, thus, to there is never too late to learn and change.
• Neurogenesis is more active when we are encountering new information.
• Physically and mentally active life reduces a risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
Why do we usually do things the same way?
Habits
• Majority of things we do • Personal, group, society • Saving energy • Can focus on other things • Known outcome • Safety/comfort
Habit loop
Junk food habit loop
Junk food habit loop
Smoking habit loop
Phone checking habit loop
Procrastination
Habit loop of procrastination
Doing anything but task
Temporary emotional relief
Cues
• Time of day • Place (e.g. office, home, pub) • Emotional / mental state (e.g. tired, stressed, sad) • Person / people • Proceeding action
Habits triggered by place
Office
Habits triggered by emotional state
What do you do when you feel unpleasant emotions?
Rewards
• Physiological needs (thurst, hunger) • Change in emotional state • Psychological
6 human needs
1. Safety / security 2. Variety 3. Significance 4. Love / connection 5. Growth 6. Contribution beyond yourself
Changing habit
What is the habit you would like to change?
What is your trigger?
What is your reward?
What other action could give the same reward?
Changing habits
• If you want your brain to change, create that into a habit. • Get aware of your existing habits: cue, routine, reward. • Maintain the same cue and reward and change routine.
Break
Can we change?
In order for us to change our brain needs to change first
Triune Brain Model (McLean, 1990) Mammalbrain
Lizard brain
Humanbrain
Difference between brain areas
• Lizard brain – staying alive: breathing, heartbeat, digestion.
• Mammal brain (limbic system) – safety: emotions, connection, memory, habits
• Human brain (neocortex) – change: higher cognitive functions, learning, decision making, colaboration
Lizard brain
• Allows us to stay alive • Breathing • Heartbeat • Digestion
• Always active (day and night)
• Small energy consumption per cell
Mammal brain
• Active most of the time • Allows us to be on
“autopilot” • Emotions, habits, skills • Medium energy
consumption per cell
Human brain • Active when we are making decisions, changing habits,
learning, controlling emotions. • Very expensive for the brain energy wise! • Active sporadically only when needed.
Brain and Energy
• When we are tired or stressed there is not enough energy for Human Brain, hence we revert to old habits – automatic, less energy consumption.
• In that state we cannot make best decions or learn new habits.
Changing Habits #1
• At the start of change reduce the mental load and take lots of quality breaks.
• Do the actions desired in the morning or after the break.
How could I implement more quality rest during my day?
Too much novelty creates anxiety
• Novelty activates amygdala. • Amygdala evokes an
instinctive fear and anxiety which pushes us to act old way.
• Amygdala deactivates large chunks of neocortex, thus, we cannot evaluate the situation rationally.
Brain in depressed-like state
Changing Habits #2
• Implement a change in small bits maintaining majority of elements unaltered – feeling of familiarity.
What are the steps in creating this change?
Pleasure or pain? • We naturally avoid situations where we experience pain
and seek the ones we experience pleasure.
Pain and pleasure centers in the brain
Parasympathetic nervous system
• Release of dopamin – pleasure and motivation.
• Release of oxytocin – dilation of blood vesicles – more oxygen and glucose to neocortex.
• Intelectually, emotionally and perceptually best state, most creative and best decision making.
Changing Habits #3
• Regularly rewarded yourself for doing the actions new way (+ reimforcement), make the process fun.
• Get clear on the benefits of this change.
What are the benefits of this change?
Sympathetic nervous system • Activated by stress and
threat • Adrenalin and noradrenalin
– contraction of blood vesicles, lack of oxygen and glucose for neocortex.
• Tunel vision/thinking, rejecting new ideas, blocked creativity.
• Cortisol – weakened immune system and reduced neurogenesis.
Changing Habits #4
• Manage Brain Stress Response - get aware of triggers and avoid them, stress reduction activities, support, reduce negative self talk.
• Get clear on the drawback of staying where you are.
What helps me to reduce stress?
What am I loosing now and in future if I don’t change?
How long it takes to make a new habit?
Changing Habits #5
• To create a system where change is being supported and awarded for 1-3 month.
• To create a suppot system: social accountability, personal coaching.
How could I make it consistent for 1 month?
Summary • Our brain can change, however, that requires energy,
attention and effort. To create a lasting change we need to create it into a habit (trigger, routine, reward).
• Stress and exhaustion push us to act in old ways. • Implement a change in small steps maintaining majority of
elements unaltered. • Reward yourself and make process pleasant. • Manage stress response. • Changing habits take time (1-3 months) since new neural
networks need to be formed.
Neuroscience of Successful Relationships • 26th of NOV, SAT,1-4PM,
LONDON • Male and Female Brain • Developmental stages of Men • Communication in relationships • Embracing differences • Understanding the other
persons • Languages of Love • https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/
neuroscience-of-successful-relationships-tickets-28886996785
Individual consultation
• Want to create a lasting change • Want to create better emotional wellbeing • Want to achieve more • Career change • Improve relationships • http://supergcoaching.com/testimonials/
Thank you!
www.facebook.com/supergcoaching/
twitter.com/supergabija
www.supergcoaching.com www.mybrainduringtheday.com
www.linkedin.com/in/PhD-Gabija-Toleikyte