The Parasympathetic Nervous System

[bradly1101]

This is something I learned in my book about neurology, and how to better adapt our ancient brains to the modern world.

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for bottom-up calming of our minds after the reactionary sympathetic nervous system goes a little wild in moments of stress and anxiety - our modern day chronic threats.

But we often rely instead on things like drugs, alcohol, and food to artificially and less effectively achieve this calming (self-medication). By doing this we stunt the parasympathetic nervous system's abilities, and we just end up needing more and more self-medication, stunting the parasympathetic nervous system's soothing power even further. It's a vicious cycle that has devastating consequences. Fortunately it's possible to break free, and return our brains to their proper equilibrium. If you know anyone in recovery, you're probably aware of this returning balance. Stress and anxiety can be powerful foes, but they don't have to be.

 

[J.Wilkins]

This is something I learned in my book about neurology, and how to better adapt our ancient brains to the modern world.

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for bottom-up calming of our minds after the reactionary sympathetic nervous system goes a little wild in moments of stress and anxiety - our modern day chronic threats.

But we often rely instead on things like drugs, alcohol, and food to artificially and less effectively achieve this calming (self-medication). By doing this we stunt the parasympathetic nervous system's abilities, and we just end up needing more and more self-medication, stunting the parasympathetic nervous system's soothing power even further. It's a vicious cycle that has devastating consequences. Fortunately it's possible to break free, and return our brains to their proper equilibrium. If you know anyone in recovery, you're probably aware of this returning balance. Stress and anxiety can be powerful foes, but they don't have to be.

This is true and it's how non-addictive and possibly harmful patterns form.

There is some evidence that it MIGHT not be completely reversible though, it DOES cause epigenetic changes and if you for example start smoking weed at an early age these epigenetic changes can actually permanently alter your brain.

It's also possible that some of these epigenetic changes can never be reversed and remain generational dysfunctions of the genome.

I'm a molecular biologist, this is part of something that I've studied fairly extensively. It's not all bad news though, with a greater understanding we can now use the information to methylate genes or acetylate parts of a humans genome to prevent them from causing harm or to enable a genetic function needed for a treatment. Gene regulation might be the most important step to creating a universal vaccine for cancer.

 

[bradly1101]

This is true and it's how non-addictive and possibly harmful patterns form.

There is some evidence that it MIGHT not be completely reversible though, it DOES cause epigenetic changes and if you for example start smoking weed at an early age these epigenetic changes can actually permanently alter your brain.

It's also possible that some of these epigenetic changes can never be reversed and remain generational dysfunctions of the genome.

I'm a molecular biologist, this is part of something that I've studied fairly extensively. It's not all bad news though, with a greater understanding we can now use the information to methylate genes or acetylate parts of a humans genome to prevent them from causing harm or to enable a genetic function needed for a treatment. Gene regulation might be the most important step to creating a universal vaccine for cancer.

The brain, the mind, the damage we do, and potential solutions absolutely fascinate me. Alcoholism seems generational, but it's the underlying causes (incl. abuse) that span the generations and predispose someone toward addiction. I'm the only one in my family who doesn't drink. Fear regarding the stories I heard as a child of relatives' bad behavior and early demises is what kept me from it. My current close family's related health problems keep me away.

 

[J.Wilkins]

The brain, the mind, the damage we do, and potential solutions absolutely fascinate me. Alcoholism seems generational, but it's the underlying causes (incl. abuse) that span the generations and predispose someone toward addiction. I'm the only one in my family who doesn't drink. Fear regarding the stories I heard as a child of relatives' bad behavior and early demises is what kept me from it. My current close family's related health problems keep me away.

I'm more of a "what makes us be" kind of guy but that includes the brain too (and considering that the mind is nothing but electrochemical signalling in the brain, my other PhD is in biochemistry, it includes that too).

I've proposed a nature/nurture thing that seems to work just as expected with epigenetic changes in future generations and that does explain why there is no specific gene for addiction, it needs to be a sequential acetylation of several genes to make that happen.

Now consider this, it also means that your thoughts can literally transform your epigenetic footprint in your body. Kinda cool, isn't it?

 

[bradly1101]

I'm more of a "what makes us be" kind of guy but that includes the brain too (and considering that the mind is nothing but electrochemical signalling in the brain, my other PhD is in biochemistry, it includes that too).

I've proposed a nature/nurture thing that seems to work just as expected with epigenetic changes in future generations and that does explain why there is no specific gene for addiction, it needs to be a sequential acetylation of several genes to make that happen.

Now consider this, it also means that your thoughts can literally transform your epigenetic footprint in your body. Kinda cool, isn't it?

Very cool. When troubling emotions arise, I always try to remember that it's just electrons firing off, sometimes down historic grooves, in my head. Thoughts and emotions are intensely physical, and therefore able to affect further brain function and rewire it, and fascinatingly that epigenetic footprint. I wasn't fully aware of that. Thanks!

 

[J.Wilkins]

Very cool. When troubling emotions arise, I always try to remember that it's just electrons firing off, sometimes down historic grooves, in my head. Thoughts and emotions are intensely physical, and therefore able to affect further brain function and rewire it, and fascinatingly that epigenetic footprint. I wasn't fully aware of that. Thanks!

I'll let you in on a little secret. I once learned to master the idea of feeling poorly by welcoming it. Letting it wash over me and fighting through it made me feel more powerful than just pushing it down.

At a time in my life, after my first wife had died I got anxiety attacks and I WELCOMED them, I used to breathe more shallow to induce them and make them more powerful just so I could fight through it.

Then they stopped coming and day by day, by forcing me to fight that shit I felt better and better and it took until this very year when I learned why that works.

We all learn new things, my job is to examine this to it's full extent and one day, one day before I die I will have a vaccine for what killed my first wife. If I can manage that then I will have left this world better off than when I entered it and that is all any man can hope for.

I have no doubt that you'll find your thing and that you'll change the world.

 

[bradly1101]

I'll let you in on a little secret. I once learned to master the idea of feeling poorly by welcoming it. Letting it wash over me and fighting through it made me feel more powerful than just pushing it down.

At a time in my life, after my first wife had died I got anxiety attacks and I WELCOMED them, I used to breathe more shallow to induce them and make them more powerful just so I could fight through it.

Then they stopped coming and day by day, by forcing me to fight that shit I felt better and better and it took until this very year when I learned why that works.

We all learn new things, my job is to examine this to it's full extent and one day, one day before I die I will have a vaccine for what killed my first wife. If I can manage that then I will have left this world better off than when I entered it and that is all any man can hope for.

I have no doubt that you'll find your thing and that you'll change the world.

My sincere condolences.

Yes, avoidance wreaks havoc. Facing troubles exercises all the psyche's muscles, especially the calming ones in the absence of "self-medication." I had a loved one die in my arms a little over a year ago. It was from a totally unanticipated heart attack, giving no time to prepare. The experience stayed with me, and is crucial to my acceptance of it, and ability to recover. We grow from what we don't evade, and aren't intentionally ignorant of. Edit: I spent almost a year in tears, but that was cathartic.

"“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” ~ from Dune

 

[J.Wilkins]

My sincere condolences.

Yes, avoidance wreaks havoc. Facing troubles exercises all the psyche's muscles, especially the calming ones in the absence of "self-medication." I had a loved one die in my arms a little over a year ago. It was from a totally unanticipated heart attack, giving no time to prepare. The experience stayed with me, and is crucial to my acceptance of it, and ability to recover. We grow from what we don't evade, and aren't intentionally ignorant of. Edit: I spent almost a year in tears, but that was cathartic.

"“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” ~ from Dune

It was over 30 years ago.

You have to fight through it to get through it, you'll come out the other end a stronger man. Her family didn't and we still can't meet because all I do is remind them of her. We could have helped each other or rather I could have been there for them if they had let me but people deal with grief differently. It's sad though because her parents haven't seen their grand kids since then.

 

[bradly1101]

That's too bad. Reminders can be hard, but also a good thing when it helps healing, communication, support... I choose to use reminders in my case to remind me of all the good things about him.