By Helen Borel, R.N.,Ph.D.
Brain Change: "Talk Therapy" Positively Alters
Cerebral Anatomy and Neurochemistry
Cerebral Anatomy and Neurochemistry
Cerebral Neurocircuitry (the electrical system of the brain) is run by its neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) - like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. (The serotonin system plays an important role in pain perception as well.) In addition to other cerebral and physiologic (body-wide) systems, your neurotransmitters influence the production of balanced or out-of-balance
amounts of such interacting biochemicals - too much or too little of your brain
chemicals have significant effects on your mood states and feelings, and thereby impact your reactions and your behaviors.
amounts of such interacting biochemicals - too much or too little of your brain
chemicals have significant effects on your mood states and feelings, and thereby impact your reactions and your behaviors.
So, beside their associated relationships to brain disorders such as schizo-phrenia, manic-depression (bipolar disorder), and the addictions; and in
addition to their influence on pleasure, normal sadness, appropriate fear,
ordinary worry, anticipation, sleepiness, alertness, pain control, grief and
anger - discovered levels of particular brain chemicals play specific roles in depressive mood states, in chronic depressive disorders and now, it appears,
in anxiety disorders.
addition to their influence on pleasure, normal sadness, appropriate fear,
ordinary worry, anticipation, sleepiness, alertness, pain control, grief and
anger - discovered levels of particular brain chemicals play specific roles in depressive mood states, in chronic depressive disorders and now, it appears,
in anxiety disorders.
Brain Chemistry Changes
in Response to "The Talking Cure"
What's important to know, that has barely been disclosed by the medical and psychiatry communities to the public, is that particular brain chemistry levels,
in prevailing forms of depression and anxiety, are not fixed for life.
in Response to "The Talking Cure"
What's important to know, that has barely been disclosed by the medical and psychiatry communities to the public, is that particular brain chemistry levels,
in prevailing forms of depression and anxiety, are not fixed for life.
Of more than one hundred investigative studies reviewed by researchers
Dan J. Stein, M.D.,Ph.D.; Herman G.M. Westenberg, Ph.D.; and Michael R. Liebowitz, M.D.,1 they reported that - IN PEOPLE UNDERGOING PSYCHOTHERAPY - THERE WERE DEMONSTRATED ANATOMICAL ALTERATIONS IN THE BRAIN ON IMAGING STUDIES (e.g., MRIs and CAT scans) and EVIDENTIAL CHANGES IN NEUROCHEMISTRY (on PETT scans and other biochemical tests).
This is scientific proof, for what heretofore could only be hypothe-
sized, that "the talking cure" - also known as "psychotherapy" - consciously effects alterations and modulations in thought
processes (the way we view events), in behaviors (the way we act),
and in feelings (the way we experience events and interpret or
focus on our moods and emotions). Such psychotherapeutically-
induced influences actually alter for the better your brain chemistry, thus
your brain circuitry (electrical messenger, or neurotransmitter, system) sized, that "the talking cure" - also known as "psychotherapy" - consciously effects alterations and modulations in thought
processes (the way we view events), in behaviors (the way we act),
and in feelings (the way we experience events and interpret or
focus on our moods and emotions). Such psychotherapeutically-
induced influences actually alter for the better your brain chemistry, thus
and therefore your brain structure.
So, getting the help of a compassionate therapist as early as possible when
facing loss, trauma, chronic or terminal physical illnesses, painful memories, relationship conflicts, work problems, 12-Step issues, life-goal confusions, loneliness, etc., ultimately literally heals faulty brain wiring and chemistry,
thereby helping the brain anatomy form itself into a more healthy, more
adaptive organ shape and feeding back, yet again, to further improved neurotransmitter levels.
facing loss, trauma, chronic or terminal physical illnesses, painful memories, relationship conflicts, work problems, 12-Step issues, life-goal confusions, loneliness, etc., ultimately literally heals faulty brain wiring and chemistry,
thereby helping the brain anatomy form itself into a more healthy, more
adaptive organ shape and feeding back, yet again, to further improved neurotransmitter levels.
Such "talking cure" anatomic and physiologic changes, which make psychotherapy patients feel better, more confident and less victim to
random, painful states are permanent, making the newer, healthier ways
of thinking, behaving and dealing with feelings easier and easier to achieve
as the "talking" therapy progresses.
random, painful states are permanent, making the newer, healthier ways
of thinking, behaving and dealing with feelings easier and easier to achieve
as the "talking" therapy progresses.
Yes, in many cases of depression or anxiety, prescription psychiatric medi-
cations work well to abate the suffering. Disadvantages are side effects such
as weight gain leading to diabetogenic dangers from obesity, and impotence interfering with couples' close relationships - both of which frequently cause patients to stop taking their medications or to reduce their dosage to sub-therapeutic levels that perhaps provide sleep but don't really impact the chief psychiatric symptomatology.
cations work well to abate the suffering. Disadvantages are side effects such
as weight gain leading to diabetogenic dangers from obesity, and impotence interfering with couples' close relationships - both of which frequently cause patients to stop taking their medications or to reduce their dosage to sub-therapeutic levels that perhaps provide sleep but don't really impact the chief psychiatric symptomatology.
(An additional concern: It is known that depression, for example, has a major negative socioeconomic effect worldwide, due to work days lost as a result of
the motor retardation, hollow pain, hypersomnia or insomnia, and other
symptoms afflicting depressed patients. Therefore, not only for the depressed patients themselves, it is in society's best interest to do everything possible to conquer or ameliorate this, and other mental illnesses with the greatest vigor.)
the motor retardation, hollow pain, hypersomnia or insomnia, and other
symptoms afflicting depressed patients. Therefore, not only for the depressed patients themselves, it is in society's best interest to do everything possible to conquer or ameliorate this, and other mental illnesses with the greatest vigor.)
Psychotherapy is Always Required...but
Sometimes Together with Medications...Widely accepted in psychiatry
these days, where medication may be indicated, is the imperativeness of using
a regimen of psychotherapy in conjunction with Rx drugs in order to amplify
the plasticity of the brain. (Plasticity here refers to the brain's capacity for growth, change and flexibility.)
Sometimes Together with Medications...Widely accepted in psychiatry
these days, where medication may be indicated, is the imperativeness of using
a regimen of psychotherapy in conjunction with Rx drugs in order to amplify
the plasticity of the brain. (Plasticity here refers to the brain's capacity for growth, change and flexibility.)
Habituated self-destructive behaviors and fixed negative thought processes
don't change with medications alone, which only provide neurochemical change
as long as the medication is being ingested by the patient. But no new ways of thinking and behaving, or of addressing uncomfortable and painful memories,or troublesome feelings and current conflicts can occur by using medications alone. Fortuitously, psychotherapy does provide the potential for lasting, positive cerebral change and neurochemical level diversity.
don't change with medications alone, which only provide neurochemical change
as long as the medication is being ingested by the patient. But no new ways of thinking and behaving, or of addressing uncomfortable and painful memories,or troublesome feelings and current conflicts can occur by using medications alone. Fortuitously, psychotherapy does provide the potential for lasting, positive cerebral change and neurochemical level diversity.
So, lasting alterations, that improve suffering patients' lives, can only occur
during the processes that proceed in your psychotherapy sessions. In other words, brain change happens and life change follows when you collaborate on your emotional growth with a quality psychotherapist.
during the processes that proceed in your psychotherapy sessions. In other words, brain change happens and life change follows when you collaborate on your emotional growth with a quality psychotherapist.
Psychotherapy Deals with the Complexities,
Intricacies and Minute Details of Your Life Your unique Self is complex, intricate and filled with all manner of tiny details that have influenced your life
and are still impacting your very existence. You may be experiencing painful, disruptive thoughts and feelings. And psychotherapy, which is incisive and
offers pro-growth techniques - that affect you emotionally and cause you to try new behaviors - effectively helps you produce positive changes in your brain.
Intricacies and Minute Details of Your Life Your unique Self is complex, intricate and filled with all manner of tiny details that have influenced your life
and are still impacting your very existence. You may be experiencing painful, disruptive thoughts and feelings. And psychotherapy, which is incisive and
offers pro-growth techniques - that affect you emotionally and cause you to try new behaviors - effectively helps you produce positive changes in your brain.
Thus, a majority of patients suffering uncomfortable or painful moods and
feelings and/or losses and conflicts, often do not require medication at all.
The consistent life changes - fostered and solidified during your period of psychotherapy - so thoroughly impacts brain structure, function and neuro-chemistry for the better, that most suffering abates progressively to a point
of much happier functioning and feelings, much better living, coping and
adapting. Much evidence of career and relationship successes.
feelings and/or losses and conflicts, often do not require medication at all.
The consistent life changes - fostered and solidified during your period of psychotherapy - so thoroughly impacts brain structure, function and neuro-chemistry for the better, that most suffering abates progressively to a point
of much happier functioning and feelings, much better living, coping and
adapting. Much evidence of career and relationship successes.
We've come a long way from Freudian hypotheses and the art of
psychoanalysis. All the way to scientific measures of success in human living
and relief of severe emotional suffering. Happily, at last, PSYCHOTHERAPY
can be lauded both as an art and as scientifically valid.
psychoanalysis. All the way to scientific measures of success in human living
and relief of severe emotional suffering. Happily, at last, PSYCHOTHERAPY
can be lauded both as an art and as scientifically valid.
1. "Social Anxiety Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Serotonergic
and Dopaminergic Neurocircuitry," J. Clin. Psychiatry, Vol. 63 (suppl 6), 2002.
and Dopaminergic Neurocircuitry," J. Clin. Psychiatry, Vol. 63 (suppl 6), 2002.
(c) copyright 2008-2015 Dr. Helen Borel. All rights reserved.
For permissions and rights, email me:
medical-healthalerts@earthlink.net
medical-healthalerts@earthlink.net
For Interactive, Interventional, Creative PsychoTherapy - by
this author of Journey Into Self: Holistic Interactive Integrative Psychoanalysis - that gets your life, your career, and your love
relationship away from suffering and on to fulfillment, contact me: emotional_health@earthlink.net
this author of Journey Into Self: Holistic Interactive Integrative Psychoanalysis - that gets your life, your career, and your love
relationship away from suffering and on to fulfillment, contact me: emotional_health@earthlink.net
...You can call me Dr. Helen
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