Podcast Summary
Exploring new experiences leads to personal growth: Exploring new things, environments, and supplements can lead to personal growth and transformation. Mindfulness and overcoming addictions are important aspects of this journey.
Exploration and new experiences can lead to personal growth and transformation. Whether it's trying new things, discovering old ones, or immersing yourself in new environments, these experiences can help us become better versions of ourselves. This concept was emphasized in the discussion about traveling with Avalon Waterways and trying natural supplements from SYNBOTICA. Additionally, the importance of mindfulness and overcoming addictions was highlighted by Dr. Judson Brewer's story of connecting his personal mindfulness practice with his addiction work. His career path was unplanned, but the insights he gained from this connection have had a significant impact on the field. Whether you're looking to improve your mental health, physical well-being, or just try something new, remember that the journey of exploration and self-discovery can lead to meaningful growth.
Understanding the mind's basics for managing anxiety and habits: All addictions can be reversed, our brains can adapt quickly to change, and we have the power to unlearn and rewire our brains
Understanding the basics of how our minds work is essential to managing anxiety and breaking unhelpful habits and addictions. An addiction is defined as continued use despite adverse consequences, and this definition applies not only to classic addictions but also to everyday behaviors like texting while driving or being overly reliant on social media. The good news is that all addictions can be reversed, and our brains have the incredible ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. So, whether it takes as long as it took to form the habit or not, we have the power to unlearn and rewire our brains. The movie "The Martian" provides a great analogy for turning anxiety-inducing energy into productive energy, and it's a reminder that we all have the capacity to do the same.
Our brains form habits based on reward value: Identify rewarding aspects of habits and replace or modify them with healthier alternatives for effective habit change
Our brains form habits based on reward value, and understanding this can help us change habits without relying solely on willpower. The orbital frontal cortex, a part of our brain, forms and stores reward value, making quick decisions based on it. For instance, we prefer cake to broccoli because cake has a higher reward value due to its taste and calorie density. To change habits, we can identify the rewarding aspects of the habit and find ways to replace or modify them with healthier alternatives. This approach is more effective than relying on willpower alone. Additionally, recognizing the adverse consequences of a habit can also motivate us to change. However, it's not necessary to hit rock bottom; being aware of the moment-to-moment impact of the habit can help us break it.
Two Systems of Motivation: Wanting and Liking: Understanding the role of dopamine in wanting and liking systems can help us change habits by updating the reward value in our brains.
Our brains are driven by two distinct systems when it comes to motivation: wanting and liking, which are both related to dopamine. The liking system is responsible for the initial pleasure we experience when we encounter something new, like the first taste of cake or the first time we try alcohol. This system lays down memories and associates the experience with certain environmental cues, creating a composite reward value. Over time, our brains shift from firing dopamine when we receive the reward to anticipating it, driving us to repeat the behavior. The wanting system, on the other hand, is dopamine-driven and is responsible for the urge to go do the behavior. However, it can be challenging to use our more evolved conscious control centers to change behaviors that are driven by these subcortical structures. Our prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for reason and willpower, is younger and weaker, making it harder to compete with these more primitive centers. Instead, the most effective way to change a habit is to update the reward value in our orbital frontal cortex. This was discovered in the 1970s by researchers Rescorla and Wagner, who developed the Rescorla-Wagner model of reinforcement learning. By bringing awareness into the equation and recognizing the prediction error, we can make conscious choices to change the reward value and ultimately, the behavior.
Our brain forms reward values based on experiences and updates them through prediction errors: Paying attention to experiences can update brain's reward values, leading to habit changes through disenchantment and desire to change in as few as 10 instances
Our brain forms reward values based on our experiences, and we can update these values by paying attention to our experiences. If we eat a new chocolate cake and really focus on its taste, our brain may register a positive prediction error, creating a strong memory and encouraging us to return. Conversely, if we eat a cake that doesn't meet our expectations, our brain may register a negative prediction error, making us less likely to return. This process doesn't require willpower but rather awareness. To change a habit, such as quitting smoking, one can pay attention to the behavior and the resulting negative prediction error, leading to disenchantment and a natural desire to change. Research shows that this process can happen quickly, even in as few as 10 to 15 instances of paying attention. However, it does require a certain level of discipline and interest to consistently focus on the behavior. Individual differences in discipline can be overcome by the universal capacity to be aware.
Personalizing Mindfulness Practices for Anxiety Based on Personality Types: Understanding your personality type can help you choose effective mindfulness practices for managing anxiety. A personality questionnaire can identify your tendencies and guide you towards practices that cater to your strengths and weaknesses, leading to quicker progress and better results.
Understanding one's personality type can be crucial in selecting effective mindfulness practices for managing anxiety. The Path of Purification discusses different personality types aligning with modern-day tendencies towards fight, flight, or freeze responses. A personality questionnaire based on these mindfulness personality types, with 13 questions, can help individuals identify their propensity and begin with practices that cater to their strengths and weaknesses. For instance, those inclined towards approach may find loving kindness practices easier, while avoiders might benefit from more analytical practices. Knowing one's predominance can lead to quick wins and gradual progress towards mastering more challenging practices. This research was published in PLOS 1 and can be found in the author's books "One Day Anxiety" and "The Craving Mind." The connection to anxiety comes from the realization that traditional anxiety treatments have a high number needed to treat, meaning that only a few individuals may benefit. Thus, personalized mindfulness practices based on personality types can be a more effective approach for a larger population.
Treating Anxiety with a Habit-Driven Approach: The 'Unwinding Anxiety' app, based on habit-driven approach, has shown impressive results in clinical studies, reducing anxiety scores by up to 67% in people with generalized anxiety disorder, with fewer people needing treatment compared to traditional medication, due to increased mindfulness and emotional nonreactivity.
Anxiety can be treated through a habit-driven approach, as suggested by research from the 1980s that was often overlooked. This approach led to the development of the "Unwinding Anxiety" app, which has shown impressive results in clinical studies. For instance, in a study with anxious physicians, there was a 57% reduction in clinically validated anxiety scores. In a randomized controlled trial of people with generalized anxiety disorder, there was a 67% reduction in anxiety scores, with a significantly lower number of people needed to be treated for one person to benefit, compared to traditional medication. The underlying causal mechanism for such large effect sizes is believed to be the increase in mindfulness and emotional nonreactivity, which decreases worry and anxiety. The "Unwinding Anxiety" app is available for download on various app stores, and it specifically trains users to identify and break anxiety-worry habit loops.
Understanding the cycle of anxiety and worry: Apps like Unwinding Anxiety can teach mindfulness practices, like RAIN, to help individuals break the cycle of anxiety and worry, reducing overall anxiety and improving mental wellbeing.
Anxiety and worry form a vicious cycle, with anxiety triggering worry, and worry driving more anxiety. This cycle is not rewarding and can be broken by helping individuals understand they're not in control of what they're worrying about, and that anxiety feeds back to drive more worry. The Unwinding Anxiety app, which costs around the price of a monthly co-pay for a doctor's visit, can help people learn to be less reactive to anxiety and worry by practicing noting their experiences, as part of the RAIN mindfulness practice. This practice involves recognizing, allowing, investigating, and noting thoughts, feelings, and sensations, which can help individuals become less caught up in their worries and reduce anxiety overall. The RAIN practice has been adapted from Michelle McDonald's work and has been effective in various applications, including helping people manage cravings, overeating, and anxiety.
Exploring cravings with curiosity: By noting sensations and emotions during cravings, we can manage urges and make more conscious choices, effectively managing addictive behaviors.
The RAIN practice, which involves investigating our experiences with curiosity, can help us manage urges and break the link between urge and action. By noting the sensations and emotions that come with cravings, we can see that they are not as scary as they seem and that they eventually fade. This practice can be particularly effective in managing addictive behaviors, as it allows us to moderate our actions based on our experience in the moment. However, our brains are complex, and we are influenced by a multitude of desires and stimuli. Addiction is defined as continued use despite adverse consequences, and bringing awareness to our habits and behaviors can help us recognize when we are overconsuming and start to moderate our actions. By asking ourselves if each bite or action is better, the same, or worse than the last, we can begin to map out our pleasure plateau and make more conscious choices.
Focusing on the present moment for anxiety and sobriety: Practicing mindfulness and breaking down future goals into smaller steps can help manage anxiety and addiction by focusing on the present moment
Practicing mindfulness and awareness in the present moment can help us moderate our behaviors, including managing anxiety and working towards sobriety. Anxiety often stems from worrying about the future, and trying to focus on the present can make it more manageable. A useful technique is to break down future goals into smaller, more immediate steps, and focus on being present for those moments. This approach, which the speaker calls "anxiety sobriety," can help individuals overcome anxiety and addiction by taking things one moment at a time. This approach is effective because our brains are not good at predicting the future, and focusing too far ahead can lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety. By focusing on the present and taking things one moment at a time, we can better manage our anxiety and work towards our goals.
Understanding the reward system behind suicidal thoughts: Identifying and understanding underlying emotions and triggers can help break the cycle of suicidal thoughts.
Suicidal thoughts, like other habits or addictions, can be driven by a reward system in the brain. Negative emotions can lead to suicidal thoughts, which in turn can provide a sense of relief or escape. This process can become a cycle, making it crucial to identify and understand the underlying emotions and triggers. A real-life example comes from a man who tried a smoking cessation app at the request of Congressman Tim Ryan, who was intrigued by its potential. The man initially had no intention of quitting but ended up becoming smoke-free six years later. This anecdote illustrates how understanding the mechanisms behind our thoughts and behaviors can lead to lasting change.
Transferable skills for dealing with compulsive behaviors: The skills learned to quit smoking can be applied to other areas of life, like dealing with internet porn, trichotillomania, and skin picking. Mental health support is essential, and everyone deserves fashion that fits and flatters their bodies.
Our smoking app, designed for quitting, has been used for various purposes beyond its intended use, such as dealing with compulsive behaviors like internet porn, trichotillomania (hair pulling), and skin picking. The skills used to quit smoking are transferable to other areas of life. Dr. Brewer shared valuable insights on this topic, emphasizing its importance during these challenging times. We appreciate his expertise on the show. Additionally, we'd like to remind you that mental health support is essential for everyone, and BetterHelp offers online therapy to help you manage your challenges. Avalon Waterways invites you to explore Europe's picturesque shores on an adventure, while JCPenney offers stylish and comfortable clothing for all body types. In essence, the skills we learn can be applied to various aspects of our lives, mental health support is crucial, and everyone deserves fashion that fits and flatters their bodies.
