Do you ever have those days where someone does something to you or makes you mad or hurts your feelings and it seems to last all day? We’ve all been there. And it’s not fun. But it doesn’t have to affect us the way it does. See, biochemically speaking, there...
Conscious vs. Unconscious Brain Function
Are you in control? Ask yourself that question. Are you really in control of your life? Of your thoughts, your emotions, your actions. Do you feel like you are making conscious decisions in your life? Or could you be a little unconscious in your behaviors? You may be running on...
The Science of Adolescent Stress and Trauma
Stressed out? Anxious? Depressed for no apparent reason? Do you find you aren’t consciously generating stressful thoughts or focusing on something negative? You are just sad. Or unhappy. Sometimes this happens because of an unconscious memory or environmental source. Sometimes it's because of an emotion ingrained into your brain and...
Neuroplasticity: Changing the Brain
Hebb’s Law is a term in neuroscience that says, “Neurons that fire together, wire together.” Consistent firing of neurons (brain cells) through repetitive thoughts, feelings and actions physically changes the brain. This is called neuroplasticity. Billions of neurons make up our brains. They communicate through tiny electrical impulses. Over time,...
The Stress Response and Why it Can Hurt Our Health
Here’s a terrifying thought: every time we are stressed out, our bodies fire a mechanism that hinders many major biological functions. Things like digestion, rational thought and reproduction lessen in functionality. Oh, and it's essentially uncontrollable. Well, this is exactly what happens during the stress response. During an intense emotional...