Dr. Caroline Leaf The Three Brains The main coordinating center of the Nervous System is the Brain, which is located in the skull. However, there is a group of neurons in and around the heart, a ‘Mini-brain’ that controls the heart[22]. In fact the heart can still operate, although not optimally, when it is not in communication with the rest of the Nervous System. Similarly the Enteric Nervous System, located in the gut wall, is the ‘Brain’ of the Gastrointestinal System[23]. The gut, like the heart, can function when it is cut off from the rest of the Nervous System. Normally the Skull Brain, the Heart Mini-brain and the Gut Brain communicate with each other. The Mind controls all three brains. However, the three brains feed back to, and therefore influence, the Mind. Wired for the Positive Traditionally the fields of clinical psychology and psychiatry have operated in the Medical or Disease Model[24]. In the Disease Model the health practitioner looks for what is wrong in the patient, or what disease process is present. Once the disease is diagnosed it is corrected by a cognitive or pharmacological intervention. The focus is on the negative aspects of the Mind and Brain. However recent research has shown that there is a ‘optimism bias’ wired into our brains[25]. We seem to be ‘wired for love’[26], in other words, we are wired to expect good things for ourselves; we are wired for the positive. It has been shown that this bias has a positive impact on our mental, physical and financial health[27]. This discovery is at the core of the recently emerging fields of Positive Psychology[28] and Positive Psychiatry[29]. In contrast to being wired for love, we have to be conditioned to fear according to Pavlovian principles[30]. In other words even though we are naturally wired for love, we have to learn fear. There is even a state called ‘Learned Helplessness’[31] in which a person has to be forced into- a type of depression. In summary, therefore, the preponderance of evidence is pointing to the fact that we are wired for love (positivity) and we have to learn fear (negativity). This will have huge implications in the health care industry.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 21:14:22 +0000
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