Michael_vx blog

New research shows how to make your brain stop worrying so much. According To California’s National Institute of Mental Health, more than 18% of adults in America suffer from chronic anxiety and depression, which are characterized by excessive tension and worry that further lead to physical problems. You Actually Have Two Brains But, did you know that every person has two brains? Well, actually and structurally we have one, but cognitively we do have two brans – one “thinking” and the other “unthinking.” And, somehow, we tend to first worry than think. Joseph LeDoix is a New York Scientist who said that “connections from the emotional systems to the cognitive (thinking) systems are stronger than connections from the cognitive systems to the emotional systems.” The ’emotional systems,’ according to Dr. LeDoix, are the limbic systems in the brain which are responsible for the brain’s emotional response. The limbic system consists of the amygdala and the hippocampu

Study Shows Depression Causes Brain Damage Most people can feel anxious or depressed at times. This feeling can be caused by various situations, such as getting fired, losing a loved one, going through a divorce, you name it. Such difficult situations can lead you to feel scared, sad, lonely, nervous, or anxious. These feelings are a normal response to such stressful situations, and while you may feel depressed because of those situations, this is something that will eventually pass and you will be able to function normally. However, there are those people who feel like this all the time, for no particular reason. This feeling disables them from functioning normally. It’s very difficult for these people to carry on with a normal life, as the feeling is just overwhelming. When a person feels discouraged, hopeless, sad, unmotivated, or disinterested in life in general for more than two weeks, and when those feelings start to interfere with the daily activities – it’s

If you’re that kind of parent who can’t keep their arms off their children, hugging them at every moment possible, then don’t stop – your kids will thank you for it one day. According to new research, hugging, as a form of physical affection, during the developmental period of the baby, is more important than you could think. The affection in the form of touch that these babies get triggers their brains to grow, and thus become smarter. The research done by Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio looked at 125 babies, born both preterm and full-term, and analyzed how light physical touch affects their brain development, as well as their perception, cognition, and social development. They discovered that supportive experiences, such as breastfeeding, skin-to-skin care, affectionate hugs, and similarp; triggered strong brain responses which allowed the brain to develop faster and more healthily. In other words, being gentle and loving to your baby is not only the hu

All of us have unique personalities. Even if we see the same thing or smell the same aroma or feel the same touch, each one of us will perceive these senses in varied ways. This works for everything we come across in our lives. That’s why, the first thing we think or relate to is the biggest reflection of our personality. How is this possible? In order to understand this, all you need to do is identify the first animal you see in the picture. The answer will reveal the kind of person you are. . . . . . Here are the answers: If you saw a lot of zebras, then it means: You are a person with charisma and love to be in a group. You feel extremely insecure when you are alone. It’s always ‘united we stand’ for you. If you saw a lion, then it means: You are full of pride and you are aware of your ego. Your strong will and determination makes you different from others. Even if you are the odd one out, you don’t care. You pick up things fast but you need to

While it may seem obvious that a good hike through a forest or up a mountain can cleanse your mind, body, and soul, science is now discovering that hiking can actually change your brain… for the better! Hiking in Nature Can Stop Negative, Obsessive Thoughts Aside from the almost instant feeling of calm and contentment that accompanies time outdoors, hiking in nature can reduce rumination. Many of us often find ourselves consumed by negative thoughts, which takes us out of the enjoyment of the moment at best and leads us down a path to depression and anxiety at worst. But a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that spending time in nature decreases these obsessive, negative thoughts by a significant margin. To conduct this study, researchers compared the reported rumination of participants who hiked through either an urban or a natural environment. They found that those who walked for 90 minutes in a natural environment r

Numerous studies have proven the many physiological benefits of meditation, and the latest one comes from Harvard University. An eight week study conducted by Harvard researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) determined that meditation literally rebuilds the brain’s grey matter in just eight weeks. It’s the very first study to document that meditation produces changes in grey matter over time. Study senior author Sara Lazar, of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program and a Harvard Medical School Instructor in Psychology, explains: “Although the practice of meditation is associated with a sense of peacefulness and physical relaxation, practitioners have long claimed that meditation also provides cognitive and psychological benefits that persist throughout the day. This study demonstrates that changes in brain structure may underlie some of these reported improvements and that people are not just feeling better because they are spending time relaxing

If you’re a psychologist, professor, and researcher at one of the world’s most prestigious universities then you’re likely very intelligent. Howard Gardner is all of that and happens to work at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education where he studies, of all things, intelligence. Over the years he’s done brain research and interviewed all sorts of people, from geniuses and prodigies to victims of stroke and those with autism. His work eventually led him to develop the theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI Theory for short) which challenged traditional beliefs and definitions concerning what intelligence means. Traditionally, intelligence is viewed as a fixed amount of cognitive capacity that people are born with. It consists of only logic and language abilities, and a person’s intelligence level can’t be changed over their lifetime. Gardner’s MI Theory stands in direct contrast. Instead, he posits that individuals have different amounts, abilities, and uniq

Average day, on an average person, through his head emerge for approximately 60 000 thoughts per day! But the stunning fact is that 95% of those thoughts are the same from the previous day which leaves us with only 5% new and creative thoughts. That’s the tyranny, we have limited way of thinking. People who occupy their life with the Same Previous Thoughts, mostly negative, have bad mental habits. They want to think more about the past, rather than to concentrate on everything they have positive in their life and to consider ways to improve. Some of them are anxious about their bad relationships and some of the about financial problems. Some are even worried about their not-so-good childhood and other burdens with tiny things such as “how the merchant serviced them in the supermarket” or “the evil critic from the colleagues.” People who think this way allow their concerns suck their life energy. They block the massive mind potential and they block the magic from

Scientists have mapped out how choice overload works in the brain, showing how our minds can back off from making a decision if the number of options gets too big. This kind of indecision has been noted in previous studies, but this new research identifies the areas of the brain that help us make a judgement between making a choice or not – specifically the anterior cingulate cortex or ACC (where we weigh benefits) and the striatum (where we determine value). When 19 volunteers were given a choice of landscape images to print on a t-shirt or a mug, activity in these two brain areas increased as the number of options went up, according to readings from an fMRI machine. However, once the choice of pictures went above 12, activity started trailing off again. The scientists say this shows how the striatum and ACC interact – weighing the potential for reward (finding the perfect picture to print) against the amount of work it’s going to take to reach that reward (sifti

We all know someone who truly thrives among the company of others. They are often described as the life of the party, and purposely plant themselves right in the center of the action. They need frequent human interaction and may experience feelings of sadness and isolation when left to their own devices. For a loner, the complete opposite is true. It’s not that they dislike or hate being with other people, but they focus more on quality over quantity when it comes to their own personal relationships. They like to take their time and develop deeper, longer lasting connections with a select few, versus having a large number of casual acquaintances. Time is also extremely important to a loner, so they want to make sure they’re spending it wisely. For a loner, alone time is not only a desire, but an absolute necessity in maintaining a healthy sense of balance and sanity. Which type of person best describes you? Do you prefer to be alone, or in the company of others? H

Early childhood is a period of rapid change in the human brain. The brain builds complex network connections at a very fast rate during early or middle childhood. A process called myelination, which’s the brain neuron formation, is eighty percent complete by age 4. The brain plays a role in literally everything we do, think, or say. In case a kid is not properly nurtured, it affects their brain development, preventing their emotional networks from being developed. The connection between the childhood brain’s personality characteristics and developmental traits is both universal and indisputable. A psychologist, Peg Streep, discusses the link between adult and early childhood life. Namely, Streep notes that although everybody’s childhood experience is different, there’re reliable and broad statements that may be made about the impact of these experiences. Childhood experiences can shape a person’s behavior and personality. Here Are the Signs and Behaviors Some

There is a huge misunderstanding for Twin Flames. We’re often told to move on, let go or cut off — but this is impossible. That’s a battle that none of us has to fight or win. Instead, I’ve learnt that what Twins “should” do is to find the “right” place that they let their counterpart occupy in their heart – it’s not and will never be about trying to erase them from there or “forget”. The right battle is to move at your own pace towards this space where you can love freely. # Letting Go Isn’t Needed The bonding that connects Twins is very strong, telepathic and almost uncontrollable — so “letting go” can’t really be achieved especially if it’s forced on you. The Twin Flame journey is about raising your vibration in order to open up to unconditional love. So if every time there is an issue between both of you — someone, a friend; psychic or whomever (and however well-meaning they may be) tells you to “let go” and causes a deep pain in you, it’ll bring a stop on y

People who are constantly thinking about every single detail of their life might seem weird to others. The so-called overthinkers, the ones who are always worrying and getting anxious about everything. Don’t get them wrong; they’re beautiful and bright guys. Overthinking is a bad habit, but it can also become really useful. The following ten facts about overthinkers will make you change your mind about them. However, if you are of them, which means you’re also an overthinker, then you will totally relate to this post, just like I did. Don’t forget to like and share! 1. It’s really difficult to live in the moment. Living in the moment can be nearly impossible for someone who breaks down each moment and finds themselves thinking about a particular issue relentlessly. Instead, you are wondering what is going to happen next or worrying about a past event than just to relax and enjoy the moment. 2. We cannot let anything go. That’s because we are convinced that if w

I often come across people who are 20, 30, 40 years old, but that’s just on the outside. Deep inside they seem to be stuck in early childhood and still expect the love they didn’t get. And they stay there until they learn to love themselves. Different ages have different needs, meaning that the attention and love we expect from our parents change with each year that passes. We simply have different needs and requirements. Early childhood is the period where trust is being built, so, love at this age represents compassionate concern of the mother about the child’s needs. If the mother was unreliable, she dismissed the child, etc., her behavior can make the child worry and feel afraid for her or his well-being. In adulthood, it is difficult to make contact with these people. In relationships they often test and question their partners because of their trust issues. When it comes to intimate relationships, they may feel helpless and vulnerable. A little later, bet

Surrounding yourself with positive people is important because you are directly affected by the people around you. However, it is not always as easy as it might seem to detect people who are good for you. On the surface, they might seem superficially positive. Below are some signs, some of them less obvious than others, that a person might be bad for your well-being. If you think about it, you have family members and friends in your life who would be there for you if you needed something like a 10-minute conversation or a ride somewhere. However, you might have another friend who just never seems to have time for anything. Friends should at least be able to make time for you occasionally especially if you have done the same for them. They Put Down Your Dreams Some so-called friends undermine you by discouraging you from pursuing your ambitions. Your friends should believe in you and celebrate your successes. A friend should also encourage you when things don’t wo

Look at the nine trees below and choose the one that is immediately most appealing to you. Don’t think about it too long, just choose, and find out what your choice says about your personality. Tree 1 A generous and moral. You aspire to be the best. You have the highest ambitions and standards. People may seem to you that it is difficult, but the hardest thing to you with yourself. You work hard, but you’re not selfish. You work because you want to make the world a better place. You like as long as you do not hurt. And after … still do not cease to love. Very few people can appreciate all that you do. Tree 2 You are a fun, honest person. You are very responsible and like taking care of others. You believe in putting in an honest day’s work and accept many work-related responsibilities. You have a very good personality and people come to trust you easily. You are bright, witty and fast-thinking. You always have an interesting story to tell. Tree 3 A smart an