NEUROPLASTICITY: THE "WRITE PATH" TO HAPPY

DEAR MS. G:

You facilitated a sleep conference I attended a couple of years ago. Can you explain that part on how journaling could help me with my nerves, anger, and life all around? It was something like “neo plastic”. I need it now. Life has been life’n!!! Hope you’ve been well.

SIGNED, BRAIN JANE 

 DEAR JANE:

Neuroplasticity (you were close, lol) is rapidly becoming one of those popular buzz words overheard in the faint background noise of the coffee shop, in the punchline of a joke in your favorite rom com or even slurred out the loudmouth at the end of the bar trying to explain it to her friends over a skinny margarita.

 In a time when we are bombarded by information, entertainment, stress, memories, and our own not-so-pleasant psychological sensibilities (or lack thereof), of course it would be a hot topic. It’s legit our brain’s ability to rebuild itself and recover from whatever this crazy life throws at us.

 Simply put, it’s the nervous system regulating itself through experiences and learning, but it also physically rewires and repairs the brain’s neural networks. This is important because it is through our neuropathways (the “networks”) that we develop the repeated behaviors that show up in our emotions, reactions, and environment.

 Neuropathways are connected neurons that send signals between parts of the nervous system affecting how the brain functions – they send sensory information.

 Journaling has been found to strengthen the creation of new neural pathways allowing new ways of experiencing and enjoying life by expressing gratitude and hope in the form of the written word (with the help of nerves that run from the hands all the way to the brain, btw).  Writing one’s release from the memories of traumatic experiences even helps to strengthen new pathways while weakening old ones associated with pain. Overtime, this process allows a person to gradually work into better automatic behaviors and a happier outlook on life.

 All “chronic journal-ers” (myself included) have enjoyed the relaxation, sense of freedom, depth of expression, and feeling of accomplishment – as simple as it seems – that comes from this fascinating art form. Now, we have accessed the science to back up how it’s been a healing resource for centuries.

 Cheers to all of us journeying on the “write path”! I hope this helps.

SIGNED, MS. G

Submit your questions: g@thecrucial.org

Responses are released every Friday.