Reddit mentions of The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

> I was just wondering how many people have CPTSD as a result of emotional abuse and neglect as a child.

My father was a narcissist. My mother was a sociopath. So the entirety of my childhood was lost to narcissistic and sociopathic abuse, which left me with CPTSD.

> I’m worried that as it’s gone untreated for 20 years that I may never get better.

This is factually incorrect. You might want to check your local library for the book titled The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science. This book is rife with verified medical examples of the neuroplasticity of the brain. Neuroplasticity means the brain changes throughout life. The brain does not solidify like concrete once we reach adulthood. This is very good news for people like you and I, because it means the trauma we suffered in our childhood does not have to rule us for the rest of our lives, because our brain literally does change throughout our lives. We can assist it via several methods, such as psychotherapy, meditation and even exercise.

> I’d really like it if people could share their experiences with me and whether they’ve made any headway, recovery, partial recovery.

So if a psychologist with a PhD, who had practiced psychotherapy for the past 3+ decades terminated your therapy, telling you you have nothing left to resolve, would you consider yourself recovered? I do.

> How long did it go on for before you got a diagnosis?

I was diagnosed with PTSD at the age of 21 in 1985. CPTSD wasn't even on the radar in those days. All total, I have spent 22 years of my adult life in therapy. However, that does not and should not mean you will require as much time in therapy to recover.

The science has advanced so far from 1985 when I first began therapy. Back then, psychology wasn't considered a hard science like chemistry or biology. Today, psychology is getting closer to a hard science. From viewing a brain scan, brain injuries like PTSD, or disorders like OCD & ADHD can be diagnosed now. Additionally, trauma therapy did not exist in 1985. It hadn't yet been conceived. So if you have CPTSD, get to a trauma therapist and get to work, because they KNOW what they need to know to help guide you out of CPTSD.

As far as how the therapy works to free you, there will be MANY moments in your life that you will look at in therapy. Each moment will be discussed & analyzed until you fully understand what happened in each moment. After a certain period of time, you will have hundreds or thousands of these analyzed and understood moments in your life which, when chained together, will reveal the entire story of your life. This is when you will understand every moment that you lived & EVERYTHING will make sense. That is when you will know you are free. Or at least, that has been my experience. DO NOT GIVE UP. It is so worth it in the end.

Actually, I can help if you would like to know the for some reason. This is a neuroscience book that explains in great detail why your cheek makes your "hand" feel.

http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453512080&sr=8-2&keywords=The+Plastic+Brain

The short answer is that it's because the neurons in your brain that were wired to your hand still need to do something, so they remap in other parts of your brain that are nearby. It actually may mean that you can feel more detail on your cheek than most people in that area.

For a long time "phantom" pains were thought to be purely physiological, This science says otherwise. You may want to check it out. It's a good read.

Also, I'm an audio engineer and musician in Louisiana, primarily in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. I say this to say that I have the privilege of working with some top notch guys. One of the keyboard players I see gigging all the time down here only has one hand. He's got one hand, and one nub. He uses the damn nub. I don't know how he makes this keyboard sound this way, but he does.

With the advent of MIDI technology, there is so much you can do. And with the advent of the Arduino platform, you could even make something yourself. There are so many alternative controllers available for you to express yourself in different and creative ways...don't give up playing and making music. Maybe get a MIDI controller and some simple software?

You have to practice. Communication is a subconscious skill. You can't consciously plan your way through an entire conversation because there isn't enough time. It's possible to think of a few things that are good conversation starters, but that's about it.

In order to train any subconscious skill, you have to practice. When you practice your brain starts by trying to make the neural connections necessary to create the movement you want. At first the brain uses a lot of neurons. After more practice the brain finds more efficient ways of creating the movement and uses less neurons. That's how musicians look like they can effortlessly play an instrument the more they practice.

The biggest mistake people make about communication is that they don't approach learning it like they would approach learning a new sport or musical instrument. That's why nerds who like to be analytical about everything suck at communicating, because you have to learn communication by practice; the same way you learn a sport, which is another thing nerds suck at. You can't ride a bike by thinking every time before you move the pedals or handles. You can't make your way through a conversation that way either for the same reason - there's no time.

Practice keeping eye contact and saying what's on your mind without any hesitation. You'll find that after a few conversations you'll be able to do this more easily because your brain has gotten used to the skills. A good rule of thumb is to be yourself, but if you happen to be an asshole, you'll have to change.

If you can't find the courage to talk to random people right away, then start small. Talk to people you've been avoiding, like neighbors, coworkers, or classmates. Come up with a few prepared conversations and see what happens. If things don't go too well, know that you won't be that nervous and awkward during the next talk.

The neuroscience in this comment comes from The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, and Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature - evolutionary psychology, behavioral genetics. (probably most interesting from a Freudian perspective, deals with many of our unconscious instincts)

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces The Shape Our Decisions - Unconscious decision-making, behavioral economics, consumer psychology. Fun read.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Most popular book on the psychology of persuasion, covers all the main principles. Very popular among business crowds.

Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships - Social neuroscience, mirror neurons, empathy, practical stuff mixed with easy to understand brain science.

Authentic Happiness - Positive Psychology, happiness, increasing life satisfaction.

Feeling Good - A good primer on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Also widely considered one of the best self-help books by mental health practitioners.

The Brain That Changes Itself - Neuroplasticity, how experience shapes our brains. Some really remarkable case studies that get you wondering how powerful our brains really are.

The Buddhist Brain - The practical neuroscience of happiness, love, and wisdom from a Buddhist perspective.

That should give you more than enough to chew on.

Your life isn't pointless. Right now you may be at a low point, even the lowest point you have been in. I believe that struggling in some way, or being sad/depressed/angry/hurt/etc means that you care about something. Something feels like it's not right to you and you want it to be better. Even if it's a vague feeling, or you are struggling because you actually feel nothing at all, this says something. I'm not sure what you are going through since you didn't post many details (which is totally fine), but I wanted to let you know that there have been many times that I have struggled greatly. Due to my past trauma I've had terrible physical problems, emotional problems, dissociation, anxiety, depression, difficulty making and maintaining friendship and connection with others....and on and on. There were times when I was in so much pain (either mentally, emotionally or physically) that I couldn't get out of bed or even barely move for long periods of time. That is a very desperate feeling. I have felt utterly and completely alone in this world, as if I had nothing and no one, and that I would be broken forever.

One thing that really helps me is reading. It was a long journey for me to learn to recognize my own thoughts, feelings, and emotions. There are still some areas where I can struggle with this, but I have made so, so much progress it's almost unbelievable to me when I think back to the person I once was. I couldn't identify my own emotions or thoughts, but when I read about scenarios and other peoples emotions/thoughts in certain situations, I could tell when it felt right. Like, "Yes! That is how I felt when _____ happened to me." A few books that really helped me are The Body Keeps Score, and Running On Empty. Other resources that have helped me immensely are hypnosis (one in particular was Michael Mahoney's IBS Audio Program 100 (this cured the IBS I had had for ~25 years, since I was a child)), and Annie Hopper's Dynamic Neural Retraining System. The very first book that I read that gave me hope that I could change my life was The Brain that Changes Itself. I read that book 9 years ago and it set me on a path of real change. It gave me inspiration and hope and the belief that I could really change and improve my life. If you want any other book recommendations let me know, I've read a lot of books and I have even more favorites that have helped me.

There are still areas of my life that I am working to improve, but I am nowhere near the person I was before I started reading and learning. Working through this stuff, and figuring out how to even do it, are very challenging and difficult tasks. But it is so, so worth it. I wish I could really show you and explain to you the profound changes we can make as people. Every epiphany I've had about myself and my life has been amazing and life changing. To me it almost feels like the essence of what it means to be human. I'm not sure if people who don't go through trauma get the chance to experience such profound epiphanies, realization, and change. Maybe I'm just rambling now, but I want you to know that there is hope. You may not have it, but I have it for both of us right now. Read. See a therapist. Learn. Practice. Journal. Seek support. Seek out ways to make a change. It doesn't have to be profound or monumental. Go at your own pace, just be sure that you are going.

I read this book 2-3 years ago "The Brain That Changes itself Self" super fascinating all about neuroplasticity and how the brain can re-wire itself. One chapter talked about porn regarding people losing their jobs, relationships, social life etc. Because of porn, it can also lead to impotence. I will just take some quotes:

> [A 2001study] found that 80 percent felt they were spending so much time on pornographic sites that they were putting their relationships or jobs at risk.

>When I asked if this phenomenon had any relationship to viewing pornography, they answered that it initially helped them get more excited during sex but over time had the opposite effect. Now, instead of using their senses to enjoy being in bed, in the present, with their partners, lovemaking increasingly required them to fantasize that they were part of a porn script.

I can't suggest this book enough. My recommendation would be to combine through that chapter if you are interested.

EDIT: This book is on amazon and is well worth the cash side note I realized when I ordered it was in 2012....time is strange

The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100

There are lots of great techniques (like these) to help you remember specific things, but if you want to train your brain to remember things better, you have to work daily on this effort. I've been using Lumosity for the last few months for this reason. I'm not sure yet whether it's actually improving my memory, but at the very least it's a nice way to get your brain going in the morning and brush up on a few basic skills.

There are different games focused on various "brain skills" (memory, focus, spatial recognition, etc...) - I love the games that help you remember names and faces. Thus far the only research about this was sponsored by the company- hopefully others will dig into this interesting topic soon. Still, everything I've read about brain plasticity suggests these kinds of activities do improve your thinking skills.

I signed up for the 30 day free trial and set a calendar reminder to cancel it by the end of the trial, but after 15 days of using it I was hooked. I get to work and do this for the first half hour or so instead of obsessively checking Facebook and it wakes up my brain and makes me feel productive without having to do real work before the coffee kicks in. There's at least one other website doing the same kind of thing called Posit Science, but I haven't tried it.

You could get a similar result by playing free games that use your memory every day, like matching games, but I like that Lumosity training programs give you different games to play each day so you don't burn out. I just click "Start Training" and it will give me 5 games to play. I also like the ability to track my progress.

If you join, add me- I have the same screenname on there. :)

</theyshouldpayme>

Yes, there are lots of studies about the addiction patterns in the brains of video game players. I don't think he is implying that massive amounts of video gaming is healthy either. But 303030... is right. It is an addiction that affects a lot of things about you. If you want to read a layman's explanation by great neuroscientists, read The Brain That Changes Itself (there's a section specifically about porn) or The Compass of Pleasure (touches on masturbation, orgasm and I think porn).

Books like The Brain that Changes Itself, Phantoms in the Brain and The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat are all really great reads. They're different cases and accounts of patients treated by the authors who are, I believe, neuroscientists and psychologists. I learned a LOT about how the brain works and relates to the body - but I'll warn you, when you see how flawed our perceptions of the world can be (how easily damaged, fooled or changed), you may have a slight existential crisis. I did. :)

What book are you reading? I've been reading The Brain that Changes Itself. I believe it mentions the same experiment with the monkey.

I also remember reading a line that said addiction causes permanent brain damage. Scary stuff.

From you are describing your grandfather is doing pretty good and it is looking positive for him as he can walk and say some words. It is possible for him to be functioning like before but it is hard to predict how he will recover.

I had a brain hemorrhage: what I learned from this on going experience is that it takes a lot of time to heal; months and years. Some people won't have any side effect from a brain injury, others will die. Your age and your lifestyle will affect how much and how fast you will recover but luck is an important factor also.

A brain injury is not like breaking an arm or losing a leg : those type of injuries are simple, you can see them and they don't affect the brain directly, they heal quickly. A brain injury is invisible and it is hard to predict the outcome.

After having read Ziferius comment, I would suggest watching this ted talk by Jill Bolt Taylor and reading this book : The brain that changes itself. Here a link to an episode of the nature of thing on CBC (Canada) talking about the book which I found interesting.

I wish your grandfather and you good luck on your journey !

Amazon.com version

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0143113100/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ieCWCb4N9CXJP

This book will probably bring you more hope that her life will be normal than any comment here could. It's very scientific, and has a lot of reassuring information for you.

Please check it out!

So now I'm googling because I've always been curious about this and I found a couple books on the subject, though they don't deal with MS specifically:

https://www.amazon.com/Brains-Way-Healing-Discoveries-Neuroplasticity/dp/014312837X/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=014312837X&pd_rd_r=7Y8WFEFKSJZ804H9V4JF&pd_rd_w=R6eC4&pd_rd_wg=LDtma&psc=1&refRID=7Y8WFEFKSJZ804H9V4JF

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0143113100&pd_rd_r=ZKM6NP8A26MXV4D7BVBR&pd_rd_w=Ra4iU&pd_rd_wg=6KI75&psc=1&refRID=ZKM6NP8A26MXV4D7BVBR

The Brain the Changes Itself is a good laymen's book on brain plasticity.

Another book I read said that some amputee patients would feel like someone was touching their face when they tried to move their amputated fingers because of the proximity of those areas on the sensory/motor cortex. (Guessing the sensory area for the face took over the motor area for the fingers?).

If anyone remembers the book? It was the professor that come up with the mirror trick to help with pain after amputation.

> Truthfully, I've never actually been seen by anyone about my PTSD beyond being prescribed Xanax and various antianxiety antidepressants.

You've treated the symptoms, but not the cause.

> I almost called a therapist the other day. But of course phone calls are too scary.

What about online therapy, via messaging?

> Also I've never had a particularly good experience with them. I was seeing one during my abuse and they didn't pick up on it.

Have you tried a trauma therapist?

> I feel like admitting I need help makes me weak and makes them the winner.

This is a false belief, not a feeling. If you need help, getting help will meet your need. You deserve to get your needs met.

> All this to say, I feel dumb. Specifically emotionally dumb.

This is perfectly ok. It's not a block to getting help. Seek rational understanding, if you feel your emotions are blunted.

> Like I'm stuck in the mind if a twelve year old. I just can't explain it other than sometimes I feel like a petulant teen-ager, but totally justified in my actions.

This perfectly ok too. A good trauma therapist can work with this.

> My brain is just WRONG.
>I simply tell him to treat me like I've got a brain injury

This is a result of trauma. It contains two sides;

1. In some sense, those of us who lived through trauma in our childhoods, suffer 'brain damage' of a sort. Our brains form in response to the trauma, which is not how the brains of those without trauma form.
   
   
2. It leads us to believe we are forever brain damaged. However, this simply isn't true. The brain is plastic and changes throughout our lives. We can heal ourselves from trauma. Although it isn't trauma focused, you might want to check out the book The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science. This book is full of real life stories, as well as experiments, which repeatedly prove how capable the brain is of repairing itself, whether from strokes or far worse.
   
   > Will I ever feel safe again.
   
   This I can't say. I don't feel safe myself. I was born into trauma and suffered it from birth to age 18. We can create safety for ourselves, but ultimately, there is no such thing as 100% safety at all times.
   
   > Good god reading that last bit, I'm a fucking monster.
   
   You're no monster. You've been traumatized, for quite a long period of time.
   

If you want to delve into layman level reading on this sort of thing, look up books and videos by Robert Sapolsky. The book Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers will teach you a lot about chronic stress, and why it's a bad thing.

Stress in and of itself is not bad, but chronic, prolonged bouts of the stress response, leads to a lot of issues. There are a plethora of physiological things going on, so it's sort of beyond the scope of this one post for me to list all of it, hence why I'm pointing you towards something to read on the layman level.

You can also read up on glucocorticoids.

EDIT: Just 'cause I like when people link me to stuff (I know the laziness, it is strong in us all), here:


Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers

Monkeyluv: And Other Essays on Our Lives As Animals

The Trouble With Testosterone

The Brain That Changes Itself

The first three are R. Sapolsky, who is amazing. He also has a bunch of video lectures online you can find. I have to go do stuff now, so I can't go link to those, but they should be easy to locate on YouTube.

The last book is one that deals with neuroplasticity stuff, which is what you seem to be interested in, speaking on the malleability of the brain and all that. It's fascinating stuff, I know - that's what got me to pursue neuroscience all those years ago.

If you have anymore questions, or want more resources, just ask - I have a ton of stuff bookmarked or on harddrives, just have to set aside time to locate it.

Fascinating stuff. I remember reading about it a few years ago in The Brain That Changes Itself, which has a lot of very interesting stuff in it.

Neuroplasticity: neurons that wire together fire together.
Neurons that continually alert your brain to pain alter the mapping of your brain and more areas become wired for pain.
This unwires other brain functions.. memory, concentration, everything.
This is why it is hard to concentrate when you are in pain and the 'mental fog' therein.

There are some good books on the matter..
The Brain that Changes Itself by Doige
If you do not understand the science or anatomy/physiology of brain stuff, Dr Doidge does a great job explaining everything.

I am reading this one by Dr Doidge as well..

[edited to fix quoting issue]

Chess. Currently, I suck at it, but then Anatoly Sharansky probably wasn't the world's greatest player either, when he went into solitary:
> Anatoly Sharansky, the Soviet human rights activist, used mental chess to survive in
> prison. Sharansky, a Jewish computer specialist falsely accused of spying for the
> United States in 1977, spent nine years in prison, four hundred days of that time in
> solitary confinement in freezing, darkened five-by-six-foot punishment cells.
> […] During this extended period of sensory deprivation, Sharansky played mental
> chess for months on end, which probably helped him keep his brain from degrading.
> He played both white and black, holding the game in his head, from opposite
> perspectives--an extraordinary challenge to the brain.

From The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge.

(A fantastic book -- Amazon link)

Everyone needs to pick a new hobby. New skill you learn engages brain in a good way. I read this in 'The brain that changes itself'

http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268312693&sr=8-1

There is a whole chapter devoted to it in The Brain that Changes Itself.

Really cool book, I think a lot of you would enjoy it. Talks alot about how plastic your brain is, and about a lot of cool technology for repairing damaged brain function (walking after strokes, helping the blind to see, the deaf to hear, etc).

I'm 35years old and have recently been diagnosed with mild sleep apnea ~10 AHI. I've bought an auto CPAP and have been on treatment for around one week. I feel better so far although I'll need months to quantify the improvement.

Prior to this I was on a 1 month trial where I couldn't identify how crucial CPAP was until the trial ended (which I've been told is common for mild sufferers). It was around 2 months without treatment between the end of the trial and when I bought the machine a week ago.

Like you I suffered from chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, memory issues, brain fog etc. After treatment it was clear to me that many of the fears I had were based on cognitive patterns developed while under the effect of a physiological anxiety and depression.

So in plain english, things aren't likely to be as bad as you perceive them to be. I'm not trying to downplay the potential need for rehabilitation because now that I'm on CPAP I intend to create a brain rehabilitation plan that includes the items below.

For you in particular I would do the following:

• Read a few books on Neuroplasticity. (Eg The Brain that Changes Itself, The Power of Neuroplasticity)
  
  
• Get therapy to fix any maladaptive cognitive behaviours you've developed while under the influence of apnea created anxiety. You want a therapist specialised or familiar in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. If you can't afford a therapist, get a self-help book like Feeling Good. Frankly, I think everyone should undertake some CBT sometime in early adulthood anyway, but I think you could use it in particular.
  
  
• Fix your habits now that your mind is working again. Create good sleep hygiene by cutting out blue light (f.lux app for computers/phones) and turning off electroncs an hour before you sleep (which should be ~10-10:30pm). Eat a balanced diet and supplement with Omega 3 fish oil for healthy brain function. Exercise ~ 3 times a week (preferably weights, but otherwise cardio/sport). Consider cutting down or eliminating alcohol and other drugs that may cause cognitive impairment.
  
  
• Take up Meditation which has been shown to improve executive function. 20 minutes per day concentrating on your breathing, nothing fancy. There are guides to simple forms of breath meditation all over the place.
  
  
• Non-electronic based brain teasers. Get a big book of puzzles and fit it into your routine. I recommend non-electronic because the semi-dissociative state induced by videogames doesn't activate all areas of your mind.
  
  
• Find a good memory training program. I don't have much experience with this yet, but I've heard there are some good books on this.
  
  
• If you have easy access to medical care, consider getting a referral to a neurologist for an MRI and talk your concerns over with him. Maybe there is little to no atrophy of your brain. You can't really tell from the inside except for poor memory/brain fog. Try getting another MRI in 6 months to a years time on your recovery regime to see how things have changed.
  
  Beyond all this I think its important to just do the best you can with the resources and knowledge you have available and not beat yourself up for what might have been and things beyond your control.
  
  Good luck.
  
  edit: broken links the bane of my life

These are a few that I really liked:

Lisa Sanders, Every Patient Tells a Story

Norman Doidge, The Brain That Changes Itself

Norman Doidge's The Brain That Changes Itself is a good place to start: https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487878377&sr=8-1&keywords=the+brain+that+changes+itself

Crazy! I'm reading a book right now on brain plasticity and it's amazing how the brain can be re-taught how to us that hand (through repetitious exercises like stacking blocks for 8 hours a day)

The book is The brain that changes itself. It's really good and anyone will understand it. Check it out!

The Brain that Changes Itself a book about how scientists are learning how to help people overcome many problems using "brain plasticity". It's not a book about torture and it doesn't touch on that very much but it does mention people in solitary, how it impacts their mind and how they had to adapt to maintain sanity. According to the book and the case studies that it presents, the brain has incredible power to overcome things that many people didn't believe could be overcome. But it can also be it's own enemy...and be distorted by traumatic things. To me, solitary is a particularly cruel form of punishment.

If you have any interest in the science and strategies behind these kinds of recoveries, this book is amazing.

The Brain That Changes Itself

try these four steps method by Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz

http://hope4ocd.com/foursteps.php



If you can't open that page , here's a quick summary:

Step 1: RELABEL
Recognize that the intrusive obsessive thoughts and urges are the RESULT OF OCD.

Step 2: REATTRIBUTE
Realize that the intensity and intrusiveness of the thought or urge is CAUSED BY OCD; it is probably related to a biochemical imbalance in the brain.

Step 3: REFOCUS
Work around the OCD thoughts by focusing your attention on something else, at least for a few minutes: DO ANOTHER BEHAVIOR.

Step 4: REVALUE
Do not take the OCD thought at face value. It Is not significant in itself.




Here are some books that helped me:

You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life

http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-Your-Brain/dp/1583334262/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b

Read The Brain That Changes Itself

You might have better luck in /r/askscience, and your question is rather vague so I'm not 100% sure if you're asking about just smartphones or actual technological advancements. I read an interesting book called "The Brain That Changes Itself" and one of the chapters focused on the research done by Paul Bach-y-Rita, a neuroscientist that focused on neuroplasticity and sensory substitution. The case in the book, if I remember correctly, was about a woman that was unable to stand due to her vestibular system being unable to relay messages to the brain. Bach-y-Rita solves this by attaching a tactile devile to her tongue that "replaces" the function of the vestibular appartus and, with training, her brain is able to reorganize to recognize her tongue as the center of balance rather than the faulty vestibular apparatus.

In a separate article he notes this phenomenon: "Persons who become deaf or are without balance usually lose only the peripheral structures relating to sound transduction (the cochlea) or positional orientation (the vestibular apparatus). The input from a sensory substitution system can reach many brain structures including those anatomically and physiologically related to the lost sensory modality. Providing information from artificial receptors offers an opportunity to restore function" (taken from the abstract).

I hope that helped somewhat! I'm not very educated on the topic but could probably look up more articles if you're interested in this example.

Here is the mobile version of your link

I could really go without the hyperbole. Suggesting that no one else is using reason or sources because you disagree with one of three of my sources is obtuse.

Atheists are empirically not religious. When you have volumes of atheists unable to stop using porn, you cannot simultaneously say that religion and its morals are only confusing people into thinking one is addicted. You just can't.

By the way, if you actually read the first forum post I shared, you would see that it references this book by Dr Lasha Darkmoon. Its research demonstrates the rewiring of neural circuits caused by porn

You did not clarify if you are one of those who only believes in empirically proven phenomena. First, it's not a belief if you are simply accepting proven reality. Second, a Catholic must believe in things not seen.

This is my second attempt at quitting this month. The first time I lasted a couple weeks then I honestly think I was afraid of things getting better. Life was improving, I impulsed on a bag. I saw the difference after I resumed right where I left off. When I'm wrapped up in trees I'm in my cacoon. I'm less social, more hungry, more in my head blah blah you know the deal.

After 5 years of heavy trees, cigarettes, heavy alcohol, even fap I need a change. I doubted this subreddit existed, but you guys proved me wrong and I'm glad it does. We all need a support network. I think it will be hardest to cut out butts and booze, then again I tried nofap and could only make it six days. Try, try again.

I'm reading this, its really helpful. The dude from yourbrainonporn.com recommended this book.

My favourite book on neuroplasticity is ["The Brain That Changes Itself"] (http://www.amazon.ca/The-Brain-That-Changes-Itself/dp/0143113100).
It definitely talks about the brain science behind language (specifically, recovering speech after a stroke) but it also covers much more.

>I too thought it was normal, up until I found out that some people actually think about little to nothing sometimes..

Ha! Exactly! It was hard for me to grasp this for the longest time. I would get almost annoyed when I asked my wife what she was thinking about and she would say "nothing really". I'd be like... WHAT?... what do you mean?

I think it was hard too because I have a strong sense of empathy. So when I absolutely could not understand the concept of not thinking, it was very confusing. I could NOT relate, at all. Sad? Angry? Happy? I get all that. Not thinking though..... is that even possible?!?!?

The only reason I understand now is because I looked into ADHD, then it smacked me in the face, hard. What a realization after all of these years. WOW!

>Is distracting yourself the healthy thing to do?

If you are able to replace a negative thought that you don't want in the first place, then yes. If you neglect something that actually needs attention, then that's bad.

I read about the strategy in a book about the brain. Long story short, it's been successful in treating OCD. When someone has an urge to wash their hands, they instead FORCE themselves to go garden etc. Eventually the desire to wash will go away (if successful, duh).

The book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Mind-Brain-Neuroplasticity-Mental/dp/0060988479

If you are interested in the subject overall, this book was actually better imo: http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426110863&sr=1-1&keywords=the+brain+that+changes+itself

>How do you do it?

I'm definitely not a pro, but when I actually do have success, it usually starts with talking to someone close to me and comparing thought processes. Or sometimes I imagine a friend coming to me and asking for help, but I pretend they are using the same arguments I use in my own head. When I do this, I realize that if a friend came to me speaking like I do, I would instantly realize they are being irrational.

Those two things sometimes allow me enough wiggle room to focus on another subject. And if you get this wiggle room, you might have more luck doing something physical that requires attention. I've found that my brain can start acting up very easily if I just explore my own thoughts.

>And don't you get extra fidgety? I get so restless if I try to ignore it.

Sometimes, yes. When it doesn't work, I get very restless. It feels like there is a bunch of energy that wants to release. Very uncomfortable.

The Brain That Changes Itself is all about Neuroplasticity and how while your brain can get messed up on everything from addictions to seizures, it is plastic. Meaning, it can reform itself. The 90day milestone is encouraged to let this process happen.

I recommend the book to any NoFapper interested in the brain and porn as well as general neuroscience. Its stories have given hope to someone with a crushing near daily habit for 10-12 years. I found out about nofap in 2012 and my longest streaks are 7-14 days. Haven't had one over 5 in months, and the relapses are now daily. This willpower thing really isn't working for me.

[Edit to add item at bottom]

Wow. Really, I'm stunned. I have friends who are Jain (the religion) and many of them are incredibly . . . different from most Americans, including me -- non-violent at a very deep level, compassionate in a way that seems more connected and real than typical, and so on. Most are vegetarian and can't stand to watch violence in movies or TV -- including minor violence that most people barely notice. They're not timid in the least; it's something very different and much healthier. So, I don't know (and you might not either) what the deepest reasons are for what you're doing, but I feel impressed and uplifted knowing that there are human beings willing endure pain and danger to help others, even a stranger, in such a dramatic fashion.

Checked out your blog and wanted to pass along something I'm currently reading that you might find of interest: The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, MD. It's a great read and describes amazing (and mostly still ignored/denied/unknown) advances in dealing with brain trauma and other CNS problems, including cerebral palsy.

At this point, some kind of somatic sensory-motor education may make more of a difference to her. Whatever damage to nerve tissue that occurred is probably permanent, but the brain has an amazing ability to adapt (c.f. Norman Doidge The Brain That Changes Itself) given the right conditions.

I've had personal experience with several stroke patients who have improved their lives dramatically through such methods.

I don't know. Floksy talked about Lumosity. She knows that lumosity is fake, and she aims to succeed where lumosity fails. Her company consults real neuroscientists, reads published papers on neurology and psychology, and even reads books on neuroplasticity in order to design mini-games that have a real cognitive benefit. I mentioned the book "The Brain that changes itself" by Norman Doidge as a book filled with neuroplasticity research that she could incorporate into Cerevrum and she told me that she could teach that book, not only has she read it, she loves that book.

On the other hand if a cognitive benefit cannot be proven at least she is giving the software away for free. If a person can try it and they have nothing to lose, financially speaking, from using the app.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Brain-That-Changes-Itself/dp/0143113100

http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/1439167346/

http://www.amazon.com/What-Every-BODY-Saying-Speed-Reading/dp/0061438294/

and because you have a big brain.... http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/

Give this a read: https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502987460&sr=8-1&keywords=the+brain+that+heals+itself

Shaynoodle is damn sexy.

You should get The Brain That Changes Itself. A teacher recommended it to me and I've had it on my WL ever since.

Not that many great books, but most of the popular neuroscience books dedicate at least a section to it. The most popular pop-sci book in this field is The Brain That Changes Itself, which doesn't seem to get that glowing of reviews. If you're scientifically inclined, The Paradoxical Brain, edited by Kapur provides a lot of examples of weird neuroplastic effects across many different fields. It's critical to realize that neuroplasticity is what allows memories to happen, so any popular science book about memory will have to discuss it.

There are not enough research papers specifically on gaming addiction because gaming addiction together with social media and pornography falls under the umbrella of internet addiction - Like you said a rather new field. Some breakthroughs are being made in the last years to have it recognized as an addiction per se (at least in Europe) the problem with conducting enough research is that there are no funds and insurance companies have no wish having another area of responsibility to potentially give away money to people suffering from it. If gaming addiction become completely recognized by international bodies of medicine then insurance companies might have to pay preexisting clients for passed and current treatments ---> something they definitely do not want to do.
Nonetheless here are some videos of legit men of science (not some random ex gamer) that research the field.

"Here is a short interview with Dr. David Greenfield talking about some of the mental and physical applications of gaming and internet addiction"


There are also longer talks on his channel like this one.
Dr. Greenfield has been researching Internet addiction since the 90's.


"Dr. Klaus Woelfling, from the University of Mainz. Germany is taking steps in treating Internet addiction and especially gaming addiction" - this one is a difficult watch primarily because the speaker is very uncharismatic (try watching with the speed setting on 1.5).

Last but definitely not least is "Your Brain on Porn"
Yes, yes I know, you might not want to hear that another of your favorite pastimes is bad for you, but this video covers on a very scientific basis the damages that watching excessive pornography causes to the brain, and no this is not some kind of NoFap cult propaganda, it speaks only on the subject of internet porn. Like I said before, porn together with gaming fall under the umbrella of internet addiction because the reaction we receive from these negative habits has the same structure. If you actually watch the Your Brain on Porn video you will hear him mention numerous times that the damages caused to dopamine receptors is similar to the ones cause from gaming and extensive internet use.

This is just some of the evidence done by men of medicine and science from the top of my head. If you want to go deeper I'd recommend The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains By Nicholas Carr an American author and Pulitzer Prize winner (for that book), witch contains truly numerous examples of scientific studies and references you might want in the bibliography.


Also The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge M.D that talks mainly about brain plasticity and how different behaviors and habits cause the brain to form new cells , create new neural pathways etc etc . He also gives lots of examples how positive and negative behaviors causes various changes IN THE BRAIN, Internet addiction stuff included.

If you really want proof and not just searching for a reason to dismiss things you dont like the sound of then I hope this comment will serve you. If you do nothing less at least watch the first interview with Dr. David Greenfield. It is only 6 minutes long.

Hope this post that took me 50 minutes to put together and find all the links, will be of service to somebody.
Peace.

Edit: Grammar and formatting

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486780268&sr=8-1&keywords=the+brain+that+changes+itself

Lots of interesting stuff about this in this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100

If you like reading. They did a lot of awful things on monkeys to test how the brain reacts to limb removal.

As a guitar player (but not one who's experienced a stroke), I came here to propose this book exactly. Norman Doidge's The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science. He has a more recent book out as well. I've also read My stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor and This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin. Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer is also a fascinating read about the evolution of language and memory (the author himself eventually became the 2006 U.S.A. Memory Champion).

The reason I propose any or all of these and more, is that it will leave you encouraged of what is possible with retraining your brain compared to the old school attitudes surrounding brain injury and more specifically to you and your desire to return to guitar playing.

[The Brain That Changes Itself - Norman Doidge] (https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100)

Yeah, the experiment was neat, but our brain is good at adapting to a lot more impressive stuff. For further reading The Brain That Changes Itself is great.

The best online resource I can think of for brain function and organization is http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/

For each subject you can adjust the how complex the explaination is from beginner to advanced and the level of organization from molecular up to social.

Some good non-fiction books if you're interested in learning: The Brain That Changes Itself (neuroplasticity), The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog (brain development and how its changed by early experience), Phantoms in the Brain (brain function and expression; theres also a BBC doc on youtube)

This seems to have accessible stuff on neural pruning in learning and development: http://www.brainbasics.org/home/neural-pruning

This Wikipedia page Biological Basis of Personality and Googling 'neural substrates personality' gives a lot of information as well, though its a mixed bag of whether its relevent or accessible.

By "chemical reactions" do you mean like chemicals that circulate through the blood or do you mean the mechanism through which brain cells communicate with one another?

Also if you could maybe reference a particular topic that is giving you trouble it'd help.

As for books: "The brain that changes itself" - can't recommend this enough. Even if you don't do your project its worth reading, even coming from a non-science background.

Hi! Let there be SCIENCE :D I'm currently reading "The Brain That Changes Itself"

Fascinating book on this topic. Haven't finished it yet, but I'd definitely recommend it.

These are popular books, not texts - a good one about trauma, In An Unspoken Voice, and another about brain plasticity. I don't have a psych background, most of what I know comes from doing psychodrama! :-)

Yes it does, because doing NoFap rewires your brain to remove sex (and therefore fetishes) as a major object of your life. And if you constrain yourself (at a later date) to only sex with real women and masturbation with no fantasy (proceed with caution) then you will weaken the connection between sex and your fetish.

If you want some solid reading on the plasticity of the brain and how porn rewires it (often to things we wouldn't expect ourselves to be into) buy The Brain That Changes Itself or find it in a library and read the chapter on sexuality and pornography. It's very interesting and is a relief if you are struggling with fetishes you really dislike.

The very best of luck to you, my friend!

This is fascinating, but it's been known for at least a decade that the brain definitely remains plastic through adulthood. This is nothing new. See The Brain That Changes Itself.