Neuroplasticity
Exercises to Improve Cognitive Flexibility, Conquer Trauma & PTSD, Change Bad Habits, Eliminate Depression and So Much More!
Adrian Winship
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Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction: What Is Neuroplasticity?
PART 1: INTRODUCTION AND EVIDENCE OF NEUROPLASTICITY
Chapter 1: What Can You Expect From This Book?
Why is this book good for you?
What can you do after reading this book?
Why should you read this book now?
What are you thinking?
What do you fear?
What are you struggling with?
What are your biggest day-to-day frustrations?
What challenges are you currently facing?
What are the main benefits you'll get from this book?
How can you apply the concepts in this book to your life practically?
What problem(s) will you be able to overcome?
Chapter 2: What Is Neuroplasticity?
Definition of Neuroplasticity
Two Types of Brain Cells
Case Studies That Provide Evidence of Neuroplasticity
Case Study 1
Case Study 2
Case study 3
Case study 4
Case study 5
Can We Influence the Process of Neuroplasticity?
Holistic Thinking
Doing Tasks That Require Different Motor Skills
Learn a New Language
Practice FLOW
All About Neuroplasticity Games
Chapter 3: How Age Is Related to Neuroplasticity
What Does Science Have to Say?
A Lifelong Process for Brain Development
Chapter 4: What Is Neurogenesis?
Neurogenesis vs. Neuroplasticity
Where Does Neurogenesis Occur?
How Neurogenesis and Neuroplasticity Work Together
How to Increase Neurogenesis
Chapter 5: Why Your Environment Matters
What Is Environmental Enrichment?
A Study About Environmental Enrichment and Stress-Related Systems
Other Studies
Environmental Enrichment Is Truly Important
PART 2: EXERCISES FOR COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY
Chapter 6: What Is Cognitive Flexibility?
Aspects of Cognitive Flexibility
Chapter 7: Exercises to Improve Cognitive Flexibility
Before Beginning These Exercises
How often should exercises be done?
What are these exercises designed to do?
Interpersonal Exercises
Exercises of Movement and Sensory Stimulation
Mental Exercises
Final Thoughts on Exercises to Improve Cognitive Flexibility and Neuroplasticity
PART 3: CONQUERING TRAUMA AND PTSD THROUGH NEUROPLASTICITY
Chapter 8: Trauma and PTSD Defined
What Is Trauma?
What Is PTSD?
Chapter 9: How Are PTSD and Trauma Related to Neuroplasticity?
Specific Regions of the Brain Affected by PTSD
Learned Helplessness
Learned helplessness and PTSD
Chapter 10: Conquering Trauma and PTSD Using Neuroplasticity
Overview
Creating New Neural Pathways to Conquer Trauma and PTSD
Can EMDR Be Done Without a Therapist?
Finding EMDR Treatment
PART 4: CHANGING BAD HABITS
Chapter 11: The Science of Habit Formation
Myelination
Why Is Starting New Habits Difficult?
Strategies for Forming New Habits and Making Them Stick
Changing Current Habits
Habit Formation and Neuroplasticity
PART 5: ELIMINATING DEPRESSION
Chapter 12: Brains Suffering From Depression
Normal Brain vs. Depressed Brain
Decreased Neuroplasticity
PET Scans of Depressed Brain
Chapter 13: Using the Principle of Repetition to Eliminate Depression
The Trouble with Positive Thinking
The Power of Words
Stimulating Our Brains to Encode Joy
The Power of Reframing
Overcoming Depression Through Neuroplasticity
PART 6: DEFEATING PROCRASTINATION AND OTHER ISSUES
Chapter 14: What Is Procrastination?
The Psychology of Procrastination
How Neuroplasticity Impacts Procrastination
Defeating Procrastination Through Neuroplasticity
Chapter 15: The Power of Neuroplasticity
Defeating Addiction Through Neuroplasticity
Defeating Phobias Through Neuroplasticity
Defeating Insomnia Through Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity and Lifestyle
Chapter 16: Binaural Beats and Brainwave Entrainment: Does It Increase Neuroplasticity?
What Is Brainwave Entrainment?
The Different Brain Waves and Their Proposed Benefits
Evidence Showing How Binaural Beats or Brainwave Entrainment Help Neuroplasticity
The Benefits of Brainwave Entrainment or Binaural Beats
Finding the Best Resources
Bibliography
Preface
I've often heard people around me say, "I'm depressed." But for most of them, they may just be feeling down or sad. In reality, depression isn't as simple as being sad. It's much more than that. I should know, because I suffer from depression. In my last book, I talked about how I met an amazing woman who changed my life, but then left this world too soon. When she took her life, it broke me. But it also made me stronger.
Although she wasn't able to overcome her depression, I made a promise to her that I would fight to overcome mine. As I've said, she changed my life for the better, and I didn't want to tarnish her memory by giving up. So in an attempt to help myself, I started doing a lot of research. This is where I found a very interesting concept known as neuroplasticity.
This is a concept backed by science that basically states that we all have the power to change our brains or minds in order to change our lives. Personally, when I first read about neuroplasticity, I didn't
think much of it. The whole concept seemed too good to be true, so I kept looking for other treatment options for my condition. But as I continued with my research, neuroplasticity kept coming up. Finally I thought to myself, "What will I lose if I learn more about it?"
Instead of wallowing in my depression, I decided to invest my time in learning all about neuroplasticity: what it really is, what the benefits are, what the "scientific evidence" says and more. The more I learned about it, the more I realized how helpful this concept is! And it wasn't just helpful for depression. Neuroplasticity can be applied to other issues as well, such as procrastination (something I am also guilty of), PTSD, trauma, changing bad habits, and so much more.
As I learned the science behind neuroplasticity, I realized why it works. Then I started learning about the different strategies of neuroplasticity. Now, I can confidently say that I am a much better person because of it. No, I haven't totally gotten rid of my depression, but I know that I am on a path towards healing. Neuroplasticity has brought a new kind of positivity and hope into my life, and I am so thankful that I decided to learn more about it.
I have gathered some helpful information to share with others. Simply put, this book is for anyone who wants to take a proactive step toward changing their life for the better. Whether you want to overcome depression, change bad habits or simply understand this concept more, I hope this book can help you as much as my own personal research has helped me.
As I have learned the hard way, there's really no need to stay in a dark place for the rest of your life. As difficult as things may seem now, there's always a way to make a change. Hopefully, this book will help you pick yourself up and start your journey towards healing.
Introduction: What Is Neuroplasticity?
The human brain is a wonderful thing. It's constantly undergoing changes each time we experience things in our lives. Think about it: How different are your thoughts and behaviors now than they were 20 years ago? Although we don't really think about this change, this is actually neuroplasticity in action. At its very core, neuroplasticity is any change in the organization and structure of the brain as we learn, adapt and have different experiences.
As you repeat thoughts or emotions, you are reinforcing neural pathways. Each time you have a new thought, you start creating a new way of being. As small as these changes are, if you repeat them enough, this leads to a change in how your brain functions. When it comes to neuroplasticity, this is referred to as the "muscle building" aspect of the brain. The more we repeat a certain emotion, action, experience or thought, the stronger it becomes. And when you don't repeat these things, they tend to fade away. As the old adage goes, "Out of sight, out of mind."
Another way to look at neuroplasticity is that it's the physical basis of why repeating actions or thoughts increase their power. As time goes by, these become a part of our being. Literally speaking, we become what we do and think.
Although some people haven't even heard about neuroplasticity, it's actually at work throughout our lives. The connections in our brain are constantly either becoming weaker or stronger, depending on what you are repeating. For younger people, their brains are still easy to change. But as we grow older, change doesn't occur as easily as it did in the past. With age, our brains lose some of their plasticity, which, in turn, causes us to become more "fixed" in terms of how we perceive, learn and think.
Our brains are key to everything we do and think. When you learn how to harness the power of neuroplasticity, you will be able to improve your thoughts and actions. Neurofeedback works with the basic principles of neuroplasticity to help you control your own mind.
In this book, you will learn all about neuroplasticity. Before going into the strategies of applying this to your life, we will first be talking about the science behind neuroplasticity to help you understand the concept better. As we delve into this concept, things will hopefully become clearer for you.
Neuroplasticity is the incredible capacity of the brain to adapt and change. It's the physiological changes that occur in your brain as a result of all the experiences and interactions you have with your environment. Although you have likely already reached adulthood, this doesn't mean that you cannot change your life or the bad habits that you have learned through the years. As mentioned, the brain is constantly changing. As long as you understand and accept this concept, neuroplasticity becomes a lot easier to apply.
With neuroplasticity, you can recondition your brain and reorganize your thoughts to make the changes you want to see in your life. Of course, there are proper ways to do this, which we will be learning later on. With that being said, let's begin by learning more about what you can expect from this book.
As A Token of My Gratitude…
http://bit.ly/BinauralBeatsCollection
I’d like to offer you this amazing resource. Click on the picture above or navigate to the website below the picture to join my exclusive email list. Upon joining, you will receive these incredible binaural beats. The last chapter of this book goes more in-depth to this technology.
I wanted to give you the opportunity to go ahead and start reaping the benefits from this now rather than waiting until you get to the end of this book. I have used them in my own personal healing.
You will simply need to wear headphones and play the audio files to experience the benefits.
PART 1: INTRODUCTION AND EVIDENCE OF NEUROPLASTICITY
“Neurons that fire together, wire together.”
- Donald Hebb, Canadian Neuropsychologist
Chapter 1: What Can You Expect From This Book?
Although the subject of this book may seem unfamiliar and quite intimidating to a lot of people, it's really not. This book is all about neuroplasticity and how you can apply it to your life. Whether you suffer from depression or PTSD, or simply want to break some of your bad habits, this book will be a valuable resource for you. You will learn a mixture of scientific concepts and practical applications.
Through this book, you will learn more about your brain and the incredible power of neuroplasticity, and how you can use it to transform your life. Of course, improving your life doesn't stop with the learning you acquire. No matter how many times you read this book and other resources about neuroplasticity, if you don't have a willingness to make a change, nothing will happen.
As you learn new things from this book, you should also start reflecting on your own life. Think about the things you want to change, and how you can change them through everything you're about to learn. Then you can start sharing your knowledge and promoting the power of your brain to serve as a real-life example of how neuroplasticity actually works!
Why is this book good for you?
We all want to change something in our lives. No matter how happy we are with life, there will always be something we can improve upon. This is even more significant when you suffer from a mental condition such as anxiety, depression or trauma. No matter who you are and where you are right now in the process of change, this book will be beneficial for you. As you go through the different chapters, you will learn more about the power of your brain and how neuroplasticity can improve your life. And when you're armed with the right knowledge, you can start changing your life for the better.
What can you do after reading this book?
The very best thing you can do after you read this book is to become a healthier, more productive person. You'll be able to understand more, and through this new self-love and self-improvement, you can also start to be more caring of others. This book can help you make a huge impact on your life, as well as your relationships with other people. As long as you apply what you learn in this book, good things will surely follow.
Why should you read this book now?
If you've reached this part, it means you're already reading. Good for you! But if you need more convincing, you should keep reading this book, because it can potentially change your life for the better. If you were like me, stuck in a rut, this book will help
you help yourself. If you're also like me and you've had an enlightening, life-changing experience that made you decide to pick yourself up from rock bottom, then this book will help you learn things that you never even thought were possible. And even if you're a well-adjusted person who simply wants to improve yourself, this book will help you do just that. So keep reading!
What are you thinking?
Right now, what thought is running through your mind? Are you having anxious thoughts? Positive thoughts? A little bit of both? Those thoughts that run through your mind are causing your brain to grow, change and develop. So you should be careful about the thoughts that you allow yourself to keep thinking over and over again. Later on, you will learn how your thoughts, experiences and actions have the power to change your brain. Creating new connections, strengthening existing connections and losing connections in the brain all happen depending on what you do in your life.
What do you fear?
Fear is something we all have to deal with. But just because you're afraid of something, this doesn't mean that you should cower in your fear and forget to live your life. No matter what kind of experiences you have had in the past, you should find the courage to face your fears head-on until you're able to overcome them. This is another practical application of neuroplasticity. Through this, you can teach yourself to deal with your fears. Although it won't be easy, overcoming your fears is entirely possible. As you learn more, you can come up with your own strategies to help you beat your fears and lead a richer, fuller life.
What are you struggling with?
Struggles are also a part of life. At one point or another, we all struggle with problems within ourselves, with the people around us and with our environments. But instead of looking at struggles as something that might defeat you, think of them as challenges and learning opportunities. Remember that how you think of things has a significant effect on how your brain processes them. When you think negatively, you may find it more difficult to deal with your struggles. But when you think positively, you may find it easier to find solutions to problems and strategies to overcome those struggles.
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