Recently I have been going back and doing some reading on the amazing organ that is our brain. In graduate school, one of the big questions they propose to students is the whole idea of Nature vs. Nurture. The idea that the brain develops a specific way and is wired in certain designs intentionally causes a propensity for certain behaviors in people. The Nurture argument as you may imagine, states that it is in fact the environment we are immersed in that molds the way we think and behave. I have also always believed like most individuals, that it is a unique combination of things that plays into the development of personality and behavior. I see value in the whole idea of “Tabla Rasa” or the blank slate idea when it comes to the brain. Most people naturally gravitate to behavior that produces the least amount of stress, which in most instances could be considered to be “good” behavior. However, that being said, I also believe that our bodies are designed to constantly manage stress and stimulation in the various forms it is received. I do not know how an individual would function if the was no stress or “perceived” stress or stimuli. All of these experiences have to have be physically represented in the brain. If that is the case, then the brain has to be able to adjust in a physical manner to the introduction of all new stimuli.
One’s environment also plays an instrumental role in the physical development of the brain. It is proven that stimuli the brain comes into contact with impacts the way it develops. The whole concept of neuroplasticity also helps support both ideas. It is the biology of our brain that allows for the physical representation of behavior. If biology was not a factor in behavior, then there would not be a market for psychopharmacology. Conversely, it’s this same concept that allows for external stimuli to impact the development of new behaviors and the elimination of other behaviors. This “reinforcement” has been shown to have a tangible impact on the development of the neural pathways of the brain as well as increasing the likely hood of a behavior repeating itself. This means, in simplest terms, behavior has an equal role in the biology and development of the brain as the brain has on the development of behavior.
Human behavior is something that is fluid and can change throughout the lifespan of an individual. In order for this to be true the brain must be fluid in its ability to change as well. The repetition of any given action elicits the physical manifestation of behavior in the form of reinforced neural pathways. Behavior in most individuals can be sculpted or eliminated if the need be. This is why I believe you can teach old dog new tricks. However due to years of reinforcement this might be difficult such as in the case of substance abuse.
I have found that most patients are discouraged by the idea of the brain cells they have killed as well as the potential brain damage that has occurred as a result of their using drugs or alcohol. I try to remind patients to understand that the more they engage their brains with healthy activities and behaviors to replace the old destructive ones, the faster their brains will recover from the damage that has occurred as a result of their substance abuse. Having a good understand of the top-down control of the frontal lobe over the mid brain is also a very important idea for my patients to understand. When this gets jeopardized as it does in substance abuse dependency, the ability for the individual to differentiate between cravings and the rituals becomes blurred. Often times this is also why they are unable to recall the past motivations or deterrents that should prevent them from repeating the behavior. I think this makes since they say that genetics can only account for about 40-60% of chemical dependency. Being able to understand practices in mindfulness and understanding what triggers the things we do in life is so important in the recovery of substance abuse, unhealthy behaviors and feelings. With insight into what drives us and tools to be able to recognize unhealthy desires such as the craving to relapse, people can get to a place in life where they can truly live free of unwanted behaviors and feelings that interfere with one’s desire to be happy with themselves.
