Your brain has a delete button and here's how to use it

[[Ni...]]

Agree with Nightwatch and Blaggy, including (and especially?) that it has nothing to do with Grandma and, as such, should not be taken personally.   CBT may certainly work wonders for some people but we can leave out the pseudo-scientific neuro-gibberish.  It is utter nonsense!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/science/shortcuts/2015/may/05/win-argument-pseudo-scientific-neuro-gibberish-neuroscience

 

Now!  For anyone interested in hearing a bit about real brain science from a real neuroscientist, this is a fascinating podcast.  Entertaining and very easy to listen to.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=184090.0

 

PS - I've never watched one episode of Game of Thrones.  Shoot me first?

 

Top article in the Guardian abcd and thanks for your other link too. Look forward to following up on it later.

[[br...]]

 

Good on you Challis.

 

Pre- benzo I loved to snorkel and scuba. I have been doing  these wonderful activities for thirty years. Next year hopefully, I will be swimming with the fishes again ( In a good way )

[[Gr...]]

Not to throw any gas on this fire, but I recently kayaked for the first time in nearly 50 years.  Piece of cake.

 

Good on you Challis! That must have felt wonderful.

[[Gr...]]

I'm sorry, but I profoundly disagree with this. The internet is littered with couch warriors (perhaps well-meaning, perhaps not) out trying to 'guide the world' with their "wisdom"; they come up with the most mindless drivel, they all copy from each other and they all repeat their drivel onward - sometimes with added arms and legs - to the most gullible who are prepared to swallow it.

 

It’s the synaptic connections you don’t use that get marked for recycling. The ones you do use are the ones that get watered and oxygenated. So be mindful of what you’re thinking about.

 

This is complete and utter thrash. If it were true, then I wouldn't be able to ride a bicycle after 20 years of not doing it; I wouldn't be able to recognise my own children not having seen them for a year, I wouldn't be able to swim - not having done it for three years. This list is endless. And these examples are only off the top of my head!

 

The thing is, it requires your belief and your gullibility to make these mindless internet (and new-age) 'memes' seem true for you. It's right up there with horoscopes and tarot-card reading.

 

Once you've convinced yourself that this must be true because, maybe, it "feels right", then you too become infected and begin living by it and passing it on to others - to harmful effect.

 

The phenomenon becomes a chain-letter of the worst kind, restricting people and guiding them into inescapable cul-de-sacs in their own thinking, eventually becoming part of 'accepted' mainstream culture. It really is no wonder that otherwise intelligent people end up corralled by nonsense.

 

So, install yourself a high-end bullshit detector, question everything, and live your life free of those half-baked, misleading ideas spawned by the intellectually deprived. 

 

(And be sure you don't walk on the cracks in the sidewalk-pavement! - lol)

 

This may not be hostile or angry but its obviously dismissive. I dont necessarily disagree with you either NightWatch. But I feel like its unfair to dismiss these ideas as airy fairy and pseudo scientific nonsense etc. To the point -> These ideas are remarkably similar to developments in medical science/clinical medicines understanding of the brain structures/physiology. For instance, just have a look at the emerging scientific understanding regarding "Neuroplasticity" (the brains ability to reorganize its neuronal connections throughout life, and not just until adulthood) and its ability to be influenced by Cognitive Behavior Therapy (changing our negative thought vectors to treat psychological illness). These are frontiers of medicine/psychiatry/psychology and there is remarkable amounts of evidence for CBT already. New studies draw the link between these two as well. Just because Grandma D's ideas werent expressed in scientific terminology/nomenclature doesn't mean they are unscientific and without merit. Lastly, for the record, I second that I'm not trying to throw fuel on the fire here.

 

Just my opinion, Pinky 

 

Thank you Pinky. Finding encouraging/positive posts in this long withdrawal journey is a blessing.

[[bl...]]

Clearly I am a fool and game of thrones is great - whatever and yes you should be on bended knee chess . Off to watch something that is not take it thrones so must be garbage lolololol

[[pi...]]

Agree with Nightwatch and Blaggy, including (and especially?) that it has nothing to do with Grandma and, as such, should not be taken personally.   CBT may certainly work wonders for some people but we can leave out the pseudo-scientific neuro-gibberish.  It is utter nonsense!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/science/shortcuts/2015/may/05/win-argument-pseudo-scientific-neuro-gibberish-neuroscience

 

Now!  For anyone interested in hearing a bit about real brain science from a real neuroscientist, this is a fascinating podcast.  Entertaining and very easy to listen to.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=184090.0

 

PS - I've never watched one episode of Game of Thrones.  Shoot me first?

 

hey abcd , just a few thoughts, firstly I read your article. Its interesting however it doesn't apply. I think your main point seems to be.....quacks use the term neuroplasticity to win an argument, hence you used that term as said by this neurologist writer in the guardian, therefore I call bulldust

 

Ok, so lets have a look at your source...... So the definition for 'neurobabble' given in the article is "to use the term 'neuroplasticity' in a sentence". The author gives the example "“I’ve changed my mind about the SNP because the neuroplasticity of my brain has created novel neural pathways”. [no idea what SNP is and the article doesnt specify, but thats irrelevant]. but the key point here is that neuroplasticity is used as the explanation for the mechanism of action for SNP. Thats the first sentence of the article for how neuroplasticity is just convenient neurobabble. The very next sentence says...... "Neuroplasticity is the ability of the nervous system to respond to stimuli by reorganizing its structure, function and connections. It doesn’t explain why we think what we do".

 

This is exactly what I said and I wasn't providing a theory for a mechanism of action or putting forward the concept as evidence of another theory. What I did say was there were links in the literature being investigated between neuroplasticity, a real (not neurobabble) concept and evidence supported CBT which you can find here:

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26836415

 

And here:

 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160202185552.htm

 

Now, considering this, my main argument was that critics and skeptics are fine but making firm claims and dismissing others with certainty gives the whole game away. neuroscientists and neurologists and scientists in general are very very hesitant to make strong claims regarding this whole field because of how little we actually understand about the brain. doctors have disagreed on what constitutes 'neurobabble' for centuries. look at Jung and Freud. or a more recent example, Sam Harris, who is open minded to the idea of spiritual exploration and the mystics etc when exploring the brain (hes a neuroscientist) and parts ways with other neuroscientists because of it. So arguments from authority like the one provided by yourself here

 

"For anyone interested in hearing a bit about real brain science from a real neuroscientist, this is a fascinating podcast"

 

don't really convince anyone because its a well documented fallacy ....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority

 

Ill have a listen to your REAL neuroscientists however, as I am open minded in my pursuit of knowledge regarding the brain frontier.....Which was the entire point I was trying to make!!!

 

Not defend neurobabble. Hope this helps clear things up 

 

Pinky

 

 

[[pi...]]

abcd

 

P.S. In respect to Game of Thrones...Give it a chance dude, you may be impressed 

[[Ni...]]

[no idea what SNP is and the article doesnt specify, but thats irrelevant]. but the key point here is that neuroplasticity is used as the explanation for the mechanism of action for SNP.

 

The 'SNP' referred to is the Scottish National Party, Pinky.

 

I'm sure they'd be keen to know that someone has seen through their mechanism of action. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest [ch...]]

Love your username, pinkyandthebrain. Now *there's* a good TV show.

 

"Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"

[[pi...]]

Love your username, pinkyandthebrain. Now *there's* a good TV show.

 

"Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"

 

Pinky - "I think so brain, but......"

Brain - "the same thing we do everynight pinky, try to take over the world"

 

loved this show. I feel like pinky during wd so i figured hes a good rep

 

 

[[Se...]]

Easier said than done, but I whole heartedly agree.  It's an unpopular method, but psychedelics (particularly Ayahuasca) have been invaluable for me.  They take the tornado of pointless thoughts that consume my mind and completely discard them, reminding me what is truly important in life.  I don't care what anyone says, they are medicine in the truest sense of the word, and taking one day a year to center myself has made all the difference in my life.  They remind me how precious the gift of life I've been given really is.  All the bs just fades away, and what remains is a better man.

[[ne...]]

...And I hate game of thrones...

Whaaaaaattt, your dreaming dude. best show on TV...Winter is here!

"The night is dark and full of terrors"

- either a Lord of Light worshiper on GOT, or

- someone suffering benzo withdrawal

This post cracked me up, so funny!  :laugh:

Great thread you guys!

[[...]]

I'm all about positive thinking and I like the just of the OP's articles- thanks for sharing

[[Aj...]]

I think the 'use it or lose it' maxim applies to some kinds of brain activity and not others.

As people have pointed out it is hard to forget how to ride a bike. On the other hand things like language learning do seem to get lost over time if they are not practiced.

[[gi...]]

I think the 'use it or lose it' maxim applies to some kinds of brain activity and not others.

As people have pointed out it is hard to forget how to ride a bike. On the other hand things like language learning do seem to get lost over time if they are not practiced.

[[tr...]]

During the time our nervous system is going to heal, there is a great risk our thoughts are too negative. That's why I'm so HAPPY for everything that's positive.

If there is something I don`t  agree with I will only move on to the next post, I don`t care. So thank you for the post Grandma!

[[Gr...]]

During the time our nervous system is going to heal, there is a great risk our thoughts are too negative. That's why I'm so HAPPY for everything that's positive.

If there is something I don`t  agree with I will only move on to the next post, I don`t care. So thank you for the post Grandma!

 

Your welcome Translator. I totally agree with you - this IS a great risk that our thoughts are too negative.

 

Stay positive!