It’s all in the brain

Channel 4 has been running a series of shows entitled “Drugs Live”, studying the impact of ecstasy and cannabis on the brain through MRI imaging. Apparently it has never been done before, most probably because these are illegal substances.
What struck me, other than the fact that they make a strong argument that ecstasy and cannabis are less harmful to oneself and others than alcohol, is how clearly some chemicals produce a feeling of bliss, and connection, and heightened senses (colours are brighter, music is more textured). The MRI scanning shows clearly what areas of the brain are activated or de-activated through the presence of these chemicals.

The reason I find this striking is that I believe it is possible to achieve states of connection and bliss without taking outside drugs. It is essential to know that chemicals in our brain can lead to this state, because it means that nothing needs to change in our environment for us to experience these feelings of well being. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dalai Lama is in a permanent state of peace and connection.

My limited experience of meditation has taken me to places of connection and bliss, and I feel that if we allow ourselves to be still and allow our emotions to surface and be processed (without having to do anything but be still and let things happen), the brain has an inbuilt mechanism to clean up our emotional garbage and bring us to a state of bliss and connection.

It’s interesting though how our society resists the very concept of emotional pain. Physical pain is OK, we are allowed to hurt and talk about it when we break a leg, or have chemio because of cancer, etc.
Actually, our whole society is geared up for physical well being. Our medical body has become expert in dealing with any symptom of physical pain, either with pain killers, or medicine that will suppress any symptoms of disease.
Also, we generally eat a lot better and a lot more than we’ve ever eaten in the history of mankind, we wear warmer clothes, have safer shelter, etc. The industrial revolution has ensured our bodies are generally a lot better looked after than they have ever been, hence the increase in life expectancy.

The interesting thing is we are not necessarily any happier. Actually, one can argue levels of depression are very high, considering how happy our bodies should be.
And it’s only now, now that our bodies could hardly be fed better, looked after better, that we are becoming more aware of another type of pain – emotional pain and discomfort-.

Now that therapists are in high demand. Now that Oprah Winfrey has clearly touched a sensitive chord, allowing people to talk about how they hurt inside.
It still feels a bit shameful. “I don’t need to see a therapist, I’m not a loony”. Having a breakdown or suffering from any kind of mental disorder is talked about as if it reflected badly on the character of the person, or as if it was a condition that could soil that person for his/her whole life.

But that’s not the case. I’m ready to bet £100 that we ALL have been sad, experienced loss or fear of some kind. I’m not so sure though that we’ve allowed ourselves to process it. Much more likely we push down the uncomfortable feelings, hoping they’ll go away.
But this is what I’m getting to: it doesn’t go away until it has come into our awareness and been processed.
Emotional pain affects the same area in the brain as physical pain: it causes the same distress as physical pain. Suffering from emotional pain is as debilitating as hurting physically, but it can’t be seen, and can be hidden better, sometimes for a lifetime (it’s interesting speaking with palliative care doctors, and sad to hear some patients full of hurt and regret).

And when it isn’t heard, emotional pain calls for attention through physical symptoms – stomach ulcers, back or chest pain, etc-. You can deal with the symptoms, but until the source of the problem has been identified and dealt with, physical symptoms keep appearing. Western medicine is now starting to examine the link between our emotional state and physical symptoms, introducing mindfulness, as it has come to a dead end with its effectiveness with various conditions if only looking at the body as a mechanic.

Actually, I’d question slightly Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: I don’t think psychological needs come after physical needs, I think they are at least as important. Someone who has lost the sense of connection to his/her community/to the universe/ to himself or herself will suffer as much distress (which may result in suicide) as someone who doesn’t have enough to eat. It is interesting to see how people in “traditional” societies often have a stronger capacity for joy and laughter than citizens of the industrialized world. They may not have enough in the way of food and material comforts and modern medicine, but their connection to their families, their communities and the universe give them a strong sense of belonging and purpose.

Why is social media so important, if not that we have a craving for connection? Actually, I’d argue that some of the ills of our society – addiction to food, drugs, work…- are rooted in our need for connection, and unfortunately when we fail to feel connected to ourselves and others, those are the substitutes we find.

The other benefit of integrating one’s emotional suffering is that if you can feel your own pain, you can feel others’ as well. If you close yourself to your pain, you’ll close yourself to others’. Empathy starts with oneself.
In extreme cases there may be limitations in how much the brain can process past trauma. Research on children who were severely abused or neglected in early childhood has shown that certain areas of their brain did no fully develop, resulting in a structural lower capacity for empathy.

The other strong argument for dealing with one’s ghosts or demons is that we’re manipulated by them without realizing, causing harm to ourselves (we treat ourselves badly, with poor self esteem, and allow ourselves to be subjected to abusive or disrespectful treatment) or to others (we are abusive or lack empathy, whether we realize it or not). As we become healthier inside, we become better social animals, better parents, spouses and friends.
There’s actually a case for saying that many people who cause harm are people who have been a victim and didn’t process the pain. That doesn’t mean they should be let free, but it does mean that there’s a possibility they heal and become valuable members of society rather than a threat and a burden. Recognising this means we have every interest to facilitate their healing (rather than just punish).

I think this is what therapy or meditation or mindfulness is about, really: bringing back to the surface feelings of pain that have been festering for years and years, very often without us even realizing it because it started so early in our lives, muddying our brain with debris of unprocessed feelings.

Clean up your brain and your body of your painful emotions, and you get closer to the state of bliss and connection and purpose that your body and mind were made to feel.
Just like we clean our teeth every day, a few minutes daily of a meditative or creative practice (Condoleeza Rice plays the piano every day for an hour) allow our body/brain to process the frustrations and upsets of the previous day, as well as past upsets that haven’t been cleared yet.

Sometimes a serious overhaul is needed, and there are now plenty of tools that can be used, from meditation (I found transcendental meditation easy to use, it’s repeating a mantra over and over again observing one’s thoughts), to yoga (I practice kundalini yoga now and see it as an accelerated way of breaking one’s blocks and feeling connected), to reiki, to emotional release therapy, to cranal sacral therapy, or cognitive behavior therapy (a favourite in the UK), etc.
We are so well designed that the healing will want to happen by itself, it just requires us to allow it to happen (sometimes that’s the biggest block – “I’m not weak, I don’t allow myself to feel down, nor cry”). Nelson Mandela didn’t have any therapist with him during his 27 years in prison, but he clearly processed lots of feelings of hurt and anger and resentment, and came out able to work with his former enemy and move his country forward in a way noone could ever have dreamed of.

Some may be be scared of opening a pandora’s box if they open up to hidden pain, might be afraid that flood gates of uncontrollable emotions may come rushing out, disrupting their whole lives. Actually, I’d argue the opposite is true. It’s taking a big risk to keep everything inside, controlling lives insidiously. Better deal with emotional “stuff” sooner rather than later, rather than wait until no floodgate can keep the pain in any more. And as patients set time aside to do physio after breaking a limb, it is usually possible to take a little time out regularly to process emotions. It is about being brave and truthful though: you want to explore areas inside precisely where it hurts and feels uncomfortable, because that’s where attention is needed. It’s easier to pretend all is fine. The risk though is feeling more and more divorced from oneself, as we stop feeling who we are.
It’s possible that in the process feelings of hurt, anger and resentment surface (against those who committed abuse or neglect towards us), it’s necessary to allow there feelings to appear to the light, they’re very real, but they’re not helpful in the long term, and those too can be processed.

We were very well designed, really. We were designed to be happy and serve ourselves and our community. If only we could allow ourselves a bit of maintenance time to process all our emotional garbage, we’d feel it.

My personal experience has been that there’s always more that can be processed, but that as I clear myself of insecurities and fears and past hurts, I feel lighter, more connected, more in the flow. I worry less, and trust more that what I need will be provided for. It doesn’t drive me into inaction, on the contrary, I have more sense of purpose, and feel happier doing what I’m doing. Allowing myself to rest and giving myself time out has been a challenge though, it goes against the work ethic I was brought up with (and maybe my own insecurity of never doing enough), but time outs have always been beneficial, and followed by renewed energy and inspiration.

We have more inbuilt tools to feel good: aerobic exercise boosts our adrenaline levels (so we feel in a high mood and our immune system is boosted). Yoga postures stimulate glands that secrete hormones that make us feel good.

I also can’t help wondering about intuition, and what a wonderful and powerful tool it is, one that school never tells us about – school only deals with the left side of the brain, the rational side-.
Thinkers are exploring this (Ian Macgilchrist, Roger Penrose…), and some even suggest that consciousness may hold the key to explaining more about matter as energy.

Neuroscientists certainly have exciting times ahead!

The Channel 4 programmes are here:

On ecstasy: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/drugs-live/on-demand/52341-001
On cannabis: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/drugs-live/on-demand/56137-001