Why? Because you are your brain. Anything that changes your brain changes who you are. While we all share similar brain architecture, the details of how brains develop, grow, and organize depends on our experiences. So, believe it or not, you, your environment, and the experiences of your lifetime actually alter the structure of your brain. The ability of the brain to change form and function with experience is called neuroplasticity. It begins before birth and continues throughout life. The more an experience is repeated, the more likely it is to change the brain, making the experience more likely to be repeated.  This applies to much of what we learn as human beings, from our native language to a foreign language, from multiplication facts to a new sport. It is especially applicable to mental health.
Neuroplasticity and Mental Health
Brain changes resulting from experience, especially in childhood, can transform a personÔÇÖs thought patterns, personality traits, and behaviors. Childhood abuse and neglect, for example, have been┬á correlated with reduced overall brain size and have been thought to affect the functioning of certain brain regions. Childhood abuse and neglect and their deleterious effects on the brain may be responsible, not only┬á for a host of long-term and/or future health issues, but for cognitive, intellectual, mental and social problems. Children who are maltreated are at risk for substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, adult criminality, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Chronic anxiety, whose roots may have involved brain degeneration from negative experiences, can continue to affect the brain and its abilities, possibly shrinking it and increasing the risk of depression. Similarly, chronic depression can lead to continued brain deterioration, affecting areas of the brain that control learning, memory, emotional control, and higher level thinking.
WhatÔÇÖs the good news?
In the same way that negative experiences can change our brains in ways that are associated with mental illness and substance abuse, positive experiences can rewire and heal our brains. We can, for instance, improve our mental health by replacing unhealthy behaviors with healthier ones. We can replace negative thoughts with more realistic ones; we can replace a sedentary lifestyle with physical activity; we can replace our unhealthy stress responses with relaxation; instead of hanging out with people who support our addictions and negative thinking, we can associate with those who will contribute to a healthier way of life.
Psychotherapy can also play a role in promoting neuroplasticity and healing the brain from addiction and mental/emotional problems. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), a treatment that reduces maladaptive behaviors and thoughts, has been shown to encourage the rewiring of neural pathways. Similarly, mindfulness-based therapies have been shown to be effective in promoting neuroplasticity by teaching individuals to focus on the present moment and foster healthier relationships between the body and the mind. Researchers have documented brain changes associated with the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR is used to treat conditions including trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction, and OCD. Involvement in even the most basic element of psychotherapyÔÇôthe empathetic relationship between a client and therapistÔÇôis associated with brain changes.
References
Bick, J. & Nelson, C. (2016) Early adverse experiences and the developing brain. Neuropsychopharmacology Jan;41(1):177-96.
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2019). Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau
Cozolino L. (2002). The neuroscience of psychotherapy: building and rebuilding the human brain. WW Norton and Company
Mah, L. (2016)) Can anxiety damage the brain? Current Opinion in Psychiatry.1, 56-63.
Malhorta, S & Swapnajeet S. (2017) Rebuilding the brain with psychotherapy. Indian Journal of Psychiatry. Oct-Dec 59(4).
Pagani, M., H├Âgberg, G., Fernandez, I., & Siracusano, A. (2013). Correlates of EMDR therapy in functional and structural neuroimaging: A critical summary of recent findings. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 7(1), 29-38.
Zhang, F. et al.┬á (2018) Brain structure alterations in depression: psychoradiological evidence. CSN Neuroscience and Therapeutics 24(11): 994ÔÇô1003.
