A couple of things about group work: it can be more powerful than an individual session because of our combined energy, and you truly never know where it’s going to take you.
For example, today’s plan was to move into part two of the addiction series: addiction and depletion. Self-soothing driven by exhaustion, nutritional weakness, and simple wear-and-tear. But after the group asked this morning for another 21 hours of regeneration for the basal ganglia, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, it felt important to pause and take a closer look.
What we’re really talking about here is grooves in the brain — literally — related to habit, alarm, and choice. And can this be corrected? Yes. Enter neuroplasticity.
A few specifics: the basal ganglia are involved in deeply rehearsed patterns, the amygdala helps flag what feels urgent or threatening, and the prefrontal cortex is associated with discernment, restraint, and wiser decision-making. So, addiction may not just be a lack of willpower. It may be that the alarm system is overfiring, old patterns are running automatically, and the part of the brain that helps us pause and choose is simply not getting enough support. In other words, painful experiences, depletion, and chronic stress may have carved grooves in the brain that call in more of the same.
In scanning via the SRC Dowser, “primary situation: basal ganglia, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex are not getting enough support” came in at 93% as the cause of this stress.
So how do we support this circuitry? Through sleep, movement, stable blood sugar, repetition of healthier routines, and reducing chronic overload.
The order we’re going to follow to help manage this is: relief from chronic overload, then more stable blood sugar, followed by sleep, repetition of healthier routines, and finally movement.
First, a chronic overload scan was done, and the top priority stress to address came up as repressed anger burden.
Repressed anger in this scan looks less like explosion and more like simmering — as though frustration related to chronic disappointment and not being heard has been held too long.
We’re receiving a cocktail called Repressed Anger Release, but a deeper scan indicates the true culprit may be chronic disappointment. A closer look at that tomorrow.
Nutritionally, it may also be time to take a closer look at magnesium and omega-3 fats.
One thing is for sure: the human system is powerful. It can be burdened, overwhelmed, and pushed into painful grooves, but it is also capable of healing, adaptation, and renewal.
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2
