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Anthony Quintiliani, Ph.D, LADC

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March 6, 2017 By Admin

What is Interoception and Why is it Important?

About Interoception and It’s Importance

Interoception (some may also call it neuroception) is the conscious detection and perception of sensory signals in the body and on the skin. Most often these signals are processed as sensations.  Sensation, as the foundation of emotional experience, is always there in our bodies; however, we are not always fully conscious of its existence or its experiential range. Perceived interoceptive sensations may be extremely subtle, thus requiring considerable practice and mind training for conscious registering of these body-based “feeling.”  Sometimes, awareness of interoception can be highly dramatic like sharp crushing chest pain in heart attacks and severe autonomic reactivity in panic attacks.  Perceived interoceptive sensations are always evaluated cognitively.  Some interoceptive experiences may be evaluated autonomically via limbic system and stress response system activation.  Once we are aware, we evaluate consciously. Western neuroscience has strong interest in neuroception for embodied contemplative experience as well as for clinical applications. Self-sensed bodily sensations are coded as pleasant, unpleasant and neutral. These are the same categories used in Buddhism to evaluate personal sense-door experience in life: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral.

There are neuro-anatomical pathways interacting between and among externally based sensory experiences (thalamic processing of external sensory perception regarding seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting) and internal “felt-sense” experiences of inner body sensations. This is highly complex processing. Afferent sensory signals communicate with higher order cognitive and affective brain regions and processes; these brain-body-mind-heart interactions provide direct understanding of self in context with environment, personal history, emotions, and goal-oriented behaviors. In times of extreme stress and/or personal danger, interoception may be an early warning signal for unsafe conditions and the possibility of physical harm or death. In substance use disorders, interoception may serve dual purposes: craving and strong discomfort signal the need to ingest mind-altering substances, or an early warning signal to modify your current
situation or condition to avoid relapse. In mindfulness training such as still and moving meditation or yoga practice, interoception can guide us in breathing, being still, and bodily movement and awareness. Key clinical conditions (anxiety, depression, trauma, substance misuse, and eating disorders) include subtle and not-so-subtle interoceptive experiences – often leading to a multitude of self-medication behaviors  to avoid unpleasant experiences. With training and personal experience, interoception may help us with bio-psycho-social-spiritual realities and self-regulated emotional balance. Even the human face plays a role in interoception. Facial emotions are powerful influencers (proprioceptive feedback) in brain-mind experiences of emotional life. These experiences are intrapersonal and interpersonal in nature, and their “felt-sense” tends to be quite subtle.

Neuroscience research tends to examine coherence between interoceptive awareness and self-reported experiences in the
body. Physiological measurement and cognitive self-report are examined. Narrowed focus of attention on soft signals
(threshold sensitivity to feelings of well-being, mood, heart rate, respiration rate and depth, body temperature, etc.) are
the subjects of various studies. Thus far most outcomes do not support the premise that experienced meditators and yogis have superior interoceptive detection skills.  Although these practitioners in their own experience believe that they do have stronger sensitivity to “picking up” interoceptive signals. Based on my own experience, I think their assumption is correct.  This question will remain in limbo; generally, experienced practitioners do perform better in detection here, but the differences between groups of subjects tends to be non-significant. Some studies note that with a greatly expanded number of subjects, the differences may well fall into the statistically significant range. This may be a measurement and target sensitivity issue. Or, mindfulness practice with its brain plasticity changes may not lead to superior neuroception.

In practical terms related to clinical interventions, such practices as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Feldenkrais, Alexander Method, Focusing, Somatic Awareness, and Hakomi Breath Training all appear to produced heightened sensitivity to interoceptive awareness.  Practice makes perfect!

For more information refer to Khalsa, S. S. et al. (July, 2008). Interoceptive awareness in experienced meditators. Psychophysiology, 45 (4), 671-677.  Melloni, M. et al. (December, 2013). Preliminary evidence about the effects of meditation on interoceptive sensitivity and social cognition. Behavioral and Brain Functioning online, Biomedical Central, 1-10.brainfunctioning-biomedicalcentral.com… retrieved December 5, 2016. See also Farb, N. et al. (June, 2015). Interoception, contemplative practice and health. Frontal Psychology, 1-69. Journal.frontiersin.org/article…retrieved December 15, 2016.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

 

Filed Under: Brain, Featured, Interoception, Science Tagged With: INTEROCEPTION, MINDFUL HAPPINESS, NEUROCEPTION, NEUROSCIENCE, SENSATION

February 26, 2017 By Admin

Dangers of Smartphone Abuse

Psychological Research on the Dangers of Smartphone Abuse

There is no doubt that smartphone technology bring us a great deal of advanced technological access to a world of information and communication. There is a downside. Recent research published by The American Psychological Association in March, 2017, and opinions in The Atlantic warn of potential and actual biopsychosocial dangers of excessive smartphone use.  By now most of us realize that smartphone use is a strongly reinforced habitual behavior, a habitual behavior that results in huge profits for the industry.  Like so much else in American commerce, the profit incentive takes precedent over the health of the people using the products. Here are some things the researchers discovered. Most of these findings resulted from heavy, addictive use of smartphones (on 24/7, spending many hours a day connected, loss of sleep to remain connected, rising anxiety when not connected, etc.). Here is a list of possible problems to consider quite seriously.

Do any of these reflect your own relationship with your smartphone? Here is the list:

  1. Reduced self-care;
  2. Impact on one’s sense of well-being;
  3. Sleep problems;
  4. Fear of missing out leading to compulsive use (self-medicating anxiety, depression, loneliness, etc.);
  5. Anxiety within 10-20 minutes without smartphone use;
  6. Reduced face-to-face communications (remember your mirror neurons);
  7. Interference with “real” interpersonal relationships;
  8. Higher levels of distraction (how is your ADHD doing), and problems with attention and concentration;
  9. Stronger array and generalization for bullying;
  10. Compulsive, habitual use via behavioral conditioning process;
  11. Use of persuasive technology to get users “hooked” on their smartphones (there is a Persuasive Technology Lab);
  12. Brain hijacking via brain stem and limbic reactivity;
  13. Possible classical conditioning along with obvious instrumental conditioning via smartphone use behavior and environmental cues;
  14. Obsessive-compulsive smartphone checking (up to 150 times a day in some cases);
  15. Possible additional psychological health risks for people with anxiety, depression, trauma, etc.;
  16. Possible added stressors regarding the need to keep up, not miss anything; and,
  17. Possible iPhone disorders (see the next psychiatric Diagnostic and Statistical Manual – DSM-6).

The research and opinions suggest that there is an important human need to “take back your control.”  Here are ways to reduce your smartphone’s control OVER your life.

  1. Make conscious, mindful choices to use your smartphone less – and save money while you do so.
  2. Retrain yourself NOT to be the rat in the cage pecking away for reinforcement (the behavioral psychology story).
  3. Consciously time-out/limit your smartphone use.
  4. Clarify expectations that you will NOT be available via smartphone 24/7 or for immediate responses.
  5. Silence all notifications.
  6. Protect your precious sleep time by totally unplugging.
  7. Be more active interpersonally in the real world of human relations. Spend more time with people, not smartphones.
  8. Do not open the device without clear intention (Tristan Harris – Time Well Spent).
  9. Perhaps influencing smartphone companies and engineers to have a “do no harm’ ethics code.
  10. Doing more meditation, yoga, exercise instead of smartphone use.
  11. NEVER text, email, or talk while driving.

For more information refer to Weir, K. (March 2017). (DIS) – Con Nected. The Monitor on Psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. See also Top Concentrations Killers. WebMD, March 7, 2017. Also refer to Harris, T. (November, 2016). The Binge Breaker. The Atlantic.  

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

Filed Under: Addiction, Behavior, Brain, Featured, Mindful Awareness, Psychological Research, Self Care, Smartphones, Thoughts & Opinions Tagged With: ABUSE, ADDICTION, MINDFUL HAPPINESS, SMARTPHONES

December 16, 2016 By Admin

The Amazing Human Brain – Plasticity

Plasticity – The Amazing Human Brain

We humans are very fortunate in that our brain is one of the most complex entities in our known universe. Natural selection, genetic modifications, and use-related neuroplasticity have blessed us with a brain quite capable of some of the most complicated tasks imaginable. Some of these tasks (medical miracles, landing on the moon, kindness and compassion, love, etc.) are very dramatic and positive; other tasks (possible nuclear destruction, hacking weaknesses of the internet, weapons development, cyber-hate, cell-phone addiction, etc.) we would be better without. In this post I will discuss briefly some of themindful-happiness-brain_plasticity amazing things about YOUR brain.

The brain’s neurons fire at both conscious and autonomic levels at the speed of lightening.  That is very, vert fast!  It is estimated that the brain contains  over a trillion cells, with 100 billion neurons among them. That is a huge number of cells at work in YOUR brain right now. As far as all possible combinations of cell-firing in the brain, that number is set at a staggering 10 to the 1,000,000th power.  All of this wonder stems from 3.5 billion years of brain evolution, and the power of brain plasticity (“neurons that fire together wire together”). Our DNA is so, so close to that of the chimpanzee, but the small difference is what make the great difference. It is said there is no other known entity as complex as the human brain.

According to Dr. Rick Hanson, Ph.D., our intention, attention, and attitude have much to do with how well we use our brain for the better good.  This better good improves life for each of us as well as for others on this great earth. Research at the University of California (Berkeley and Davis) suggests that specific neuroplastic training may improve mental health (anxiety, depression) as well as compassion/self-compassion, contentment, joy, gratitude and happiness.  In addition, important human functioning areas such self-care, calmness, mindfulness, motivation, social connection, and intimacy may also be improved. These outcomes of practice-based neuroplasticity, in and of themselves, are quite miraculous. We are indeed fortunate.

Research being done by Dr. Bruce McEwen, Ph.D., at Rockefeller University in New York suggest that specific activities and practices help plasticity-brain-mindful-happinessto rewire the brain.  Once again, the wonders of neuroplasticity are at work here. It is suggested that specific evidence-based activities like regular mindfulness practices, social support, meaning and purpose in life, regular physical activity, even cognitive-behavioral therapy may all play important roles in plasticity-related, human resiliency. The important things here is that all these practices work against the reactive and chronic debilitation caused by severe and/or chronic stress.  We Americans are plagued by high stress in every-day life; our stress comes from economic, social, work, relationship, health, and digital communication demands. The never-ending need to remain connected electronically, and to reach expected levels of achievement have good and bad consequences. It has been noted that regular physical activity and helpful care-taking behaviors (compassionate action) enhances the function of the hippocampus (short-term, long-term, and emotionally important memory).

So, be sure to take good care of your brain. Watch what you eat!  Stay away from the “SAD” diet – the Standard American Diet. Get lots of regular exercise, Stay away from mind-altering substances. Be a kind and caring person. These practices will help keep your mind/brain and body healthy.

For more information refer to related posts and training opportunities at www.nicabm.com/brain-science, www.thefoundationsofwellbeing.com/science, and other sources.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

Filed Under: Brain, Featured Tagged With: ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, BRAIN, MINDFUL HAPPINESS, MINDFULNESS, PLASTICITY

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