Guided Neuroplasticity can help you relieve cortisol and stimulate your happy brain chemicals. You can enjoy more dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphin when you know how your brain works. You can build new neural pathways instead of repeating old pain endlessly.
Here you will learn what it takes to build new neural pathways, and why old pathways are so powerful. You will learn what turns on your happy chemicals in the state of nature, and what turns on your stress chemicals.
Our brain evolved to protect us from harm, so it is constantly alert for potential danger signals. Cortisol is turned on by pain and the anticipation of pain. The bad feeling prompts your brain to scan for more evidence about the threat. You can easily wind up with endless pain, but you can also rewire your brain with new responses. You'll be glad you did!
1. Do You Want to
Share Your Pain or Relieve It?
Inner Mammal Institute
Loretta Breuning, PhD
Guided
Neuroplasticity
2. Our brain
creates
endless pain
because
• it confuses social pain with physical pain
• it equates disappointment with pain
• it blends anticipated pain with actual pain
3. You can escape this loop when
you know how your brain works
4. You can turn on your
happy brain chemicals in
new and sustainable ways
dopamine endorphin oxytocinserotonin
5. You can build new neural pathways
to give the electricity in your brain
a new place to flow
6. This presentation shows you:
1. what turns on the pain chemical (cortisol)
2. what turns on the happy chemicals
(dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphin)
3. how to build new neural pathways
to enjoy more happy chemicals and
avoid more pain chemicals
7. Then you will choose a new behavior or thought
pattern to stimulate the chemistry you want.
You’ll repeat it every day for 45 days without fail.
8. It’s not easy, but on Day 46
you’ll be so thrilled that you’ll want
to start your next rewiring project
78. Dopamine rewards you for the
effort of steps toward your needs.
Serotonin rewards you for getting
respect from others.
Oxytocin rewards you for finding
the safety of social support.
Endorphin rewards you for action
that relieves pain.
79. 3. Let’s see how your brain
builds the pathways that
control your happy chemicals
80. You were born with billions of neurons
but very few connections between them
98. This is why old patterns may
repeat despite our best intentions
99. You can blaze a new trail
through your jungle of neurons
100. But it takes a lot of effort
to activate a new pathway
101. And after all that, your new trail
will disappear into the jungle
unless you blaze it every day
102. The new trail may feel wrong
even when you know it’s right
103. But it will feel natural in 45 days
if you repeat your new pattern
without fail
104. Your old path will still be there, but your
electricity will have a new place to flow
105. You can wire in behaviors that turn on
your happy chemicals in new ways
106. For example, you can stimulate the joy of
dopamine by taking steps toward a goal
Results are
unpredictable but
you can always
adjust your
expectations and
take another step
107. You can stimulate the pleasure of
oxytocin with small acts of trust
It’s not safe to
trust always and
everywhere.
We’re designed
to make careful
decisions about
when to trust.
108. You can stimulate the pleasure of serotonin
by finding the good in what you have
You can feel important
without putting others
down or waiting for
them to put you up
109. You can enjoy endorphin
through laughter and exercise
We are NOT designed to inflict pain on
ourselves. Small endorphin drips are enough.
110. Habits of a
Happy Brain
Retrain Your Brain to Boost
Your Serotonin, Dopamine,
Oxytocin, and Endorphin
$11.00
Detailed suggestions for each chemical
and a step-by-step plan are in:
by Dr. Loretta Breuning
113. Free resources for rewiring your
happy chemicals at InnerMammalInstitute.org
• Youtube video:
Your Ups and Downs Are Natural …and also learned
• 5-day Happy Chemical Jumpstart
• infographics: You Have Power Over Your Brain
• PsychologyToday.com blog: Your Neurochemical Self
• a training program
115. Dopamine
Dopamine makes you jump for joy
when you reach a goal or get a toy.
Innature,ithelpsfindfoodwhenyouneedit.
“Eureka, I got it!” A memory gets created.
Dopamine causes expectations.
Correct predictions bring good sensations.
Dopamine feels great so you try to get more.
It rewarded our ancestors trudging through gore.
Cocaine triggers dopamine. Caution to all:
Joy without goal-seeking leads to a fall.
Dopamine flows when you feel like “I’ve done it.”
Whenothersdoitforyou,yourdopaminewillshunit.
116. Serotonin swells your chest with pride
When you get respect and needn’t hide.
Yourbrainfeelsgoodwhenyouboostyourselfhigher.
But when others do this, it provokes your ire.
“I don’t care about status. It’s other who do.”
Butyouspurtserotoninwhenthelimelight’s on you.
You are quite modest and don’t like to boast.
But no serotonin flows when you coast.
Status doesn’t depend on money.
You can be clever or helpful or funny.
But when others one-up you, your mind agitates.
‘Cause serotonin droops ‘til you lift your own weights.
Serotonin
117. Oxytocin
Oxytocin makes you trust your mates.
We love the bonds that it creates.
Oxytocinflowswhenyoustickwiththeherd.
“Notme!” youmaysay,“I’mnobovine orbird.”
But without social bonds, your brain feels alarm.
This protected our ancestors from all kinds of harm.
Thoughtheherdwillannoyyou,thepackhurt you so.
When you run with a pack, oxytocin will flow.
“My pack is great and the other is nuts.”
This thinking prevailed since the first mammal struts.
You’re above all this foolishness, obviously.
But it feels good when I trust you and you trust me.
118. Endorphin
Endorphin helps you mask the pain
Of injuries that you sustain.
Yourancestorsescapedfrompredatorattack
‘Causeendorphinfelt goodwhile theyranback.
Endorphin feels great when it eases your pains.
But only real pain makes it flow in your veins.
Exercise triggers it, experts alert you.
But first you must do it ‘til body parts hurt you.
Endorphin receptors let opium in.
So you feel like you’re safe without lifting a shin.
Laughing and crying can trigger it too.
But just for a moment– then the job’s through.