October 2008 - How Positive Change Affects Your Brain

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Have you ever noticed how hard it can be to break a bad habit, or to respond differently the next time your boss yells at you? Have you ever experienced how it takes practice to become proficient at something new, whether it’s learning a new sport or a new software program? There’s a reason for that and the answer is in your brain.

By the time a baby is born, the brain has grown to about 100 Billion nerve cells, or neurons. Neurons are living growing cells. They are not fixed like electrical wiring. Almost every neuron is constantly changing function by adapting to bodily demands, sensations and environmental influences. The transmission from one neuron to another happens at lightening speed. A neuron can send a signal, reset itself and send another signal up to 400 times be second. In fact, all the sights, sounds, smells, touch and other sensations that are experienced by a baby help them to create new connections along the neurons. The total number of connections between neurons amounts to 100 trillion. That’s 100 with 12 zeros after it! The brain is the most amazing instrument ever created in the entire universe.

Connections between neuron change over time. New connections are formed, and old ones disappear. The brains wiring is therefore developed by experience. Information coming in through your eyes, ears and other senses can be captured because the connections between neurons can change in a split second forming a new connection.  When something is repeated over and over, it causes conditioning of the brain, by creating a new neuron connection. Ever heard someone say: “I’m stuck in a groove?” This is one reason why people find themselves habitually involved in the same behavior over and over again, whether it be addictions to food, alcohol, habits and much more. The good news is, by consistent repetition of a “new” thought, feeling or action, you stop the old neurons from firing and create new connections. This is an actual transformation. Scientists call this change neuro-adaptation. This is one of the reasons why hypnosis and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) have such a powerful effect and can truly make permanent positive life changes in your life.

Neuron connections are always changing because of new thoughts or experiences. A child learns to walk through neuro-adaptation. And we learn to speak through neuro-adaptation. Those who have been in a traumatic accident, and have actually lost part of their brain and their ability to walk and speak learn through rehabilitation once again how to walk and speak. This is because the brain neurons have the ability to adapt and create new pathways of communication, or neuro-adaptation.

So the next time you find yourself stuck in an old groove, this may help explain it. If you’re ready to change those old outmoded neural pathways, hypnosis may be just the tool you’re looking for.

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