2. copyright, ed young, PhD 1 LESSON 5 UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN IS INVOLVED IN SCHOOL SUCCESS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Presented by THE NATURAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE

3. copyright, ed young, PhD 2 The Interaction Between: Neurotransmitters, Brain, Behavior, and Sense of Well Being Within Types of Environments SECTION VII A Adolescent or Parenting Workshop: Sample slides taken at random from selected Section VII Lessons

4. copyright, ed young, PhD 3 Brain Chemistry and Hemispheric Interaction Is brain chemistry controlled by genetics independent of environmental forces? Are there regions in hemispheres that are in control of brain chemistry? Are there configurations of regions, hemispheres, and brain chemistry that determine feelings, moods, and behavior? Are these configurations and their effects determined by the collaboration of environmental structures and inner intentional processes? Can the introduction of therapeutic techniques into the environmental structure alter these configurations?

5. copyright, ed young, PhD 4 The Brain Has Two Hemispheres, Each Having Similar Specialized Divisions or Regions. Each Region Is Also Host to Specific Types of Neurotransmitters or Brain Chemistry. It is said that people are left or right brained. As parents, do you wonder about your child’s brain and what these ‘types’ may have to do with your child’s learning style or ability? It is said that emotional, mental, and behavior problems are caused by brain chemistry. Does this hypothesis affect the way you go about trying to understand, guide, and help your child?

6. copyright, ed young, PhD 5 THE HUMAN BRAIN AND THE INTERACTIONS AND TRANSITIONS BETWEEN HEMISPHERES, REGIONS, AND NEUROTRANSMITTERS BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE Right Hemisphere Parietal BRAIN Occipital Brain chemistry Temporal FRONTAL LOBE Left Hemisphere Two hemispheres collaborate but both have similar neurochemistry by region and, yet, neurochemistry changes when the focus shifts across hemispheres. The critical issue is the configuration of hemisphere, region, neurochemistry, intentional process, and environmental structure. What is happening in your child’s brain? Why is it happening? Is your child’s brain the problem?

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9. 8 Regions Have Their Own Kinds of Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters in a Region Have Characteristic Ways of Changing. If the neurotransmitters in a region have natural ways of changing, are your child’s neurotransmitters behaving normally? What does this behavior of the neurotransmitters have to do with the quality and normality of your child’s life?

10. copyright, ed young, PhD 9 Principle Neurotransmitters Involved In Interaction Between Brain, Behavior, And Sense Of Well Being BRAIN and BRAIN CHEMISTRY SEROTONIN DOPAMINEDOPAMINE ADRENALINE* ACETYLCHOLINEACETYLCHOLINE ENDORPHINS *adrenaline is a neurocrine or hormone influencing the brain

11. copyright, ed young, PhD 10 Brain Chemistry, Neurotransmitters, and Their Effects What are the critical neurotransmitters in your brain’s chemistry? What feelings, moods, thought processes, and behaviors are causally connected to which neurotransmitters? How does each neurotransmitter function when it is functioning naturally?

12. copyright, ed young, PhD 11 Function and Relations of Principle Neurotransmitters ADRENALINE ENDORPHINS Anger, Fear, Excitemen t, Agitated Depression Successfu l, Goal Oriented, Mental and/or Physical Activity Vigorous Physical Exercise or Activity Sleep, Depressio n, Boredom, Fatigue, Immo- bilization Awake, Active, Alert, Excited, Angry, Anxious SEROTONIN ACETYLCHOLINE DOPAMINE Neurotransmitters Below Are Related to Functions Listed Above

13. copyright, ed young, PhD 12 What Neurotransmitters Is Primarily Concerned with Being Awake, Awareness, and Mental Alertness? Acetylcholine is primarily concerned with being awake and aware. How does the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine behave in the brain?

14. copyright, ed young, PhD 13 ACETYLCHOLINE and BEING AWAKE and ALERT I. ACETYLCHOLINE and BEING AWAKE and ALERT: INTERACTIONS AND TRANSITIONS BETWEEN NEUROTRANSMITTERS I. ACETYLCHOLINE and BEING AWAKE and ALERT ALERT: INTERACTIONS AND TRANSITIONS BETWEEN NEUROTRANSMITTERS BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE ALERT ACETYLCHOLINE ACETYLCHOLINEACETYLCHOLINE ACETYLCHOLINEACETYLCHOLINE IN AWAKENING, THERE IS A FORWARD PROGRESSION OF ACETYLCHOLINE TOWARD INFUSION THROUGHOUT THE BRAIN.

15. copyright, ed young, PhD 14 WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF DOPAMINE AND ADRENALINE? When does dopamine come into play and why? –What are its effects on feelings, mood, behavior, and learning? –What are its effects on health? –Can its patterns be changed? When does adrenaline come into play and why? –What are its effects on feelings, mood, behavior, and learning? –What are its effects on health? –Can its patterns be changed?

16. copyright, ed young, PhD 15 II. DOPAMINE, SENSE OF WELL BEING and III. ADRENALINE AND EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE ACETYLCHOLINE ALERT ADRENALINE Dopamine is released is released when an intentional mental or physical act is being and/or has been completed successfully. Its release tends to produce a sense of pleasure and a tendency for the act to be continued or repeated in similar situations in the future. Adrenaline is released in challenging or threatening situations. Depending on the situation, intentional orientation, and interpretation of the situation, adrenaline may result in aggression, withdrawal, or paralysis. The feeling accompanying adrenaline can be pleasant exhilaration, painful fear or panic, anxious paralysis, or agitated depression. The negative feelings result in avoidance of that situation and positive outcomes and feelings result in similar reactions when that situation recurs. Dopamine has a singular effect and is a result, whereas adrenaline is a propellant and, depending upon the direction of the behavior, has differential- polarized negative or positive feeling effects. Dopamine affects preferences, whereas adrenaline affects reactions. Dopamine has a positive affect on health. Positive adrenaline can be addictive and used to heighten performance.. Persistent adrenaline tends to have a negative affect on the immune system and health. DO PAMINE

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18. copyright, ed young, PhD 17 What Is the Function of Endorphins? Under what conditions are endorphins released? Are there any benefits from inducing their release? Are there any dangers to health from inducing their release?

19. copyright, ed young, PhD 18 IV. ENDORPHINS: OVERCOMING PAIN AND FATIGUE FRONTAL LOBE BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE ACETYLCHOLINE ALERT DO PAMINE ACETYLCHOLINE ADRENALINE ACETYLCHOLINE ENDORPHINS Endorphins function as a natural narcotic or anesthetic. After the body has been engaged in vigorous physical exertion for a while, the person begins to experience fatigue and aches and pains. If the person persists in the exertion, eventually the endorphins are released and the negative feelings are replaced with a sense of pleasure, ease, and euphoria. From this point on, the body can receive injuries that normally would be very painful but because of the endorphins not feel the pain until after the activity is ceased. For some people, the pain free, exhilarated experience becomes somewhat addictive.

20. copyright, ed young, PhD 19 What is the role and function of serotonin? Serotonin naturally tends to rise and fall with sleep and wakefulness. What are the disturbances of serotonin release? –What are the feeling, mood, cognitive, and behavioral effects of excess or insufficient serotonin? –What life conditions, situations, or personality factors tend to provoke unnatural excess and insufficient serotonin?

21. copyright, ed young, PhD 20 V. SEROTONIN : SLEEP, TRANQUILITY BRAIN FRONTAL LOBE ACETYLCHOLIN E ACETYLCHOLINEACETYLCHOLINE ALERT DOPAMINE ACETYLCHOLINE ACETYLCHOLINEACETYLCHOLINE ACETYLCHOLINEACETYLCHOLINE ADRENALINE SerotoninSerotonin SerotoninSerotonin SerotoninSerotonin SerotoninSerotonin Serotonin tends to rise and fall with disengagement and engagement of frontal lobe, the goal oriented region of the left hemisphere. Excess during wakefulness reduces alertness, learning, thinking, and intelligent control of behavior. Insufficiency tends to produce impulsiveness and irritability. Serotonin is readily influenced by adrenaline, regardless of the orientation of the adrenaline related behavior. An insufficiency at night produces sleeplessness. Remaining goal oriented with goal of going to sleep prevents the natural overcast of serotonin necessary for sleep.

22. copyright, ed young, PhD 21 What Are the Relationships Between Neurotransmitters? Neurotransmitters are designed to respond to naturally occurring situations in a way that insures survival. Neurotransmitters are designed to vary in relation to one another. They vary, however, in complex ways. There is an optimal combination of neurotransmitters for typical life conditions and situations. There is an optimal combination of neurotransmitters for atypical life conditions and situations. Deviating from optimal combinations works against survival. Can people be trained to evoke these optimal combinations? Can situations be structured to evoke optimal combinations? Can people be trained to transfer learned optimal combinations from the training and/or structured situations to naturally occurring typical and atypical situations?

23. copyright, ed young, PhD 22 Interactions Between the Environment, Neurotransmitters, and Health and Wellbeing A threat filled environment elicits adrenaline and reduces serotonin leading to hyperactivity, sleeplessness, suspiciousness, hostility, impulsiveness, ruminations, and eventually to extreme fatigue and illness. Low Serotonin Sleeplessness Agitation, Irritation, Impulsiveness Suspiciousnes s Leading to exhaustion High Acetylcholine Awake, Active, Alert, Anxious, Angry High Adrenaline Anxiety, Fear, Panic, Hyper- activity, Agitated Depressio n, Anger Adrenaline High Anger, Fear, Excitement, Agitated Depression Dopamine High Successful, Goal Oriented, Mental and/or Physical Activity Adrenaline and Dopamine are elicited in environments such as: Competition, Adventure, Romance, or Positive- high-risk-goal seeking leads to exhilaration, ecstasy, lack of awareness of time, feeling no pain. Taken to excess, this can lead to illness. Adrenaline High Anger, Fear, Excitement, Agitated Depression Endorphins High Vigorous Physical Exercise or Activity, no pain. An environment that generates adrenaline accompanied by vigorous physical activity results in a loss of feelings of pain. Activity in excess can lead to illness. Immobilized, without activity, endorphins are low and there is an acute awareness of pain. Endorphins Low Lack of Vigorous Physical Exercise or Activity, intense pain. High Dopamine Goal Oriented, Successful, Mental and/or Physical Activity High Endorphins Moderately Vigorous Physical Exercise or Activity No pain. High Acetylcholine Awake, Active, Alert, Involved, Moderately Excited An environment that promotes: Being awake, alert, and goal orientation toward positive mental activity leads to serenity, satisfaction, lack of awareness of time or pain, integration within and with the environment, and good health. When combined with physical activity, endorphins add freedom from pain. Low Dopamine Un- Successful, Lack of Goal Orientation, Lack of Controlled or Directed Mental and/or Physical Activity Low Adrenaline Lack of any of the following: Anxiety, Fear, Panic, Hyper- activity, Agitated Depression, Anger

24. copyright, ed young, PhD 23 Implications for Treatment Given the model just presented, what do we treat? –Do we treat the brain chemistry? –Do we treat the inner personality dynamics? –Do we treat the observable emotional and behavioral symptoms? –Do we treat the people and social structures in the person’s environment? What happens if we treat only one or two of the above factors? What happens if we treat all factors in one comprehensive approach? The Natural Approach used by the Natural Systems Institute is designed to treat all factors simultaneously.

25. Are There Components of the Structure of the Environment and Components of the Self That Can Be Altered to Cause the Brain’s Focus to Be in an Optimal Region and to Evoke Optimal Combinations of Neurotransmitters? What components of the structure of the environment have the most immediate and direct affect on the brain’s regional focus and combination of neurotransmitters? What components of structure have the most enduring and pervasive effects on neurotransmitters? What components of the self have the most immediate and direct affect on regional focus and combinations of neurotransmitters? What components of the self have the most enduring and pervasive effects? What is the healthiest environmental structure? What is the healthiest organization of the self?

26. copyright, ed young, PhD 25 Environmental Structure and Systems in Interaction with Person Structures and Systems Encompassing Environments Institution or Organization Setting within Institution Situation Dyadic Interaction Relationship Physical/Verbal Behavior Cognition Emotion/Feelings Perception Background: Prior Schemata and Schemes Environment A Environment B Brain of Person A in Environment A Brain of Person A in Environment B The structure of environment A encourages people to use their own judgment, make their own decisions, plan and execute future plans, cooperate with others, bond with others, be responsible for themselves, share a desire for mutual facilitation, share tasks and promote the good of the community. The structure of environment B takes care of people, assesses their needs for them, makes decisions for them, plans and executes activities for them, makes cooperative efforts with others unnecessary, assumes responsibility for the welfare of the community, assumes responsibility for all aspects of their lives, health, and well being. Unwittingly, makes it impossible to form bonds with others. Symptoms: Concern with others and tasks, time flying, unconcerned with body and health, active, healthy, happy. Symptoms: Focused on self, dependent, depressed, time drags, aches and pains, fears, anger, health degenerates. Right Front Right Back Left Front Left Back Brain Hemispheres Right Front Right Back Left Front Left Back Brain Hemispheres Role TWIN PYRAMIDS

27. copyright, ed young, PhD 26 Implications for Treatment Techniques and Natural Environments Using the twin pyramids approach, no single level or factor dealt with independent of the other factors. The external, environmental structures as well as the internal processes are considered as an interactive whole. When it is recognized that neurotransmitters are highly responsive to the structure of environments, they can no longer be treated in isolation from environmental influences. Change the structure and the whole person changes, including neurotransmitters.

28. copyright, ed young, PhD 27 In Minimally Structured Environments, the Predominant Influences Over Brain Regions and Neurotransmitters Comes From Intentional Processes What do I now? Intentional Processes Include Schemata and Schemes That Are Tagged With Degrees of Preference. The Schemata of Implicit Others Exert a Predominant Influence Over Intentional Processes. In the absence of structure intentional processes are governed by preferences, tempered by recollection of consequences, and constrained by Implicit Others and incorporated cultural norms. In contrast to the structured environment, behavior in the unstructured environment can be very aimless and unconventional, depending upon the nature of the incorporated implicit others and cultural norms.

29. copyright, ed young, PhD 28 In Minimally Structured Environments, To Treat Individuals With Personality Problems, They Must Volunteer for Help. The Help Must Be Individualized and Focused on Intentional Processes. The therapy should cover, as the client shows a readiness, disorders in the following aspects of intentional processes: –Schemata of the world, cultural norms, and implicit others and their cause and effect relations. Behavioral schemes and strategies for dealing with the world. The relations between the two. – Ways of assessing the external and internal worlds. –Gaining a perspective on identification, use, and misuse of pleasure and pain. –Distortions in incorporation states. –Distortions in the envisioning process and content. –Distortions in criteria for fulfillment. –Distortions in tendencies to foreshadow future events. –Distortions in using judgment and decision making processes. –Distortions in cognitive and behavioral adventuring processes, and engagement and disengagement processes. –Distortions in mirroring of the adventuring process. –Distortions in storage of experiences. Each of these distortions are reflected in distortions of regional focus and neurotransmitters in the brain.

30. copyright, ed young, PhD 29 DEALING WITH INTOLERABLE OR DISORIENTING FEELINGS A NATURAL SYSTEMS VERSUS A MEDICAL MODEL APPROACH

31. copyright, ed young, PhD 30 4 4..Escalating -Eruption 3 3..Escalating -Out of control The Disorganization of Thought Processes Under the Influence of Intense Emotion 4. Bizarre, Chaotic - Illusions and Delusions. Thought totally under the control of emotion. 4 3 3. Escalating - Irrational As emotions, such as anger, passion, fear, increase in intensity, temporal and social perspectives diminish and thinking becomes more irrational and less grounded in reality. 2 2..Escalating -Intense 2 2..Intense -Biased 1 1. Thinking: Cool, Rational 1. Initialemotionalexperience 1

32. copyright, ed young, PhD 31 The Right-Now-Relief-Medicine Versus Enduring Suffering and Learning to Grow I’m anxious! I’m angry! I’m depressed! I’m keyed up! I have painful longing! I’m confused! I need relief from this intolerable psychological discomfort right away. I’ll ask my doctor for a pill. Ahhh! Relief at last. Now we don’t have to cope with those awful feelings anymore. We don’t have to try to make our egos grow and understand the situation causing the discomfort, what it is about us that makes us react that way, get a perspective on experiencing feelings like that, or learn, practice, and master strategies for handling the situation and our feelings. All that takes so much work and takes so long. We’d rather take the pill the rest of our lives than to have to go through all that growth stuff before we gain mastery and then get relief.

33. copyright, ed young, PhD 32 Observing a person from the outside and at a distance, we do not see or understand the processes that are going on inside their head or mind. We never can under any circumstances. TAKING A LOOK AT THE MICROSCOPIC PROCESSES INSIDE THE MIND Listening and observing carefully and deeply, over time, we begin to understand these inner processes. Magnified by careful listening and observation

34. copyright, ed young, PhD 33 CHOOSING OUR LEVEL OF PERSPECTIVE FOR UNDERSTANDING OTHERS Perceptions, feelings, reactions, thoughts, projections and strategizing, intentions, feedback and evaluating, self correcting, and storing in memory all occur together, usually in sequence, and flow in patterns. These patterns are written large and written small. Larger patterns are replicated but with respect to finer detail within smaller patterns. We choose the level of perspective from which we try to understand the other person. At whatever level of perspective we take, we can check repeatedly with the person to see if our guess as to what is going on is correct in order to try to understand the other person more deeply and correctly.

35. copyright, ed young, PhD 34 Thoughts keep cycling in patterns. Sometimes, under painful or terrifying emotions, thoughts wildly whirl and one’s mind seems out of control. This magnifies the terror. Thoughts are no longer capable of being rational or in one’s best interest. Behavior becomes impelled by the painful emotions. What Happens When We Do Get Inside the Head of Another? This is what we see!

36. copyright, ed young, PhD 35 Sometimes thoughts plummet down in despair, becomes ponderous, then sink into a black hole of nothingness. This also magnifies the terror. Yet, now, the painful, numbing emotions immobilize as though one were dead. Getting Inside the Mind of Another Is Somewhat Like Seeing a Galaxy Through a Hubbell Telescope. Sometimes You See a Whirling Mass of Chaos and Sometimes You See a Black Hole. Fueled by Emotion

37. copyright, ed young, PhD 36 RESORTING TO A NON PERSONAL SOLUTION OR TREATMENT The Sense of Powerlessness Over the Dysfunctional Patterns of Thinking and Emotion Makes One Feel As Though Something Outside Oneself Must Stop the Madness. That Something Outside Must Not Be Anyone Who Is a Part of the Problem, Like Family Members. In This State, the Person Wants No Intruders That Might Judge or Advise. This Is Highly Frustrating to Close Family and Friends Who, Then, Turn to Mechanical or Chemical Antidotes. Please, if you won’t listen to us, go to a doctor and take a pill so we can relax!! Ego getting weaker and weaker and more and more fragile. Dependency and withdrawal pain increase, confirming the need for the medicine. Thank goodness that now I don’t have to worry about how to cope and grow. I can just take something quick and no one will be bent out of shape over the way I’m feeling, thinking, or acting!!!

38. copyright, ed young, PhD 37 Relating to the Intolerable Emotion Emotions becoming intolerable. Thoughts whirling into extreme confusion or blanking out completely from the intensity of the emotion.

39. copyright, ed young, PhD 38 Learning to Gradually Simmer Down. I’m going to stop and focus on the emotion. Really sense what it is like. Really think about what it is like, why I am having it, what it is doing to me. And now I’m going to stop and realize this emotion is not going to kill me and is not going to last forever. The causal situation is not going to last forever, or I will eventually be able to cope with it, or to live with it, but I can survive it! Life will go on. I’m starting to calm down a little. I bet if I keep this up and then start focusing on something non threatening outside of myself, I will really calm down. Then I can start over and try to think the situation through rationally.

40. copyright, ed young, PhD 39 Escalating Emotions and Irrationality Vs. Deescalating and Rationality.. I’m getting angry. How can I communicate what I feel?.. Listen, please. I want you to hear what I am going to say and to understand what I feel. I’ll say it as calmly and clearly as I can... OK. Now that you understand what I am getting angry about, can we try to work something out, negotiate a compromise? I feel better about this already. Two scenarios for dealing with anger. The first case focuses outside of the self on the source of the anger. The second case focuses on one’s own feelings and trying to communicate clearly about the issue to the other person. In the first case, anger (and other extreme emotions) escalates and nothing is communicated or solved. Hard feelings will be lurking in wait for the next encounter. In the second case, anger is understood and communicated, deescalates, and the problem is resolved... Stop it! You’re making me angry... *#@~`>+=%*”&! I’m really getting mad. I hate you! Get out. *#@~`>+=%*”&! I’m breaking everything... FirstFirst SecondSecond Learning to cope and develop a stronger ego.

41. copyright, ed young, PhD 40 ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF DEALING WITH INTOLERABLE OR DISORIENTING FEELINGS Temporarily Increase Psychotherapy Visits. Stay In Close Contact With A Friend Or Relative, Who Is Not A Part Of The Problem, As A Supporter, Especially Evenings And Nights. Work Out A Regimen To Help In Getting Through The Tough Time. Make As Few Additional Major Changes As Possible. Temporarily Avoid Being Around Disturbing Family, Friends, Or Associates. Keep Up A Healthy Diet. Take Mega Vitamins, Minerals, And Amino Acids Daily. Take Time, Several Times A Day, For 15 To 20 Minutes Each Time, To Engage In Relaxation. Do Light Exercise Before Going To Bed, Followed By A Warm Shower Ending With Luke Warm. Regularly Write About Feelings And Situations In A Journal, Especially Before Going To Bed. Use Relaxation Techniques And Tapes In Bed At Night To Relax, Do Not Try To Sleep, Do Not Try To Control Thoughts. Briefly Write Disturbing Thoughts In Journal And Then Lie Back Down To Relax. Accept The Fact That You Will Have To Expend Great Energy And Time On Your Therapy At This Time And Will Have To Endure The Discomfort Until You Grow, Gain Mastery, And Develop Ego Strength. Life Will Become Bearable Again.

42. copyright, ed young, PhD 41 A Sense of Mastery Comes From Realizing You Made It Through the Emotional Storm, on Your Own, With Minimal Medication. You Feel So Much Stronger. I did it!