Jj is for Jottings 113. Neuroplasticity and Complaining.
Following on from the previous article on neuroplasticity, we will now be more specific – how complaining rewires the brain for negativity. Research shows that most people complain once a minute during a typical conversation. Although complaining might feel good, but just like smoking or eating a whole box of chocolates in one sitting, it doesn’t do you any good.
Neuroplasticity and Complaining: This visiting alpaca complained about shearing the whole time. First he sat down, refused to get up and had to be assisted. Then he grumbled right throughout the shearing process.
THE NEUROPLASTICITY OF COMPLAINING .
Your brain is very efficient. When you repeat a behaviour, such as complaining, your neurons branch out to each other to ease the flow of information. This makes it much easier to repeat that behaviour in the future. So your neurons grow closer together, and the connections between them become more permanent. Scientists describe this process as “Neurons that fire together, wire together.”
Repeated complaining rewires your brain to make future complaining more likely. Over time, you find it’s easier to be negative than to be positive, regardless of what’s happening around you. This becomes your default behaviour, which changes how people perceive you.
COMPLAINING CAN DAMAGE YOUR BRAIN.
Complaining damages other areas of your brain as well. Research from Stanford University has shown that complaining shrinks the hippocampus. The hippocampus is part of the limbic system, which is a region of the brain which regulates motivation, emotion, and reacting. It is also important for learning and memory, so it is an area of the brain that’s critical to problem solving and intelligent thought. The hippocampus is one of the primary brain areas destroyed by Alzheimer’s.
COMPLAINING IS BAD FOR PHYSICAL HEALTH.
When you complain, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol shifts you into fight-or-flight mode, directing oxygen, blood, and energy away from everything but the systems that are essential to immediate survival. One effect of cortisol is to raise your blood pressure and blood sugar so that you are prepared to either escape or defend yourself.
All the extra cortisol released by frequent complaining impairs your immune system and makes you more susceptible to high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. It even makes the brain more vulnerable to strokes.
COMPLAINING AFFECTS OTHER PEOPLE, TOO.
Our brains unconsciously pick up the moods of those around us, particularly people with whom we spend a great deal of time. This is called neuronal mirroring, and it’s the basis for our ability to feel empathy.
So, complaining is like smoking — you don’t have to do it yourself to suffer the ill effects. You need to be cautious about spending time with people who complain about everything. Think of it this way: If a person were smoking, would you sit there for hours inhaling toxic second-hand smoke? You’d distance yourself, and you should do the same with complainers. Complainers are really more toxic than smoke, because they can affect you physically, mentally and emotionally.
THE SOLUTION TO COMPLAINING.
Cultivating gratitude is the best antidote to a complaining mentality. That is, when you feel like complaining, shift your attention to something that you’re grateful for. Taking time to contemplate what you’re grateful for isn’t merely the right thing to do; it reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 23%.
Research conducted at the University of California found that people who worked daily to cultivate gratitude experienced improved mood and energy and substantially less anxiety due to lower cortisol levels. Any time you experience negative or pessimistic thoughts, use this as a cue to shift gears and to think about something positive. In time, a positive attitude will become a way of life. That’s using neuroplasticity to work in the opposite direction.
WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH CHILDREN?
Everything. When we are aware of something, we are in the position to take positive remedial action. After reading this article we might suddenly become aware that we are complaining a lot. Or we may see that our children actually complain a great deal and we hadn’t noticed it before. So now we have a chance to redirect their focus to more positive thoughts and words.
There is a parallel with becoming aware that our children have too much screen time, and taking appropriate action. Or becoming aware of your own or your child’s poor posture and taking steps to improve that situation. Conscious awareness brings power and a happier and more fulfilling life.
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