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Default mode network


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Hi All

I’ve been reading about the brain’s default mode network. Apparently it’s something we develop into adulthood and is absent in young children.

it is essentially a filter for our brain that limits over stimulation and creates a sense of reality . It is responsible for reflection and contemplation. Children have what’s called lamp focus so everything is lit up which means they’re easily distracted. They also don’t tend to reflect on the past. Adults have what’s called spotlight focus so they light only focus on one thing at a time and use reflection and contemplation to learn.

people with under active default mode network tend to be very creative magical thinkers, but an increased susceptibility to psychosis at the extreme end.

At the other end, people with over active default mode network, tend to get locked in patterns of over reflection and cycles of rumination and is common in people with depression and ocd.

apparently experienced meditators are able to calm the default mode network which is one of the reasons meditation is often recommended for people with mental health issues.

it’s interesting stuff and definitely helps explain a lot about where ocd comes from

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On 05/09/2022 at 16:46, OB1UK said:

apparently experienced meditators are able to calm the default mode network which is one of the reasons meditation is often recommended for people with mental health issues.

 

 :yes: Not only true but has been demonstrated in a brain scanner in real time.

 

On 05/09/2022 at 16:46, OB1UK said:

people with over active default mode network, tend to get locked in patterns of over reflection and cycles of rumination and is common in people with depression and ocd.

Regular meditation (about 10 mins a day) calms the DMN and retrains it, a bit like teaching a puppy to sit still. Over time the ability to concentrate and not get distracted improves (by intrusive or ruminative thoughts for example.)

Any kind of meditation that slows and focuses thinking will be effective, but these days mindfulness meditation is commonly what people mean when they refer to 'meditation'.

When I first tried to meditate (many decades ago) I failed completely and gave up, because I wrongly believed meditation meant clearing your mind completely and maintaining that blankness.

However, when I learned mindfulness meditation I discovered the aim is to not think of anything specific. To allow thoughts to come and go without analysis or judgement, which leaves the mind feeling calm and kind of blank without struggling to achieve blankness. 

Works a treat on ruminative thoughts. :)

It took me about a year of regular proctise to get really good at meditating, but you start to feel the benefits before that even while still learning.

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I took a basic online course in mindfulness...and then another (maintaining a mindful life), then one on mindfulness for pain, and another on mindfulness for depression...and then took a training course in mindfulness. :D

A good one I recommend for beginners is free from Monash University via Future Learn - https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/mindfulness-wellbeing-performance   That's the one I started on and I found it particularly friendly with good explanations and downloadable meditations to use offline.

But there are lots on Future Learn and other educational sites. You can get a good beginner's course on the UK mindfulness website too (scroll down past all the teacher courses.) https://mindfulnessuk.com/

Or you could join a Buddhist meditation group (my local community centre runs one so you could check locally to you.) :)

 

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I started with the app "Lojong", very good courses and explicative videos.

It has a trial period, but even after that Its "free" --> if you say you are not able to contribute you can have full access only accepting short comercials (30 secs).

 

On 05/09/2022 at 17:46, OB1UK said:

I’ve been reading about the brain’s default mode network.

what can we read? I am interested, first time reading that term

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What is really interesting about the descriptions of people who have undergone psychedelic treatment with psilocybin is that rather than running from their fears they confront them during the process and the fears lose the power. So this sounds like an extreme version of ERP.

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