Peak Performance

(September  2011)

Everything that we do, think, and feel is controlled by our brain. Our brain determines everything from our behavior to our mood, and yet very few people realize that they can actually harness the power of their brain for the better. The more we know about the brain and the more we study its inner workings, the more comprehensive and life-changing mental healthcare can be.

One of the ways to uncover the mysteries of your mind is through a brain map. A brain map analyzes brain wave patterns and connections and determines any abnormal functioning. At the Raby Institute, brain maps can be performed on people of all ages. They are an invaluable healthcare tool because we can compare individual maps of patients to maps of other peers in the same age bracket. This enables us to make sure that everything is in order and functioning at a ‘normal’ level.

Brain maps can also be used in the treatment of addiction. For example, drug addicts keep returning to their drug of choice because it stimulates the brain’s reward center and elicits feelings of pleasure and euphoria, and after prolonged use, the brain needs more and more of the substance in order to be able to create these same feelings. Once the brain has become altered in this way, it cannot return to its pre-use state in which the reward center was set off naturally. Instead, the brain is literally telling the body to seek that next high…at any cost.

Thankfully, with brain maps and further research, addicted patients can become educated on how their brain is working and responding (or not responding), and they can learn new and healthy coping mechanisms. The same is also true for people who are addicted to work or who work in high-stress environments, such as brokers and traders. They are not utilizing the emotional center of the brain, but instead are working off adrenaline and fight-or-flight syndrome. As a result, the emotional connections in their brain fall into disuse and they are not as able to tap into that side of their thinking ability. Through a brain map and patient education, they can re-learn those lessons and better harness their full potential.

Ultimately, through research and tools such as these, we can help people to live to their fullest potential and to improve their quality of life. Relying on alcohol, drugs, or caffeine to get through the day is no way to live, especially when everything you need is already right there in your brain. You just need to know how to find it.