How does grief affect your thinking?

Summary

In this insightful video, grief expert Kelly Nielsen and neuroscientist Dr. Darling Mayo explore the reasons behind the inability to focus during grief. They discuss the chaotic impact of loss on brain chemistry and function, leading to a decrease in essential neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. To combat this, they offer practical tips: establishing a new routine, practicing box breathing meditation to balance brain activity, and engaging with a supportive community to foster healing and restore cognitive clarity.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The brain thrives on order, and grieving introduces chaos, disrupting brain chemistry and function.
• 😢 Grief can involve a mix of depression, anxiety, and stress, which individually and collectively impair brain processes.
• 💊 The balance of brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin is crucial for motivation and memory, and grief can deplete these.
• 🚫 Cortisol, released during severe anxiety or anger, is detrimental to brain function and can impair cognitive abilities.
• 🧘‍♀️ Establishing a new routine can help restore order and provide structure for the grieving mind.
• 🌀 Box breathing meditation is recommended to balance brain activity and reduce anxiety or anger.
• 🤝 Engaging with a supportive community can release oxytocin, aiding in emotional balance and recovery.
• 🌐 The brain mirrors the environment, so surrounding oneself with positivity is crucial for healing.
• 🔄 Constant rehashing of pain in a support group can hinder recovery by reinforcing negative brain patterns.
• 🛑 Disrupted brain frequency and activity imbalance between brain hemispheres contribute to the inability to focus during grief.
• 🌱 Interacting with others who have successfully navigated grief can help pave neural pathways for personal recovery.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the channel hosted by Kelly Nielsen?

The channel hosted by Kelly Nielsen, the Grief Guru, focuses on discussing all aspects of grief, including its nature, feelings, appearance, and providing tips, tools, and resources to help individuals move through grief and enjoy life again.

Why does Kelly Nielsen feel thrilled in the video?

Kelly Nielsen feels thrilled because she is discussing the topic of why people can't focus when they're grieving and how to restore focus, with the help of her guest, Dr. Darling Mayo, a neurosurgeon and neuroscientist.

What are the three main conditions that disrupt brain function during the grieving process according to Dr. Darling Mayo?

The three main conditions that disrupt brain function during the grieving process are depression, anxiety, and stress, which can sometimes be accompanied by anger.

How do the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin affect focus during grief?

Dopamine, which is a motivating and happiness-inducing brain chemical, and serotonin, which helps with calmness and memory, bottom out during the grieving process. This leads to a lack of motivation, increased stress, and memory issues, disrupting focus.

What is the role of cortisol in the brain's response to stress during grief?

Cortisol is a hormone released by the body during severe anxiety or anger. The brain does not like cortisol as it lowers brain chemicals and shuts down the thinking part of the brain, the cortex, leading to emotional responses and difficulty in cognitive tasks.

How does the grieving process affect the balance between the right and left hemispheres of the brain?

During the grieving process, activity preferentially goes to one side of the brain or the other, disrupting the balance that the brain prefers. This imbalance contributes to the chaos and disruption in brain function.

What is the first tip Dr. Darling Mayo gives to help restore focus during grief?

The first tip Dr. Darling Mayo gives is to establish a new routine. Having a structured daily routine helps the brain regain a sense of order and predictability, which can reduce tangential thoughts and improve focus.

What is box breathing and how can it help with focus during grief?

Box breathing is a form of breathing meditation where you inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four counts, and hold again for four counts, repeating this for ten cycles. It helps balance brain activity and reduce anxiety or anger, lowering cortisol levels and improving focus.

Why is engaging with a supportive community important during the grieving process?

Engaging with a supportive community is important because it provides emotional support and helps the brain release oxytocin, a bonding brain chemical that balances other affected brain chemicals. It also helps the brain learn that recovery is possible.

How does the brain's mirror neuron network affect the grieving process?

The mirror neuron network in the brain mirrors the environment and the emotions of others. Being around negative influences can reinforce a sense of hopelessness, while being around positive influences can teach the brain that recovery is achievable.

What is the significance of the support group mentioned in the video?

The support group mentioned in the video is significant because it is designed to help people move through grief rather than just rehashing pain. It provides examples of recovery, which is beneficial for the brain to learn and adapt to.