34. The Neural Ingredients For Change

The brain is made up of many different parts. Each part has distinct functions and goals. Sometimes two parts want different things and a conflict is created. This conflict can lead to challenges in how we think, feel, and behave. Procrastination is an example of this. People procrastinate because of a conflict between the limbic system, which seeks immediate rewards, and the prefrontal cortex, which handles long-term planning. When immediate rewards seem more appealing than long-term benefits, people might choose to do more enjoyable, less important tasks first. In many ways these two parts of the brain are opposites. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for logical analysis, planning for the future, and self-control. The limbic system is responsible for emotion and motivation. It suggests behavior through association which links a stimulus with a response like Pavlov’s dog.

We can see how these two parts may frequently conflict. Emotion and logic are often at odds with each other in our minds. We feel one thing but think we have to do another weighing the rewards of the present and future together. How could we get these two systems to work together? The language parts of the brain could be useful here so we can try to make the ideas in our heads known. Making ideas explicit helps with seeing what the errors are in them. The Broca's and Wernicke's areas are involved with language processing. Wernicke's area processes the incoming emotional language and helps us understand other’s emotions conveyed through words. Broca's area helps to produce the spoken or written language that expresses our own emotions. To make any of this possible the brain has to be capable of change. Neuroplasticity says the brain can rewire its neural pathways and form new associations. Thus we see that we have the neural ingredients for therapy and positive change. There is no biological nor evolutionary limitation preventing us from becoming better.