Do I have a normal brain?
Research shows that adults who experience childhood trauma, such as sexual abuse, tend to have brain structures that are different from adults who grew up without trauma. However, "normal" is a wide range that most survivors still fit in. Rather than thinking about our brain as normal or not normal, we can think of our brain in terms of what it needs. Brains are flexible. They can continue to get better throughout our lives.
How can I improve my brain?
Nutrition, exercise, and cognitive engagements are all essential to changing the brain. Healthy nutrition includes foods high in antioxidants, and low in sugar for starters. The best exercise is the one that you enjoy the most, but consistency is the key. Cognitive engagements include continuous learning, creating, and problem-solving. Meditation is also good for the brain.
What does it mean for the mind to be present?
The brain perceives on three basic levels to help us navigate through life. The first level is basic instinct. We feel pain and we respond. We govern our behavior according to external stimuli. There is not much thought involved at all. Most of our behaviors and patterns are reactions or defenses. Children under the age of 4 operate this way exclusively, which is why temper tantrums are so prevalent at this age. But not all older people grow out of this stage, particularly those raised in dysfunctional environments. So, some survivors get stuck in this stage. The second level of perception is thought. All incoming stimuli are filtered through the mind. Our reactions are based on what we think is most beneficial. Unfortunately, thoughts are limited to experience and knowledge and the goals of the thinker. So, if the thinker is operating from fear, the thoughts will be guided by fear rather than best practice. The third level of perception is consciousness beyond the mind. It works by being present enough to hear what is not said, see what is not shown, and feel what cannot be understood with the mind. This level of perception comes only with quieting the mind often with the use of silence. Reading a thousand books with not yield understanding. One hundred therapy sessions will likely not teach you to hear the silence. It is a practice that you must enter into. You don’t need formal meditation. You just need to create silence in each day and notice what it feels like within. There are answers within the silence. There is information that comes through silence. Continued growth and development come in the language of silence. Some call it stillness. Stillness speaks.