The Monsters Within
Ashden Smith
Mental Health Advocate
Hi eveyone! My name is Ashden. I have worked in mental health therapy, coaching people on how to overcome depression and anxiety, for years. Dealing with this in the past alongside with PTSD, I have taken my education and research to another level in hopes to help others work through the monsters in their head
Practice Gratitude
It seems simple right? It can be. We used to think that we only used a certain percentage of our brains. That is not true. We use different parts of our brains for different functions. We have learned that anything that is done in repetition, your brain creates a short cut for and it can become a default mode. Have you ever driven a path so many times, that you can’t remember how you had gotten there? Or how many times do you ask yourself, did I close the garage? Did I lock the door? You have done it so many times, you don’t have to think about it anymore. Allow your mind to practice gratitude so much that it teaches the brain the same thing with your thoughts. Have gratitude become your default mode! Please read the article in Resources!
Mental & Physical Fitness
After listening to a TED talk by Psychologist and author, Guy Winch, (available in resources) I was able to make a great connection with physical and mental health that I could relay to a wide audience. How can we take care of our mental health as well as we take care of our physical health? One reocurring theme is practicing gratitude! Other ways are to take care of your physical health and what you put into your body. Even though it may be tough, exercise and nutrition have a significant impact on your mind!
Neuroplasticity, NEUROGENESIS AND EPIGENETICS
In 1949 a scientist by the name of Donald Hebb coined the phrase, “The neurons that fire together, wire together” to explain how the pathways in our brain when used over and over again will be reinforced through repetition. As science evolves, we are learning that our brains are more malleable than we originally thought. That is why we have more control than we think we do. Below is a link for a website about the human brain where there are numerous articles and research on neuroscience in our society. In the resources section, you will find more information on neurogenesis and epigenetics.
The Monsters Within 