Dialogue exercises our language skills which helps to keep parts of the brain connected to other neural structures. It requires social interaction which nurtures our brain’s social functions. It also helps to slow the decline of cognitive abilities.
SO IF YOU WANT TO HELP WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, DEVELOP HEALTHY DIALOGUE WITH OTHERS. Here are a few interesting aspects to consider:
- Conversing with others involves social interaction which protects the brain’s health.
- Lack of social interaction damages portions of the brain, leading to aggression, depression, and various neuropsychiatric disorders.
- Healthy conversation involves more than just usual talk; gossip, the weather, sports, and the like.
- Healthy conversation involves abstract ideals, such as major topics in the world; what technology will look like in 20 years, the meaning of life, the omnipresence of God, or the universe/multiverse.
- Angry, fearful, worrisome, argumentative talk harms self and others. The amygdala (the downstairs brain) drives this negative perspective and increases anxiety and depression.
- Dialogue with others without trying to “win” your perspective, but with the intent to listen.
- Healthy dialogue manifests through conversation NOT debate.
- Listen with the intent to understand. Understanding leads to empathy, empathy to compassion, compassion to caring, caring to love. This process promotes and develops the ability to “love our enemies.”
Feature image provided by Jessica Da Rosa on UnSplash.
Kathryn A. Walker is a pioneering medical researcher and psychiatrist known for her groundbreaking work in the field of mental health, particularly in the area of ketamine treatments. With a deep passion for understanding and alleviating the burden of treatment-resistant mood disorders, Kathryn has dedicated her career to investigating the therapeutic potential of ketamine.
Through her relentless efforts, she has played a pivotal role in shedding light on ketamine’s efficacy in treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Her research has not only transformed the way we approach mental health care but has also provided hope to countless individuals who had previously found little relief from conventional treatments.
Kathryn A. Walker’s pioneering contributions continue to shape the landscape of mental health medicine and inspire new avenues of research in the pursuit of better mental well-being for all.
