Did you know the brain was social? Positive social interaction promotes brain health and overall wellness.
Dialogue exercises our language skills, which helps to keep parts of the brain connected to other neural structures. It requires social interaction, nurturing our brain’s social functions. It all helps to slow the decline of cognitive abilities.
Conversing with others involves social interaction which protects the brain’s health. Without social interaction portions of the brain are damaged, leading to aggression, depression, and various neuropsychiatric disorders.
Other interesting facts about the social brain:
- Healthy conversation does not include just any talk; gossip, the weather, sports, and the like.
- Healthy conversation involves abstract ideals, such as what one thinks about big topics in the world, what technology will look like in 20 years, the meaning of life, the omnipresence of God, or the universe.
- Angry, fearful, worrisome, argumentative talk is harmful and driven by the amygdala (the downstairs brain).
- Healthy conversation involves dialogue with others without trying to “win” your perspective, but with the intent to listen.
- Listen with the intent to understand. Understanding leads to empathy, empathy to compassion, compassion to caring, caring to love.
So ask challenging questions and save room for disagreement. Be social! Your brain demands it!
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.
