Can Psychotherapy affect your brain?

Can Psychotherapy affect your brain?

The
human brain is considered as the most mysterious yet fascinating organ of the
body. The researchers have tried their best to reach and explore all the
functions of the brain with the different parts of the human body. It has been
proved that there is a scope to rebuild the bran with psychotherapy. With
recent studies of the neurosciences and upgraded techniques of brain function
scopes of building the human brain have evolved. With all the advancements in
place, it has been found that the talk therapies are resulting in significant
positive transformations in the proper functioning of the brain. The magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) scans have confirmed therapies of today; have resulted
in brain changes of the disordered brains. We are going to emphasize more about
this today.

Factors that
influence psychiatric disorders:

The
human neural structure is dependent on the below mentioned reciprocal
influences:

  • ●       
    Genetics – As
    per Psychotherapy
    Toronto
     Genetics play a vital role the neural
    architecture. It forms the basic base for brain development. The structure of
    the brain’s construction depends on genetics. It also connects the nerve cells
    with the circuits. If there are genetic abnormalities traced, it will lead to
    deviant neurodevelopment and neuropsychiatric disorders.
  • Environment – The
    environment inside which the brain has to develop has influential aspects of
    the brain. The environment helps in shaping the proportion of the brain. Things
    like prenatal infections, obstetric complications, and maternal stress can
    reshape the genetic plans adversely. The social environment of an individual
    significantly influences his mental conditions.
  • Experience – The
    interaction the child has with his environment over the period is called
    experience. All the experiences sum up to mould the behaviors and brains of the
    children. Positive and healthy experiences help the brain to develop with its
    genetic potential. That is why if there is no interactivity of the human brain
    with the experience, then the brain is at risk.

Who does the
psychotherapy aim at?

Some
of the various therapies available today’s time are psychodynamic
psychotherapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and behavior therapy. These
therapies are used to deal with patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder,
social anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, borderline personality disorder, major
depressive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It has been observed
that there were immense changes in the brain of the patients after they have
undergone these therapies with proper medication. The various types of
intervention have worked in the alteration of the affected parts of the brain.
A brain that can solve problems is considered a healthy brain. The therapies
modify the neural circuits of the brain to compel it to reason and think.
Cognitive therapy is used to address depressed patients and after a stipulated
time of the therapy, patients’ cognitive controls are reformed for good.

What does the process
of PSYCHOTHERAPY consist of?

The
aspects involved in the process are mentioned below in bullet points:

  • Portrayal of Empathy
  • Catharsis and ventilation 
  • Therapeutic association
  • Transference
  • The revelation of the unconscious
  • Working thoroughly and continuously
  • Verbal and nonverbal exchange of words and
    interactions between the therapist and patient
  • Cognitive reforming and finding new learning
  • Resistance

How does
psychotherapy help the brain?

All
the psychotherapeutic processes activate a group of functional remodeling
inside the brain, which opens the window for new learning scope and neural
integration and regeneration. A few of the ingredients of psychotherapy are
mentioned below.

  • An enhance
    environment
     – Psychotherapy gifts their patients an improved environment
    which helps them to develop mote synaptic connections, neurons and a large
    number of capillaries. It has been proved by the researchers that the children
    who are raised in an enriched environment where there is a higher level of
    complexity and stimulation, tend to grow and learn better than the ones who are
    brought up in an exhausting environment.
  • Good therapeutic
    connection
     – One of the key tasks of psychotherapy is to create and preserve
    an ideal therapeutic relationship. The relationship would be transparent and
    induced with empathy and due regard that will help in inculcating hope among
    the patients. This way it will help the brain to organize within itself and
    grow well. When the patient listens to the therapist, there is a prolonged
    effect on the neural machinery inside the brain.
  • Meditation to
    regulate stress
     – When there is stress; the human brain makes way to new
    learning to resolve the cause of the stress. When there is moderate stress, it
    activates the release of neuro-hormones and which increases the cortical
    reorganization and new learning. Stressful and threatening situations open the
    door of alertness, which further boosts up the power to learning and
    attentiveness. Psychotherapy persuades controlled stress in a supportive
    environment to rework the trauma.

The article hence
shows you how it is possible to rebuild the brain with psychotherapy. The
development processes involved in the process of reconstruction are foolproof
and many have recovered their mental illness through it.