WAS:Re: Trust pills anyone? NOW:The Reticular Activating System and different st

[Guest guest]

I find this stuff regarding The Reticular Activating System and

different states of the brain rather fascinating.

I wonder how such states apply, or change when things such as

migraines occur.

For some reason migraines seem to scramble my brain. You mentioned

the automatic response of driving somewhere you are familiar with

as 'Alpha state'. I recall one time I had, had a migraine which had

scrambled my brain and I had to go collect my son from school (as he

was ill). I don't drive, so got a taxi - I had to direct the taxi

driver to school, I thought I was directing him the right way -

everything seemed fine and then I suddenly realised I was directing

him in totally the opposite direction and for some reason my brain

had started to direct the route to a friends house and for some

reason had gotten that route (totally opposite direction) confused

with the route to the school.

I have also noticed that for myself the after affects of migraines

seem very similar to the after affects I get when I experience

a 'meltdown' and can't help but wonder if there is some connection

there regarding what is happening in the brain.

" ... <snip> ... Aberrant is off the list. How about

> something else? Aberrant simply means straying from the natural

> path ... <snip> ... "

>

> In your previous post you said that creativity was an aberrant

pathway

> and it is the use of the word aberrant as it pertains to creativity

> with which I do not agree.

>

> Humans, primates, mammals and many birds adapt to survive by being

> creative. Since being creative in the context of survival is a

natural

> outgrowth of the survival instinct, creativity can hardly be called

> aberrant.

>

> Here is what is the natural path for the human brain, Nick.

>

> At the center of arousal and motivation in all animals is what is

> referred to as the Reticular Activating System. The only part of

the

> brain that is targeted by anesthesia is the Reticular Activating

> System. The Reticular Activating System is crucial to achieving

and

> maintaining an alert state of mind.

>

> The brain's default state is the Alpha State where automaticness

works

> when the Reticular Activating System seems to be absent. It really

> isn't absent but rather the automaticness of repetition kicks in.

> Breathing happens in an Alpha State (you rarely have to think about

> breathing).

>

> Have you ever driven someplace you've been to a number of times,

only

> to realize that you have no recollection of driving there although

you

> are aware you were the one doing the driving? That's because you

got

> there in an Alpha State and that's all right.

>

> But the Beta State, when the Reticular Activating System is in full

> gear, is when full awareness happens. The Reticular Activating

System

> becomes is the filter for the incoming information.

>

> All stimulus enters through three portals:

>

> 1. Familiar

> 2. Unusual

> 3. Problematic

>

> If it enters through " familiar " then the automaticness I spoke of

> occurs. If it enters through either " unusual " or " problematic "

then

> the Reticular Activating System devotes major brain bandwidth to

> logically resolving the conflict that interferes with automaticness.

>

> In the Beta State, the Reticular Activating System instantly seeks

out

> any and all clarifying information. If the brain finds no relevant

> clarifying information, it will revert to the Alpha State. This is

> what is known as a False Beta. It is illogical for the brain to

devote

> energy to solve a non-existent problem and os it defaults back to

Alpha

> State.

>

> An example of a False Beta would be if there were two individuals

in a

> room named Nick. If a third individual walked into the room and

> said, " Nick ... " and you answered only to find out that the person

> meant the other Nick, you would go back to what you were doing

previous

> to hearing your name called. Reacting to the sound of your name

being

> called would be a False Beta as you realized the third person was

not

> referring to you when the individual called out, " Nick ... "

>

> It would illogical for your brain to continue on the False Beta

line of

> thought and so you basically ignore that thought process and go

back to

> your Alpha State.

>

> Relevant claryfiying information for Beta States becomes a

Reticular

> Activating System sponge and from the collection of relevant

clarifying

> information, creativity kicks in as a logical solution is sought.

If

> the information gathered is irrelevant, the Reticular Activating

System

> discards it completely.

>

> Therefore, creativity in humans IS the natural path/pathway. Lack

of

> creativity is aberrant.

>

> It is important to use the correct word and in this case, aberrant

is

> not the correct word when referring to creativity.

>

> Raven

> Co-Administrator

>