OT but related: Stress and the vicious cycle

[Guest guest]

This is OT, but interesting and related to the stresses that

come with illness.

The effects of stress on the (rat) brain is to make a vicious cycle of

behavioral patterns, so that stress persists and its shrivels the

neuro pathways for other kinds of decision making during this

period, so you get into a rut of stress.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/science/18angier.html?em

" On the one hand, regions of the brain associated with executive

decision-making and goal-directed behaviors had shriveled,

while, conversely, brain sectors linked to habit formation had

bloomed... "

I think this is something to keep in mind as we begin our paths

of recovery.

Mara