April Fools - When The Brain Plays Tricks On You

You can’t go on like this. You’re suffocating, overwhelmed, in constant psychological pain. Your life is bleak and empty.

Is it, though?

Our brains, as deeply integrated into our beings as they are, are still a physical entity of cells, structures, and chemical exchange networks. They’re pretty fragile if you think about it and vulnerable to a host of external factors that we often can’t or don’t know how to influence.

Eckhardt Tolle, the mindfulness guru behind the bestselling book ‘The Power of Now’ says that as long as your leg isn’t caught in a bear-trap, you’re not really suffering. Trying telling that to someone going through depression… In a way, though, he’s right. People from all walks of life suffer from depression: celebrities, rich people and others who may seem like they should have it all are speaking up about their suffering while everyone else looks upon their lives in envy.

It seems that our brains are playing tricks on us. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and neuroscientists from around the world have tried to unroot the causes and triggers of mental illness. While we have research-backed ‘hunches’ about, say depression, we’re still years away from fully solving the mystery. Even more pressing is the goal of figuring how to cure mental illness and get people’s mental wellbeing back on track.

I recently came across a quote on Instagram: “Don’t believe everything you think”. I found this phrase oddly comforting. It is true: our brains often signal danger, loss, emptiness where there is none and it’s making our lives a mess.

So what can you do?

1. Medication. Research shows that certain chemical receptors in our brain are either over- or underactive, and medication can help balance them. Speak to your GP about whether medication is a good option for you. Be prepared for a long journey: it can take weeks or months to get the doses right. Just stay at it and try not to lose faith.
2. Therapy. Sometimes, the root cause of mental illness can be bad information processing habits we developed in childhood, but that have since lost their benefits and trained your brain to look at the dark side of life. Therapy can help you work through past trauma and develop better coping mechanisms. You should, however, be prepared to kiss a few therapist frogs: it takes time to find the person right for you.
3. Gratitude. A part of your brain is constantly screaming at the top of its lungs that life sucks, and the rest of your brain believes it. You can shut it up by forcing yourself to 3–5 things you are grateful for. When you’re feeling really bad, it can be hard to do this, but try your best, even if you can only think of tiny things. Saw a squirrel and you like squirrels? List it in your head. If you do that often enough you can reprogram your brain to notice more of the positive things around you.
4. Sleep. Sleep is the most underrated mental health booster. Make sure you are sleeping enough: close the blinds, wear earplugs, or even take a night on the couch if your partner keeps you from sleeping. Yes, it is that important. Also, make sure you don’t sit in front of a screen until the second you drift off to sleep: the stimulation and light prevent you from drifting into the deep sleep that you need to feel rested in the morning.

Those few tools at hand may make the difference from surviving to striving, and we can finally tell our brains no more Fools Days…

Silja Litvin is the psychologist, founder, and CEO of PsycApps, developer of the multi-award winning eQuoo — the Emotional Fitness Game. Her Techstars portfolio company uses gamification and psychology to help people help themselves.