“If the Brain is Damaged the Whole Body Suffers…”

Biology gives you a brain. Life turns it into a mind

― Jeffrey Eugenides

I’m not a medical doctor nor a medical student and the focus of this blog is not on giving insight on brain damage and its effects. However, I was recently confronted with the phrase above and I was intrigued by it. How can this apply to me and better yet, how does this apply to each of us and how we operate on a daily basis. The context I heard the phrase in had nothing to do with biology and everything to do with the mental state of individuals.

According to Science daily:
brain damage or brain injury is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. It may not but can lead to long term impairment or disability, but depends on the location and extent of the damage. Another interesting thing is that the extent of the damage depends on the extent of the trauma experienced.

What impact do you have?

If we think about our own impact then we need to consider if we inadvertently bring trauma into the lives of others. Most persons would like to think that everyone they make contact with, are left with a positive impression and are impacted positively, but this is dependent on how damaged we are when we meet them and how much we have allowed traumas to control us.

With any relationship we bring our previous baggage along for the ride, whether we are fully aware of it or not. Not only do the meanings we create from our experiences shape who we are, they also impact those we choose to have relationships with. If we view our experiences as mostly negative, then we have shaped our lives and interactions to be mostly negative. It is true that our thoughts can limit how people see us and how we treat others. The result of which is that we end up leaving others with a piece of our trauma based on their interactions with us. We all have experienced loss, we all have faced challenges that have led us to question our choices and our purpose. However, how we choose to see these experiences will have a profound impact on our lives. Do we choose to see them as a gateway to something greater or a stone that blocks us from achieving the best of what is waiting for us.

Brain in Recovery

We all have traumas that we are in a constant state of recovery from them and recovery will take time. However, it is important to acknowledge those traumas so that we can deal with them. Reading a little more on the brain I learned that the brain is not static but has what is know as [brain plasticity] and has the ability to perform [functional recovery]. As a result we do not have to be limited to a bad experience but we can change and evolve for the better because of them. However, we have the power to determine if we ever recover. If we are unwilling to take the first step in doing so, then the change will not come. It therefore means that if we remain in our damaged state then it is because we have chosen to remain there. Being a positive influence is based on our ability to take the journey on the road to healing. Change your mind to change your condition.