Episode 28: You are Not Your Brain
Episode 28 of M3CS’s Contemplative Science Podcast saw Dr Jeffrey Schwartz come on to the show to talk about his research on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), the concept of the ‘wise advocate’ and the intertwining of cognitive and religious ideas.
For the full podcast, check out the episode here.
In this episode, we cover...
Why his claim ‘You Are Not Your Brain’ puts him at odds with academia.
How engagement in his 4 step treatment for OCD can alter the chemistry of the brain.
What he means by ‘wise advocate’, and its role in mindfulness and OCD treatment.
Dr Jeffrey Schwartz is one of the world’s leading experts in neuroplasticity and OCD. His publications, including You Are Not Your Brain and Brain Lock, intertwine cognitive research and concepts from religion to draw a distinction between the mind and the brain.
Here are some of the key insights from the conversation...
Key to treating OCD is understanding that the mind is separate from the brain.
”First of all, you start to get that outer perspective so that you're not just experiencing it but you're using language to tell yourself and start to create a narrative that it's something that's happening to me. I'm getting this urge to wash. So it ceases to be just an urge to wash and is understood as something that's happening to me. And then the reframing brings in even more strongly the brain and the cognitive therapy element of it of: is this true? Does this thought makes sense? Is this going in a good direction? Are good things going to happen if you keep doing this?”
Part of his 4 step treatment for OCD refocuses behaviours to reset the habit centre.
”And then you can make another choice and do another behaviour: an adaptive behaviour. One that evolves other good habits, like gardening or playing a musical instrument, because then you can get the good part of your habit centre to be working and refocus on those behaviours so that you’re using an effort to refocus your attention.”
Jeffrey‘s research and writings focus on the concept of ‘effort’.
”I was trying to bring the word ‘effort’ into neuroscience. There’s no room for it in neuroscience! That’s why they never talk about it. I mean what, it’s just some artificial thing that the anterior cingulate cortex looks like it’s doing? That’s what they reduce it to. To have the word ‘effort’ have a real meaning, we are actually pushing back and making some attempt to not just act in automaton-type ways.”
The best place to find Jeffrey is here.
See you next week!
