Hello Pausers,

With all the health chaos behind me, I am focusing on the here and now. Last week, my therapist said that I focus so much on the past and “what if” everything in the future. She then asked if I am ever present. If you haven’t already guessed I have anxiety and OCD. And she said this this is classic for someone with both these disorders. And she is absolutely right. So I’m committed to making some critical changes in my life and my brain!

I read somewhere or perhaps heard it on one of the many podcasts I listen to that our brain is neuroplastic. It possesses the ability to change and adapt in response to experiences, learning, and even injury. This neuroplasticity allows the brain to reorganize its structure and functions by forming new neural connections, modifying existing ones, and sometimes generating new neurons. Something else I found interesting was that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are as important as medication therapy. Together they are essential in forming these new connections. I have always been a strong proponent of therapy however I’ve never committed myself to it. I use to drown my anxieties and thoughts with wine. And now that I have made the commitment to work on me, I am also going to be dedicating more time on blogging here. So this Thursday is my second formal therapy appointment. Oh and I scheduled my brain MRI on August 22 to check on that benign growth. I will keep you posted.