Hello and welcome,
Or perhaps welcome back,
To this video series where we've been learning how to recognize characteristics of neuroplastic pain.
This is part three,
So if you haven't seen part one and part two,
I encourage you to go check those out and then come on back.
In part one,
We talk about the characteristics or qualities of the pain itself that increase likelihood that that symptom has a neuroplastic root or origin.
In part two,
We zoom out a bit and we talk about more global factors that are increasing risk or likelihood of developing neuroplastic symptoms.
And in this third.
Part will talk about personality traits that are highly correlated with development of neuroplastic symptoms.
So the first one is probably not a surprise to most.
And I know in my practice,
It is by far the personality trait that I see most frequently and that I can relate to as well.
So that is perfectionism.
And.
.
.
When we think about perfectionism,
We see that person that puts a lot of pressure on themselves.
To exceed,
To excel.
And.
What they accomplish might never quite be enough.
They're always excelling and pushing themselves further and further and so on the outside they may look really accomplished and like they're thriving but over time when there is consistent pressure on the nervous system that increases likelihood of creating or developing neuroplastic symptoms in the future.
It's very challenging for us to relax,
Release.
Take a deep breath and feel like we're enough.
There's this constant pressure.
To push.
And that is a perfect environment for the development of these symptoms.
The next one we'll talk about is those who are hard on themselves,
Meaning if they don't meet their expectations or they've had a failure.
They're less likely to be able to meet themselves with compassion and kindness and understanding.
And instead they may be meeting themselves with some negative self-talk.
They might be putting themselves down.
And so when they don't meet their own expectations,
They're basically being their own kind of worst critic.
And so.
We know that when we think about adverse childhood events leading to increased likelihood of neuroplastic symptoms,
We think about family members who have not been supportive,
Who have put pressure on their children,
Who have not been able to comfort their children when they stumble.
If the relationship we have with ourselves is one of putting ourselves down,
Talking to ourselves negatively.
That's a really challenging environment for us to thrive and to grow in.
Part of recovery often.
Encompasses learning self-compassion practices so that we can be more kind and compassionate to ourselves.
And for many patients and clients,
This is what really helps move the needle in helping them recover from pain.
Another personality trait we see is being overly responsible.
Taking on responsibilities that should belong to others and claiming it for themselves.
And again,
You can see how just like being a perfectionist,
This puts so much pressure on that person because they feel like they're not only responsible for themselves,
But they're responsible for everyone else.
And there's not much opportunity for the nervous system to feel safe and like it can relax because it's always having to monitor.
What's going on with all of the people and things that the person is responsible for.
And so it's always scanning to make sure everything is okay and that everything is taken care of.
And that does not leave spaciousness to release.
To let go,
To be still.
And to teach the brain that we don't have to be in this hypervigilant active state,
Right?
When the nervous system is in a state of feeling threatened or like it always needs to push or it's always active,
These are the environments where neuroplastic symptoms develop and thrive and continue.
So the next trait we'll talk about is people pleasers.
So these are the people who put the needs of others before their own.
And one we're constantly aware of,
Intending to everyone else's needs.
We may not have a good compass or understanding of what our own likes,
Needs,
And wants truly are.
And so when we're living that way of not being sure of what we like,
What we want,
Or being able to ask others for what we need,
It leads to us living an inauthentic life because we are not sure of who we are and we're not living the way that we want to.
And so the brain.
Interprets this.
As a chronic suppression of your own true thoughts and feelings and boundaries.
And so this can be an ongoing threat to your survival or be perceived as an ongoing threat to your survival because you're not able to truly express how you feel and how you see the world and what you're thinking and to set actual boundaries that are helping to protect you.
And this goes into the next trait that we see,
Which is people that tend to hold emotions in rather than express them.
And this is one of the therapies that we use in neuroplastic pain is emotional awareness expression therapy,
Which is when we teach patients and clients how to get more attuned and in touch with their emotions,
And we encourage them to express them fully.
People are holding emotions in.
It's like holding a beach ball underwater.
It takes a lot of.
.
.
Concentration,
Focus,
Energy,
And effort to keep these emotions suppressed like you're keeping a beach ball underwater,
Right?
And so that puts the nervous system into a place of threat,
Of danger.
Oh my gosh,
Is this going to get out?
You know,
I'm starting to feel an emotion.
Is it safe to feel it?
Do I have to put it back in?
And over time,
What can happen is we become truly dissociated and disconnected from our emotions because what are emotions?
Emotions are sensations moving through the body.
And so those who have been disconnected from their emotions for a long time might actually be feeling a sensation that's related to emotion and think that that is actually a threat to them and a sign of a physical symptom or a structural injury.
Thank you so much for spending time with me here today,
And I hope to see you soon.
