Interoception The most effective tool against anxiety

Interoception The most effective tool against anxietyInteroception The most effective tool against anxietyThe strides made in pharmacological psychiatry are not without their cost. One of which is illuminated by a concept called interoception.Interoception, the sixth sensory system delineated bySir Charles S. Sherringtonin 1906, is the somatic mechanism that informs us of all of ur internal sensations. Its a difficult thing to define in laymens terms without appearing like a new-age-nonsense peddler, but the science itself is actually pretty simple.The tiny receptors that reside inside our organs, muscles, skin, and bones are constantly collecting data to send to the brain, which in turn interprets their messages as sensations like hunger, pain, sexual arousal and so on.Various internal responsescoalesce to form emotionsheart palpitations, tingling, shallow breath, and pressure in the sinus cavities is neatly defined as anger for instance. The more efficiently our brain is able to bo th receive and interpret these signals the more oursocial understanding, problem-solving skills, and institution are enhanced.Unfortunately, despite the impressive advancements weve made in molecular medicine, the instruments intended to alleviate suffering has further obscured this vital and underappreciated sense. A collective over-reliance on clinical psychology and pharmaceutical drugs has hindered our flexibility of thought, overcomplicated our theory of mind and dulled our sense of self. Sort of like the tower of Babel a perversion of communication has disrupted their shared goal.Studies reveal the distortion of interoception to be the nucleus of many ailments of the mind anxiety, eating disorders, addiction all afflictions that are in direct conflict with the bodys wants, needs, and perception.The science that fuels convenience is also scorching avenues of correspondence between our bodies and our brainsand I dont see it losing momentum anytime soon.As stated in the report w ritten byDavid Plans of Scientific America of which this meditation is based Our use of drugs to mask symptoms has contributed to a lack of awareness about our own bodies. So has the emergence of technologies such as computers, smartphones, remotes and game controllers, which only involve our bodies- usually just our fingers- as control inputs.A return to mindfulnessWere better equipped to process harmful emotions like anxiety and stress when we understand their agency clearly. Instead of the eagerness to address them exclusively by mitigating their effects, through the use of various medications, most experts stress the importance of reconditioning the language that allows them to run rampant in the first place.Moreover, as Plans points outBenzodiazepines such as Valium dull anxiety but also create profound dependence, and they also can sidetrack investigation and treatment of underlying causes.Mediation seems to be the most effective tool for cognitive reconditioning. In your spar e time, whether for a couple of minutes or maybe even an hour, make an effort to practice mindfulnesslisten to your body. Try and locate your pulse without touching yourself.When met with feelings of anxiety, task yourself with evaluating its rationality. Examine every sensation that accompanies a deep breath in and out. Interrogate every emotion with patience and curiosity.No professional would recommend a resolute rejection of medicationweve come along way, and I for one am very grateful. There are some illnesses that simply cannot be confronted without them. However, even in these instances, its imperative that the mind and body are on the same team.