THE NATURAL PHENOMENON OF DOWNSHIFTING &
HOW TO UPSHIFT
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THE NATURAL PHENOMENON OF DOWNSHIFTING &
HOW TO UPSHIFT.
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THE NATURAL PHENOMENON OF DOWNSHIFTING & HOW TO UPSHIFTT
07
THE NATURAL PHENOMENON OF DOWNSHIFTING &
HOW TO UPSHIFT
“Except for a mumbled word or two, our 14-year-old son Jon hasn’t really talked to us for three weeks,” said the woman, tearfully.
“And he failed his maths test last Friday,” said the man. “Not like him at all.”
The brain-function counsellor regarded the middle-aged couple sitting across the table.
“Did Jon used to talk with you?” the counsellor asked. Both parents nodded.
“Do you know what may have triggered the change?” asked the counsellor. “Alterations in behaviour rarely arise out of a vacuum.”
It turned out that the father had been fired after 25 years on the job, resulting in a fair bit of arguing between the parents. After listening to at least one argument, Jon had become non-communicative.
“Jon’s brain may have downshifted,” the counsellor said. “Downshifting is a label for a natural brain phenomenon that kicks in automatically when the brain feels unsafe.
Metaphorically, compare the three functional layers of the brain with gears in a vehicle’s automatic transmission. In the face of anger or fear—including worry and anxiety—the brain directs its energy and attention to lower brain layers, searching for functions to help it feel safer.
How far the brain downshifts (either to 2nd gear or 1st gear), plus when and if it upshifts, depends on the degree of threat that the brain perceives.
Downshifting interferes with easy access to 3rd layer conscious cognitive functions—such as meaningful communication.
“Although both boys and girls can develop anxiety when parents argue or divorce, studies suggest that a boy’s brain may be at higher risk for downshifting.
This can derail communication and learning both at home and at school. In some cases it can take several years before the boy’s brain returns to learning readiness.”
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21.4
Next, the mother asks
“How do we get his brain to upshift?”
“How do we get his brain to upshift?” said his mother, tears now sliding silently down her cheeks.
“Therein lies the rub,” the counsellor said. “While your arguing may have triggered the downshifting in Jon’s brain, there is nothing you can do to force it to upshift. But here’s the good news! Since downshifting occurs in response to anger, fear, trauma or perceived threat— something that makes the brain feel frightened or helpless—you can set up a safer environment.
Under conditions of perceived safety, the brain may upshift on its own. I recommend you talk honestly with your son.
Apologise for allowing the stress and anxiety of job loss to express themselves through negative behaviours.
Be honest about how difficult unemployment can be for the male brain and the steps that you— his father—are taking to become re-employed.
Reaffirm how much you both love him and each other. Then share your hope for a positive future.”
“share your hope for a positive future.”
The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”
Lamentations 3:22-24
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USE SHORT, SIMPLE STATEMENTS.
A portion of the brain’s pain-pleasure centre rarely matures emotionally beyond the age of a four or five-year- old child. Short, simple instructions are usually most effective
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SPEAK POSITIVELY.
The brain thinks in pictures. Positive statements involve a one-step process. “Put your homework in your backpack now” is a very different message from “Don’t forget your homework,” which creates a picture of forgetting.
03
BE CONGRUENT.
To avoid mixed messages, keep your word-choice, voice tonality and non- verbals congruent.
04
AVOID ASKING ‘WHY’
The word why can imply an expectation that the individual should have done something different, which can create enough anxiety to trigger downshifting. The response to “Why did you do that?” is often a shrug or a mumbled “Don’t know.” And the brain likely does not know. Try instead: “When you made this choice, what did you think might occur?”
05
SIT DOWN TO TALK, IF POSSIBLE.
The brain tends to feel more comfortable when both parties are at eye level.
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SOLICIT THE OTHER PERSONS’ INPUT.
Listen to what the other person says and identify areas of commonality..
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PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR CHOICES.
The brain tends to feel “safer” when it can make a choice. Whenever possible, offer two options— only two at a time because the brain has two cerebral hemispheres.
“Think about this: What memories do you two want Jon to have of his childhood?”
“Think about this: What memories do you two want Jon to have of his childhood?” the counselor asked.
“Not of arguing!” said his father. “We’re on it. The only way is up!”
“Could we bring Jon with us some time to learn more about upshifting?” asked his wife.
Fast forward two weeks . . .
When the three arrived at the counsellor’s office, Jon had a list of questions. He began by saying, “My folks have been talking about ‘downshifting.’ That seems too simple.”
The counsellor smiled. “One of the pluses of this metaphor is its absolute simplicity, which in turn can be helpful. Remember: If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn’t.
“My brain’s opinion is that knowing something about brain function, even through the use of a simple metaphor, is better than not understanding even that much.”
“Knowing “something”? Knowing what?” Jon asked.
“Like knowing that the cluster of brain structures associated with the 3rd brain layer, the neocortex or cerebrum, is involved in high-level cognition and conscious thought.
And that structures associated with the 2nd brain layer, the mammalian or limbic brain, are involved with functions related to social and nurturing behaviours, mutual reciprocity and memory.
And knowing that the 1st brain layer or reptilian brain structures contribute basic functions that help keep you alive and that run ritualistic behaviours and motor sequences—including those that allow you to play video games.
“Although all layers interact at some level, each also contributes distinct functions,” the counsellor explained. “And when you think of the layers as gears—like those in a vehicle’s automatic transmission—that can help you better understand the natural brain phenomenon called downshifting.”
ARLENE TAYLOR
First Brain Layer
Registers awareness of the present, past and future
• Contains the potential for almost limitless translation abilities related to input from the outside and thought processes from the inside
• Carries the superego-like perception, being able to implement good self-care and also to think about the good of others
• Contributes executive aspects of thought through the pre- frontal cortex (e.g. planning, goals-setting)
FUNCTIONS:
• Maintains a balance between the neocortex and the reptilian brain, keeping the 1st layer from dominating the 3rd layer
• Provides the foundation for all relationships with its tools of emotion
• Generates emotional impulses and plays a role in the processing and monitoring of emotion
• Appears to be involved with managing associations, the building blocks of memory, helping transfer information from short-term to long-term memory
• Triages sensory stimuli via the thalamus and routes them to appropriate decoding centres in the neocortex; processes the sense of smell directly, one synapse away from the nose
• Searches the brain to collect pieces of information required for recalling a memory
BE HONEST
APOLOGISE
BE AFFIRMING
SHARE HOPE FOR A POSITIVE FUTURE
Second Brain Layer
Registers awareness of the present as well as the past
• Carries the “ego-like” perception that “I am here” but “you are here, too, so my actions could impact you”
• Is lightning fast, processing information an estimated 80,000 times faster than the neocortex
• Believed to be involved with all addictive behaviours via the dopamine pathways
FUNCTIONS:
• Maintains a balance between the neocortex and the reptilian brain, keeping the 1st layer from dominating the 3rd layer
• Provides the foundation for all relationships with its tools of emotion
• Generates emotional impulses and plays a role in the processing and monitoring of emotion
• Appears to be involved with managing associations, the building blocks of memory, helping transfer information from short-term to long-term memory
• Triages sensory stimuli via the thalamus and routes them to appropriate decoding centres in the neocortex; processes the sense of smell directly, one synapse away from the nose
• Searches the brain to collect pieces of information required for recalling a memory
• Controls the immune system
We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
Psalm 33.20
Third Brain Layer
• Registers awareness of the present, past and future
• Contains the potential for almost limitless translation abilities related to input from the outside and thought processes from the inside
• Carries the superego-like perception, being able to implement good self-care and also to think about the good of others
• Contributes executive aspects of thought through the pre- frontal cortex (e.g. planning, goals-setting)
FUNCTIONS:
• Generates conscious, cognitive thought processes
• Able to engage in very complex analysis
• Able to engage in abstract thinking,
• Creates active mental picturing
• Anticipates and plans for the future
• Houses the mental faculty of humour
• Decodes sensory data (excluding the sense of smell), being able to evaluate, monitor, moderate, and redirect sensory reports
• Tries to make sense of information provided by molecules of emotion,
the resulting conclusions becoming one’s feelings
• Processes and stores information related to data— names, dates, numbers, labels
PROCESS
STORE
ANALYSE