|
|
|
|
KIDNAPPED BY TECHNOLOGY - Part One
|
... by Dr. Joe Dispenza
 Video games and the Adolescent Brain
Many of us who are raising children likely have grown accustomed to the trance-like indifference and absent state of mind that our youth can masterfully turn on in a matter of seconds (it looks like an extended lapse in consciousness). We have probably all talked ourselves into thinking these "short trips" are normal. But has anyone wondered why it takes ever-increasing volume and inflection to catch a glimmer of attention or elicit a response from our best genetic contributions to humanity?
I often wonder, "Did I look like that when I was young, or is this mental glazing-over the product of our times?" Many parents of teenagers have seen the amazing trance-like brain states, and it's difficult to tell if these kids are experiencing transcendental enlightenment or if anyone is really "home."
Experts tell us that as we reach our teenage years and the struggle for our own identities begins, the major factor causing the young changing brain to make a quantum developmental leap is primarily under the reins of a genetic program. In the adolescent timeline, between raging hormones and the normal progression of brain development, most of the body's blood flow and energy is shunted to the emotional centers located in the hindbrain and away from the forebrain. This means we're prone to react more and think reasonably less - not that we don't experience any of this in our adult lives as well.
Think About This: We Can Drive At 16, Vote At 18, Drink Alcohol At 21, While The Brain's Most Important Center Does Not Finish Forming Until Our Mid-twenties.
Within the forebrain is the frontal lobe, essentially the brain's executive, which controls attention, decision-making, emotional reactions, impulsive behavior, and purposeful planning; it is the home of our identity. But for you parents of teenagers, here's the interesting news: we're told that the frontal lobe, which helps us make sense out of life, doesn't fully finish maturing until we are 25 years old. Think about this: we can drive a car at 16, vote at 18 and drink alcohol at 21 - while the brain's most important center does not finish forming until we are in our mid-twenties. So don't take it personally when your teenage daughter tunes you out while you're intently speaking to her, or your adolescent son impulsively reacts without forethought. It can be seen as evolution's gift that parents are baptized with the steep karmic debt of their own actions.
As we all know, it is not solely the genes that cast the dice of our destinies. We are, in fact, very capable of learning from different environmental stimuli, and it is through these interactions, that we become such amazing creatures of personal development and change. The waltz between nature and nurture gives us a broad playing field. But is it possible that the present cultural and environmental conditions are impacting the very function of the human brain?
Technology Changes Brain Physiology
With the advent of technology, it should be obvious by now that environmental factors like video games, cell phones, text messaging, television, MP3 players, and Internet sites such as MySpace.com play an unseen hand in further affecting our children's brain physiology. Technology is influencing our mind states to escalate in the direction of increasing emotional entropy by hijacking the brain's natural reward centers. Therefore, if you want to add more insult to injury in a teenage household, just add more technology to a developing brain, and rest assured you will feel totally left out of your children's lives.
Click Here For Part Two, The Conclusion...
© 2009, Joe Dispenza, D.C.
Listen to Dr. Joe's Beyond the Ordinary KRSE Archived Radio Programs
Joe Dispenza, D.C., best known for his role in What the BLEEP Do We Know?!, has authored several scientific articles on the close relationship between brain chemistry, neuroscience and biology, and their roles in physical health including his latest book, Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind. For more information on Dr. Dispenza please visit his website at www.drjoedispenza.com. This article was first published on AZNet News under the title Hijacked by Technology.
|
|
|
