So our brains are always these organs that are enclosed in dark skulls that actually have no direct contact with any of the sensory information that's arriving from the world outside, from our bodies, sight, sounds.

Everything the brain experiences is translated into these electrical impulses that travel up nerve pathways, like

for instance, sight, light hits your eyes. It gets converted into these electrical signals,

not unlike a kind of Morse code, that then gets transferred up the retinal nerve to the thalamus,

from the thalamus to the occipital lobe, volumes one, two, and three, particularly.

Then it gets sent to other regions of the brain.

But all throughout that process, our brains are guessing

what those signals mean. Nothing comes with a label or an explanation. So from the word go,

we are, brains are doing the very best they can to regulate bodies, to keep bodies alive,

but they're running at a deficit and that they have to constantly guess

not only what the signals mean, but they have to guess what's actually going on in the body in any given moment.

So early on, when brains do stumble across behaviors that reduce discomfort, anxiety, loneliness that provide energy, the brain seizes onto it and tends to repeat those behaviors over and over.

Sweets stimulate us. They raise along with carbs glucose levels which means we become more energetic more excited turning on

TV distracts us from stress and loneliness seeking and getting attention

makes us feel safe and connected. Later on, the brain

makes connections with other things. Having a beer can be associated with reducing social anxiety

at a high school party. Shopping offers the rewards of feeling acknowledge

for one's efforts and navigating life's complexities.

Social media provides the sense of belonging

and the possibility of being seen and validated.

So these are all really the brain seizes on to these behaviors because they seem to regulate

the body.

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