Addictions

In my anatomy class this morning we learned a little bit about addictions. The limbic system is the pleasure center of the brain. Your frontal cortex is your control center in the brain. This tells you whether something is appropriate or not. For example when you have to go to the bathroom you limbic system sends a excitatory signal telling you that you need to go the frontal cortex then sends an inhibitory signal telling you not right now.

How addictions work
In an addiction or a bad habit. You have given the limbic system control over your frontal cortex.

That is why it is important to control thoughts because if they are let go then you run the risk of strengthening pathways in the brain that allow your limbic system control over your frontal cortex.

Then we talked about how we can strengthen our  frontal cortex. It is by living the gospel.  My professor said "Those who say the gospel isn't true don't understand neurobiology". One of the ways that you can strengthen your frontal cortex is by fasting because you are disregarding signals from your limbic system.

When we are tired we tend to fall back on our limbic system. That is why it is important to be on guard when we are tired.

We decide which pathways to strengthen in the brain. The good thing about the brain is the new pathways can be made and old pathways can be broken down