METHODS
Up at 8. Low GI cereal, muesli or sandwich, cup of coffee and a glass of water. Stroll down to the lab. Work for 2-3 hours. Light lunch, preferably low GI sandwich with plenty of green in it, made the night before to save money. More coffee. Finish early, 4-5pm. Stroll back home and go for a run or to the gym. Leave plenty of time for cooking. Dinner before 8, not too much, not always meat, finish with fruit. In bed before 11.
DISCUSSION
If repeated over several days this protocol will convince a low-DA/hypofrontal brain (an ADD brain, an 'impulsive' brain) that its reproductive fitness is rapidly decreasing and that it must re-enter a high-DA state by any means necessary (e.g. bingeing, risk-taking, self-destruction, unrealistic thinking). To maintain the protocol, the low-DA/hypofrontal brain must introduce additional DA supplies (reinforcers) at strategic, well-defined points. The exercise component of the protocol will initially reduce DA, but may eventually become a DA supply in and of itself as stamina builds and endorphin signaling becomes more efficient. Other DA supplies may include novelty, exploration, sociability, intimacy, meditation, relaxation, construction and rewarding brain stimulation.
2 comments:
Yo Chris, how are you?
This is an incredibly interesting post. I meant it! That the brain and body respond in such a way to that kind of input is quite intriguing.
It's also a novel(-ish) scientific approach - self-experimentation! Let me know how it goes (if you are following it, that is).
Let's meet up again soon. I'll cycle to campus (exercise!:) at some point - perhaps Friday or Saturday, or next week - if you're still living there at the moment.
I've been fairly good at not in-taking too many DA-inducing substances recently, illegal or not. I find a regular practice of asanas (yoga postures) and meditation is an excellent help, though I've not done them properly for a few weeks now.
Weeell, let's catch up soon, dude.
Peace out,
Jimothy
Hehe, well it was only a partially serious entry. I AM very interested in what makes self-discipline so difficult, but at the time of writing I just wanted to do some whining with a neuroscientific slant to it :)
Give me a ring when you're on campus man, I'm almost always around.
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