In most cases, dystonia is something you have learned. You can learn something else instead.

If you follow Hope for Dystonia you know by now that most cases of dystonia are due to a process of maladaptive neuroplasticity. In other words, the body-mind adapts to the challenging inputs it receives from the environment and creates the patterns of spasming we know as dystonia.
The good news is that just as your brain may have learned dysfunctional patters, it can learn new, functional ones!
This article (and the accompanying video below) describe five powerful ways to help you brain forge new connections, unlearn dystonia and learn new, functional patterns instead.
It is important to understand that promoting neuroplasticity alone won't do much: one must know what one is trying to learn! This is why Hope for Dystonia coaching always begins with two to three sessions that are dedicated to helping each person really feel into the patterns that they are employing in their cranial nerves and other relevant parts of the nervous system. Which pathways are you overusing and which ones are you underusing? Having a clear map of the current pattern is the starting point to then be able to create a new one by learning to let go of overused nerves and engage underused ones.
Once this process of mapping is complete and one has learned to engage hypotonic pathways, the challenge becomes learning how to engage those pathways more consistently in a new, more functional pattern that becomes more and more the default. This is where the promotion of neuroplasticity comes in.
#1 Psilocybin mushrooms
Psilocybin mushrooms (which must be used in a legal setting, with appropriate coaching and with medical clearance), have been shown to help the brain forge new connections and learn patterns that would not have been possible before. They are a great way to promote neuroplasticity.
Mushrooms are not like aspirin: they cannot just be taken at random. They require preparation, integration and lots of support. With the right coaching, one can learn to direct the neuroplasticity induced by the mushrooms to the type of learning that one is looking for (e.g. engaging hypotonic pathways and letting go of hypertonic ones).
#2 Novelty
The brain is like a prediction algorithm: it predicts what is going to happen, what movements need to be employed, and how the muscle tone needs to be distrubited in the body based on prior experiences. The more we practice a way of being ourselves and inhabiting our bodies that has us contracting in spasms, the harder it becomes to escape those spasms because the brain keeps predicting that they are necessary.
In order to induce neuroplasticity, it is necessary to 'break' that prediction machine. We need to signal to our brains that what was is not what is going to be. By introducing novelty into our lives, we can invite our brain to abandon the usual patterns and consider new ones.
This can be done in the obvious ways, by using our non-dominant hand, for example. But it is especially effective when it is done by incorporating the hypotonic pathways we're trying to learn to engage: what is it like to taste food on the side of your tongue you usually neglect? What is it like to smell flowers using the nostril that feels a bit sleepy?
Changing things up in the environment around us is also helpful: rearranging furniture or sprinkling objects that give us a sense of safety around the house so we are constantly being surprised by their presence.
#3 Mindful Repetition
Repeating and practicing something is a great way of learning it. However, when it comes to dystonia, it is easy to fall into the trap of mindlessly repeating a certain action or exercise and not pay attention to how we're performing the action. Are we practicing the exercise with mindfulness, making an effort to engage our hypotonic pathways, or are we just robotically repeating it while actually engaging in the same dytonic patterns we are trying to unlearn?
Think about someone with cervical dystonia who is told to practice running at least half an hour a day. This person does a great job at using proprioceptive inputs to remember and stimulate their hypotonic side, and they manage to engage it in such a way that they succeed in finding a sense of symmetry and rhythm as they walk. However, by the time this person reaches minute 15, their neck is in a strong spasm and it seems impossible to engage a different, more symmetrical pattern. The nervous system has reached a level of saturation and it is not willing to try new things. At this point, rather than forcing themselves to run while spasming into a twisted posture, it is wise for this to rest until they are ready to try something new again.
#4 Challenge and effort
In order for neuroplasticity to be engaged, we must feel that what we are trying to learn is important and merits our focus. This leads to a form of mindfulness, a desire to apply new, more functional patterns in all kinds of circumstances. What is it like to wash the dishes while engaging your hypotonic pathways? What is it like to take out the trash feeling a symmetrical distribution of energy through your neck, arms, face - any affected areas? Engaging neuroplasticity requires us to make an effort to come back to more functional patterns whenever we can.
#5 Play!
There is abundant evidence that we learn a lot better when we are able to learn and explore through play. Can you view your journey of discovery of your cranial nerves as a playful exploration, for example, practicing using them to perceive fun new smells, tastes and textures?
#6 Bonus: sleep 😴
Our brains need sleep in order to change and grow. Allow yourself to sleep as long as you need!
Are you ready to map out your cranial nerves and start your journey of self-discovery and healing? Book a free call here.
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