I recently read an interesting analogy referencing young brain development in All is not Forgotten by Wendy Walker. Walker compares our developing brains from teenage years through age 25 as a “construction project”, or the building of our own house. We can make adjustments to the house, but we can never recreate the foundation.
The premise is every decision–positive or negative–will forever be a part of our house’s foundation, whether its opportunity, drugs, emotional tolls, relationships, etc. Your brain’s “reward center is trying to sort out what behaviors lead to rewards, so it can lay down some wires, some bricks.” If your “bricks” tell you to like drugs (alcohol, cocaine, prescriptions) or risky behavior, for example, or conversely, grit (hard work or determination), you will endure those tendencies for the rest of your life.
I’d hate to think that mistakes during our youth become lifelong struggles–not insurmountable–but, if our experiences, at least, do predispose us to behaviors and opinions; it would make sense that chemicals would as well.
The challenge is to communicate this idea to young people in a meaningful and actionable manner. Most of us understand through personal knowledge and/or raising our own children that the very reason we’re susceptible at that age is caused by our own perceived invincibility.
Neuroscience continually progresses, so there’s always promise of advancement. Here’s hoping they figure out a delivery of that concept.
Quote of the Day
“A wise man never knows all; only a fool knows everything.” African proverb
Designs on Life 