We do not process experiences on a blank slate.
When our brain receives new sensory information about an experience, the information is run through neural pathways that have already been shaped by our past experiences.
These neural memories of our past experiences ensure that our brains are ready to process new information based on patterns it already knows, a form of prediction in other words.
These predictions help save energy because lot of the work of processing information is recycled from one experience to the next.
But the brain can be quite powerful in its predictions. If the brain continues to predict we will have a symptom, there is a high chance we will experience the prediction ‘playing out’ in present reality. This can be one reason we have a symptom over and over again.
For the brain to update its predictions, it needs to notice when new information doesn’t match its old predictions. The ‘unlearning’ process can take some time. However there are things we can do to help.
