Ellis Counseling

09/22/2025

Brain is not fixed, it constantly changes through a process called neuroplasticity. Every thought, every emotion, and every experience can reshape its pathways. But research reveals something powerful: neuroplasticity thrives in the presence of love, kindness, and positive emotions, while hate and negativity can limit growth and even cause lasting harm.

Love, whether expressed through connection, empathy, or compassion, floods the brain with chemicals like oxytocin and dopamine. These chemicals strengthen neural pathways linked to learning, memory, and creativity. Over time, this builds resilience, sharper focus, and greater emotional balance. Acts of love don’t just feel good, they literally help the brain grow stronger and healthier.

On the other hand, hate, anger, and resentment activate stress pathways. Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, overwhelms the brain, shrinking regions like the hippocampus that are vital for memory and learning. Instead of building new connections, chronic negativity locks the brain into rigid, destructive patterns, making growth harder.

This is why environments filled with love and support produce more adaptable, creative, and emotionally intelligent minds. Whether it’s nurturing relationships, practicing gratitude, or simply showing kindness, love creates the conditions for the brain to thrive.

The lesson is clear: if you want a flexible, youthful, and powerful brain, choose love over hate. What you feed your brain, through emotions and thoughts directly shapes who you become. Love builds, hate breaks.

09/06/2025

08/25/2025

In a landmark case, researchers recorded the first-ever brain activity of a dying human, offering rare insight into our final moments. The subject, an 87-year-old man who suffered a fatal heart attack during EEG monitoring, showed about 900 seconds of brain activity around the time of death. Remarkably, in the 30 seconds before and after his heart stopped, his brain displayed surges in gamma, delta, theta, alpha, and beta waves patterns linked to memory recall, dreaming, and meditation. Scientists believe this may reflect a final replay of life events, the very phenomenon people describe as “life flashing before your eyes.” These findings could reshape how we define death and even impact critical decisions like organ donation timing.

08/11/2025

Scientists Are Learning How to Gently Silence Traumatic Memories.

Researchers at Kyoto University uncovered a remarkable discovery that could reshape the future of mental health. By studying the brain’s memory pathways, they identified a key protein called ACCREB that plays a vital role in how memories are re-saved after we recall them, especially fear-based memories tied to trauma.

When we remember something painful, the brain doesn't just replay it like a movie. It actually rewrites and stores it again. This moment of memory "re-saving" opens a unique window where the emotional impact of that memory can be altered. The Kyoto team found that by gently disrupting ACCREB during this critical phase in mice, they were able to weaken or even erase traumatic memories, all without causing damage to brain cells.

This isn’t about deleting memories or rewriting the past. Instead, it offers a chance to soften the emotional weight of trauma, turning a crippling fear into something the mind can handle. For people living with PTSD, anxiety, or phobias, this breakthrough could one day lead to treatments that bring real peace without invasive procedures or heavy medications.

Traditional therapies often involve reliving trauma or using medication to suppress symptoms. But this method works by adjusting the memory itself at a biological level, changing how the brain stores emotional pain. Though still in the early stages for human use, it points to a future where healing is not about forgetting, but about finding freedom from fear.

This research brings hope to millions and reminds us that science is not only about exploring galaxies, but also about unlocking the universe within our own minds.

08/06/2025

08/03/2025

07/14/2025

A landmark review finds no scientific evidence that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance.

A major umbrella review led by researchers at University College London has found no convincing evidence that depression is caused by low serotonin levels or reduced serotonin activity. Published in Molecular Psychiatry, the study analyzed decades of research across several major fields and concluded that the long-standing “chemical imbalance” theory lacks scientific support. This challenges the core rationale behind the widespread use of antidepressants like SSRIs, which are believed to work by correcting low serotonin. The review suggests that the popularity of this theory may have contributed to the massive increase in antidepressant prescriptions despite the absence of biological proof.

The findings also raise concerns about how this serotonin theory may shape public perception and treatment decisions.

With up to 90% of people believing depression stems from a chemical imbalance, researchers warn that this misconception can discourage recovery optimism and reliance on non-drug treatments.

Moreover, some evidence points to antidepressants possibly lowering serotonin levels over time, highlighting a need for transparency and new approaches to mental health care.

The authors advocate for a shift in focus toward addressing life stressors, trauma, and social factors through therapy and lifestyle interventions rather than pharmacological solutions alone.

Source: Moncrieff, J., Cooper, R. E., Stockmann, T., Amendola, S., Hengartner, M. P., & Horowitz, M. A. (2022). The serotonin theory of depression: A systematic umbrella review of the evidence. Molecular Psychiatry

07/03/2025

People are experiencing psychotic breaks as a result of ChatGPT, reports reveal.

A growing number of disturbing cases suggest that excessive use of AI chatbots like ChatGPT may trigger severe psychological breakdowns—now dubbed “ChatGPT psychosis.”

According to firsthand accounts, users with no prior history of mental illness have experienced paranoia, delusions of grandeur, and complete breaks with reality after becoming deeply absorbed in philosophical or mystical conversations with the chatbot.

Some have lost jobs, ended up homeless, or been involuntarily committed or jailed following these episodes.

Mental health professionals are raising alarms about how these AI tools, designed to be agreeable and affirming, can unwittingly reinforce users' delusions.

The issue appears especially dangerous for those with preexisting conditions, as chatbots sometimes fuel detachment from reality by validating conspiratorial or psychotic thoughts.

One man, who believed he could speak backward through time, voluntarily sought emergency care after spiraling into delusion. Others were not so fortunate, including a man shot by police following violent ideations spurred on by a chatbot. With no clear guidelines from AI developers and a lack of regulation, families and clinicians are left navigating an alarming and largely uncharted mental health crisis.

learn more https://futurism.com/commitment-jail-chatgpt-psychosis

06/28/2025

Want better memory? Studies show you just need to walk for 40 minutes three times a week.

It's that simple — and that powerful.

In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that adults who walked 40 minutes three times a week for a year experienced growth in the hippocampus, a part of the brain essential for memory.

In contrast, those who only did stretching and toning exercises saw this brain region shrink.

The findings underscore the powerful connection between physical activity and cognitive health, challenging the idea that brain games alone can preserve memory.

Neuroscientist Arthur Kramer, one of the study's authors, explains that movement stimulates the birth of new neurons, enhancing memory and overall brain function. Importantly, even older adults in their 60s and 80s who had led sedentary lives showed impressive cognitive gains after incorporating regular walking into their routines.

These results, along with links between midlife obesity and cognitive decline, highlight the urgent need to prioritize physical activity. Walking isn’t just good for your body—it may be the key to keeping your brain sharp for years to come.

learn more https://www.bbc.com/news/health-12325285