Could neuroscience be the solution to some of our mental health concerns?

Could neuroscience be the solution to some of our mental health concerns?

You could not fail to notice the abundance of news headlines about the mental health crisis amongst young people.

“Evidence of UK’s child mental health crisis is stark and compelling’ (The Guardian, May 2022)

Britain’s children are becoming unhappier, more anxious, more depressed, and more likely to self-harm, suffer from an eating disorder or have suicidal thoughts. Addressing the sobering reality is a challenge not only for the government and the NHS but for society as a whole. Evidence of the ongoing deterioration in youth wellbeing is detailed, considerable and overwhelming”.

“Mind’s inquiry into secondary education and health revealed that almost all (96%) of young people’s surveyed across England, reported that their mental health had affected their schoolwork at some point.

Worried    angry    disconnected    stressed    demotivated    unconfident    overthinking

These are all emotions more and more evident in young people today. Speculation around the impact of Covid, effects of the digital world or pressures of school settings are constantly in the spotlight.

Determined to help turn the tide, Weydon has been working alongside neuroscientist Tj Power. Born and bred in Farnham, Tj has over 150k followers on social media. He teaches individuals, companies and schools using his DOSE strategy.

Dose stands for the 4 main chemicals in your brain (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins) which impact your mental health.

·         Dopamine is responsible for motivation

·         Oxytocin is responsible for connection

·         Serotonin is responsible for your mood

·         Endorphins is responsible for reducing your stress levels

With hard facts, he explores behaviours that cause levels of particular chemicals to fall causing these negative feelings - such as scrolling through TikTok crashing your dopamine levels to a dip in Oxytocin with little social interaction or the detrimental effect on your endorphins from a lack of movement – all more and more apparent in this digital age.

However there are behaviours you can incorporate into your daily life that boost levels and therefore improve your mental wellbeing. This could be anything from a cold shower to improve dopamine or a warm bath for increased endorphins.

The main aim is to equip students to identify their behaviours and make appropriate changes for their own mental health. They create their own DOSE based on their individual needs.

Tjs relatable style and interactive approach have been a hit with students in Year 10 who have taken part in 4 workshops.

Weydon is now looking at ways to roll out the programme both to other year groups but to incorporate into the school wellbeing programme which already includes the obligatory RSE curriculum, a tailored PSHE programme, student wellbeing ambassadors and staff representatives.

If you would like further information on the work of Tj and Neurify, contact tj@neurify.io, Instagram @tjpower