Dr. Curtis Cripe on Why It's Important to Address Mental Health

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Since 2020, people's lives have significantly changed due to the pandemic. For the majority, staying home seemed the best way to stay protected from the virus. The world slowly began to reopen with the availability of vaccines and medicines against COVID-19. However, despite the reopening of institutions and businesses, many people still struggle with the mental health issues brought on by the pandemic. These include anxiety, depression, and trauma. In the post-pandemic society, Dr. Curtis Cripe indicates that it's important to continue addressing these issues, noting that neuroplasticity and neuroengineering may be the key to managing these mental health issues.

As Cripe describes, neuroplasticity is the capability of the brain to modify itself in response to stimuli. The ability to direct, train, and influence the brain is called "plasticity." It can help alter the thought processes of those going through anxiety, depression, and trauma. With the right strategies and a healthy lifestyle, the brain can create new neural pathways that will change the mind's reaction to a particular trigger.

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Some strategies to improve neuroplasticity involve mindfulness, meditation, exercise, diversion through mind-engaging activities, reality testing, and more. While restructuring the mind can seem challenging at first, these methods can help individuals manage their own thoughts. In the process, continuously engaging in these activities can create new neural pathways to improve response to unpleasant thoughts.

Neuroengineering is an example of how behavioral medicine can address a range of neurological and psychological issues, explains Dr. Curtis Cripe. It is important in many aspects of one's life, including encouraging the development of new skills, knowledge, and cognitive capabilities, and it can be used to alleviate the signs and symptoms of pandemic-related mental health issues.

Ultimately, even as the rest of the world has returned to its hurried ways, people must move at their own pace and allow themselves to recover from the "pandemic lifestyle." At the same time, they should also find support to encourage them to slowly heal and readapt.

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