Starting today with a song, from the Book of Mormon musical called “Making Things Up Again” that summarizes this entire chapter of the book. And we’re back in Debi Pearl’s pile of stupid called “Create a Better Brain Through Neuroplasticity”. We are continuing on in this schizophrenic chapter on “Stinking Thinking”. Last week is here.

Debi is back beating up on her fictional Lydia Rose, blaming her and claiming she is merrily killing off brain cells. And we start with blame, blaming others instead of taking that shame on yourself. I will agree with Debi that there are people that will never take responsibility for a damn thing.

I am stuck inside with my flubbed up immune system doing social distancing in the midst of this Coronavirus epidemic. How are you holding up?

Remember Lydia got canned from her job? She does not call her mom, but her little sister. Debi waxes rhapsodic about mom and dad, how dad can support Lydia and how momma was not going to allow her spin self pity. Who is Debi kidding here? The range of reactions parents will give over tragedies in the lives of their children vary as much as anything else. For all Debi knows they could be coddling and enabling this bad behavior of blaming.

Debi claims Momma’s questions and pointing out of flaws stops that nasty cortisol and rushes in to save the day from Lydia’s brain cells croaking off like so many cheap goldfish at the county fair.

“Hard Truth

In our society, being kind is paramount, often to our detriment.”

Debi goes on to claim that enablers only help us kill off our brain cells with that unearned kindness. Claiming we need “Hard Truth” instead.

Dear Debi, up yours. Sometimes when times are tough, or we are going through something traumatic we need those around us just t love us kindly through our pain. That is not ‘enabling’ but much of Debi’s reactions to Michael in their marriage are.

“If you have a loved one who falls into discouraged sadness, an ugly rage, or is in a state of bitterness, blaming others for messing up their life, don’t coddle or talk away their pain.”

Absolutely talk to that family member! Get them to see a doctor for a physical and/or a licensed counselor. Don’t leave them stuck in this thing, and don’t try Debi’s toxic tough love here because it benefits no one. If you want them better you must do something!

“You are setting them up for depression, violence, and/or a life of sickness and mental decline.”

Is that what happened with Michael to cause him to be a violent child prone to nonsensical whims? The kindest thing one can do when a family member is suffering from these issues to get outside help and treat that person with as much kindness as you can muster up.

Now we move yet again to the gut and brain connection that Deb loves so much.

“Autoimmune diseases can take hold when a person’s immune system is compromised by long-term stress or bitterness.”

You know, I have searched online, in sites on health, in research sites and the only thing even slightly like what she is saying involves the bitterness receptors on your tongue and inflammation. There is literally not one piece of science to back up what Debi claims here. She’s making it up again, Debi.

“Sometimes memory is downright creative.”

Not as creative as Debi’s vivid imagination here. She makes gut claims, talks about obsessive thoughts, calling them “Looping”, and claims that stinking thinking programs in what sounds like false memories, or at least memories self edited to make you always right.

While obsessive looping thoughts are not helpful for anyone there are ways to deal with this that do not involve Debi’s Bible voodoo blaming. The rest sounds fishy from here. Here’s a good article on creating false memories that makes it sound like this is more of an important survival tool to cope with life than some silly sin that Debi describes.

Debi goes on to claim that looping destroys the brain. But that’s another easily proven falsehood. It is actually the opposite, strengthening some parts of the brain. Looping creates pathways that can be strong, even if this looping is not always obsessive thoughts. Natural networks in the brain make it stronger and more resilient.

Debi claims that looping just keeps reinforcing negative emotions, and that those negative emotions start diminishing the brain.

“Our brains psychically diminish in size as we stew, rage, and mope. Bigger is better. Choose happiness, forgiveness and gratefulness”

This is all followed by claims that talk therapy with a counselor just destroys your brain because you keep rehashing your issues. Not true, Debi just wants to shut up and shut down those that do not think like her.

Speaking about people emotionally stuck in childhood or teenage years…

“….in their youth, they hated or resented someone, damaging their Prefrontal Cortex..”

…and we’re right back to Debi’s lies about looping or obsessive thoughts. She cites a study from 1921 as proof. The study indicates that those who are always happy have the longest most satisfying lives. They don’t get bitter or sad.

Whatever, Debi. All of us can clearly see the dysfunctional hot mess that is your relationship with Mike and see what a lie all of this is. Her own life story is filled with rage, bitterness, insanity and resentments.

And we’re out of here. Next week the topic is concussions. Oh, I cannot wait. This is actually a subject I have done a ton of research on because of the issues in the NFL. The chapter is short, devoid of reason and holds a story of a black walnut boinking someone on the head causing a concussion. That must have been one huge walnut.

Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3 ~ Part 4

Part 5 ~ Part 6 ~ Part 7 ~ Part 8

Part 9 ~ Part 10 ~ Part 11 ~ Part 12

Part 13 – Part 14 ~ Part 15 ~ Part 16

Part 17 ~ Part 18

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