EDITOR’S CORNER
Nothing on this hunk of rock is more complex, more mysterious, and more flexible than the human brain, with an astonishing capacity to rewire following all sorts of trauma. This ability to reshape itself, to heal itself, is the topic of Mad in America’s next online event: “Neuroplasticity: A Path for Healing from Protracted Withdrawal Symptoms,” scheduled for 1 p.m. (Eastern) on Saturday, August 17.
Slated to appear in this conversation are panelists with their own stories to tell of recovery from withdrawal, and their own strategies to share that can help others on the path ahead: Kay Loveland, a clinical psychologist who specializes in chronic illness, PTSD, and withdrawal from antidepressants and benzodiazepines, and has experienced withdrawal herself; Gustav f., who employed a mindbody approach created by Dr. John Sarno in overcoming his own protracted withdrawal, and has posted his story on YouTube; and Ben Ahrens, a chronic illness recovery expert, TEDx Speaker, and CEO of a brain “retraining” program who recovered from both Lyme disease and benzodiazepine and antidepressant withdrawal.
The host will be Robert Whitaker, journalist, author and founder of MIA.
You can register on the eventbrite page. A single ticket costs $10 (with the money going toward MIA). But if that’s too much for you, you can get one for free by typing in the code neuroplasticity.
So scratch Aug. 17 into your paper calendars, and thumb it into your phone. It should be an extraordinarily powerful and helpful dialogue addressing—and learning from—one of the most stunning superpowers.
—Amy Biancolli, Family Editor
***
More from Mad in the Family
More Editor’s Corners