By Saeed Mirshekari
August 9, 2024
The Dynamic Interplay of Our Minds: How Eventfulness Affects Mental Well-Being
Our emotions and mental states are deeply intertwined with the continuous activity of our brains. The human brain, a remarkable organ, never truly rests while we are awake. It is constantly processing, analyzing, and reacting to the myriad of inputs it receives from the world around us. This ongoing mental activity can be understood through a simple yet powerful framework: the interplay of three components—pre-processing, events, and post-processing.
Understanding the Three Components
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Pre-Processing: Before an event occurs, our brains engage in what can be termed as pre-processing. This involves anticipating, predicting, and mentally preparing for future events. For example, if you know you have an important meeting tomorrow, your brain might run through various scenarios, potential outcomes, and the emotions tied to those possibilities. This pre-processing phase is crucial as it helps us navigate our lives by preparing us for what might come.
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Events: The second component is the actual event itself—an occurrence that happens in real-time. These are the moments when we interact with our environment, whether it's a conversation with a friend, a stressful situation at work, or a joyful experience with family. Events are the raw data that our brain receives and must process to make sense of the world.
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Post-Processing: After an event has passed, our brains engage in post-processing. This is where we reflect on what happened, make judgments, learn lessons, and store memories. Post-processing allows us to make sense of past experiences, which can influence our future decisions and emotional responses.
The Role of Eventfulness in Mental Well-Being
The harmony between these three components—pre-processing, events, and post-processing—plays a significant role in our mental well-being. However, the level of eventfulness in our lives can greatly impact how smoothly this process operates, and in turn, how we feel.
A Balanced Life: Smooth Processing
In an ideally eventful life, where there is a healthy balance of experiences, the brain transitions smoothly between pre-processing, experiencing events, and post-processing. This dynamic flow ensures that we remain mentally engaged without overwhelming the brain. It allows us to be prepared for future events, live in the moment, and learn from the past without getting stuck in any one phase.
The Problem of Too Few Events: Stuck in Pre-Processing or Post-Processing
When life lacks sufficient events—whether due to isolation, routine, or a lack of stimulation—the brain may get stuck in the pre-processing or post-processing phase. In the case of pre-processing, without real events to engage with, the brain may begin to overthink and ruminate on potential future scenarios, often leading to anxiety and stress. The mind becomes a hamster wheel of "what ifs" and imagined scenarios that never materialize, creating unnecessary mental strain.
Similarly, an absence of new events can cause the brain to become fixated on past experiences, leading to over-analysis and regret. This can manifest as rumination, where the mind replays past events endlessly, preventing us from moving forward and living in the present. Such fixation on the past can lead to depression and a sense of stagnation.
The Challenge of Too Many Events: Overload and Stress
On the flip side, when life becomes too eventful—when we are bombarded with constant stimuli, responsibilities, and experiences—the brain struggles to keep up. In such cases, pre-processing and post-processing may become rushed or incomplete. The brain is forced to react to events without adequate preparation, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed. Likewise, when there is no time to properly post-process, the lessons and emotions from experiences may pile up, contributing to a sense of mental clutter and stress.
Striking the Right Balance
The key to maintaining mental well-being lies in finding a balance in the level of eventfulness in our lives. A balanced life allows the brain to engage in pre-processing just enough to prepare us for future events, without tipping into anxiety. It also ensures that there are sufficient events to keep us engaged and present, while allowing enough time for post-processing to reflect and learn.
Ultimately, understanding this dynamic interplay of our minds can help us manage our mental health more effectively. By recognizing when we are stuck in pre-processing, overwhelmed by too many events, or fixated on post-processing the past, we can take steps to restore balance and reduce stress. Whether it involves seeking new experiences to break free from mental stagnation or slowing down to give our minds time to process, the goal is to create a rhythm that supports a healthy and resilient mind.
Saeed Mirshekari
Saeed is currently a Director of Data Science in Mastercard and the Founder & Director of OFallon Labs LLC. He is a former research scholar at LIGO team (Physics Nobel Prize of 2017).