Show y yAre Are you yon in m your yot right mind Your left brain is focused your right is creative i o Linda Ciampini Staff Writer O ONE NE million teenagers run away every year in inthe inthe inthe the US U.S. end up as unclaimed bodies according to Verne Larsen and Doug Wiese counselors from Cache Valley Mental health who spoke at on Feb 22 These shocking statistics are the result of rebellion against anything that represents represents represents the left brain The left brain is focused with a strong sense of time and order It learns by instruction instruction instruction in in- and is responsible for speech logic judgment critical thinking and decides what are and what are should nots The right brain is open and learns by experience It sees the whole picture has no sense of time and sees possibilities possibilities possibilities pos pos- rather than limita limita- The right brain harbors creativity emotions emotions emotions emo emo- curiosity touch and sensuality Giving into peer pressure is a right-brain right response At birth the left brain is undeveloped the right brain brainis is fully functioning This is the reason a newborn demands food love and dry clothes The right brain is the sense of self SOS or self es teem The younger the individual individual individual in in- the higher it is Laughing and having fun are innate of everyone The school pre-school child is content to eat sleep I and play She does not need alcohol or drugs to enjoy life Around the age of six the right brain child is abruptly tossed into the left brain world of school Larsen said some children adapt quickly the the II A students with stars on their papers while others the the restless dreamers day-dreamers do not conform as readily About the same time parents who are basically left-brained left raise their expectations expectations expectations of the child Their praise or of the child is relative to outside accomplishments accomplishments accomplishments ac ac- ac- ac or perceived failures The message the child gets is Im okay if I getgood getgood get getgood good grades and keep my room clean The SOS diminishes as the child moves progressively into the left brain When the functions of the right brain are by left brain demands the result is stress The teenagers teenager's reaction to this dilemma is flight or fight They may fight by refusing to conform or choose flight which could be anything from becoming emotionally distant to run run- ning fling away or and/or turning to alcohol and drugs Under the influence of mind-altering mind chemicals the left brain is completely The drunk or stoned person literally lives in his her right brain Emotions are deeply affected and the person will do crazy irresponsible things People drink and use drugs to get away from left brain r responsibilities explained Wiese Everyone regardless of age needs a balance between their right and left brain in order to be healthy happy and secure This balance can be obtained by changing g thought patterns Words like I cant can't need to be eliminated from a persons person's vocabulary The words should not and should need to be tossed aside too They put a person in a win- win lose situation Heres a motto to start your day off When you get up in the morning look in the mirror and tell yourself Today I will not should on myself said Wiese r o t |