Understanding the Default Mode Network (DMN) and Its Role in Negative Thinking

Why Understanding the Brain Helps Us Feel Better

When we feel down or get stuck in negative thinking, it can sometimes feel like our brain is working against us. But by understanding how certain parts of the brain work, we can learn ways to shift our thinking and feel better.

One important part of the brain connected to our thoughts and moods is called the Default Mode Network, or DMN. Let’s explore what the DMN is, how it works in people with depression, and how hypnotherapy can help reset it for a more positive mindset.

What is the Default Mode Network (DMN)?

The Default Mode Network, or DMN, is a network of brain regions that activate when our minds are at rest or not focused on the outside world.

Think of it as your “daydreaming” or “wandering mind” mode. When you’re just sitting quietly or thinking about yourself, memories, or plans, your DMN is usually active. In a way, it’s the part of the brain that reflects on our identity, experiences, and feelings.

Depressed Individuals have a Dysfunctional DMN.

For people with depression, the DMN can become overly active, especially when focused on negative thoughts. This means that instead of daydreaming or reflecting in a balanced way, they may get "stuck" thinking about sad memories, regrets, worries, or feelings of hopelessness.

This cycle of negative thinking, often called rumination, makes it hard for them to feel positive or escape from these thoughts. Over time, this overactivity of the DMN can make symptoms of depression worse, as the brain becomes more “trained” to go back to negative thinking patterns.

How Hypnotherapy Helps Reset the DMN

Hypnotherapy and deep trance states are powerful ways to calm down the DMN. Research shows that hypnotherapy can change how the DMN works.

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a form of therapy where a therapist guides someone into a relaxed and focused state of mind, often called a "trance." In this trance-like state, people can concentrate deeply, allowing them to address problems or change patterns of thinking and behavior more effectively.

Here’s how they help:

1. Entering a Focused, Relaxed State

Hypnotherapy guides a person into deep relaxation and focus, similar to a daydream but with a specific purpose.

In this state, the brain reduces DMN activity, because hypnosis requires attention to the therapist’s voice, breathing, and other cues. This helps “turn off” repetitive, negative thinking by giving the brain a break from its usual cycles.

2. Rewiring Negative Patterns

During hypnotherapy, a therapist introduces positive suggestions to encourage a new way of thinking.

For example, instead of the brain repeatedly focusing on negative thoughts like “I’m not good enough,” the therapist may suggest positive thoughts such as “I am capable and improving every day.”

These positive suggestions help create new, healthier pathways in the brain, interrupting the DMN’s habit of going back to negative thinking patterns.

3. DMN Resetting Process

As someone practices hypnotherapy over time, they train their DMN to adopt more balanced, positive thoughts instead of ruminating on negativity. Just like a workout helps strengthen muscles, hypnotherapy "resets" the DMN, encouraging it to operate more healthily.

This can gradually reduce symptoms of depression, making it easier for individuals to feel more hopeful, balanced, and resilient.

Key Takeaways

• What Hypnosis Feels Like: Hypnosis is not mind control or sleep; it feels like a very relaxed and focused state. You are fully aware and in control.
• Why Hypnotherapy is Effective: By focusing the mind, hypnosis reduces activity in the DMN (the "wandering mind" network), helping to break the cycle of negative thoughts.
• How Hypnosis Resets the Mind: Hypnotherapy helps "reset" the brain’s DMN so people can return to a more balanced and positive state of mind after a session.

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The author Felicia Phuah is an HRDC-accredited trainer, a wellness marketer, a certified nutritionist, an aromatherapy practitioner, and a certified clinical behavioral hypnotherapist. She has conducted over 200 workshops, coached over 50 people, and trained over 10,000 people across the globe. She holds an MBA with distinction from Strathclyde University, Scotland, UK, and is currently an academic researcher specializing in EQ/ Pygmalion leadership, positive psychology, and mental resilience. #felipenergy