Whether we are aware of it or not, our brains are constantly learning about and operating on patterns. As we interact with the world, the brain forms neural pathways that correspond to what we can expect and how we’ll respond to future stimuli. Over time, these pathways are reinforced through repeated behavior, forming habits that eventually become embedded into the subconscious mind.

At this deeper level, the pathways themselves take on the power to influence behavior, mood, memory, emotional regulation, neurotransmitter production, and more. This is a powerful and even helpful process if the pathways we’ve formed are linked to healthy behaviors — but can quickly become a problem when unfavorable pathways form in the wake of traumatic events or circumstances outside our control, leading us to inevitably feel “stuck” and wondering what’s wrong with us. Suddenly, healing a behavior, memory, feeling, or cognition seems insurmountable, no matter how much we desire otherwise. And thus the cycle continues, contributing to depression, anxiety, addiction, and more.