How to Develop Autopilot Wellness

"Positive change that occurs through reflection or insight hardly affects the autopilot brain, which is dominated by habits, conditioned responses, tacit attitudes, and deep bias. We're aware of judgments, feelings, and values only in the reflective brain. Trouble is, the autopilot brain processes much faster, requiring much less effort than the reflective brain. When autopilot judgments do become conscious, we tend to justify rather than evaluate them. To paraphrase psychologist Daniel Kahneman, we judge first then look for reasons, subject to confirmation bias."

"The reflective brain can override the autopilot brain, but it tends to be a few steps behind, especially in low physical resources-exhaustion, hunger, sleep-deprivation, alcohol use. Under enveloping stress, all animals, including humans, retreat to previously learned habits. This puts the autopilot brain in almost complete control of what we think, feel, or do. Changes wrought by the reflective brain are likely to last only if the autopilot brain is conditioned (through practice) to execute them."

"Shame is a painful perception of self as failing, inadequate, impotent, defective, unattractive, or unlovable. Pride is a pleasant perception of self as successful, accomplished, potent, admirable, attractive, or lovable. Shame is mostly confined to the autopilot brain. Rarely do we consciously consider ourselves to be unlovable failures. Shame is evident to others only when shameful behavior is exposed-that is, we get caught. If people consistently misinterpret your intentions or you're surprised by their negative reactions to your behavior, autopilot shame may be the reason."

Autopilot brain governs much behavior via habits, conditioned responses, tacit attitudes, and deep bias, while judgments, feelings, and values arise in the reflective brain. The autopilot processes faster and with less effort, so conscious awareness often justifies automatic responses instead of evaluating them. Under stress or low physical resources, humans retreat to learned habits and the autopilot gains near-complete control. Reflective interventions can override autopilot but usually lag and yield lasting change only when the autopilot is conditioned through repeated practice. Shame primarily resides in the autopilot brain, becomes visible when exposed, and can drive coping behaviors such as self-obsession, inflated ego, entitlement, manipulation, and devaluing others.

Read at Psychology Today