Neuroplasticity is what allows our brains to adapt and recover. It is the process by which the human brain may be trained into learning new skills and abilities in all forms, and by which it may recovery from neurological injuries such as strokes and/or concussions.
Neuroplasticity demonstrates that brains are not static organs, but rather malleable and readily adaptable to new growth and change. It demonstrates that through routine and practice, we may effectively re-train ourselves, and re-shape our perceptions of what our brains are capable of.
As someone who is in the mid/long-term recovery phase of a fairly serious concussion, undertaking this course of study is in and of itself an engagement with the principles of neuroplasticity. I am still very much re-learning how my brain works, how to work with it, and how I learn in general.
With respects to the principles of neuroplasticity themselves, I can see 'interference' being a difficult one. I didn't receive any meaningful support or therapy in the short/mid-term recovery, and would describe my experience of recovery as primarily being a frantic and stressful period of fighting to regain any sense of normality and lost functionality in order to survive. I will invariably have a great deal to unlearn, and the questionable state of my psychological health is already proving to make this particularly difficult.
Specificity, and repetition: Identifying key areas for growth and repeatedly engaging with them.
Carol Dweck's mindset theory argues that people holding a growth mindset belive that their abilities can change with practice, whilst those with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities cannot be changed. This is clearly relevant to the prinicples of neuroplasticity, with which Dweck's theory effectively goes hand-in-hand, relating to our brains inherent capacity for learning and development.
Nothing about the concepts of neuroplasicity, or Dweck's mindset theory surprises me. For the most part it's knowledge that I've long been aware of, and believed in. It may however be worth mentioning that this particular exploration has been a bit confronting, given my own recent enough experiences with brain damage, and the process of rehabilitation. As stated prior, my recovery was not an ideal one, and although I accept that what was is what was, it remains emotionally challenging to be reminded of how much better things could've been if I'd either had more prior awareness of the severity of such injuries, or a healthier and more supportive environment and social network to help me with it at the time.
I think that for me at this stage, a key thing is to reminding myself of what I know I'm capable of, and in a way that it effectively bypasses my engrained psychological barriers. I'm very aware that I have a long way to go in terms of psychological recovery, and that there's an element of persistence and repetition involved in achieving this.