Second lot of training started-and long term experience overall.

[karnautrahl]

Update on personal experience. Note previous training was Oct-november
2008 for 30 days and I haven't used it till 25/03/2009.

I appreciate that this is an anecdotal and possibly an exaggerated
placebo response on
my part, however for the interest of the group I thought I'd relay my
current experiences and conclusions to the group.

I've restarted the training again 6 days ago and am going through the
vivid dreams stage again. My starting level was average 2.5 so a
slight drop from my original final session at 3.8. I have yet to beat
3.4 however to reach that before took 3 weeks. So a large proportion
of improvement remains from the previous training done in november.
Add to this I fall asleep repeatedly during the session as I insist on
doing this last thing at night :P.

My earlier reported sustained studying has continued, and improved.
This prior to restarting BW. To give some perspective here this is my
current reading list-which in any one day a chapter or section is read
carefully from at least 3 of them, rotating throughout the week with
reviews at set points :).

Rang and Dale's Pharmacology
Malenka-Molecular Neuropharmacology
Mathamatics for Chemistry-Monk
Chemistry for the Biosciences (and Clayton's Organic Chemistry)
Stryer-Biochemistry
Tortora-Anatomy and Physiology
Bear-Neuroscience, Exploring the Brain
Rudy-Neurobiology of Memory (Read this now)
Neuranatomy through Clinical Cases-Hendelman (Solving cases-fun :) ).
Microbiology of the Cell-Alberts

I have a number of others that are for reference like Netters Concise
neuroanatomy, also his current anatomy book (beautiful job that one)
and several on memorising medical stuff, Oxford Handbooks etc and a
few other brain atlases but these listed are the ones I'm working
through on a daily basis.

It took me a few months to afford all of these, and my other half is
convinced I bought too many. However I'm fairly keen and to be honest
whether or not I succeed in getting to do the neuroscience degree I
want, I'm more than prepared to educate myself to that standard.

My background prior to Brain Workshop is the contrast here. I don't
have any A levels, finished school at 16 with average GCSE's-my
science ones were good but math was average. I was a heavy reader of
sci-fi/fantasy all my life though I stopped that the past 5 months as
I've been too busy reading this stuff :). I work in IT to a basic
standard of networking/consultancy, but not specialist and I was out
of work for about 5 years, some of which I spent drinking a little too
much and hanging out at a workshop. I highlight this history to
illustrate the contrast I've experienced.

The maximum enthusiasm related study period I'd had before this was a
few weeks where I spent 20 minutes to half an hour studying hypnosis
books or a few days trying to "photoread" a bunch of NLP shit about 4
years ago :). At that time, 1/2 hr was good going in a day and I
thought I had ADHD. Most of the time I didn't feel like working on
anything.

Now I'm not happy unless I've got at least 2 solid hours in,
preferably 4 in a day.

Causes? At this point purely hypothetical

I've come across the notion that Da receptors proliferate somewhat
upon working memory training, which might increase the reward for
discovering novel information, ie, learning. This would lead to
increased motivation to concentrate perhaps.

Simply training the ability to concentrate alone may simply enable one
to use far more native potential, and thereby increase it by having to
use it.

Placebo-simply put the belief effect or self fulfilling prophecy. This
notion can't be dismissed at this stage and indeed may be part of the
whole picture. Eg, improvement in Da receptor response, improvement in
general WM overall precipitating expectation because you can "feel"
the change which allows you to believe it and therefore act on it,
which induces an upward spiral effect (positive feedback loop) because
you set out to tackle more and become capable of handling more.

I include the general personal background to try and give some
indication that in my view, my own intellectual ability certainly
wasn't especially marked. The material I understand now and remember
is hard won. Chapters and sections reread, reread again, revisited
days later, notes made on it and then cross referenced to similar
related material elsewhere and further reread. Lots of repetitions
here for a start. If you work out that since November 1st I've put in
about 400 hours of work on this-being able to work through these books
is simply of function of effort/time rather than any "IQ" changes.
What's changed for me explicitly is the ability to concentrate quite
hard for lengthy periods of time.

Hope this enlightens a few others who are interested in the facility
of this concept to help them with their own specialisms.

[kahreez...@hotmail.com]

What mode of Brainworkshop did you use? Do you use default, or Jaeggi
mode? Is feedback enabled or disabled?

[karnautrahl]

Default mode, feedback enabled by default.

[YadgaJack]

What were you studying NLP for specifically, if you don't mind me
asking, I know it is good for negociating, as well as persausion.

> > mode?  Is feedback enabled or disabled?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[karnautrahl]

I thought it would be useful to me in life.

Generally it hasn't apart from having a way of framing certain types
of questions or noting inconsistencies in arguements. Something that a
decent book on critical thinking is also good for (and cheaper).
Because NLP was built on a computer metaphor originally the processes
had a weak foundation to start with as a concept-its made Bandler a
fortune. And yes, I do like him to listen to as he's quite
entertaining. I know some folks have had it work for them but I can
point to about 400 people I've performed "healing" on before I got
into neuroscience. Because I definitly "feel" the phenomenan, they
feel that I'm certain and the placebo effect kicks in
maximally..creaing quite a large proportion of startling
recoveries :).

I've also had training in 3D Mind and Essential skills...updated NLP
in a way though briefer and more subtle. However I'm not dead inclined
to practice a whole lot as in the real world I didn't really need to
anchor people etc I was fine at rapport naturally LOL.

> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Pheonoxia]

Any gains I may have made from dual n-back have now been destroyed by
the 817 words in the original post.

[karnautrahl]

Thats because your not meant to count them? :P