Dr. Nicole Cain explains that when your mind wanders, your brain's default-mode network activates the midline regions she calls the "Mohawk of self awareness." Trauma dampens this network, weakening your sense of self. Rebuilding interoception, your awareness of internal bodily states, can reactivate it.
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Have you ever wondered what your brain is doing when you have nothing in particular on your mind? Well, according to the research of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, your brain is paying attention to itself. Your default state of activation is to create an inner sense of self awareness. Researchers refer to the area of the brains involved in this default state network as the Mohawk of self awareness because of the location of the midline brain areas that are being activated. However, research has also shown that individuals who are victims of trauma have significantly less activation in these areas of the brain, which makes it difficult to ascertain an internal sense of self. With our brains attempting to shut down the overwhelming feelings of dread and the sensations that come with trauma, the brain is also shutting down parts of the brain that also help us feel fully alive. In fact, this lack of self awareness can be so severe that some trauma victims can't even recognize themselves in a mirror. The core of self awareness rests on our familiarity and our awareness of inner systems. This is why some people feel more alive when they engage in behaviors like skin picking or hair pulling. The solution is reactivation of these parts of the brain. But how do you do that? Agency begins with interoception, or being aware of our inner bodies. Knowing what we feel is the important beginning in figuring out why we feel.
