The Increased Importance of Being Self-Aware

Vic Crain

February 18

Two favorite themes among self-improvement gurus are "being in the moment" and "being self-aware." Honestly, I'm not sure how different these themes really are. If you are focused on what is happening in the instant, then you are aware of your body, of what you are about to do or say, what others around you are doing and saying and of changes in your immediate environment. It's important. You really don't want to step in front of a moving car or say something that might cost you a job or a valued friendship.

Except now the stakes are higher.

Inflammation is all around us and in us. It's the body's reaction to attacks by bacteria and viruses. The immune system goes on a rampage to kill the dangerous intruders as quickly as possible. Sometimes the targeting isn't sufficiently precise.

A new paper from an obviously talented grad student at Canada's McMaster University describes the mechanism by which bacteria and viruses can cause neurological damage to humans -- by which we mean damage to the network of nerves in the body and to the brain itself.(1) We've known for more than a year that the Covid virus is associated with shrinkage in key areas of the brain. This new paper shows us how that can happen.

This is similar to the "smoking gun" in the cigarettes-and-cancer argument. Theories remain just that until we have an explanation of how they can work in the real world. Once we know there is a process, they become much harder to ignore.

So, how do the above paragraphs fit together?

Inflammation from a virus triggers the creation of T-cells to attack the virus. However, severe inflammation can also trigger creation of nonspecific T-cells that will attack any targets of opportunity, including healthy cells in various organs and the brain. That's what this new paper tells us. The research on which this report is based focused on the Zika virus, and is being extended to other viruses at this time. In principle, there is no reason for viruses to be different in how the operate.

Severe inflammation may be linked to fatigue or other symptoms that we could easily ignore if we're not paying attention.

In the brain, we've seen a documented tendency for damage to frontal lobe areas that are responsible for decision-making and emotional control, at least from the Covid virus.(6) That might be true for other viruses as well.

Loss of emotional control in turn would give rise to reactions to the words and deeds of other that are faster and more impulsive. And isn't that what we're seeing in terms of road rage and unpremeditated violence?

In turn, doesn't that suggest a need to insert an extra moment for thought before speaking or acting? The internal, automatic processes that have protected you and those around you may no longer be working. In car terms, you're suddenly driving a stick shift rather than the 5-speed automatic with which you grew up. Get used to it.

If you're not "in the moment," you may be out of control. The results could be lethal.

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