The balanced brain

 
Neuroscientist Camilla Nord offers a fascinating tour of the scientific and technological developments that are revolutionising the way we think about mental health, showing why and how events - and treatments - can affect people in such different ways. She reveals how the small things we do to lift our mood during the course of a day - a piece of chocolate, a coffee, chatting to a friend - often work on the same pathways in our brain as the latest pharmacological treatments for mental health disorders. Whether they help us to manage pain, learn from experience or expend energy on the things that are important for our survival, these conscious actions are part of a complex self-regulating process that is unique to each individual and the constant backdrop to our everyday lives. With so many factors at play, there are more possibilities for recovery and resilience than we might think.