repeated criticizing and complaining are not neutral habits, they actively reshape brain circuits

Added: 2026-04-30

[00:00:00]Neuroscience shows that complaining, judging, criticizing, it can actually change your brain for multiple reasons.

[00:00:05]I mean, the first is that it it leads to stress, [music] right? When you're complaining, you're also activating neuroplasticity. So, you're training ne negative thought patterns and you are training [music] your brain to look for more things to complain about. So, you're kind of also entering into this cycle um where you're just going to continue to look for more things to complain about and feel even worse. And then your brain's going to filter from your reality for more things. But [music] negative thoughts in general, they lead to this stress that actually can shrink your prefrontal cortex. And then the prefrontal cortex [music] is kind of the boss of your brain. It's what makes us human. Also, research shows that there's no form of venting or [music] complaining that is positive unless you re-evaluate and kind of [music] tell a new story at the end. Like you reappraise the situation at the end of the venting session. So there's no amount [music] of people like, "Oh, but I just need to get it out." Sure. Okay. But when you're done getting it out, you [music] have to tell a new story. You have to kind of reappraise the situation. [music] If you just complain and then leave it at the complaint, you're actually only training [music] your brain to look for more things to complain