Default Mode Network: The Science of All Therapeutic Transformation
“It is a mind that breaks through everything, dragging my emotions with it—breaking through into the dark futures set before me, analyzing everything, producing every detail before the cold stench of reality hits: a defense mechanism gone haywire, too powerful for my sensitivity.”
—Old Journal Entry
I’ve been there—trying to work out what’s wrong with me. I was playing at being my own psychotherapist. Haven’t we all done that?
It’s similar to the myth of Daedalus, the brilliant craftsman who created the Labyrinth—a maze so complex; designed to imprison the Minotaur. But his over-engineered creation led to his own entrapment when he and his son, Icarus, became trapped within it.
You see, I had developed a powerful, sharp tool for dissecting my own self. But in reality, I was only metaphorically cutting my own wrists. What was really happening? In my head was a sharp program running haywire, constantly looking into the future to lessen the impact of reality. A defense mechanism—yes. Protecting me and suffocating me at the same time.
The rational mind is an excellent tool, but be careful! It can solve your logical problems, but it can’t be used for healing. It knows how to break things down, objectify, and label. I needed that to some degree, but perhaps more than anything, I needed to be held (metaphorically) and taught how to love myself.
I want to offer you a unique way to look at self-obsessed thoughts, inflexibility, paralysis by analysis, decision fatigue, overthinking, paranoid thinking, catastrophizing, perfectionism, reassurance seeking, emotional detachment, and tunnel vision. I think that encapsulates most modern sickness of the psyche!
We’re delving into this topic using neuroscience as a backbone to discuss this rational, reality-filtering entity—the Default Mode Network (DMN).
Understanding the Default Mode Network and the Ego
The DMN is a neural circuitry—a network that connects:
- Medial Prefrontal Cortex: Thoughts about the self in relation to others.
- Posterior Cingulate Cortex: Self-awareness and self-related memories.
- Angular Gyrus: Integration of sensory and abstract information about the self.
- Hippocampus: Autobiographical memories.
- Parahippocampal Cortex: Facilitates mental time travel.
- Lateral Temporal Cortex: Processes the meaning of experiences.
- Inferior Parietal Lobule: Attention and perception of self and others.
This system is built for efficiency. It gives rise to self-referential thoughts and provides an internal model of who you are. It helps you predict your own behavior, understand your environment, and anticipate what others are about to do.
This function is essential to being human; without the ability to reflect on ourselves, contemplate who we are, and consider how we interact with the world, what would we be?
However, the DMN can become overly dominant. A self-obsessed DMN makes everything about me. It places you at the center of the universe. In people struggling with mental health issues, this network often works overtime. They may think excessively about themselves, perceiving everything bad that happens as a direct personal attack.
“And I drive myself crazy
Thinking everything’s about me”
—“Heavy,” Linkin Park
The DMN also acts as a gatekeeper between the outside world and our inner world. It filters information and experiences through its lens. Without this filtering, the infinity both within and without would be overwhelming—like listening to white noise, vast and seemingly pointless. We must focus our attention on something, and the DMN decides what is useful to pay attention to. So it’s both a good thing, but at what cost?
When the DMN Becomes a Tyrannical Overlord
The problem really arises when the DMN acts as a tyrannical overlord, filtering content, conversations, and ideas with authoritarian rigidity. It’s like a censor that traps us in a narrow, self-referential loop. It suppresses everything about us that it judges to be “bad,” leading to repression and depression.
The DMN interprets our experiences solely as means to get what we want or as attacks to avoid. It becomes selfish, self-obsessed, and paranoid about everything unpredictable.
“The default mode network is where we construct a narrative about who we are, which is often filled with worry and self-doubt.”
—Dan Siegel, psychiatrist and mindfulness expert
What’s even more profound—and perhaps frightening—is that the DMN can fool us into thinking we are it and that’s all we are.
But then, how would we know the difference?
Don’t despair if you suspect your DMN is acting tyrannically. That just means you have so much potential for freedom.
Therapeutic Practices Modulate the DMN
Every traditional model of psychotherapy aims to modulate, bypass, or lower the guard of the DMN.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) challenges the narrow beliefs and cognitive distortions the DMN conjures up to defend itself, appealing to the quiet, true self underneath.
- Mindfulness-Based Techniques help shine the light of consciousness onto these habitual patterns, bringing us out of our heads and more into direct experience.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients detach from the DMN’s stories by seeing them as transient mental states rather than absolute truths.
- Psychodynamic Approaches aim to bring the unconscious into consciousness, encouraging the free flow of the whole self and integrating deep-seated conflicts that may be at the root of DMN issues.
- EMDR and Hypnotherapy disrupt the DMN, allowing trauma and deep-rooted patterns to be integrated in a more cohesive way.
Somatic practices can help a great deal by bringing awareness to the body—such as
- Trauma Release Exercises (TRE)
- Somatic Experiencing
- Yoga
They tap into the body’s intuitive intelligence, helping us realize there is much more to us than this network.
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Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) has shown promising results; these powerful compounds temporarily disrupt the DMN’s hold, allowing for new perspectives. Here is an article I wrote on this subject.
The Ego and the Shadow
Our ego—or DMN—can become a double-crossing, story-spinning mastermind. On one side, it deals with the outside world coming through our senses, influenced by social constructs and cultural narratives. On the other side, there’s the shadow—our inner world that the ego has relegated to the basement.
Carl Jung coined the term “shadow,” and it’s the best description of everything deep within that we’re not consciously aware of.
We feel it from time to time, often as a nagging pull toward something we deem undesirable, or as discomfort in certain situations or around certain people. Often, it’s simply a deep signal for change or a need for nurturing our inner child—wounds we try to ignore. The shadow sends these signals upward. Does the ego listen, or does it say, “Be quiet, I’m in charge”?
Acknowledging the Shadow
Our shadow is real, true, and authentic. It may not always be productive or helpful, but it’s there—everything we’ve ignored, suppressed, or forgotten.
Sometimes, the ego loses control temporarily, and the shadow breaks through. We’ve all experienced this:
- Uncontrollable anger leading us to say or do things we regret later.
- Road rage: Normally calm people become aggressive behind the wheel because the ego feels safer, allowing the unfiltered self to emerge.
- Social media outbursts: People say things they’d never say in person because the ego perceives less threat behind a screen, unleashing deep emotions.
- Addiction struggles: When the suppressed shadow’s needs become too powerful, it breaks out to get its fix, then relaxes. The ego returns and berates itself.
This is a classic sign of a shadow needing integration. It’s a powerful force with tremendous potential when acknowledged and directed appropriately.
Who Is the Real You?
This can be confusing. If the psyche consists of these separate aspects—the ego and the shadow—who is the real you? That’s a profound question and challenging to answer!
Every therapeutic practice aims to peel back the layers of the ego to connect us with a deeper sense of self. It might be hard to believe such a thing exists, especially if life has made you lose touch with who you really are.
Discovering the Real Self
So, what are you, really? The more you explore, the less it’s about mental constructs and the more it becomes about direct experience.
As Carl Rogers eloquently put it:
“The endpoint of this process is that the client discovers that he can be his experience, with all of its variety and surface contradiction; that he can formulate himself out of his experience, instead of trying to impose a formulation of self upon his experience, denying to awareness those elements which do not fit.”
—On Becoming a Person
The real self can be understood as the core essence of who you are, beyond surface-level thoughts, social roles, and external influences. It’s constantly moving and in flux, like a river. You’re not just the water of experience, nor the banks that guide it, nor the meandering journey, nor the stories about the river. You are all of it—an ever-evolving, flowing integration of everything that makes you uniquely you.
The Ego as a Middleman
We have a middleman inside us—the ego and DMN—telling us what everything means and acting as our avatar to the outside world. It’s like a caregiver that also saps our vitality. Protection can border on tyranny.
The Difference Between Martha and Mary
In the biblical account, Martha was overwhelmed by many concerns and responsibilities, overthinking the details about serving Jesus. We’ve all been there. Her thoughts might have been:
‘Jesus needs this. I need the perfect meal. I should do this. I’m a good host because of this. Mary should be helping me. Am I bad for needing help? Doesn’t anyone care?’
Jesus gently responded to her anxiety, emphasizing that few things are needed, or indeed only one. Mary had chosen what is better by being fully present.
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
—(Luke 10:41-42, NIV)
This story illustrates the importance of shifting from an overactive, anxious mindset to one of peaceful attentiveness to what truly matters.
Understanding the DMN’s impact is essential, but knowing how to navigate it is equally crucial. Here are some steps that can help you regain balance.
Practical Steps to Transcend the DMN
So, how can we begin to loosen the DMN’s grip on our lives? Here are some practical steps that have helped me, and might help you too:
- Embrace Mindful Awareness: Spend a few minutes each day focusing on your breath or the sensations in your body. When your mind starts to wander—which it will—gently guide it back to the present moment. This practice grounds you and quiets the DMN by breaking the cycle of rumination, allowing you to experience life more fully.
- Engage in Body-Centric Activities: Activities like yoga, walking in nature, or even simple stretching help reconnect you with your physical senses. By directing attention to your body rather than your thoughts, you engage other brain networks, reducing the DMN’s dominance and helping you feel more centered.
- Practice Cognitive Defusion: When overwhelmed by negative or anxious thoughts, imagine them as leaves floating down a stream or clouds drifting across the sky. Acknowledge the thoughts without letting them consume you. This technique helps you recognize thoughts as temporary, diminishing the DMN’s power over you.
- Journal with Intention: Instead of just venting on paper, use journaling to externalize and reflect on your thoughts. Ask yourself, “What story is my mind telling me, and how can I respond compassionately?” This approach helps you process DMN-driven narratives without becoming trapped in them.
- Explore Breathwork and Meditation: Techniques like deep breathing exercises or guided meditations can calm your nervous system and disrupt repetitive thought cycles. The 4-7-8 breathing method, for instance, is simple and effective, bringing a sense of peace and balance to your mind.
- Cultivate Gratitude: Each evening, write down three things you’re grateful for. Be specific and focus on what feels emotionally meaningful. Gratitude can rewire your DMN, encouraging more positive and balanced thinking patterns.
- Practice Self-Compassion: Remind yourself that it’s okay to be imperfect. When self-critical thoughts arise, treat yourself with the same kindness you’d offer a dear friend. Self-compassion softens the DMN’s harsh judgments and fosters a healthier, more forgiving internal dialogue.
- Seek Connection and Moments of Awe: Engage in activities that make you feel connected to something larger than yourself, like watching a sunset, stargazing, or participating in a community event. Experiences of awe can deactivate the DMN, allowing for a sense of wonder and deeper presence.
Don’t try all of this at once! Choose one that feels right for you.
Escaping the DMN
Don’t become angry at the prison you’ve built for yourself. It was meant to protect you and help you navigate this complex life. In the myth, Daedalus crafted wings made of feathers and wax so he and his son could escape the Labyrinth. He warned not to fly too close to the sun or the sea.
Unfortunately, Icarus flew too close to the sun, melting the wax, causing him to plummet into the sea.
This illustrates the need for caution and balance when rising above your own mental constructs.
That’s why I recommend embarking on this level of introspection and change with the help of a licensed professional.
Conclusion
The foundation of every therapeutic practice is modulating, disrupting, or getting through the DMN—also known as the ego. By doing so, we can:
- Connect with our authentic selves
- Experience life more fully
- Move beyond the limitations imposed by an overactive ego
We can move past self-obsessed thoughts, inflexibility, paralysis by analysis, decision fatigue, overthinking, paranoid thinking, catastrophizing, perfectionism, reassurance seeking, emotional detachment, and tunnel vision.
By stepping into this journey with patience and care, you can transcend the limitations of your mind and live a more present and joyful life.
Psycheverse:
“I warn every individual among you not to value himself unduly, but to cultivate sobriety of judgment.”
—Romans 12:3, Weymouth New Testament