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Welcome to the April 2006 issue of the Inner Brat Newsletter. Welcome, new readers. If you enjoy this newsletter, please forward it to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. All they need to do is to send a blank email message to innerbrat-subscribe@topica.com. If you have comments or questions, feel free to email me at drwallin@drwallin.com.
	IN THIS ISSUE • Spontaneous? or impulsive? • Inner brats in the news • Dr. Wallin in the media • Inner brat tip of the month: Curb your impulses • Distribution information
• SPONTANEOUS? OR IMPULSIVE? •
Last week the New York Times published an article titled, "Living on Impulse," by Benedict Carey. This article caught my eye, because impulse is what drives the inner brat. The inner brat wants what it wants when it wants it, and doesn't care who or what is destroyed in the process. Acting on impulse is not necessarily bad. The New York Times article describes the difference between people who are merely spontaneous or adventurous, and those whose impulsivity is destructive or gets them into trouble. Here's the difference: • Spontaneous people are generally flexible and like to do things on the spur of the moment. These are the folks who change their weekend plans at the last minute; who suddenly decide one day to cut their long hair short; or who go to the store intending to buy bread and milk, and come out with a cart full of items. Spontaneous actions such as these can make life interesting. Although the consequences may sometimes be unexpected, they are not hurtful or destructive. • On the other hand, impulsive people are those who take spontaneity to the extreme. They are ruled by their inner brats. They act without thinking and buy stuff they can't afford. They get into arguments and physical fights, and do other things that they later regret. Impulsive people have more trouble overcoming addictions. They have more problems focusing their attention. They are more likely to get into trouble, and have more problems in relationships. Impulsive people take risks. But so do those who are merely spontaneous, adventurous or curious. The difference between the two groups, according to research psychologist Janine Flory, is that impulsive people are not good at "applying the brakes." Once they start, it's hard to stop.     Scientists have linked impulsivity with the prefrontal cortex of the brain. When it's working well, this brain area helps with judgment, planning and inhibiting unacceptable behavior. But when it's not working well, there is lack of judgment, lack of planning and lack of inhibition. Does this sound like a teenager that you know? That's probably because the prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until well past adolescence. Many teens are wild and reckless, but they usually settle down in their 20s, when the prefrontal cortex is finally hooked up properly. However, some people never settle down. Their impulsive behavior continues throughout their lives. You might be thinking: "So if I have a strong inner brat, it's a brain problem. It's not my fault, and there's nothing I can do about it, right?" Not quite... As much as you think that you have little control over your behavior, consider this scenario: Let's say you always drive too fast, way over the speed limit. "It's my nature," you might say. Then let's assume you have a serious car accident. After you recover, you are less likely to speed. What has changed? Not your brain - it's the same one that you blamed for your fast driving before. But now you are more aware. You put more effort into being careful. Maybe cautiousness does not come as easy for you as it does for other people. But it is possible. In the same way, regardless of how impulsive you are, you can learn to control your behavior. See the Inner Brat tip later in this newsletter for details.
Need a speaker for your next conference, luncheon meeting, or event? Send an email to: drwallin@drwallin.com or call me at 717-761-1814 for more information. In my book, "Taming Your Inner Brat: A Guide to Transforming Self-defeating Behavior," there is a whole chapter on impulsivity. Learn more about how to curb yours. There are 3 ways to buy this book: ~Visit your local bookstore ~Order online from my web site: www.innerbrat.com ~Click here to go to Amazon.com
• INNER BRATS IN THE NEWS • A woman sued Taco Bell for second-degree burns she suffered when she spilled hot breadstick sauce on her leg. She claimed that she should have been warned that the sauce was very hot and that it could fall out of the box container. A woman was sentenced to 13 months in prison for beating her 15-year-old daughter and chaining her to a bed for 17 hours without food or water. The girl's misdeed? - she stole from the woman's marijuana stash. A man who, while driving drunk, ran into a police car and killed the officer. A jury found him not guilty of murder and manslaughter, but they did convict him of drunken driving. The man sued the police department, claiming that the officer whom he killed had been driving recklessly. For more stories about brats in the news visit my website.
Dr. Wallin in the media I'm quoted in this week's US Weekly Magazine. In the past few weeks I also appeared on WHP News 21 in Harrisburg, PA, and was quoted in the Harrisburg Patriot-News. Also, my book, Taming Your Inner Brat: A Guide for Transforming Self-defeating Behavior has been translated into Indonesian. The cover is very different from the bright yellow one that is sold in the US, and I can't read a word of the text inside. But my name is on it, so I'm not complaining. The book is now available in 4 different languages. Indonesian Chinese Japanese English (Buy it!)
• Inner Brat Tip of the Month: Curb your impulses • It's not always easy to stop and think before you act. Some people are naturally more cautious than others. If you're not one of those people, and if you often find yourself regretting what you said or did, here are some tips: 1. Count to 10. No - better yet, count to 100. That will give you time to calm yourself down enough to think more logically. Do you really need that drink, or that donut, or that expensive bracelet? 2. Distract yourself with something to do for 15 minutes - preferably something that leaves you physically tired. This will help drain the tension from your mind and your body, and in turn calm the impulsive urge. 3. Imagine the consequences of your words or actions. Could you live with these potential consequences for the rest of your life? Before you answer, consider that there will probably also be consequences that you didn't anticipate. 4. Sleep on it. Have a personal rule to wait 24 hours before making a major decision such as quitting your job, getting married, getting divorced, buying a house or investing money.
Until next month, Pauline Wallin, Ph.D. www.innerbrat.com Copyright 2006
• Distribution Information • This newsletter may be quoted, reprinted, or forwarded to others as long as the content is not changed and the subscription, copyright, and contact information is included. If you would like to post this newsletter on a website, please contact me for permission at drwallin@drwallin.com. NOTE: The content in this newsletter is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for personal consultation with a professional, or as any type of psychological service. The inner brat is NOT a psychiatric diagnosis. If you are having difficulty just getting through the day, this is more than just your inner brat. In this case you are advised to consult a mental health professional. This newsletter is hosted by Topica.com. Topica may include advertisements for unrelated products. I have no control over these ads, but they do help pay for the expenses of distribution, which keeps the newsletter free of cost to you. Copyright 2006 Pauline Wallin. All rights reserved.