Last week, I wrote my first draft blog post about a term that I have learned called Automaticity.
I wanted to write about Automaticity because I knew that I was expereincing a huge increase in it, and that it was automaticity that was allowing me to do much more than my “previous normal” would allow.
I had titled the post from the week before “I did it!” because I was so amazed that I had been able to do so much and knew it was because my brain was changing and allowing what I previously could not get done in a given time period.
Here’s the current entry from Wikipedia, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automaticity)
Automaticity /ˌɔːtəməˈtɪsɨti/ is the ability to do things without occupying the mind with the low-level details required, allowing it to become an automatic response pattern or habit. It is usually the result of learning, repetition, and practice.
Examples of automaticity are common activities such as walking, speaking, bicycle-riding, assembly-line work, and driving a car (see Highway hypnosis). After an activity is sufficiently practiced, it is possible to focus the mind on other activities or thoughts while undertaking an automatized activity (for example, holding a conversation or planning a speech while driving a car).
Early last week, I tried to write a post describing automaticity I was experiencing and how I knew that what I was experiencing with my brain was different, faster and more exciting.
I tried to talk about it and its relation to procedural memory (which has been an issue for me following my brain injury).
I lost a lot of my procedural memory when I had my brain injury. Procedural memory is memory about how one does things.
I found these concepts really difficult to explain. And I had a hard time explaining why getting automaticity back is so exciting.
So I saved my draft post and thought I would come back to it this weekend.
Then this weekend, I got sick. Its cold here and I wasn’t even sure what I had. Was it strep throat? My throat hurt. But no temperature. I had difficulty sleeping because my throat hurt. I had headaches.
And I generally felt a bit under the weather.
In Texas, when its cold out, its much colder than on the East Coast. We are not used to it. Our house is a little drafty too.
So I assessed how I felt.
And I decided to gave my brain a rest.
Its good to give it a rest when I don’t feel well.
And, I realized it was hard to write enthusiastically about how my brain is changing when I didn’t feel all that well!
So here is my first post introducing the word automaticity. The spell check keeps wanting to change it for me.
More on automaticity, procedural memory and hopefully something about neuroplasticity and the relationship to it!
When I feel better.
