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What is limbic system impairment?
Limbic system impairment is characterised by a maladaptive stress response that’s based on the theory that the brain is continuously incorrectly responding to perceived dangers, stressors and threats. Examples of these threats can be psychological trauma, a viral or bacterial infection, a physical injury, toxicity such as mould and many other types of acute trauma or ongoing stress that cause the brain to ‘misfire’ and incorrectly respond to stress. This in turn can have a direct negative impact on many systems of the brain and body andcause a wide variety of unwanted symptoms.
The stress response can also still be happening even once the threat has been removed and is no longer present because the brain can get ‘stuck’ in this negative feedback loop. Limbic system brain retraining programmes such as Dynamic Neural Retraining System otherwise known as DNRS use neuroplasticity to correct this maladaptive stress response and in turn help to reduce the symptoms it may cause.
What does the DNRS programme involve?
Back in early 2020 when I first purchased DNRS it was only available to buy on DVD but now the programme has been updated and is available to purchase online. I recently repurchased DNRS so I could try out this newer more up to date version! Before you actually start the brain retraining part of the programme there is 12 hours of video content to watch. These informative videos consist of:
the science of neuroplasticity, limbic system function and how chronic symptoms are related to brain function
how to bring awareness to unconscious trauma patterns associated with a maladapted stress response
how your thoughts, emotions and behaviours can work in your favour to alter brain function and help build healthier neural patterns
the DNRS five pillars of recovery, including the tools necessary to successfully implement all aspects of the program
targeted desensitisation and visualisation techniques, which include using your imagination, speech, and small movements, which help release the natural hormones that regulate nervous system function, and reverse the unconscious, maladapted stress response
I know this may sound like a lot of work and perhaps could seem quite overwhelming so I really recommend taking it at your own pace. You could set a specific amount of time aside each day to commit to the videos; for example, if you chose to do just 15 minutes a day (which is what I did) then it will take you a couple of months to work your way through or you could do an hour a day and get through it in a couple of weeks or even dedicate two full days and power right through! There is no right or wrong way just figure out what works best for you, your schedule, lifestyle and current abilities.
How does the DNRS programme actually work?
Once you have completed the videos, it’s time to start brain retraining! The programme uses a combination of the following different modalities to retrain the limbic system part of the brain:
Behavioural therapy
Mindfulness-based cognitive restructuring
Emotional restructuring techniques
Neuro-linguistic programming
Incremental training (a form of neural shaping)
Focused attention, attention distraction and cognitive reappraisal
Emotional distancing and emotional regulation
Why did I chose the DNRS programme?
The reason I chose DNRS over other popular brain retraining programmes is because DNRS is designed for people with conditions like Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), Electro-Hypersensitivity (EHS) and Food Sensitivities in mind and these are the conditions I wanted to work on at the time.
After all, these are also the conditions that the creator of DNRS, Annie Hopper was suffering from when she decided to develop the programme to help herself heal (which she did successfully). I also found that whilst I was researching the various programmes, DNRS seemed to appear the most and had a significant amount of positive reviews when it came to the specific conditions I was looking to improve.
DNRS is not only used to treat these conditions though; it’s also used to treat a wide variety of other illnesses with just as much success. I definitely recommend checking out the DNRS website here to see what other conditions it can help with and read the overwhelmingly positive stories of success!
My experience using DNRS for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
When I arrived at the brain retraining part of the programme I chose to focus on using it specifically for multiple chemical sensitivities. You’re asked to choose an item to begin with which you know provokes a reaction and symptoms; I chose nail varnish.
I can’t remember the brain retraining steps exactly or how long I retrained on nail varnish for as it was so long ago, it could have been anyway from a day to a few days, but I do know it wasn’t long! Before I knew it, I was no longer having a reaction and developing symptoms when I was exposed to inhaling nail varnish.
I WAS SHOCKED! I had read all of the amazing reviews from other people but it can be hard to believe it works until it happens for you. Even to this day, I can still tolerate nail varnish without having a reaction and developing any symptoms! So I know that this programme works for me and it isn’t a ‘quick fix’, the benefits really lasts.
The more I learn, the more this makes sense to me. The best way I can describe it, is that the immune system is sensing 'danger' and is incorrectly triggering an immune response when exposed to certain things such as scents or chemicals. The immune system is controlled by the autonomic nervous system so by working on altering, calming and healing the autonomic nervous system you are also helping the immune system and less likely to incorrectly respond to items that are not actually dangerous. It’s about getting the immune system off high alert and calming it now.
Not long after I began DNRS, the pandemic arrived which meant that I was no longer being exposed to any chemicals because my home is completely toxin, chemical and scent free. I also wasn’t leaving the house or mixing with other people who use scented chemicals which meant I wasn’t having any of my usual reactions or symptoms triggered by chemicals. At this point in time, I decided to take a break from DNRS as healing Multiple Chemical Sensitivities was no longer my priority when it came to improving my health and focus on other things. However, I am planning on restarting the programme in due course to continue with my recovery from MCS!
Due to my positive experience with DNRS I highly recommend it for anyone with multiple chemical sensitivities. I can’t personally recommend it for other conditions because I haven’t tried it for anything else yet but there are other testimonials on the DNRS website for other conditions, so definitely check them out, here!
Extra Information
DNRS is often described as having a ‘bootcamp’ like approach which I’ve heard from some people that they find it 'too rigid’ but honestly I don’t mind the style of the programme at all, it works quite well with my personality so it’s definitely about finding the right brain retraining programme that you feel most aligned with and works best for you.
Also Annie Hopper, the creator, insists that you must practice one hour of brain retraining per day for it to work but from my experience, even if you are only able to practice for 15 minutes per day it’s better than nothing and you can still gain benefits from doing DNRS. My doctors and practitioners also agree with this as they emphasise the importance of making sure you aren’t pushing yourself too much as that in itself could have a negative impact on your health, which is the opposite of what we are trying to achieve here!
One of the things I really love about DNRS is the community Facebook group. It’s an extremely positive group full of informative, kind and supportive people! I’ve found it super encouraging to use alongside the programme and you can even find people to partner up with to become ‘brain retraining buddies’ which I think is a lovely idea!
I personally haven’t worked with a DNRS coach but I know that it is recommended if possible as it can be incredibly helpful to have one to one guidance and support throughout the programme. A coach can help you with sooooo many things including continuous motivation, if you’re feeling ‘stuck’ in anyway, helping you to find the blocks to your healing, helping you overcome them and so much more!
If you would like to read more about DNRS before, during or after starting the programme then Annie Hopper has also written a book called ‘Wired For Healing’ which you can purchase here via my Amazon shop. You can also find all of other my Amazon recommendations here.
Lastly, I highly recommend reading some of the incredible success stories which on the DNRS website which you can find right here. It’s a world of hope, healing and happiness on there!
Click HERE to sign up for the DNRS programme.
*All links are affiliated which means if you do decide to go ahead with purchasing the programme or the book at any point, if you use my links then I will earn a small commission which helps with the running costs of keeping my email newsletter and website going, so it’s much appreciated.
I have been getting so many questions about my experiences with limbic system brain retraining since I talked about it in my email newsletter, so I hope this answers all your questions! And of course, as always, I hope it’s helpful!
Lots of love, bye for now, Emma x
P.S I'll also be sharing my experience with the gupta programme at some point!
P.P.S If you know anyone who suffers from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities then please share this blog post with them, you never know how much it could help them!
