The Mind on Autopilot
Default Mode Network, Suffering, and Perception
Last week in But Thinking Makes it So, we explored how perception shapes our experience. Often, the meaning we assign to an event, more than the event itself, determines whether we judge it good or bad.
This week, we will build on this idea: What if some of our perceptions aren’t even conscious? What if much of our experience isn’t shaped by deliberate attention, but rather our brain’s default setting?
In his insightful book Thinking, Fast and Slow, psychologist Daniel Kahneman describes two systems of thought:
System 1—fast, automatic, subconscious intuitions (think heuristics)
System 2—slower, deliberate, and effortful (think complex problems).
While this may be a great framework for the task-oriented mind, what many don’t realize is that when we’re not engaged with something specific, our minds default to something else entirely: Self-referential thought. Rumination. Narrative. Emotional states.
This is the domain of the Default Mode Network (DMN).
The Autopilot within
While studying brain activity during focused tasks, neuroscientists noticed something unexpected: certain regions quieted down. It wasn’t until years later that they realized what was happening when the brain was “at rest.”
When we are not focused on a task, our minds don’t go silent; they turn inward.
This inward activity is governed by what we now call the Default Mode Network (DMN), a collection of brain regions that become active when we daydream, relive the past, imagine the future, or reflect on ourselves in the present. In many ways, the DMN is responsible for what we experience as the “self,” our internal narrator, our story.
But it’s also where things can go wrong.
The DMN is heavily implicated in depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic stress12. When it overfires, it traps us in loops of self-referential thought:
“Why did I say that?”
“What if this happens?”
“I can’t believe I’m still dealing with this.”
These aren’t conscious choices. They’re neural habits. They’re the brain on autopilot.
Conclusion
When Shakespeare wrote that “thinking makes it so,” he was tapping into something that neuroscience is only beginning to understand. Our suffering is often shaped not by what is, but by what the DMN does with it after the fact.
Next time, we’ll talk about how to quiet that voice and why meditation may be the most powerful tool we have.
Reflection
Throughout the week, notice:
Where does your mind go?
Where do you notice your mind’s default loops most – What ifs, future worries, self-judgment?
Disclaimer:
This newsletter is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen
Buckner, R. L., Andrews-Hanna, J. R., & Schacter, D. L. (2008). The Brain's Default Mode Network: Anatomy, Function, and Relevance to Disease. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1124(1), 1-38.
Daniels, J. K., et al. (2010). Default mode network abnormalities in posttraumatic stress disorder: A resting-state fMRI study. Psychological Medicine, 40(11), 1883-1891.