Chapter 5: The Automatic Algorithms Shaping Thoughts, Emotions & Behaviors

The Thought, Feeling, Behavior Triangle, conceptualized by Aaron Beck, creator of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Part II: Mind Machines – Integrating Psychiatry & Cognitive Algorithms

Chapter 5: Automatic Algorithms governing Thoughts, Emotions & Behaviors

• Automatic thoughts as default scripts

• CBT as reprogramming logic loops

• Survival, security, belonging as needs-based logic trees

Chapter 6: Subconscious Drives, Self Deceptions & Maslow's Needs

• Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD as logic errors

• Goal-setting for healing: restoring hierarchy of needs

• Freud’s subconscious needs vs. Maslow’s conscious ones

  
  

Chapter 7: The Maslow Protocol at Scale

• Reframing human progress through Maslow’s hierarchy

• Dramatic progress as an emergent property of partially self actualized components of our Multi-Conscious Organism utilizing the Scientific Method Algorithm

• Recent setbacks due to tribal divisions leading to multitudes of Multi-Conscious Organisms fighting each other rather than working together

• A shared purpose - Systemic improvements to make life fulfilling and fun.

  
  

Chapter 8: Automated Healing

• Survival → Security → Belonging → Esteem → Actualization → Transcendence

• Automation to meet bottom tiers

• Behavioral therapy at scale

• The future of therapy: AI-assisted CBT, DBT, and Behavioral Therapies

• Educating people on AI-assisted Psychodynamic Therapy as a way to explore Subconscious Biases, Defense Mechanisms & Self Deceptions/Hidden Elephants

• Exploring Maslowian Inspired Motivation Enhancement Therapy to help people end maladaptive patterns and take productive steps towards esteem, love and belonging.

A Manual for Your Mind - Part I

Buckle up, because you’ve just cracked open the user guide to the most chaotic, brilliant, and occasionally unhinged piece of machinery you’ll ever own: your brain. This isn’t some sterile instruction manual written by a neuroscientist in a lab coat. Think of it as the irreverent, slightly wild notebook of a coder who’s been hacking their own mind for years — equal parts wisdom, chaos, and hard-earned truths. Your brain isn’t a wise sage sipping tea on a mountaintop. It’s more like a hyperactive squirrel with a Wi-Fi connection, a to-do list it ignores, and a knack for turning minor inconveniences into Oscar-worthy dramas.

Let’s get real: your mind is a mess of contradictions. One minute, it’s signing you up for a 5 a.m. spin class like you’re suddenly an Olympian. The next, it’s spiraling because someone left you on “read” for three minutes. But here’s the kicker — you’re not just the passenger in this circus. You’re the ringmaster, the coder, and the cleanup crew. This chapter is your crash course in understanding the operating systems running your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors — and how to tweak them when they start glitching.

Why You’re Both the Hero and the Hacker

Your brain isn’t one tidy program. It’s a chaotic mashup of ancient survival instincts, half-baked updates from your teenage years, and a few rogue apps you didn’t even know you installed. Picture a tech startup where a caveman, a moody poet, and a TikTok influencer are all fighting over the same keyboard. One part of you screams when a moth flaps too close. Another part schedules meetings you’ll “definitely” cancel. And somewhere deep inside, there’s a narrator turning every awkward moment into a Netflix docuseries titled “Why You’ll Never Be Enough.”

To navigate this madness, you need to know your brain’s modes — not just your moods, but the core psychological systems that run the show. These are the invisible scripts dictating how you react, feel, and think, often without you even noticing. We’ll start with the three big ones: your Behavioral Algorithms (the reflex machine), Emotion Algorithms (the feels factory), and Cognitive Algorithms (the inner critic who never shuts up). These are your autopilot systems — great for keeping you alive 10,000 years ago, not so great for handling a passive-aggressive email from your boss. Later, we’ll dig into the deeper code: your identity, your purpose, and why you can’t stop checking X at 2 a.m.

Behavioral Algorithms: The Reflex Machine

(Or: Why You Jump When Someone Says “We Need to Talk”)

Let’s start in the basement of your brain — a dimly lit, creaky room where a lizard in a hard hat is frantically flipping switches. This is your Reflex Machine, the behavioral autopilot built to keep you alive, not to win at life. It’s the reason you yank your hand off a hot pan, flinch when your phone pings with a calendar reminder, or feel a full-body cringe when you smell that one cologne from high school. Your amygdala — the brain’s panic button — doesn’t care about nuance. It’s all about survival.

Some reflexes are hardwired from birth, like a baby clutching your finger or your heart racing when you hear a loud bang. Others are learned through repetition, like freezing when your manager says your name in that tone or compulsively checking your phone when you’re bored. These aren’t just habits; they’re your brain’s attempt to keep you safe, even if “safe” means refreshing your inbox 47 times an hour for no reason.

Second-Order Effects: The Habit Trap

Here’s where it gets messy. These reflexes don’t just react — they learn. If you avoid a tough conversation once and feel relief, your brain goes, “Sweet, let’s make avoidance a lifestyle.” Over time, these loops can spiral into habits that feel unbreakable, like procrastinating on big projects or doomscrolling X when you’re stressed. Worse, they can ripple outward, affecting your relationships (ever ghosted someone because texting felt too hard?) or your career (hello, missed deadlines). Your Reflex Machine doesn’t care about your five-year plan — it’s just trying to dodge the saber-toothed tiger it thinks is hiding in your inbox.

Example: The Coffee Shop Flinch

Picture this: you’re in line at a coffee shop, and the barista snaps, “Can you hurry up?” Your Reflex Machine kicks in — heart pounds, palms sweat, you mumble an apology and fumble your order. Later, you realize you didn’t even want oat milk. That flinch wasn’t just a moment; it’s a reflex built from years of dodging conflict, maybe from a critical parent or a high school bully. Now, every sharp tone feels like a personal attack. That’s your Reflex Machine overcorrecting, and it’s why you need to debug it.

Conditioning: Your Inner Lab Rat

Your brain is basically a furry little scientist running experiments on you. Classical conditioning (think Pavlov’s drooling dogs) pairs a trigger with a response. Bell rings, food arrives, saliva flows. Eventually, just the bell makes you drool. In modern life, swap “bell” for “phone notification” and “food” for “dopamine hit.” That’s why your heart races when your phone buzzes, even if it’s just a spam email about car warranties.

Operant conditioning is sneakier. Do something, get a reward, and your brain says, “Ooh, let’s do that again.” Post a witty tweet, get 50 likes, and suddenly you’re refreshing X like it’s your job. The flip side? Punishment or no reward can kill a behavior. Ignore a text, feel awkward, and now you avoid texting altogether. These loops explain why you keep checking your fridge even though you know it’s empty.

Therapy That Works: Behavioral Rewrites

Behavioral therapy is like debugging your brain’s code. You don’t need to “feel ready” to change — you just need a better loop. Here’s your toolkit:

1. Identify the Cue-Behavior-Reward Loop

   • Cue: Feeling stressed about a deadline.

   • Behavior: Binge-watching a show.

   • Reward: Temporary escape from anxiety.

   • Map it out. Knowing the loop is half the battle.

     
     

2. Replace the Behavior

   
   

   You can’t just stop a habit — your brain hates voids. Swap it for something incompatible with the old behavior. Stressed? Instead of Netflix, try a five-minute walk, a quick journal dump, or blasting your favorite song and dancing like nobody’s watching. The key: make it easy and rewarding.

   
   

3. Reinforce Like You’re Training a Puppy

   
   

   Small wins deserve big celebrations. Finish a task? Treat yourself to a fancy coffee or a quick scroll through funny X posts. Your brain loves rewards, so bribe it shamelessly.

   
   

Best For:

• Breaking habits like nail-biting or procrastination

• Tackling addictions (from social media to stress-eating)

• Overcoming phobias or avoidance spirals

• Any “why do I keep doing this” moment

  
  

Emotion Algorithms: The Feels Factory

(Or: Why a Side-Eye Can Derail Your Entire Day)

Welcome to the drama department, aka your limbic system, where emotions are churned out faster than a reality TV show pumps out plot twists. This is your Emotion Engine, and it’s not here to ask questions. It’s here to flood your body with chemicals like cortisol (stress juice) or adrenaline (panic fuel) because it thinks your coworker’s snarky comment is as dangerous as a bear in your cubicle.

Your Emotion Engine doesn’t care that you’re in 2025, not the Stone Age. It sees an unread Slack message and screams, “LION!” It feels a stranger’s glare and whispers, “You’re not safe.” And when your crush doesn’t text back, it cranks the dial to “full existential meltdown.” These reactions aren’t logical — they’re chemical, fast, and sloppy.

Second-Order Effects: Emotional Echo Chambers

Here’s the tricky part: your emotions don’t just react; they shape your reality. If you shut down every time someone raises their voice, your brain starts expecting conflict everywhere. That’s how you end up in an anxiety loop, where every email feels like a trap, or a joy loop, where a good day makes everything seem brighter. These loops don’t just affect you — they ripple into your relationships. Snap at your partner because you’re stressed? Now they’re on edge, and suddenly you’re both trapped in a feedback loop of grumpiness. Your Emotion Engine isn’t just running your day — it’s scripting your life.

Example: The Meeting Meltdown

Imagine you’re in a team meeting, and your boss gives you a vague “we’ll discuss this later.” Your Emotion Engine goes haywire: heart races, stomach drops, and suddenly you’re replaying every mistake you’ve ever made. That’s not just a moment — it’s a pattern. Maybe it started with a teacher who always singled you out, or a parent who never explained their disappointment. Now, every ambiguous comment feels like a guillotine. That’s your Emotion Engine overreacting, and it’s time to take back the controls.

The DBT Revolution: Emotional Jiu-Jitsu

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is like emotional martial arts for people whose feelings hit like a tsunami. It’s a blend of Zen mindfulness and practical hacks, designed for anyone who’s ever felt like their emotions are driving the car while they’re tied up in the trunk.

The Four DBT Superpowers:

1. Mindfulness (The Pause Button)

   Label your emotions like you’re naming a moody houseplant: “This is Anxiety, not Doom.” Then ground yourself with the 5-4-3-2-1 trick: name five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, one you taste. It’s like hitting reset on your brain’s panic mode.

   
   

2. Emotion Regulation (The Volume Knob)

   Check your HALT status: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired? Fix the basics first — eat a snack, take a nap, call a friend. Then try opposite action: feel like hiding? Text someone instead. Want to yell? Whisper a joke. Your brain will hate it, then love it.

   
   

3. Interpersonal Effectiveness (The Boundary Boss)

   Use the DEAR MAN script to communicate without starting a war: Describe the situation, Express your feelings, Assert your needs, Reinforce the benefit, stay Mindful, Appear confident, Negotiate if needed. Example: “I’m feeling overwhelmed with work. Can we prioritize one project? It’ll help me deliver my best.” Boom — boundaries without burning bridges.

   
   

4. Distress Tolerance (The Panic Kit)

   Build a mental first-aid kit: a playlist of songs that calm you, a meme folder that makes you laugh, a cold water bottle to sip (or splash on your face), or a note to yourself that says, “You’ve survived every bad day so far.” When the feels hit, you’re ready.

   
   

Best For:

• Overwhelming emotions or mood swings

• Navigating messy relationships

• Coping with trauma triggers

• Anyone who feels like their heart is always in the driver’s seat

Cognitive Algorithms: The Inner Critic

(Or: Why Your Brain Turns Traffic Into an Existential Crisis)

Meet the voice in your head that narrates your life like it’s a gloomy indie film. This is your Cognitive Algorithm, the part of your brain that spins stories faster than a tabloid. Forgot to reply to an email? “You’re a failure.” Someone didn’t smile back? “They hate you.” This is the land of Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) — those pesky, irrational beliefs that crawl into your mind and multiply like roaches.

Your Cognitive Algorithm isn’t just a critic; it’s a storyteller. It takes neutral events (a friend cancels plans) and weaves them into catastrophes (“I’m unlovable”). These stories aren’t random — they’re built from old scripts: a harsh teacher, a breakup, or even a cultural message that you’re “not enough” unless you’re hustling 24/7.

Second-Order Effects: The Reality Warp

ANTs don’t just mess with your mood — they distort your world. If you believe “I’m bad at public speaking,” you’ll avoid presentations, miss opportunities, and reinforce the belief. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where your thoughts shape your actions, which shape your reality. It’s not just you — these distortions can strain friendships (ever assumed someone was mad and pulled away?) or derail careers (hello, imposter syndrome). Your brain’s stories aren’t just thoughts; they’re blueprints for your life.

Example: The Texting Trap

You send a text to a friend: “Wanna grab coffee?” They don’t reply for an hour, and your Cognitive Algorithm kicks in: “They’re ignoring me. They don’t like me anymore. I’m a burden.” By the time they respond (“Sorry, was in a meeting!”), you’ve already written a mental novel about your doomed friendship. That’s your ANTs at work, and they’re stealing your peace.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Mental Fact-Checking

CBT is like hiring a lawyer to cross-examine your brain’s nonsense. It catches your ANTs, challenges them, and rewrites the script. Here’s the three-step reboot:

1. Catch the ANT

   Spot the thought: “They didn’t reply, so they hate me.” Write it down or say it out loud. Calling it out weakens its grip.

   
   

2. Challenge It Like a Lawyer

   Ask: What’s the evidence for this? Would you say this to a friend? What’s another explanation? Chances are, your friend’s phone is dead, not their feelings for you.

   
   

3. Reframe It Realistically

   Swap the ANT for a balanced thought: “They didn’t reply yet. They’re probably busy, like I am sometimes.” Bonus: Test it with a behavioral experiment. Send another text or ask them in person. Spoiler: the world won’t end.

4. 
   

Best For:

• Anxiety spirals and overthinking

• Catastrophizing (turning small problems into disasters)

• Imposter syndrome or self-doubt

• The 3 a.m. mental rerun of your most embarrassing moments

What’s Next: The Deeper Code

If the above are your brain’s autopilot systems, the next chapters dive into the hidden code running beneath them — and the big questions that shape who you are.

Subconscious Modifiers: The Invisible Strategist

This is the shadowy part of your brain you didn’t program. Think inherited beliefs (“money is evil”), trauma scripts (“don’t trust anyone”), or defense mechanisms you call “just my personality.” Therapies like Internal Family Systems (IFS) let you meet these inner parts — the scared kid, the angry protector — and rewrite their code. It’s like therapy for the ghosts in your machine.

Maslowian Needs: The Tribal Code

Once your basic needs (food, safety) are met, your brain chases love, belonging, and esteem. For thousands of years, being kicked out of the tribe meant death — slower and scarier than a lion’s jaws. Today, that fear drives us to fit in, even if it means toxic habits like people-pleasing or joining sketchy online groups. When these needs go unmet, the fallout can be dark: cults, violence, or just endless scrolling to feel “seen.” The fix? Find healthy ways to belong — a book club, a hobby group, or a cause that lights you up.

The Actualization Algorithm: The Meaning-Maker

When your tribal needs are met, your brain starts asking, “What’s it all for?” This is your self-actualization engine firing up — your inner artist, philosopher, or dreamer. It’s where you turn pain into purpose, like writing a novel from your heartbreak or starting a business from a crazy idea. This is where you stop surviving and start thriving, lifting others up as you go. It’s the code that makes you, well, you.

Too Long, Didn’t Repress: The Cheat Sheet

Processes	Description	Therapy	Personal Changes	Social Changes (Future Chapters)
Automatic Behavioral Algorithms	Reflexes, habits, addictions, behavioral loops	Behavioral Therapy	Replace triggers, reinforce new habits, start small	Social Planning, Increasing Access to Mental Health Care, Tuning Welfare Systems to Lead to Lasting Changes
Automatic Emotional Algorithms	Emotions on autoplay	DBT	Use mindfulness, emotion regulation, and crisis skills	Increasing cultural knowledge of effective DBT skills versus counterproductive ones, Expanding Mental Health and Group Therapy
Automatic Cognitive Algorithms	Thought patterns & inner critic, false negative beliefs	CBT	Catch, challenge, and reframe automatic thoughts	Increasing cultural knowledge of automatic negative thoughts beliefs. Expanding Access to Mental Health Care. Social Planning
Subconscious Algorithmic Modifiers	Subconscious drives, self deception, defense mechanisms	IFS, Psycho-dynamic	Explore old patterns and integrate shadow parts	Increasing Psychodynamic Training Programs and Expanding Access to Psychotherapy, Revamp fines, jail & other punitive measures.
Conscious Tribal Algorithms	A sense of belonging	Humanistic, Maslowian	Identify unmet needs and maladaptve patterns, set realistic plans to work on these needs, build better narratives, learn to identify and reject judgment, tribal thinking	Automate away processes that frequently contribute to stress (tax preparation, insurance hoops, childcare, bank fines, simplify the regulatory framework, move the DMV and similar organizations online, improve public transport) in order to minimize cognitive waste & friction, Expand community centers, Expand access to nature, Improve culture cohesion, Identify and address maladaptive paths that lead to school shootings and assassinations.
Self Actualization Algorithms	Purpose & meaning	High Order Existential, Spiritual	Help others meet their needs, Minimize Cognitive Waste and Friction both in others and in yourself	Actively work towards a post-scarcity utopia, experiment with different ways to make the public active stakeholders and beneficiaries of improved efficiencies such as universal basic income, enable centrally planned corporate cities with alternate systems only as long as full transparency and public access is guaranteed

Final Thought: You’re Not Broken, Just Running Old Code

Your brain isn’t a glitchy mess — it’s a masterpiece of evolution, doing its best with outdated software. Now you’ve got the tools to debug it: interrupt bad habits, tame wild emotions, and rewrite the stories holding you back. So the next time your brain spirals into “everything is doomed” mode, take a breath. Ask: “Which system is running this circus?” Then grab your toolkit, maybe pet a dog, and remind yourself: you were built to adapt. And you’re already rewriting the script.