Imagine this situation: You recently started a healthy diet of low carbohydrates. One afternoon as you pass through a busy street, on your way home, the tantalising aroma of freshly baked cakes is in the air. Before you know it you have stumbled into the cake shop.
You know fully well that succumbing to this temptation would upset your new food restrictions, yet the cravings overpower your self-control, and you give in.
A guilt over breaking a resolution consumes you and your mind is caught in an internal conflict.
“This conflict is known as cognitive dissonance, a mental conflict that occurs when your beliefs clash with your actions,” explains Dr Manu Anand, consultant psychiatrist at Arca Healthcare, Mangaluru.
According to Angela B. Chrysler, psychological coach and founder of The Healing Garden, USA, conflict can arise due to a misalignment of the various components that make up our identity. “This can occur when one of our five elements- ethics, beliefs, actions (behaviour), voice (words) and perspective are misaligned,” she says.
Neural explanation of conflict
Dr Anand says that identifying a single cause of cognitive dissonance is difficult. However, when we receive external information, it undergoes a sequential processing loop. From the auditory area to the working memory in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DPC) and eventually to long-term memory. “A disruption in this loop can cause cognitive dissonance,” he says.
Research has shown that the brain’s medial frontal cortex (MPFC) is crucial in cognitive dissonance. This brain region controls negative emotions stemming from aversive situations such as fear, shame or anger. The neuroimaging study explains that when individuals lie to others (action), despite knowing it is wrong (belief), the MPFC is activated. Additional investigations reveal the involvement of other brain areas, like the insula and the DPC. Insula is responsible for processing emotions and becomes highly activated when people experience anger or distress.
Cognitive control is closely linked with DPC ; it enables thought regulation and behaviours. Researchers have tried disrupting the activity of DPC (using electrodes). They found that it reduces the ability to justify beliefs when faced with cognitive dissonance.
Dr Anand concurs with the study. “Brain regions responsible for cognition such as the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hypothalamus and frontal brain get involved in the dissonance,” he says.
Spotting the conflict signs
Dr Anand clarifies that cognitive dissonance is not necessarily bad so long as the issue resolves by itself.
But how can we identify the stage when it becomes problematic?
According to Chrysler, negative and distressing emotions are early indicators of dissonance. She further suggests that feelings of unease, emotional pain, sudden bursts of anger and inexplicable tears might be the unmistakable signals to watch out for.
According to Dr Anand if the cognitive conflict persists, it can lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety by restlessness, palpitations, irritability and disrupted sleep.
He gives an example of cleanliness-related obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Individuals with OCD may experience dissonance, for example, when they know their hands are clean, yet they feel their hands are contaminated. As a result, they succumb to the compulsion and act upon the conflicting belief by excessively washing their hands to sanitise them.
As the obsession intensifies, more and more time is devoted to resolving the conflict. “This excessive time spent hampers their social and occupational functioning, affecting their ability to focus on work, personal life or professional responsibilities,” he says.
Chrysler further adds that the effects of cognitive dissonance can vary depending on the intensity of the conflicting beliefs. It can range from mild discomfort to intense emotional pain. In severe cases, the distress can lead to long-lasting effects. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), certain personality disorders, mental health conditions, and addictions. This prolonged suffering and emotional discomfort can persist for decades when left unaddressed.
Additionally, individuals may experience symptoms such as migraines, body aches, indigestion, and gastrointestinal issues. These can manifest in response to the ongoing internal conflict. “Gaping feelings of loneliness, pining and feelings of incompleteness also occur,” she says.
How to prevent dissonance
Studies indicate that cognitive dissonance is not inherent. Which means, individuals experience it when they hold contradictory beliefs and are aware of the inconsistency between the two. Addressing and resolving cognitive dissonance can be crucial in preventing poor decision-making and can motivate one to make better choices.
Chrysler suggests that the key to correcting cognitive dissonance is in cultivating awareness of the five elements that shape our identity: ethics, beliefs, actions, words, and perspective. By consciously examining and aligning these aspects, we can effectively tackle and resolve the dissonance in our thoughts and behaviours.
According to Dr Anand, cognitive therapy can be a helpful approach to resolving cognitive dissonance. “In cognitive therapy or cognitive behaviour therapy, individuals are taught effective ways to analyse their thoughts, particularly those that are maladaptive or unhelpful,” he says.
He gives an example: If something negative happens in a person’s life, they may start thinking that they are inherently flawed or that nothing good will ever happen to them. These distorted thought patterns contribute to cognitive dissonance.
“In cognitive therapy, the focus is on addressing and challenging these maladaptive cognitions. The goal is to target and alleviate such thoughts, and help an individual overcome cognitive dissonance and its negative effects,” he says.
CBT as a solution
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an established and effective treatment for neuropsychiatric conditions. It is used in treating major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and OCD. Many studies have shown that CBT can target maladaptive thoughts and behaviours. It can also improve the functioning and connections of specific brain regions. It also promotes change by addressing inflexible and conflicting views and physiological and social experiences.
Chrysler emphasises that to prevent cognitive dissonance, it is crucial to understand how it arises. “This knowledge can help to control actions and voice to defend beliefs and perspective with boundaries,” she says.
