Susan first heard about Amen Clinics when one of her children benefited from their services. At that time, she was very impressed with the success of the targeted treatment plan, but she had no idea she’d eventually seek Amen Clinics services for herself.
Several years later, a traumatic event triggered a deep emotional shift for Susan. “I was numb for several weeks, but then started sinking into a deep depression,” Susan explained. It was much more than a case of the blues. The depressive state was compounded by other symptoms that were making her day-to-day life unbearable.
When Everyday Life Becomes Unbearable
Susan was only able to sleep for about two hours each night, had virtually lost her short-term memory, and was struggling with long-term memory. She even lost her sense of direction. “All I wanted to do was stay in bed all day with my door locked,” Susan said. “I had to take a leave of absence from work and was just doing the minimum to care for my children.”
In the midst of this frightening time, Susan remembered Amen Clinics and made an appointment. Her Amen Clinics psychiatrist recommended specific anti-depressants, but also strongly recommended the Amen Clinics’ Full Evaluation protocol, including brain
SPECT imaging.
SPECT Imaging Reveals The Truth Behind Susan’s Struggle
The medication did help some, but Susan decided to follow up with the Full Evaluation. She wondered if the brain SPECT scan might reveal any additional clues about her symptoms. The neuroimaging provided a remarkable insight. “My SPECT scan showed a high degree of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” Susan said. Both anxiety and depressive states were cycling repeatedly, and her brain couldn’t shift out of that pattern.
With that new information, Susan’s Amen Clinics psychiatrist had a much clearer understanding of her brain’s needs. He explained that Dr. Amen’s research has shown there are actually seven types of anxiety and depression, with each requiring unique treatment strategies. In fact, for some of the types, common anti-depressant medications are not effective.
Susan’s psychiatrist knew of an alternative treatment that had been helpful for her particular anxiety-depression pattern. “He recommended Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a supplement to the anti-depressants,” Susan said. TMS uses large magnets to train neuro-circuits to function appropriately. It acts upon neuro-circuits somewhat like certain medications, but without side effects. Susan “hoped and prayed” that this alternative
therapy would work.
It did. Within the first week of treatment, Susan felt some improvement. During the next two weeks, her memory came back, she started sleeping better, and she felt hopeful for the first time. “At the end of my course of treatment, my memory was better than ever,” Susan said. Her sense of direction returned, and she felt comfortable taking care of her children and completing day-to-day tasks. “I was able to return to work, and I felt positive about my situation and my future.”
Today, Susan enthusiastically refers friends and family. Since her experience, she has recommended Amen Clinics to dozens of people. “Everyone has been very pleased with the life-changing care that they have received.”
Innovative approaches to treating anxiety and depression can yield transformative results. Brain SPECT scans often reveal factors that cannot be fully addressed by medication alone. It’s time to open the door to a bright and hopeful future! For information on scheduling an appointment please visit us
online or speak to one our skilled professionals by calling 888-288-9834.
