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Anxiety. Depression. Loneliness. Fear. Stress.

As Americans are being asked to self-isolate during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s taking a devastating toll on our mental health. At Amen Clinics, we are seeing skyrocketing numbers of people seeking help for anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and other issues.

Some patients who have been enhancing their brain health and successfully treating their psychiatric conditions for years are seeing old demons flare up again. And people who have generally enjoyed good psychological health are experiencing angst they have never faced before and are looking for solutions.

Our clinics remain open and will continue to do so to serve our patients. But how can you get the help you need if you’re concerned about leaving your home? Telehealth and video therapy sessions allow you to connect with one of our expertly trained board-certified physicians and functional medicine specialists from the comfort of your own home.

How Amen Clinics Mental Telehealth & Video Therapy Can Help You Now

Easy introduction to brain health/mental healthcare.

If you’ve been reluctant to seek treatment, this is one of the easiest ways to give it a chance. And it’s one of the most comfortable for you. You can be in your coziest chair with a mug of your favorite tea and your dog or cat on your lap to make you feel more at ease. At Amen Clinics, we are seeing many new patients via video conference to help them deal with their fears and anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic.

No need to leave home.

With telehealth and video therapy, you can still meet with your Amen Clinics psychiatrist or functional medicine specialist in the comfort of your own home. We have many patients whose kids are staying home from school now, so they aren’t able to get away to visit the clinic. They are so grateful to be able to connect on a video conference call so they can still keep an eye on the kids.

Privacy.

Our society still stigmatizes people with mental health issues, which prevents far too many people from seeking the help they need. With telehealth, you have complete privacy. It’s just you and your healthcare professional.

Time saver.

We would all love to have more time. With video therapy sessions, there’s no commute, no need to find a parking spot, and no time spent in waiting rooms.

Greater access.

People who live in rural areas or who would have to travel for an appointment can have access to world-class psychiatric care and functional medicine specialists. Research shows this can be particularly helpful for children with ADD/ADHD who live in rural areas and wouldn’t normally have access to care.

Treatment check-ups.

Being able to check in with your psychiatrist allows you both to discuss the effectiveness of your treatment plan and make adjustments if necessary. This can be critically important during anxious or stressful times when people may be more tempted to fall back into old habits that are bad for brain health and mental wellbeing. I recently had a follow-up session with a patient this week who was worried about traveling to the clinic. We were able to make some adjustments to her treatment plan online, and she emailed me a few days later to say she was already feeling better.

Alleviate fears and anxiety about coronavirus.

Anxiety levels are through the roof right now and being able to have a therapy session from home is proving to be a real comfort for people who are struggling with the fears and stress surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Although our psychiatric clinics are open and we are doing everything possible to reduce the risk of exposure for patients and staff, you may still have concerns. We are finding that this is especially common among patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders. With digital meetings, these fears are virtually eliminated.

See your psychiatrist even if you are ill.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for the virus, or if you have a common cold or flu bug, you may be even more scared. You can still get the mental health help you need without exposing others to these viral infections. Research shows that acute upper respiratory infections, such as the cold or flu, can be destabilizing for people with mood disorders, so it is even more important to seek help when you’re under the weather.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other mental health issues, you aren’t alone—45% of Americans say the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their mental health. Just because you’re sheltering at home doesn’t mean you have to wait for the pandemic to be over before seeking help. In fact, during these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting to get treatment is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Are you one of those people who compulsively wash your hands, won’t touch doorknobs, and refuses to shake hands with people. These are common symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and if you’ve been diagnosed with this condition you may feel like you typically overreact to a fear of germs or contamination.

But with the coronavirus (now called COVID-19), which the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC have now classified as a pandemic, your compulsive hand-washing may be a good thing! This may actually be a time when being obsessed with avoiding germs is beneficial for your health and may protect you from contracting the virus.

However, as anyone with OCD knows, that likely won’t soothe your obsessive worries. In fact, with the COVID-19 outbreak, you may be overwhelmed with anxious thoughts about the virus.

Facing COVID-19 When You Have OCD

People with OCD often have intrusive recurring thoughts that include fears of getting sick or of harm coming to a family member or loved one. With a global epidemic looming large, it can exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety. And those compulsive behaviors that interfere with your everyday life can become even more time-consuming and more disruptive.

They may keep you from getting to work on time, or from going to work at all. They may cause you to cancel social engagements and to avoid any crowded areas, effectively leading to social isolation and increased feelings of panic.

5 Don’ts for Managing OCD During an Epidemic

1. Don’t go down the rabbit hole.

You may be tempted to watch the news 24/7 for the latest updates on COVID-19, or you may feel compelled to scour the internet for every bit of information you can find on the virus, but this will only ratchet up your anxiety. Limit your exposure to news about the virus to no more than 5 minutes a day, preferably in the morning. It’s best not to watch disturbing news at night right before going to bed because this can interfere with restful sleep. And not getting enough sleep can depress your immune system and make you more vulnerable to the illness.

2. Don’t overdo it on the CDC guidelines.

The CDC offers specific recommendations to protect yourself from the virus. For example, it advises that you wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This doesn’t mean you should wash your hands twice as long a hundred times a day. If you’re rubbing your skin raw and leaving it chafed, you’re actually increasing susceptibility by creating ways for the virus to infect your body.

3. Don’t isolate yourself.

Avoiding large crowds, shaking hands, and close contact with anyone who is sick is recommended. However, going into voluntary self-quarantine is likely to ramp up anxious thoughts and worries. Even if you need to work from home or keep your kids home from school, lean on your support network to help you deal with it. Make it a point to reach out to friends and family to talk about your concerns.

4. Don’t get stuck.

Be aware of obsessive worries that start looping in your head and tell yourself to “stop!” Understand that having OCD is associated with too much activity in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG). Looping worries are a sign that your ACG has gotten stuck. There are ways to get unstuck. For example, write down the fearful thought and ask yourself if it is true. It is also very helpful to distract yourself by singing a song you love, reciting a prayer, or play with your dog or cat to take your mind off the worrisome thought.

5. Don’t feed your fears with sugar.

When anxious thoughts hit, you may experience cravings for simple carbohydrates that will give you an immediate boost of the “don’t worry, be happy” neurotransmitter serotonin. But the temporary mood boost from candy, cookies, and cake will lead to a crash that increases feelings of anxiety, which causes even more cravings. Instead, focus on smart “feel better fast” foods, such as eating complex carbs—think sweet potatoes—which offer a more slow-release, sustained rise in serotonin without the crash.

It’s one of the most gut-wrenching, horrifying, heartbreaking things you’ll ever see. The Netflix docuseries, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez,” chronicles the 2013 brutal torture and murder of the 8-year-old boy at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend.

The series details how the young boy was routinely beaten, forced to eat kitty litter, and shot in the face with a BB gun. Gabriel’s mother, Pearl, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, also repeatedly locked him a cabinet, pepper-sprayed him, burned him with cigarettes, called him “gay,” and performed other unconscionable acts. In the series, one of the first responders who arrived on the scene after Pearl called 911 on May 22, 2013, to report that her son had stopped breathing said it was the worst case of abuse she had ever seen.

It makes you wonder, how could anyone inflict such abuse on an innocent child?

Spoiler alert: The remainder of this article reveals information from later episodes of the docuseries.

A Dangerous Cycle of Abuse

In one of the episodes, viewers learn about Pearl’s turbulent background and discover that she herself had been a victim of abuse at a young age. She was beaten by her mother, gang-raped, and subjected to an attempted rape by one of her uncles. Pearl started using drugs (methamphetamine and crack cocaine) and drinking alcohol at a very young age, which likely altered her brain function.

Drug and alcohol abuse early in life interferes with brain development and a process called myelination. During this important maturation process that typically isn’t completed until a person’s mid-20s, a protective sheath coats neurons to help speed communication within the brain. It starts at the back of the brain and works its way forward. The prefrontal cortex (involved in judgment, empathy, decision-making, and impulse control), which is located behind the forehead, is the last area to gain this protective coating. When this process is disrupted, it can lead to lifelong dysfunction, poor decision-making, impulsivity, and a lack of empathy.

In fact, the series shows that according to a neurocognitive evaluation by a clinical psychologist, scans of Pearl’s brain showed abnormalities in the right frontal and parietal lobes. The evaluation also indicated that Pearl had a low IQ and no education beyond the 8th grade. In addition, she had been diagnosed with a litany of mental health disorders, including depression, eating disorders, developmental disability, PTSD, and possible personality disorder.

None of this excuses what she did to her sweet child, but it brings to light the fact that it is common for childhood abuse to repeat from one generation to the next.

Can this cycle be stopped?

Breaking the Cycle of Abuse

What brain imaging and clinical psychiatric practice have shown us is that there is hope for putting an end to this destructive cycle. Here are 3 important steps in the process.

1. Acknowledge childhood trauma.

If you remember the pain and trauma from the past, it can help you break it for future generations. If, however, you repress it, you are more likely to repeat it.

2. Seek treatment.

Some forms of psychotherapy, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can be very helpful to eliminate or decrease the pain from past traumas (see www.emdria.org to find a therapist near you). Addressing other mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, or PTSD, can help improve the overall quality of life and the ability to have healthy relationships.

3. Focus on brain health.

Because childhood trauma can get stuck in the brain’s emotional centers and prevent the brain from processing information normally, it is of the utmost importance to enhance overall brain function with a healthy diet, daily exercise, abstinence from alcohol and drugs, and other lifestyle strategies. Brain imaging studies show that you can change your brain and change your life, which in turn, will change the lives of your children and their grandchildren.

It’s impossible to know if Gabriel’s death could have been avoided if Pearl had sought treatment for her own abusive childhood and mental health problems and if she had adopted brain healthy habits. However, this tragic story should be a wake-up call for all of us to try to heal the traumas of the past that continue to haunt us today and that have a negative effect on our relationships with our children.

At Amen Clinics, we take a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating our patients. We perform sophisticated brain imaging to detect underlying brain dysfunction that may be affecting your quality of life and the ability to be an effective parent. We also perform lab work (when needed) and do an extensive assessment of your personal history to identify biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that may be contributing to your symptoms. This allows our physicians to create a targeted treatment plan for your individual needs.

If you want to join the tens of thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health, overcome their symptoms, and improved their quality of life at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

In the 4-part Hulu docu-series “Hillary,” former President Bill Clinton says that the affair he had with then-intern Monica Lewinsky was a way of “managing my anxieties.” Evidently, his stress-management strategy backfired and caused him a lot more anxiety considering the scandal eventually led to a grand jury investigation and his impeachment in 1998.

Clinton isn’t the only American to turn to unhealthy ways to deal with anxiety. Every day, millions of people self-soothe or self-medicate by taking drugs (whether they’re illegal, prescription, or over the counter), drinking excessively, overeating, engaging in compulsive spending, binge-watching TV shows, smoking, guzzling caffeine, or (like Clinton) having extramarital affairs.

There are better ways to cope with stress, pressure, and anxiety!

Here are 10 brain healthy ways to calm your nerves and soothe your soul:

1. Meditate or pray

Decades of research have shown that meditation and prayer can calm stress and anxiety. Loving Kindness Meditation, in which you repeat words like “May I be safe and secure, may I be healthy and strong, may I be happy and purposeful, may I be at peace” can develop feelings of goodwill and warmth.

2. Use self-hypnosis

Using self-hypnosis can quickly decrease the stress-induced fight-or-flight response and can lower anxiety. One simple technique involved focusing on a spot, taking slow and deep breaths, relaxing your muscles, envisioning yourself riding down an escalator, enjoying a feeling of tranquility when you reach the bottom of that escalator, then imagining yourself riding back up the escalator and opening your eyes. It should leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed.

3. Practice diaphragmatic breathing

Every time you take a breath, it brings oxygen to your blood cells. When you exhale, your body releases waste products, such as carbon dioxide. When there’s too much carbon dioxide in your system, it can cause stressful feelings of anxiety, disorientation, and panic attacks. Breathing deeply from your diaphragm calms the brain’s basal ganglia, the area that controls anxiety. Whenever you’re feeling anxious or stressed, take 5 deep breaths, taking twice as long to exhale to settle.

4. Consider calming supplements

There is strong scientific evidence for several nutritional supplements that can support a sense of calm and relaxation.

Gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid that has a calming effect on people who struggle with anxiety or stressful thoughts.
Magnesium glycinate or citrate helps activate GABA receptors in the brain, which can help calm the brain and reduce anxious thoughts.
Vitamin B6 is important for the production of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin and calming neurotransmitter GABA.
L-theanine is an amino acid uniquely found in green tea. It crosses the blood-brain barrier and can increase dopamine. It also increases GABA and serotonin, so it tends to have a balancing effect on the brain. It helps with focus as well as mental and physical stress.

5. Eat anti-anxiety foods

Focus on foods that promote calm and relaxation, including:

GABA-rich foods (broccoli, walnuts, lentils, bananas, beef liver, brown rice, halibut, gluten-free whole oats, oranges, rice brain, spinach)
Magnesium-rich foods (pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, Swiss chard, sesame seeds, beet greens, summer squash, quinoa, black beans, cashews)
Omega-3-rich foods (flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, sardines, shrimp, walnut oil, chia seeds, avocados, avocado oil)
Probiotic-rich foods (brined vegetables, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, miso soup, pickles, spirulina, chlorella, kombucha tea)

6. Kill the ANTs

Learn to challenge the automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) that pop into your head and make you feel anxious, nervous, and stressed. Every time you have an anxious thought, write it down and ask yourself if it is true.

7. Create an anxiety rescue playlist

Music can soothe you when you’re stressed or under a lot of pressure. Create a playlist or try Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” or Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.”

8. Check hormone levels

Hormonal imbalances can mimic symptoms of anxiety and nervousness. Have your healthcare provider check your thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels to see if they are out of whack and optimize them if necessary.

9. Try HRV training

A 2014 study in Frontiers in Psychiatry shows that anxiety is linked to low levels of heart rate variability (HRV), the time interval between heartbeats. You can biohack your way to a healthier HRV with biofeedback apps to help you deal more effectively with stress.

10. Limit caffeine, alcohol, and sugar

These substances may temporarily mask feelings of anxiety and stress, but they actually worsen anxiety and lower the body’s ability to respond to stress. Limit or eliminate them completely from your diet.

At Amen Clinics, we take a unique brain-body approach to diagnosis and treatment that includes brain SPECT imaging, as well as laboratory testing to check physical health, and other important factors that could be contributing to symptoms. By getting to the root cause of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and panic attacks, we can create a more effective, personalized treatment plan for you. We believe in using the least toxic, most effective solutions for anxiety and other mental health problems.

Everybody worries from time to time, but some people seem to have a Ph.D. in worrying. Are you one of them? Do you spend your days (and nights) ruminating over every little thing you might have done wrong or that might go wrong in the future? Worried about the germs on every surface you touch? Worried that you should have changed that one PowerPoint slide on that big project at work? Worried that your child might get sick? Or even worse, worried that you might in some way put your child in harm’s way?

Ruminating about things you can’t control or fixating on fears of what might happen isn’t healthy. But is it normal? When worrying becomes chronic and intrusive thoughts become distressing, it can be a sign of a mental health condition that is often underrecognized and undertreated—obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Why OCD is So Misunderstood

Many people know that OCD can involve repetitive rituals, such as excessive hand washing, checking and re-checking that the door is locked, or extreme cleaning. What people don’t understand is that these compulsions are typically a way for people to deal with unwanted thoughts and worries that loop in the brain. And you don’t have to have physical rituals to have OCD. Some people with the condition develop mental rituals—such as praying, counting, or saying words silently to oneself—to cope with their worries.

If you’re one of the 1 in 40 adults affected by OCD or if your child is one of the 1 in 200 kids who have it, you may have repetitive thoughts and worries about:

Germs
Contamination
Disease
Fear of making mistakes
Fear of making the wrong decision
Forbidden sexuality
Harming someone
Losing control
Religion
A need for symmetry
A need for things to be “perfect”
Superstitions or fears about “bad” numbers or colors

These unwanted worries can trigger distressing feelings of anxiety or disgust. People with OCD often make a great effort to suppress or resist these intrusive thoughts and worries, but the more a person tries to control them, the more powerful they become.

Why OCD is One of the Most Misdiagnosed Conditions

Many mental health conditions can be misdiagnosed, but OCD is one of the most likely to be mistaken for other conditions because it involves so many overlapping symptoms. In fact, a 2015 study among primary care physicians found that half of OCD cases were misdiagnosed. And other research on the diagnosis and management of OCD reported that it takes an average of 11 years to receive treatment after meeting the diagnostic criteria for OCD.

OCD can be misdiagnosed as:

ADD/ADHD: People with ADD/ADHD tend to struggle focus and attention and often don’t complete tasks. People with OCD may also have trouble finishing projects, but it’s due to a need for everything to be perfect, and if things aren’t just right they don’t complete it.

Anxiety: Like people with OCD, those with anxiety may be filled with anxious thoughts and worries. The difference is that people with anxiety tend to worry about real-life concerns while those with OCD may have irrational thoughts and worries.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): People with autism may display repetitive behaviors, which can mimic some of the ritualistic patterns seen in people with OCD.

Mood disorders: In depression, people have many negative thought patterns that are also common in those with OCD.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): People with PTSD often make an effort to avoid places that bring up memories of traumatic events, while those with OCD may use avoidance to minimize the risk of triggering unwanted worries.

Psychosis or schizophrenia: These disorders are characterized by delusions. People with OCD may have irrational fears that can be mistaken for delusions. The difference is that people with OCD typically recognize that their worries are unfounded but are unable to control them, whereas those with psychosis or schizophrenia believe their delusions.

Tourette syndrome: Involuntary vocal or motor tics are the hallmarks of this condition. Some of the repetitive rituals common in people with OCD may be mistaken for Tourette.

How Chronic Worrying Plays Out in the Brain

Brain imaging studies show that the chronic worrying associated with OCD isn’t a mental health problem, but rather a brain health issue. Brain scans using SPECT imaging technology reveal abnormalities in the brains of people with OCD. In particular, SPECT scans show increased blood flow in two regions of the brain—the basal ganglia and anterior cingulate gyrus.

Basal ganglia: This region helps set the body’s anxiety level and is involved in forming habits. When there is too much activity in the basal ganglia, it is associated with increased anxiety and heightened fear.

Anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG): This area is involved in allowing people to shift attention from subject to subject. When the ACG is overactive, people tend to get “stuck” on the same thought or behavior.

Low serotonin: Low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin are often seen in people with an overactive ACG and in people with OCD.

Getting Unstuck from Your Worries

You can overcome chronic worrying and OCD. It starts by calming the areas of the brain that are overactive. To see some strategies you can use, read this blog on 5 simple things you can do if you have OCD.

At Amen Clinics, we take a whole-body approach to helping people overcome symptoms of chronic worrying and OCD. We perform comprehensive evaluations that include brain SPECT imaging to make an accurate diagnosis so you can get the right treatment plan for your needs. We believe in using the least toxic, most effective solutions, including helpful forms of therapy, nutritional supplements, and lifestyle changes, as well as medications when necessary.

The novel coronavirus—now being called COVID-19—has already killed 3,200 people (mostly in China) and has infected over 94,000 people worldwide. In the U.S. at least 11 people have died from the virus and about 130 have been infected. In the wake of the rising numbers, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and several other U.S. cities have declared a health emergency.

Sounds terrifying, right?

Everyone is looking for ways to reduce their risk of developing COVID-19, but with all the hand-wringing about the outbreak, there’s one thing the media is neglecting. Did you know that having a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety, weakens the immune system, decreases your ability to fight off illnesses and makes you more vulnerable to common colds, flu, and other viruses?

The connection between psychological well-being and physical health is real and experts call it “psychoneuroimmunology.” What are the mechanisms behind it? Research shows that depression ramps up the production of proinflammatory cytokines while compromising immune response. Anxiety and stress can trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response, which increases cortisol levels and alters immune system responses. And other mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, have long been associated with immune system dysfunction.

Seeking treatment for mental health issues is a critical step in shoring up the immune system. Here are 10 additional recommendations to strengthen your body’s ability to fend off viruses.

10 Ways to Boost Immunity

1. Hydrate your brain and body.

Staying adequately hydrated is critical for fending off viruses. Water oxygenates your brain and body so they can function at optimal levels. When your cells are operating at full capacity, they are better able to perform their primary functions. And when your brain is well-hydrated it helps you handle stress more effectively and allows you to make better decisions to help minimize your exposure to illness. For proper hydration, drink half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weight 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water a day.

2. Skip or limit the booze.

Excessive drinking disrupts immune pathways and, according to a 2015 review of alcohol and the immune system, increases susceptibility to pneumonia and other illnesses. Chronic alcohol abuse also reduces the number of virus-fighting T-cells in the body, which lowers your ability to keep illnesses at bay. And a study in the journal Alcohol found that a single episode of binge drinking significantly disrupts the immune system.

3. Make sleep a priority.

Mom was right when she told you to get quality rest to avoid getting sick. A 2015 trial in the journal Sleep found that compared to people who sleep more than 7 hours a night, those who get only 6 hours or less of shut-eye are 4 times more likely to catch a cold after being exposed to the virus. Other research shows that chronic sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system. Be sure to seek help for sleep disorders, aim for 7-8 hours a night, and stick to an evening routine that encourages relaxation and restful sleep.

4. Protect your body with probiotics.

A 2014 s tudy shows that probiotics support gut health and boost the immune system, which can help you fight off viruses. Include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, or kimchi in your daily diet for added immunity support.

5. Eat from the rainbow.

Increase your intake of colorful fruits and vegetables. These antioxidant-rich foods have anti-viral properties that act as an army against foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria.

6. Munch on mushrooms.

The unique and diverse compounds in these fungi, not found in other plants, have been found to have immune-enhancing effects.Eat and cook with mushrooms and consider taking them as supplements. Among the most researched therapeutic mushrooms are Lion’s mane, shiitake, reishi, and cordyceps.

7. Go for garlic.

Consuming garlic can increase the number of T-cells—the body’s natural virus fighters—in the bloodstream. Findings from a 2012 study in Clinical Nutrition show that taking aged garlic extract minimizes cold and flu symptoms and shortens the duration of viral illnesses.

8. Pump up vitamin D levels.

Often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is actually a hormone that should be called the “immunity vitamin” thanks to its positive effects on the immune system. A 2009 report analyzed vitamin D levels in American adults and found that over 75% had low levels of this important vitamin. Get your levels checked and optimize them if necessary.

9. Power up with zinc.

This potent nutrient supports the immune system and helps your body defend itself from invading viruses and bacteria. Fuel up on zinc-rich foods like beef, oysters, lamb, asparagus, spinach, and pumpkin seed and consider taking zinc supplements.

10. Get moving.

Doing moderate exercise on a regular basis has been scientifically proven to enhance the immune system and reduce the risk of illness. It appears that even a single workout can give the immune system a boost. Going overboard with highly intense exercise, however, may have a negative effect on your ability to fight off viruses. A healthy approach is to walk fast—like you’re late for an appointment—for at least 30 minutes a day.

TikTok, a fast-growing video-sharing app claims its mission is to “capture and present the world’s creativity, knowledge, and precious life moments.” But that doesn’t accurately describe what’s trending lately on the app—a prank that’s been dubbed the “Skull Breaker Challenge.”

In this potentially lethal game, two people stand on either side of a third person and trick them into jumping up in the air. But as the unsuspecting middle person hops up, the two outside people kick the back of the airborne person’s legs, knocking them on their butt, back, or skull.

A pair of students in Daytona, Florida, who pulled the prank on another student are facing misdemeanor charges of battery and cyberbullying, according to a report by Today.

Parents are being encouraged to talk to their children about the dangers of the prank because it could cause broken bones, neck or back injuries, or concussions. It’s admirable that the media is getting the word out about this trending challenge, but most of the coverages neglect to inform parents about the very real and lasting harm that can come from a head injury in early life.

6 Reasons Why Concussions in Youngsters are So Devastating

Parents may not be aware that the consequences of a head injury at a young age—in childhood or adolescence—can ruin a young person’s life. Here are 6 ways that traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) impact cognitive, psychological, and behavioral health.

1. School problems

Head trauma can impair cognitive function that leads to school problems. Young people with head injuries are more likely to have trouble with attention, problem-solving, planning, and memory. A study in the journal Pediatrics on children ages 6-13 found that those who had suffered TBIs had higher rates of attention lapses and behavior problems as well as lower intelligence ratings. These issues can impact a young person’s ability to succeed in the classroom and beyond, which can have lasting effects on self-es t eem and prevent them from living up to their potential.

2. Mental health disorders

Head injuries are a major cause of mental illness, but few people—even healthcare professionals—know it. A wealth of research has shown that young people who have suffered a head injury are at increased risk of ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, aggression, personality disorders, and psychosis. Sadly, many people never make the connection between a head injury that happened years or decades earlier and symptoms of depression or another psychiatric disorder. This can lead to years of unnecessary suffering.

3. Drug and alcohol addiction

Experiencing head trauma as a youth raises the risk of developing a substance abuse problem. Why? Research on animals has found that head injuries cause changes to synapses and neuronal networks with the brain’s reward system. The reward system’s pathways are still under development in childhood and adolescence, and a 2019 study suggests that TBI in early life disrupts the maturation process of this network. Having an increased vulnerability to addictions can ruin a young person’s life as well as the lives of loved ones.

4. Hormonal imbalances

When a head injury causes the brain to ricochet within the skull, it often damages a vulnerable area called the pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland that plays a major role in hormone production. However, pituitary dysfunction following a TBI is potentially underreported, according to a 2017 study. When hormones are off-balance it can alter the way you think, feel, and behave, causing a variety of symptoms, such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, or brain fog. This all leads to a lower quality of life.

5. Dementia

Most people worry about the immediate consequences of a concussion, but few understand that its devastating effects can also be felt decades later. Research in the Archives of Neurology shows that moderate to severe TBIs in early life have been linked to a twofold to fourfold increase in the risk of dementia later in life.

6. Suicidal thoughts and behavior

One of the most devastating consequences of a TBI is an increased risk of suicide. A 2020 study in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that concussions in youth are associated with a greater chance of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.

Because of the tremendous impact a head injury can have on a young person’s life, it is critical for parents to talk about the dangerous Skull Breaker Challenge and to monitor children’s internet usage appropriately.

At Amen Clinics, we have helped thousands of children and adults with concussions or TBIs to heal their brain and minimize their symptoms. We use a combination of the least toxic, most effective therapies, which may include neurofeedback, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), nutraceuticals, and medications, as well as simple lifestyle changes that can make a big difference.

If you experienced a head injury in your youth, or if your child has suffered head trauma, Amen Clinics can help. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Joel Elston is a Master Life Coach with a private practice in Richmond, VA. Joel is Certified in Hypnotherapy, E.F.T, NLP, Addiction Recovery Coaching, Holistic Nutritional Coaching, Certified Compulsive Gambling Counseling, as well as a graduate of our Brain Health Coaching Certification Course. Joel has been the Director of two residential treatment programs. Joel is the author of “The Bench”, available on Amazon, as well as his new book “The Law of Action” with an anticipated release date of September of 2020.

“When I began my private practice, my focus was on working with addiction clients, particularly, treatment-resistant clients. Many of my presenting clients seemed to have very similar traits, adolescent/young adult, clear signs of ADD/ADHD and significant use of Marijuana/THC products. Many were former athletes and high performers in high school but had lost direction in college. Most had failed out and were metaphorically ‘living in the parent’s basement,’ despite traditional counseling and treatment.”

“I developed a form of cognitive behavior coaching, combined with a solution-focused coaching approach that seemed to work magic. While attempting to build a report, I find areas of interest. I determine what the client’s perceived biggest problem is (relevant or not) and begin creating an action plan based on the client’s input. Once the client feels he/she has been heard, they buy into the program. I’ve had clients who claimed they would NEVER quit smoking pot at first, eventually argue why they should quit, because they realize it is not congruent with the action plan for their life that they created.”

“I became fascinated with Dr. Amen’s methods and admired his willingness to think beyond traditional norms and look at the brain differently. I jumped at the chance to become certified as a brain health coach. I have referred many clients to Dr. Amen’s Clinic in Reston, VA, with great results. The comprehensive psychological provided for each client is impressive and worth the cost alone. The SPECT scans have offered many benefits to the way my clients were medicated and/or supplemented. The unexpected benefit most of my client’s report is that they can see with their own eyes the area of the brain that is not functioning, as well as remedies for their specific brain. This offers hope for what many felt was a hopeless condition, which in turn increases the client’s commitment and effort on the action plan.”

“Amen Clinics physicians acknowledges the importance of nutrition, gut health, exercise, and meditation for my clients, which is often overlooked or dismissed by many mainstream psychiatrists. Amen Clinics is a valued partner for my coaching practice. My future goal is to have each of my clients have SPECT Scans.”

To learn more about our Brain Health Coaching Certification Course visit our course website or contact our course manager at 949-266-3791 or at BHCCC@AmenUniversity.com.

Joel Elston

Life, Health and Addiction Recovery Coaching

https://www.joelelston.com/

By Shane Creado, MD

Everybody knows that a night of tossing and turning can leave you feeling groggy, crabby, and listless. But did you know that chronic sleep deprivation, or even a single restless night, can also negatively impact systemic inflammation and the immune system? Here’s what we know about the link between sleep and these key areas of health and wellness.

How Sleep Affects Inflammation

A wealth of research has shown that sleep loss activates mediators and markers of inflammation and cell damage. Poor sleep has been strongly linked to inflammation throughout the body—including the digestive tract—in inflammatory bowel disease. One study found that sleep-deprived patients with Crohn’s disease were twice as likely to relapse compared with patients who slept well.

Based on the growing scientific evidence, researchers have begun recommending sleep evaluations to help predict outcomes in sufferers of long-term inflammatory issues.

A Surprising Experiment

I recently met with a cricket player named Ashwin, who suffered from “golfer’s elbow” and wrist tendinitis flare-ups every year. This frustrated him because he was diligent about physical therapy, had been screened for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, and was an otherwise healthy guy.

In blood tests, his levels of the inflammatory markers erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were consistently elevated. In general, this can be related to a number of reasons, such as a poor diet, a chronic skin condition, hard training, or competitive sport.

I heard about this frustrating pattern of injury from his teammate and, as a sleep specialist, I was naturally curious about Ashwin’s sleep patterns. We decided to undertake a little experiment.

First, we tracked his sleep over a 2-week period then checked his ESR and CRP levels. During this period, I also discovered he had restless leg syndrome, which can disrupt sleep.

Next, I asked him to extend his sleep for a month, and he averaged about 1.5 hours of additional sleep each night.

Finally, we re-checked his ESR and CRP levels and found that they were lower than they had ever been.

This was great news for Ashwin. It did not mean that his golfer’s elbow and wrist tendinitis would never recur, but perhaps they would recur less frequently and with less severity.

Ashwin is a good example of how improving sleep may help calm chronic inflammation. Research shows that getting good sleep turns off the pro-inflammatory processes that occur in people with poor sleep and insomnia. Because of this, I would recommend that every person with a long-term inflammatory condition needs to be educated about sleep optimization. And clinicians should make sleep education part of the treatment toolbox they use with patients or clients who suffer from inflammatory issues.

How Poor Sleep Can Sabotage the Immune System

Skimping on sleep or suffering from insomnia can weaken the immune system. A study showed conclusively that in healthy adults who were limited to 6 hours of sleep a night for one week, there was a change in their gene activity profile relative to when those same individuals were getting a full 8 hours of sleep a night. A total of 711 genes were distorted in their activity, caused by a lack of sleep. About half of those genes were actually increased in their activity, while the other half were decreased.

The genes that were switched off by a lack of sleep were genes associated with the immune system (which indicated an increased risk of infection). In contrast, those genes whose activity levels were increased by way of a lack of sleep were genes associated with the promotion of tumors, long-term inflammation, stress, and—as a result—cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, dementia, and other conditions directly associated with inflammation.

Even a small loss of sleep has been shown to impair immune function. One large 2-week study monitored the development of the common cold after giving people nasal drops with the virus that causes colds. (I think that was rather sadistic!) They found that those who slept less than 7 hours were almost 3 times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept 8 hours or more.

In a study where participants were restricted to four hours of sleep for a single night, there was a 70% drop in natural killer cell activity. These cells play a critical role in immunity, especially in fighting tumor cells and virally infected cells.

For all of these reasons and especially with the current coronavirus outbreak, it’s more important than ever to encourage patients and clients to make sleep a priority.

About the Author: Shane Creado, MD, Amen Clinics Chicago

Dr. Shane Creado is a board-certified sleep specialist, who works not only on the treatment of sleep disorders but also on perfecting and optimizing sleep. He is the host of the Overcoming Insomnia course, which teaches the best evidence-based strategies to improve sleep. Dr. Creado is also the author of Peak Sleep Performance: The Cutting-Edge Sleep Science That Will Guarantee A Competitive Advantage, available on Amazon.

This book is primarily geared toward coaches, trainers, and elite athletes, but this step-by-step guide to sleep optimization can also be beneficial for anybody who wants to boost their brain health and productivity. For updates about the book, free sleep tips, as well as special offers, follow @peaksleepperformance on Instagram.

Do you love your kids? Do you want them to be happy, healthy, and successful? Of course, you do! Unfortunately, many parents who are trying to do their best inadvertently do things that mess up their children’s lives. Then they wonder why their kids are struggling with mental health issues and aren’t reaching their potential.

Here are 11 ways you might be ruining your kids’ lives.

1. Feed your child the standard American diet (SAD).

The human brain uses 20-30% of the calories you consume. If you feed your child a fast food diet, they’re going to have a fast food mind, which is associated with ADD/ADHD, depression, and dementia later in life. Focus on feeding your child brain-healthy foods so they are able to have optimal brain development and function.

2. Routinely let your kids stay up too late.

Did you know that research shows that teenagers who sleep just one hour less than their peers have overall lower blood flow to their brains and a higher incidence of depression and suicide? Children need much more sleep than most parents realize for optimal brain development and function. For example, the growth hormone actually works more effectively while your child is sleeping. It is essential that you make sleep a priority for your child and stick to a regular sleep schedule.

3. Be a lousy model.

If your motto is, “Do as I say, not as I do,” you are setting yourself up for frustration. If you lie, cheat, are rude or disrespectful, eat unhealthily, and never address your own health, your child is going to pick up what you do. So, model how you want your child to be.

4. Let your child engage in activities that increase the risk of head trauma.

Heading soccer balls, playing tackle football, or even falling off a bike without wearing a helmet can have devastating consequences for your child’s life. Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, substance abuse, school problems, and more. The number of concussions in children is rising. From 2010 to 2015, concussion diagnoses in young people aged 10-19 skyrocketed 71%.

5. Diminish the other parent.

While it can be tempting, it is crucial that you not criticize, put down, or complain about your child’s other parent to your child. This not only undermines the effectiveness of the other parent, but it also decreases your child’s self-esteem. Your child is a product of both parents, and by saying negative things about the other parent, you are really saying negative things about your child as well.

6. Give in to tantrums or other bad behaviors.

By giving in to tantrums, even once, you will teach them what you will tolerate. They will then learn the lesson that misbehaving works to get them what they want. They need to know that they are not able to manipulate you with their behavior.

7. Never get to know your child’s friends.

During adolescence, the most influential people in your teen’s life are the friends they spend the most time with—not you. That is why you want to know the values of the people they are hanging out with. If you are unhappy with what you discover, then get your child involved with the activities of kids who have values that you appreciate.

8. Tell your kids how to think.

One of the best sayings related to parenting is, “Be curious, not furious.” Be a good coach rather than a dictator. If a child is unable to have the freedom to explore different ways of thinking and seeing the world and instead feels micromanaged, they are much more likely to rebel and have a conflicted relationship with you.

9. Praise your child for being smart.

If you do this and they end up failing to learn something (which they likely will at some point in their lives), then they will tell themselves that they really aren’t smart and become more likely to give up. Instead, point out how hard they work and praise their effort. That way, when something in their life is hard, they will persevere and work harder because their self-esteem comes from hard work, not innate smarts.

10. Forget what it’s like to be a child or teen.

Remember what it was like for you when you were a child or a teen. Remember the challenges and struggles you had. This will give you much more empathy for your child. You’ll end up being more helpful to them than if you approach their lives from an adult perspective.

11. Hope they “outgrow” mental health challenges.

Does your child have trouble with focus and attention? Do they feel anxious or depressed? Do they have conduct or behavior problems? Putting your head in the sand and hoping it just goes away can set your child up for a lifetime of struggles. It takes an average of 11 years from the time kids develop mental health symptoms before they get an evaluation. That’s a lot of unnecessary suffering.

At Amen Clinics, we have treated thousands of children and teens for ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, school problems, addictions, head injuries, and more. We use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to diagnose and treat young people. This helps our Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists identify any dysfunction or damage in the brain, as well as any co-existing conditions, that need to be addressed. Based on this information, we are better able to personalize treatment for your child using the least toxic, most effective solutions for a better outcome.

If you want to help your child live their best life, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.