Tensions are high. You’re on edge. Your nerves are frayed. And you’re stuck at home your significant other—all day and all night! Attorneys are expecting a rise in divorce rates due to couple self-isolating, according to media reports.
At Amen Clinics, we’ve been hearing from many couples who are struggling while sheltering in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some of the most common concerns we’re hearing and some strategies to turn this stressful time into one that strengthens your connection.
With the high anxiety that has come with the global pandemic, tempers are running hotter than ever. The human brain is wired for negativity and during this time, you may be noticing every single thing your loved one is doing that irritates you—leaving the toilet seat up, talking too loud on the phone, not being able to make a decision about anything. It can lead to the two of you spewing venomous words at each other.
Try to rewire your brains to notice the good things rather than just the bad things. Make it a priority to look for the positives throughout the day. Start your day by saying, “Today is going to be a great day.” Then every time your partner does something nice—or even just something that isn’t annoying—take notice. Say thank you for washing the dishes after lunch, tell her how good her hair smells after a shower, or tell him how much you appreciate him walking the dog. These little things will help train your brain to seek out the positive.
Even couples who typically get along really well can suffer from too much togetherness. Some people feel like having their significant other around all the time is crowding them. Even if you live in a small apartment, you can still find ways to get a little alone time.
For example, take turns exercising outside (weather permitting). Go for a walk in the neighborhood by yourself and suggest your partner do the same at a different time. The fresh air can stimulate your senses and give you a breather from each other. You can also indulge in some “me” time by taking a bath. And headphones or earplugs can help create artificial space even when you’re sitting right next to each other.
When someone loses their job, it steals a bit of their identity, self-confidence, and self-worth. Your significant other may be wearing their pajamas all day, lying on the couch binge-watching TV shows, and eating chips or ice cream. Meanwhile, you feel like you’re stuck doing everything around the house and might also be trying to work from home to keep at least one income.
Suggest (don’t nag) that you tackle a few household projects together. Maybe you clean out the closets or put together that Ikea bookshelf you bought but never assembled. By presenting these projects as team endeavors you alleviate the idea that you’re criticizing them for being lazy.
Anxiety and negativity are contagious. If both of you are constantly talking about feeling depressed and stressed, you may be creating a downward spiral that causes you both to isolate from each other emotionally.
Schedule some fun time. Make an appointment with each other to do something uplifting every day. Make a silly dance video for TikTok. Play a board game. Teach your dog new tricks. Or schedule time for sex. The idea is to do something enjoyable together that generates positive feelings, triggers the release of feel-good neurohormones, and enhances bonding.
If one or both of you are unable to escape the anxiety and depression you’re feeling, it’s important to seek help. During this time, mental telehealth and video therapy is a great option.
Some couples who have been married for many years and have raised children are discovering that all this togetherness is shining a glaring light on hidden problems in their relationship. In the hustle and bustle of normal everyday life, you may not have noticed that you have drifted apart or that you haven’t been connecting on a meaningful level.
If you’re finding yourself feeling alone even though the two of you are together, it’s time to open up the lines of communication. Before turning on the TV or diving into your social media feed, make it a point to talk to each other. Ask your significant other how they’re feeling or what their biggest concerns are. It can jumpstart the conversation and help you rediscover what you love about each other. If you need help reconnecting, couples therapy can help.
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.
By Zoe Davis, MA, LMHC, MS, CNC
While this is a stressful time for many, it is also an opportunity to practice mindfulness and deep compassion for ourselves and our community. Food choices may be more emotional at this time as people look to food for comfort to lower anxiety and mitigate feelings of a loss of control. I hope some of these ideas for managing stress eating will be helpful to you and will provide their own source of comfort.
When going to get something to eat, simply check in to gauge what your real need is by asking yourself: “Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired?” If you’re hungry, eat some nourishing food. If you’re angry (or stressed or anxious), do something to attend to that emotion, such as journaling, meditation, diaphragmatic breathing, drawing, or coloring (even adults can do this!). If you’re lonely, reach out to a friend or family member, and make regular social engagements a priority (virtually for now). If you’re tired, rest, drink some water, do some mild stretching, or get some fresh air with a walk to replenish your energy. When we create more space between the thought of eating something to soothe our emotions and the actual consumption, we create awareness of our true need and increase the likelihood of doing something to attend to that actual need.
Low blood sugar exacerbates feelings of stress and anxiety. Make sure you’re consuming regular meals that include adequate protein, healthy fat, plenty of vegetables, and some low-sugar fruit. Don’t go too long between meals, especially if you’re prone to feeling anxious or stressed. Your brain and body need nutrients regularly throughout the day, and when we are missing key B vitamins, fiber, minerals (like magnesium), and probiotics, we can feel more amped up and have a harder time relaxing.
Take a few deep breaths before eating and chew your food thoroughly. Eating this way engages the parasympathetic nervous system and allows for better digestion and greater benefit from the foods you eat. This practice also naturally moderates the amount and types of food your body actually needs, drastically reducing the need for willpower.
Now is a great time to focus on the essentials and avoid foods that fill you up but don’t actually nourish you. Try making warm broth-based soups, roasted root vegetables, baked pear or apple with cinnamon, and gluten-free whole grains or pseudo-grains like wild rice, quinoa, and buckwheat as part of your comfort foods instead of white flour-based foods or sugary desserts.
Stimulants—such as refined sugars, too much caffeine, dyes, additives, and artificial sweeteners—can irritate or over-activate the nervous system and exacerbate anxiety, making it more difficult to experience a sense of calm.
If you live with others, take turns cooking and prepare the table where you will eat as a part of the meal to be enjoyed. Light candles, play relaxing music, and have positive conversations as part of the meal. Avoid stressful conversations with meals, and if you live alone, invite friends to a virtual dinner party via computer or phone. You can enjoy each other’s company even when not in the same space.
Consider the work that went into growing or raising your food, the incredible abundance of our planet, and the many people along the way from planting to delivery that work hard every day to keep you nourished. Gratitude keeps us focused on appreciation, which is a boost to our immune system and can significantly lower stress levels.
When we move, we’re more in touch with our physical body and tend to choose healthier food options and drink more water. Additionally, exercise is immensely beneficial for lowering anxiety, improving our immune resistance, reducing stress, and encouraging sound sleep. While much of our lives may be more confined than we would like, we can still move every day. Some ideas include going for brisk walks/hikes in our neighborhood, taking dance classes online, doing weight resistant exercises with an app, or completing a regimen of yoga poses from books or instructional videos.
Try a virtual class online, get out your paintbrushes and paper, do collage, sing, dance, write poetry or stories, learn a language (or re-learn one), play a musical instrument if you have one, sew, knit, or anything else you’d like to try. Creativity is a great way to express yourself and de-stress. When we are creative and feel ourselves expressed, we are using energy in a positive way and tend to feel less restless. Decreasing feelings of restlessness can keep us from eating out of boredom.
Volunteer in any way that is safe for you. Volunteer Match has thousands of opportunities, and you can do many of them virtually, or you can come up with your own way to help in your neighborhood. When we feel a sense of contribution and connection with our community, we tend to feel more in control and more grounded. This feeling is empowering and often leads us to take better care of ourselves (with food, movement, sleep, and more), as we feel more important to those around us.
Try to go to bed at the same time each night and limit foods at least 2 hours prior to sleep. Use blue-light filters on computers, phones, or tablets if you need to use them in the hour prior to bedtime. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep regularly helps to regulate hunger hormones, improve energy, and increase our stress tolerance.
Zoe Davis, MA, LMHC, MS, CNC is a nutrition therapist, integrative health coach, and certified Irlen screener at Amen Clinics, where she has been honored to work with patients over the last four years. Zoe has Master’s degrees in human nutrition and functional medicine, is a licensed mental health counselor, and has a post-graduate certificate in nutritional psychology. This unique combination of education in both nutrition and psychology allows her to use a mind-body approach in a deeply integrated way.
Find out more about Amen Clinics, which offers comprehensive clinical evaluations and remote therapy sessions as well as in-clinic brain scanning, 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.
By Jennifer Love, MD
As time marches on, and we try to adjust to seeing masks on people everywhere we go (will we ever really get used to that?), COVID-isolation is growing. Yesterday at my neighborhood market a shopper was wearing a gas mask, which totally freaked me out since I recently watched Season 3 of The Tunnel on PBS Passport. But that aside, I observed two extremes at the store that day.
First, I noticed an eerie solitude, a somber atmosphere, with people disconnected from faces, from expressions, from smiles. People turned inward, watching the scene in silence, avoiding eye contact. The atmosphere was heavy, anxious, apocalyptic.
Then a woman rode up on her bicycle and started talking to the people in line as she removed her helmet and locked up the bike. I made a place for her in the long line in front of me. Behind her homemade bandana mask was a smile. No one could see it, but it was obvious. What makes her so different from the rest? And how can we learn to be more like her?
As I’ve been caught up in my own COVID-isolation—feeling challenged every day to avoid feeling the impact of not having hugged another human being in a month, keeping myself busy seeing patients, writing, making my environment cozy—I’ve discovered a new type of creative connection. And once I opened myself up to these new COVID-connections, I felt less isolated and less lonely.
***
I’ll admit my first attempt was a little rough around the edges. I read a post online written by a doctor in Michigan about the importance of social distancing before it was really catching on. My office was still open at the time, so I reached out, introduced myself, and thanked him for the info. I communicate with doctors and researchers all the time, but this time this introvert uncharacteristically (and quite frankly nervously) added a postscript: “I requested to follow you on Instagram. I’m not a crazy stalker—it’s my non-professional page I use to connect to non-work things.” (OMG!)
What ensued were a few days of engaging conversation, ranging from COVID safety to jokes about alcohol consumption, to graphs of sleep patterns (his, not mine, but clearly, I had found a fellow nerd). After about a week it petered out; we’re busy doctors after all. But it was my first COVID connection.
***
Soon following were messages from a friend I knew and adored in high school, who is now a traveling hospice nurse in rural Montana, helping people die with love and grace and the support of her kind and gentle spirit, in the comfort of their homes, without a single piece of personal protective equipment. We’ve been discussing her fears, her asthma, her daughters, her vulnerabilities, and I’m trying to remind her of her strengths and resilience. I’m also sending her my emergency N95 mask. She needs it more.
***
My best friend’s brother-in-law is also a physician. His life is overflowing with work and family and responsibilities, but as a sensitive human, he saw through my humor into my isolation and started making me laugh via text. He’s a musician in a band, and I call him Sgt. Pepper. He sends me tracks from his band, and they’re really weird and creative. They are also always appreciated.
***
A woman I’ve known since we were in Brownies together in kindergarten (!) recently moved to Morro Bay with her wife and opened a coffee shop called Skippers Brew. They were just hitting their stride when social distancing started, and soon California was put under “shelter in place” orders. They were scrambling—limiting their hours and taking on side jobs to stay afloat. But instead of thinking only about themselves, they started a campaign for people in their community who suddenly couldn’t afford the luxury of stepping out for a coffee-to-go. Did they ask for donations? You betcha! But not for themselves.
They started a “skip it forward coffee giving campaign” so that when people go online and pay for a drink option, a coupon for that drink is posted on the wall. So all anyone has to do is walk in, take a coupon, and enjoy a latte or cappuccino thanks to the kindness of another human. Even during this time when small businesses are crashing, these women are trying to make it work and supporting their community in the process.
It’s COVID-kindness at its best.
***
Yesterday I was contacted by a stranger online (always sketchy—I mean, look what I said to the Michigan doc!), who had a package of cookies delivered to her door for someone who shares my last name (I use a different name on my private social media accounts). She wanted to know whether I knew this person, so she could have the cookies redirected. She said she kept them on her porch in case she found the rightful recipient, so they could easily be picked up and redirected with minimal handling. I referred her to a second cousin of mine, who lives in this woman’s area. She signed off with, “Thank you so much for answering me, and stay well with your loved ones,” with a little heart emoji. Just a kind stranger from across the country, trying to help a neighbor get her cookies.
***
Two nights this week I stayed up texting until one in the morning with a friend from high school I haven’t seen or heard from since the early ’90s. It was completely random, unexpected, and ended up being quite heart-fulfilling.
***
Are you experiencing COVID-isolation? It certainly isn’t easy. But as my own experience shows, it is possible to connect while sheltering at home. Here are a few strategies that even introverts like me can try:
Go ahead, create some COVID-connections. I’d love to hear about them!
Dr. Jennifer Love is board-certified in psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and addiction medicine, and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Love is an award-winning researcher and international speaker, interested in the interface between cultural and spiritual factors and overall mental health. She is also suboxone certified. Dr. Love’s work focuses on restoring life balance, brain and body health, and helping her patients improve their functionality and satisfaction in life. She considers a wide range of interventions including nutraceuticals, medication, exercise, yoga, psychotherapy, and sleep/relaxation training. Her specialties include mood disorders, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, anger and irritability, behavioral addictions, co-occurring pain, and opioid dependence.
Dr. Love is the co-author of When Crisis Strikes: 5 Steps to Heal Your Brain, Body, and Life from Chronic Stress. Stay up to date by following @dr_author_jennifer_love on Instagram.
If isolation and loneliness are causing you to feel depressed or suicidal, or if it’s causing you to relapse or to think about relapsing, Amen Clinics is here for you. We offer remote clinical evaluations as well as mental telehealth sessions to help you. 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.
Note: If you are suicidal, in the U.S. you can call 9-1-1, or text the word “home” to 741741, or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for support.
During a pandemic, mental hygiene is just as important as washing your hands. In these unprecedented times, the spread of the coronavirus has also led to the spread of unhealthy thinking patterns and an assault on brain function and physiological health.
Disinfecting your thoughts—killing the ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) that steal your happiness—is so important for your overall well-being at this time.
Whenever you find yourself feeling mad, sad, nervous, or out-of-control, write down what you are thinking. Challenging negative thoughts (killing the ANTs) takes away their power and gives YOU control over your thoughts, moods, and behaviors.
Learning how to kill the ANTs and developing an internal ANTeater has been shown in scientific studies to be as effective as antidepressant medications to treat anxiety and depression!
Whenever a negative thought pops into your head, use this wonderful strategy created by my friend Byron Katie and challenge the thought with these 4 questions:
Is it true?
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
How do I react when I think that thought?
Who would I be without that thought? How would I feel?
To help you learn how to talk back to your ANTs, let’s work through 10 of the most common anxious thoughts people are having due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Is it true?
Very unlikely.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
No, the vast majority of people recover from the coronavirus. According to the CDC, the fatality rate by age group is as following:
85 and older (10%-27%)
65-84 years (3%-11%)
55-64 years (1%-3%)
20-54 years (<1%)
19 or younger (no fatalities)
How do I react when I think that thought?
My heart races, my breathing gets shallow, and I feel scared. It makes me think there’s no point in taking care of myself if I’m going to die anyway.
How would I feel without that thought?
Calmer and more empowered to make staying healthy a priority.
Is it true?
You can’t know that.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
Again, the statistics from the CDC show that most people who become infected with the coronavirus recover from the illness. And if you practice social isolation, you reduce the risk of exposing yourself and your family to the virus.
How do I react when I think that thought?
Terrified. I let my children see that I’m panicked and that makes them feel panicky too.
How would I feel without that thought?
I would be a better role model for my children and would be able to focus on what we can do to help them stay healthy.
Is it true?
Maybe.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
Although the stock market is taking a hit, historically it has always rebounded. Even though I’ve been furloughed from work, there are some programs being put in place to prevent evictions and foreclosures at this time.
How do I react when I think that thought?
Useless, helpless, and like a failure. I’m too paralyzed to do anything to improve my situation.
How would I feel without that thought?
I would be able to focus on re-evaluating my financial situation and goals. I would also be better able to concentrate on updating my resume and taking advantage of job programs and financial assistance opportunities that are available.
Is it true?
Yes.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
I have had problems with family members in the past, but that doesn’t mean we are destined to always have problems.
How do I react when I think that thought?
Trapped, victimized, like I’m in the zombie apocalypse and my family are all zombies trying to eat my brain. It makes me want to hide in my room, which makes me feel even more isolated.
How would I feel without that thought?
Massively relieved and freer. I would be more open to trying to find some common ground with my family so we can all help each other get through this trying time.
Is it true?
Yes.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
Well, they aren’t doing their homeschooling, and they are getting on my nerves, but I’m not really going crazy or having a mental breakdown.
How do I react when I think that thought?
I’m worried I might lash out at them, and I feel like I’m the worst parent and worst homeschool teacher ever.
How would I feel without that thought?
I wouldn’t hold myself or my kids to such lofty expectations, and I would forgive them and myself as we try to cope with an unprecedented situation.
Is it true?
No.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
According to the FDA, there are no food shortages. Hoarding just deprives others of getting the food and supplies they need.
How do I react when I think that thought?
Stressed, “us vs. them” mentality, guilty for taking from others.
How would I feel without that thought?
I would feel better about myself, more giving, and more like we’re all in this together.
Is it true?
No.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
Grocery stores are continually restocking fresh produce and other good-for-you foods.
How do I react when I think that thought?
I start craving cookies, cereal, pasta, and all the simple carbohydrates that increase anxiety and depression. It gives me an excuse to load up on ice cream, frozen pizza, and other bad foods.
How would I feel without that thought?
Motivated to seek out foods that fuel my body and brain, that boost immunity, and that enhance moods.
Is it true?
No.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
No. There are so many ways to stay active that don’t require a gym—fast walking in the neighborhood, downloading an exercise app, or watching fitness videos online (like these from nurse and bestselling co-author of The Brain Warrior’s Way, Tana Amen).
How do I react when I think that thought?
I feel like a weak couch potato with zero energy.
How would I feel without that thought?
Stronger and more powerful. I would find creative ways to get active that would help blood flow to my body and brain to boost my moods, increase attention, and help me make better decisions.
Is it true?
Yes.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
No, drinking alcohol might make me feel better in the short-term, but it will make me more anxious in the long-term. There are many other brain healthy ways to calm my anxiety and depression.
How do I react when I think that thought?
Powerless, like a loser, like I can’t cope with my issues without a crutch.
How would I feel without that thought?
I would feel empowered and in control. I would be motivated to seek out more healthy ways to feel better.
Is it true?
Yes.
Can I absolutely know it’s true?
No. I may be in social isolation, but I am still needed by my extended family, circle of friends, and colleagues.
How do I react when I think that thought?
I feel depressed and don’t reach out to anyone, which makes me even more lonely.
How would I feel without that thought?
I would make more of an effort to connect with people, which would make me happier.
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.
The coronavirus, raging wildfires, mass shootings—the world has become an increasingly scary place. You may be filled with anxiety about the latest threat—COVID-19—or wracked by obsessive worries about what might occur in the future. In our modern world, it seems like there is always a threat looming. Can you ever feel safe? You can’t stop what’s happening around the globe, but you can change what’s going on inside your brain to prevent fear from ruling your life.
Given our ancestry, negative thoughts protected us from early death or becoming supper for more powerful animals. From our earliest times on earth, being aware of and avoiding danger was crucial to survival. Unfortunately, even when the world became safer, negativity bias remained in our brains.
Researchers have demonstrated that negative experiences have a greater impact on the brain than positive ones. People pay more attention to negative news than to positive news, which is why news outlets typically lead broadcasts with floods, murders, political disasters, and these days, coronavirus. Studies from the content marketing website Outbrain.com found that the average click-through rate on headlines with negative adjectives was an astounding 63% higher than positive ones.
Negative emotions outweigh positive emotions, which is why it is critical to discipline your natural tendency toward the negative and amplify more helpful thoughts and emotions to help you feel more safe and secure regardless of current events.
We are not controlled by events or people, but rather by the perceptions we take of them. Perception is the way we, as individuals, interpret ourselves and the world around us. The view that you take of a situation has more reality than the actual situation itself. You don’t need to try to change the outside world, but rather to change your inside world.
Take a look at the following A-B-C model:
A is the actual event.
B is how we interpret or perceive the event.
C is how we react to the event.
Other people or events (“A”) can’t make us do anything. It is our interpretation or perception (“B”) that causes our behavior (“C”). Questioning the “B” stuff is so important. It can make the difference between feeling secure and fearing that your life is about to end.
So many external events are out of our control. Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and health threats like the current COVID-19 pandemic can come out of nowhere and have devastating effects. Rather than letting your thoughts spin out of control about what might happen, shift your focus to the things you can do to prevent a problem or react to it if it affects you. With the coronavirus, the CDC and WHO have shared many strategies to protect yourself. Keep those top of mind, and repeatedly tell yourself you’re doing the right things to stay safe.
Staying glued to the TV or scrolling endlessly on news sites on the internet can fill you with fear. Allowing yourself to be constantly inundated with scary headlines can keep you mired in a sense of panic. Research shows that just 14 minutes of negative news has been found to increase both anxious and sad moods. Minimize your exposure by setting time limits for viewing and internet browsing. Stick with about 5 minutes during the day, and skip it at night completely when it is more likely to interfere with your sleep.
Developing the habit of accurate, honest, and disciplined thinking is essential to feeling safe in times of stress. This is not positive thinking, which can actually inhibit feeling better over the long run. In fact, people who live by the philosophy “don’t worry, be happy” die the earliest from accidents and preventable illnesses.
Killing the ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) is one of the best strategies to change your thinking and conquer overwhelming feelings of fear and anxiety as well as obsessive worries. You can learn to eliminate the ANTs and replace them with more helpful thoughts that give you a more accurate, fair assessment of any situation. Simply notice your thoughts when they are negative, write them down, and talk back to them. If you can correct negative thoughts, you take away their power. This skill alone can completely change your life if you embrace and practice it.
As soon as you awaken or your feet hit the floor in the morning, start the day by saying these words out loud. Since your mind is prone to negativity, unless you train and discipline it, it will seek out stress in the upcoming day. When you direct your thoughts to “Today is going to be a great day,” your brain will help you uncover the reasons why it will be so. You have a choice in where you direct your attention, even in times of uncertainty. This simple strategy can make a powerfully positive difference in your life.
Another exercise that has been shown to quickly increase your feelings of well-being is called “What Went Well.” Research has shown that people who did this exercise were happier and less depressed at 1-month and 6-month follow-ups than at the study’s outset. Right before bed, write down 3 things that went well that day, then ask yourself, “Why did this happen?” In a 2017 study, this simple exercise has been found to help people in stressful jobs develop a more positive sense of wellbeing.
If you find yourself overwhelmed by anxiety, and your heart starts racing and you can’t catch your breath, take heart in knowing that you can calm a panic attack. Here is a 4-step prescription to fight panic:
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.
Over 15,000 lives lost. Nearly half a million people infected. Millions of jobs lost. Nearly all of us forced into isolation. As a nation of over 327 million people, we are all feeling the effects and being traumatized. For some of us, it may develop into posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition that affects approximately 3.5% of American adults.
PTSD has been making headlines in recent years as awareness about the condition grows, but there’s another side to trauma that few people know about. In some people, trauma can actually lead to something positive. And during these unprecedented times, it may spark post-pandemic growth.
First, let’s look at the effects of trauma on brain activity. Brain imaging research has shown that PTSD is associated with hyperactivity in the amygdala (the brain’s fear center) and other emotional parts of the brain. It also leads to decreased activity in parts of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is the region involved in impulse control, judgment, empathy, and forethought. This means that people who suffer from trauma can have heightened fear responses (high amygdala activity) and lower self-control (lower PFC activity).
The combination of heightened fear and lowered self-control is a prescription for trouble and often leads people to try to self-medicate. Common forms of self-medication, such as alcohol, opiates, marijuana, or a diet laden with sugar and foods that turn to sugar, can help to calm the amygdala and anxiety in the short run, but they also reduce the activity of the PFC even more, giving someone less control over these behaviors. It all adds up to further trouble, including addictions and obesity.
But it doesn’t have to.
One of the most exciting areas of trauma research is in posttraumatic growth (PTG). The term was coined in the mid-1990s by psychologists Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
They have found that whenever a group of people is traumatized—as we are all currently being traumatized—about 10% will develop PTSD. Considering our current population, this means that following the pandemic, about 30 million people could develop symptoms of PTSD, such as nightmares, flashbacks, or feeling numb. Approximately 80% of people will return to their normal baseline within a few months. Another 10% will actually be stronger than they were before the trauma happened—they will experience post-pandemic growth.
Achieving this type of growth is based on 5 factors that can improve symptoms of distress. The mnemonic SPARK can help you remember them. Here’s a look at how some people are already planting the seeds for post-pandemic growth.
In this current time of coronavirus-fueled trauma, ask yourself what changes you can start making now to spark post-pandemic growth. According to Dr. Tedeschi, as many as 90% of trauma survivors report at least one aspect of posttraumatic growth. Which aspect of your life can you improve?
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.
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. It also plays an essential role in overall brain health, mood, memory, weight, and other important bodily processes.
Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with approximately 200 conditions, including brain health/mental health issues (depression, autism, and psychosis), autoimmune diseases (MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes), as well as heart disease, cancer, and obesity. The link between vitamin D and mental health is strong, and over half of psychiatric inpatients are deficient in vitamin D. Low vitamin D has also been associated with memory problems and dementia.
A growing body of research supports the possible role of vitamin D in protecting against autoimmune diseases, depression, cognitive function, and more. A 2008 study followed 441 overweight and obese adults with depression for one year. The individuals who took vitamin D (20,000 IU or 40,000 IU per week) reported a significant decrease in their symptoms, but those who took a placebo did not see such improvement. In a Swiss study, people who took vitamin D over a month had a significant drop in fatigue.
At Amen Clinics, we test the vitamin D levels of all of our patients, and a staggering number of them have low levels. A report that looked at vitamin D levels for American adults in 1988-1994 compared with 2001-2004 showed that our levels are dropping. The percentage of people with levels of 30 ng/mL or more fell from 45% to 23%.
This means that 3 out of 4 Americans have low levels of this important vitamin. In part, this is due to the fact that we are spending more time indoors and using more sunscreen when we’re outdoors. The following groups are more likely to experience vitamin D deficiency:
Excerpted from “The End of Mental Illness” by Daniel G. Amen, MD. At Amen Clinics, our psychiatrists and Integrative and Functional Medicine physicians treat a wide range of conditions and make recommendations for pro-active therapies to enhance or restore the immune system. For more information, 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.
By Michelle Flowers, MD
Parenting isn’t easy, even on an ordinary day. Like many of you, my normally jam-packed, but somewhat routine life, has been uprooted and chaos has taken hold. If you, like me, are feeling a bit disoriented, here are a few strategies that can help.
Unrealistic expectations are the enemy of a peaceful life. Now is a time to seriously evaluate what you can let go. I know your neighbor is posting on social media about how they’re getting organized or getting into the best shape of their lives thanks to “quarantraining.” But you need to remember that the “just-right” thing for your neighbor isn’t necessarily the just-right thing for you. Make a list of the expectations you have for yourself and your children then get rid of at least half of them. Leave space for peace by keeping only the essentials.
Although social media can be an excellent way to stay connected to friends and family, it can also cause suffering. Switching your attention back and forth creates stress in your brain. Decide on a reasonable amount of time (probably less than what your screentime app currently shows) and then schedule it into your day. Turning off notifications or keeping your phone in another room while you are working or spending time with your family helps create healthy boundaries. For more on this subject, check out the ScreenAgers movie or the Center for Humane Technology.
Even during uncertain times, you can still be certain of a few things. The steadiness of the Earth beneath your feet is one of them. The oxygen in the air you breathe is another. Make time to get outside and give nature a chance to support and energize you.
It may sound simple, but you need to keep breathing. You might be holding your breath without even knowing it’s happening. Take a moment to stop and become aware of your breathing. Breathe deeply and with a sense of wonder and gratitude. Notice the difference in how you feel when you inhale and exhale slowly. Link up this practice to something you already do multiple times a day, such as making a phone call, writing an email, or walking through a doorway. This will set a reminder in your brain to check in and take a relaxing breath.
There will be times when your emotions choose you, but you can empower yourself by deciding how you would like to feel and then taking steps to make it happen. Gratitude is one of my favorite emotions and often an excellent place to start. Make time in your day to consider at least one thing you are genuinely grateful for. Think about it in great detail and try to recreate a sense of gratitude that fills your entire body. Like most things, you’ll get better if you practice. (Watch this short video I made to learn the secret to get a bigger mood boost from your gratitude practice.)
Find family-friendly ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Blowing bubbles can easily become a fun way to teach kids how to breathe away the worry and anxious thoughts. Mind-jars can help introduce children and adults alike to the power of meditation. (Watch this video I made with two of my daughters to learn how to make a mind-jar.) Zen-doodling and coloring mandalas while listening to soothing music can become part of a nightly routine that will also prepare brains for more restful sleep.
It’s okay to reach out to friends and family and let them know if you’re struggling. The staff at Amen Clinics will continue to be available. (Find out more about our mental telehealth and video therapy services or reach out to us at the number below.) If you’re feeling overwhelmed, please call 1-800-4-A-CHILD or visit Childhelp.
I am grateful to be on this journey with all of you and look forward to hearing more about what you’re doing to grow even more resilient during this challenging time. Share your quarantine parenting tips in the comments section, and let’s all get through this together!
Dr. Michelle Flowers is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Flowers is passionate about helping people enhance the meaning of their lives. She works with you to identify your unique talents and direct your purpose. “Wellness comes from cultivating curiosity, seeing opportunities in challenges, practicing gratitude, and delighting in simple joys,” according to Dr. Flowers. “Listening to the deep wisdom that resonates within and around us allows us to move past fear and discover our power.” Dr. Flowers integrates modern and traditional practices. Her eclectic approach is inspired by Rogerian person-centered techniques and grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). She is also a certified hypnotherapist and has specialized training in aromatherapy. She customizes her approach to enhance your emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual health. She is committed to your pursuit of meaningful, realistic, and honest evolution.
Find out more about Amen Clinics, which offers comprehensive clinical evaluations and remote therapy sessions as well as in-clinic brain scanning, 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.
By Jennifer Love, MD
If you’re like me, scrolling through old photos is taking up a large part of your quiet time during this challenging season of social isolation. I ran across this favorite from a night of olive-oil tasting in Tuscany. I distinctly remember taking this picture, and how I felt in that moment. But when I ran across it this week, strangely enough, my heart sank.
My mind immediately saw a path leading to a dark place with no way out. The photo ignited within me a heavy feeling of hopelessness, of claustrophobia. I saw an inescapable tunnel leading to an ominous unknown end. Was it a sign of my own unspoken fears about the coronavirus pandemic? Dreaded feelings about being in self-isolation that I hadn’t even acknowledged within myself?
This experience shocked me because it was so different from how this photo had always made me feel in the past. I remember stumbling across this tunnel as I explored the tiny stone village. In the excitement of the moment, I wanted to both savor the experience by touching every old stone, and to run all the way to the end like an excited child so I could see where it would take me. It’s hard to see from this angle, but there are holes (windows) cut into the stone that offered views of the rolling hills of Tuscany bathed in the light of a nearly full moon.
I remember the feeling of history…of authenticity…that magic feeling you get when you walk a path people have walked for hundreds and hundreds of years. I imagined what it was like before the modern lighting when I suppose torches were used to light the way. Perhaps it was a secret meeting place for lovers or a spot where children played in the afternoon to escape the summer heat. I wondered whether their boisterous voices carried out of the windows and onto the vineyards where their parents worked. In this space my imagination was ignited; I felt alive, curious, excited. Happy.
The discrepancy between these two experiences, then and now, silenced me for a while. I was struck by my change in perspective. You see, during this time of social isolation, I’ve worked hard to maintain a pretty good attitude. I’m Zooming with my friends. I’m productive with work. I’m bringing flowers in from the garden. I’m FaceTiming friends and family, sleeping well, doing yoga, paying attention to the fresh ocean breezes. Even so, with all of my mindfulness, with all of my psychiatric training, with all of my support, this happened, and it happened without my noticing it. When did this start? How am I really feeling? Am I just going through the motions? Am I okay? Thus started my internal inventory of all my thoughts, feelings and emotions.
In this unprecedented time, we may not always feel okay, and that’s okay. In trying to stay busy, in trying to keep the kids occupied so they don’t glitter-glue the dogs, in cleaning up after the dogs have been glitter-glued, it’s important to take time each day to check in with yourself.
I’ve added a short mantra to my mornings, as I sleepily take the first few sips of my coffee:
Today I choose positivity.
I will breathe it in and allow it to flow from me.
I will remember the long game while playing the short.
The temporary loss of social contact will create relationships with greater life, greater passion, and longer hugs when this is over.
So today I play my part in focusing on the welfare of others, from the security of my home, for which I am grateful.
What’s your mantra for the day? Do you choose kindness? Patience? Forgiveness? Reflection? I would love to hear from you—my community—how you manage your attitude, maintain perspective, and what you do when you realize your brain has shifted. How do YOU get yours back? Comment below!
Dr. Jennifer Love is board-certified in psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and addiction medicine, and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Love is an award-winning researcher and international speaker, interested in the interface between cultural and spiritual factors and overall mental health. She is also suboxone certified. Dr. Love’s work focuses on restoring life balance, brain and body health, and helping her patients improve their functionality and satisfaction in life. She considers a wide range of interventions including nutraceuticals, medication, exercise, yoga, psychotherapy, and sleep/relaxation training. Her specialties include mood disorders, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, anger and irritability, behavioral addictions, co-occurring pain, and opioid dependence.
Dr. Love is the co-author of When Crisis Strikes: 5 Steps to Heal Your Brain, Body, and Life from Chronic Stress. Stay up to date by following @dr_author_jennifer_love on Instagram.
Find out more about Amen Clinics, which offers comprehensive clinical evaluations and remote therapy sessions as well as in-clinic brain scanning, 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.
When you’re feeling worried or anxious, you want to feel better now, fast, pronto! And now with the coronavirus pandemic, more than ever, we’re all feeling on edge, and that’s perfectly normal. How we respond during these difficult times, however, can make all the difference in the world when it comes to our overall health and well-being.
In my new ebook Conquer Worry and Anxiety, you’ll find dozens of feel better fast strategies to help you cope in these stressful times. Here’s one method that can help you get out of the “fight-or-flight” mode and into a calmer state.
Many people associate hypnosis with loss of control or stage tricks. But doctors know it to be a serious science, revealing the brain’s ability to heal medical and psychiatric conditions.
Using hypnosis, guided imagery or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) can quickly decrease the fight-or-flight response in a wide variety of conditions. Research shows these techniques have many benefits, including lowering anxiety and depression.
Learning hypnosis, guided imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation is simple; there are many online audios that can guide you. You can find several audios on our BrainFitLife site, and you can certainly do it yourself.
Below are the instructions I give my patients to help them go into a deeply relaxed state. The skill builds over time, so it is important to practice this exercise to gain mastery. Set aside two 15-minute periods a day and go through the following 5 steps:
Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor and your hands in your lap. Pick a spot on the opposite wall that is a little bit above your eye level. Stare at the spot. As you do, slowly count to 20. Notice that your eyelids soon begin to feel heavy, as if they want to close. Let them. In fact, even if they don’t feel as if they want to close, slowly lower them as you get to 20.
Take a deep breath, as deep as you can, and very slowly exhale. Repeat a deep breath and slow exhale three times. With each in-breath, imagine taking in peace and calmness, and with each out-breath, blow out all the tension—all the things getting in the way of your relaxing. By this time, you’ll notice a calm come over you.
Squeeze the muscles in your eyelids, closing your eyes as tightly as you can. Then slowly let the muscles in your eyelids relax. Imagine that relaxation slowly spreading, like a warm, penetrating oil, from the muscles in your eyelids to the muscles in your face—down your neck, into your shoulders and arms, into your chest, and throughout the rest of your body. The muscles will take the cue from your eyelids and relax progressively all the way down to the bottoms of your feet.
When all the tension has left your body, imagine yourself at the top of an escalator. Step on the escalator and ride down, counting backward from 10. By the time you reach the bottom, you’ll be very relaxed.
Enjoy the tranquility for several moments. Then get back on the escalator riding up, counting to 10 as you go. When you get to 10, open your eyes, feeling relaxed, refreshed, and wide-awake.
To make these steps easy to remember, think of the following words:
If you have trouble remembering these steps, you may want to record them as you read them aloud and then do the exercise as you listen to the audio.
You can find many more calming strategies in Conquer Worry and Anxiety, a new ebook by psychiatrist, neuroscientist, brain-imaging expert, and 12-time New York Times bestselling author Daniel G. Amen, MD.
If you’re struggling with stress, anxiety, and worry, know that at Amen Clinics, we offer in-clinic and Telehealth services (via telephone and video conferencing) 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 fill out our form fill and a brain health advisors will get back to you within 24-72 hours.