There’s only so much you can take—a global pandemic, an economic shutdown, sheltering at home, social injustice, societal unrest—it’s enough to make your anxiety go through the roof. But how can you tell if it’s just heightened stress or if your anxiety is a real problem?
Having trouble falling asleep or tossing and turning throughout the night is a common red flag of anxiety disorders. And it’s a 2-way street. Anxiety can lead to sleep issues, and a lack of adequate rest can ramp up nervousness and stress. In addition, when you sleep for 7 hours, it turns on 700 beneficial genes, but without 7 solid hours of shuteye, you lose out on this important process.
Soothing Strategy: Make sleep a priority. Create a calming nighttime routine and consider natural supplements that promote relaxation, such as magnesium, melatonin, GABA, 5-HTP, l-theanine, and vitamin B6.
If you feel like you can’t take a deep breath, you may be worried it’s a sign of COVID-19 or a garden-variety cold or flu. But feeling like you can’t catch your breath is a common indicator of anxiety. The tree branches in the lungs are wrapped with smooth muscle, and when you’re anxious, those muscles clamp down.
Soothing Strategy: Learning diaphragmatic breathing can help loosen those muscles in the lungs so you can breathe freely again. Here’s a very simple yet powerful breathing technique. Breathe in for 3 seconds, hold it for 1 second, breathe out for 6 seconds, hold it for 1 second. Do this 10 times, and you’ll start to feel more relaxed almost immediately.
ANTs are the automatic negative thoughts that infest your brain and ruin your day. If you’ve got an army of ANTs swirling in your head, they can drive anxiety.
Soothing Strategy: Be careful what you listen to. Don’t subject yourself to hours of TV news, which is constantly spewing out frightening stats and ghastly projections. And understand that you don’t have to believe every stupid thought in your head. You can challenge your thoughts. Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, ask yourself if what you’re thinking is true. During these difficult times, mental hygiene is just as important as washing your hands. You need to disinfect your thoughts, so they won’t steal your mind or ramp up your anxiety.
During the pandemic, a lot of people have put on the “Quarantine 15.” If you’re stress eating with cookies, cakes, and candy or other foods that quickly turn to sugar—think pasta, bread, potatoes, and rice—it’s a sign of anxiety. Be aware that sugar may provide short-term relief, but it adds to anxious feelings in the long-term. And packing on the pounds doesn’t help either. Research on 35,000 brain scans shows that as your weight goes up, the physical size and function of your brain goes down.
Soothing Strategy: If you’re struggling with sugar cravings, try intermittent fasting, which has many brain benefits and can diminish cravings. Wait 14 to 16 hours after eating dinner before having breakfast. For example, if you finish dinner at 7 p.m., don’t have breakfast until 9 a.m. or 11 a.m.
If you’ve lost the will to work out or go for a walk even though you know you’ll feel better afterward, it can be a red flag that anxiety has taken control. You may feel so worn out by the chronic bombardment of stress that you don’t want to do anything.
Soothing Strategy: Do something! Even if you just take a 5-minute walk outside or you change up your routine in some small way, it can help get you out of a funk and reset your frame of mind. To get inspired, combine physical activity with things you love, such as listening to an audiobook or a podcast while you go for a walk.
If you’re uncharacteristically snapping at your family, your neighbors, or the grocery store checker, it could be due to relentless anxiety. In a 2017 study in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, over 90% of people with generalized anxiety disorder said they felt very irritable during periods of especially high anxiety.
Soothing Strategy: Before you snap at someone, ask yourself this question: Does it fit? Will saying something nasty to your spouse, coworker, or friend help you get you what you want in life? To help you get irritability under control, figure out what you want out of life, and write it down. Then every time you’re about to snap, take a moment and ask, “Does it fit?” If your behavior isn’t going to help you get what you want in terms of the big picture, don’t do it.
If you’re ruminating on negative thoughts—repeatedly worrying about the future or fretting about something that happened in the past—it’s time to get serious about your anxiety. RNTs are really nasty thoughts. They’re like ANTs that link to other ANTs, then stack together and attack your mind. A 2020 study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia shows that RNTs are associated with an increased risk of dementia, so it’s critical to change your thinking patterns.
Soothing Strategy: If you’re mired in repetitive negative thinking during these uncertain times, try a little TLC. Researchers have found in extremely stressful situations, people who struggle tend to think that things are permanent (this will never change!), global (it’s everywhere!), and out of control (I’m powerless to do anything!). People who are able to thrive in challenging times think differently, telling themselves that the situation is Temporary (this will pass), Local (it isn’t happening everywhere), and Control (I have control over my own behavior). Try the TLC approach to help calm anxiety.
Anxiety, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. 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.
Everybody feels blue once in a while. When you experience a death in the family, a divorce, a job loss, a health scare, or a global pandemic, you may feel down. But how do you know if you’re depressed or just sad? There’s a difference between normal feelings of sadness and clinical depression.
So you feel sad and blue and just want to cry. That may be normal if the feeling is temporary and goes away in a few days. It’s when crushing negativity lingers for weeks or months and you just can’t shake it that it’s a sign it may be depression.
If you’ve lost interest in activities you usually enjoy—whether it’s work, hobbies, sports, socializing with friends, or having sex with your spouse—it may be a symptom of depressive disorder. One of the most hallmark symptoms of this condition is no longer deriving joy from the things you used to think were nice, fun, or awesome. Psychiatrists call this “anhedonia,” a term that indicates an inability to feel pleasure.
Classically, people with depression tend to lose their appetite, eat less, and lose weight. In fact, loss of appetite can be an early sign of the condition, so if you’ve lost interest in eating, it’s time to pay attention. In winter depression, however, people tend to feel hungrier and put on weight. If you notice any changes in appetite or weight, it’s worth investigating. Be aware that the sudden onset of feelings of depression (and anxiety) in people who have never experienced them before can also be a warning sign of pancreatic cancer. Speaking with your physician and getting a CT scan of the abdomen may be recommended.
You may be surprised to discover that having thoughts of suicide is not unusual. In fact, a study among college undergraduate students found that 55% had thought about killing themselves at some point in their lifetime. Just because you have the thought that you want to end your life, however, doesn’t mean it’s true. You don’t have to believe every thought you have because your thoughts can lie, and they lie a lot. Your brain’s frontal lobes help protect you from acting on such thoughts. Having a suicidal thought doesn’t mean you need to share it. But if you begin to plan how you would carry out a suicide, you need to share with loved ones or with a mental healthcare professional because you need outsiders to protect you from yourself.
Brain imaging studies show that people with suicidal thoughts who make a plan or an attempt on their own life often have abnormal activity in the left temporal lobe. Problems in this area of the brain—often due to some form of head trauma—is associated with violence, either toward yourself (suicide) or toward others (homicide). Understand that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary feeling. In addition, taking one’s life damages loved ones. Children of parents who die by suicide are more than 3 times as likely to also die by suicide, according to a 2015 study in JAMA Psychiatry.
Do you find that you are sleeping more than usual or that you’re having trouble sleeping? A common pattern seen in people with depression is falling asleep, then waking up at 2 a.m., and being unable to go back to sleep. Smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol as a way to induce sleepiness can backfire and is likely to cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.
People with a depressive disorder often feel physically and mentally fatigued. “Brain fog” is a common complaint among those who have been diagnosed with clinical depression. If you typically feel energetic and mentally sharp but have been experiencing a prolonged period of low energy or a fuzzy memory, it can be a sign of a more serious issue.
Most people have fleeting moments when they feel worthless or hopeless, or are filled with guilt, but when you can’t get rid of these feelings for weeks or longer, it’s more likely to be a symptom of depression.
If you have several of the symptoms described above and they have lasted for an extended period of time, it’s time to get help. It’s also critical to find out what’s causing your depression. Research shows that biological risk factors—such as inflammation, head trauma, exposure to toxins, neurohormone deficiencies, and diabesity (diabetes and obesity)—can contribute to mental health issues, such as depression. Addressing these risk factors with alternatives to antidepressants can help minimize symptoms of depression.
Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. 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.
As the pandemic and safer-at-home orders drag on, people are searching for ways to cope with the heightened stress, anxiety, and depression. In a recent webinar, three board-certified psychiatrists from Amen Clinics— Dr. Melissa Quinn, Dr. Michelle Flowers, and Dr. Jennifer Love—shared some of their own personal survival secrets.
Dr. Quinn—a psychiatrist who is also board-certified in holistic/integrative medicine and trained in transcranial magnetic stimulation and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy—is an advocate of a technique known as square breathing. “We call it square breathing because we do it in counts of four and it forms a square.” The technique is simple: inhale for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, then hold your breath again for another count of four.
“I like to incorporate my mantra—live, love, connect, serve,” says Dr. Quinn. “So as I do the diaphragmatic breathing, I say ‘Live two, three, four. Love two, three, four. Connect two, three, four. Serve two, three, four.’” Dr. Quinn says that of all the things she does in her own practice, “this is the one that grounds me the fastest.” If you want to try square breathing with a mantra, you can choose any four words that have special meaning to you.
Letting go of some things has helped Dr. Flowers, a general psychiatrist and a child and adolescent psychiatrist who is also the mother of four, get through these trying times. “I had just finished a fitness challenge when this thing hit. I was in my best shape in years, but it was high-intensity exercise,” she says. “And because of all the stress of the pandemic, I decided to take it back a notch. I have continued to walk, but the high-intensity exercise has been out for me because there’s plenty of stress in the environment right now.”
High-intensity physical activity can ratchet up stress levels even higher, and according to the American College of Sports Medicine, it may suppress the immune system in some people who aren’t used to vigorous exercise. Give yourself permission to adjust or let go of some goals or habits that don’t serve you now.
Like so many others, Dr. Love— who practices adult psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and addiction medicine—has experienced fluctuating energy levels. And she admits that some days, even with all the coping tools she has in her psychiatrist’s toolbox, it isn’t enough. “A few weeks ago, I just crashed and felt exhausted,” she says. “It’s like we work all day, we’re living in a pandemic, and it takes three hours to go to the grocery store. On top of that, I had someone steal my identity, file my taxes, and steal my tax return.” In times like these, Dr. Love—who is also the author of the upcoming book, When Crisis Strikes: Five Steps to Heal Your Brain, Body, and Life From Chronic Stress—says her coping strategy is basically acknowledging it’s a lull and riding out that wave. Expecting that you’ll experience ups and downs can help you accept the downs rather than feeling overwhelmed or defeated by them.
As a psychiatrist who provides therapy, Dr. Flowers says she’s typically very comfortable helping others. But a story she heard author David Kessler share on Brené Brown’s podcast really stuck with her and reminded her of the importance of allowing others to help her. It’s called the allegory of the long spoons. “Basically, there’s a woman who wants to see what heaven and hell are like,” she says. The woman is taken into a dining room where this amazing aroma hits and her mouth starts watering. “But then the next thing that hits her is this sound of wailing and people who are groaning. And she looks around the room, and they’re all starving,” she says. “There’s food available, but the spoon is so long that people can’t get the spoon to their mouth.” In essence, this is what hell is—when what you need is available to you, but you can’t get it to yourself.
Then the woman in the story asks to see heaven. To her surprise, she ends up in the same room, and again, the same aroma hits, and her mouth starts watering. But the sound is different in this room because people are laughing and conversing. “What’s different is that instead of trying to feed themselves with the long spoon, they’re feeding each other,” says Dr. Flowers. “Over the last several weeks, I’ve had to remind people, myself included, that we need to allow ourselves to be fed.” If you’re a natural caregiver, it’s important to remind yourself to accept the kindness of others.
For Dr. Quinn, reminding herself that she’s doing her best is a powerful feel better fast strategy. “When I’m washing dishes for a half an hour and my little guy is screaming and running around in his undies, I tell myself, ‘I’m doing my best,’” she says. Consider making this a daily mantra that you recite to yourself in challenging times—doing my best, doing my best, doing my best.
Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. 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.
Normally, you can handle life’s everyday stressors. You keep your cool when your ADD child can’t stay focused on homework. You work through any relationship issues with your significant other. You find healthy ways to decompress from your stressful job.
But not these days.
Any little thing in your life that isn’t humming along is becoming a compounded trauma due to what you’re experiencing from the pandemic, economic shutdown, and months of physical distancing. The result?
Your nerves are frayed. You’re losing your temper with your ADD child. Your marital problems seem insurmountable. You feel like you need a Quarantini—or 2 or 3 of them—to help you cope with work stress.
What can you do about it?
During a stressful pandemic, mental hygiene is just as important as washing your hands. If your head is filled with ANTs (automatic negative thoughts), it is only adding to your stress. Learning to question your thoughts and eliminate unhelpful ANTs can help you begin to see options and come up with solutions for your everyday stressors.
Are you so focused on taking care of others—your kids, your spouse, your coworkers—that you’re neglecting your own health and well-being? When you spend all your time helping others without giving yourself the self-care you deserve, you’re left with nothing in the tank. If you’re running on empty, you don’t have the bandwidth to handle additional stress. Schedule time in your day for self-care. Make it an appointment so you’re more likely to stick with it.
When you have low blood flow in the brain, especially in the frontal lobes, it reduces your ability to problem-solve, impairs judgment and decision-making, lowers your empathy, and makes it less likely that you’ll bite your tongue before saying something hurtful to someone you care about. Simple ways to increase blood flow to this area of the brain include physical exercise, meditation, and taking fish oil supplements that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Feeling like you’re all alone with nowhere to turn for help can compound the stress you’re experiencing. Find an ally with whom you can share your feelings. This is different from complaining, which typically centers on blaming or judging others. Sharing feelings helps you get negative thoughts and emotions out of your head so you can move ahead with constructive solutions to the issues you’re facing.
If you had been coping fairly well with your temper, anxiety, or drinking, or if your child’s ADD or behavioral problems had been treated effectively, but now things have spiraled out of control, it may be time to seek help from a professional.
Anxiety, ADD/ADHD, addictions, behavioral problems, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. 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.
Pop Quiz: What do cats have in common with the following?
Answer: Toxoplasma gondii
Did you know that more than 40 million Americans may be infected by this tiny single-celled parasite that is often carried in cats and shed in their feces? The parasite infects many animals, but it can only sexually reproduce in cats. When it infects a rat—or a mouse or a bird or some other small creature—it releases an enzyme to boost the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine, which is involved in risk-taking, reward, and motivation.
Scientists believe it effectively rewires the brain, so the rat gets hooked on cat urine and basically turns into a cat-seeking missile. Instead of instinctively fearing and running away from cats, the rat runs toward their natural predator. Not surprisingly, the cat eats the rat. And then the T. gondii starts to reproduce at an alarming rate.
In an amazing TED talk, science writer Ed Young recounts this most unusual love story and calls it a classic tale of “Eat, Prey, Love.”
The story doesn’t end there.
When an unsuspecting human empties the cat litter box and comes in contact with the parasite, they can become infected. The T. gondii shed in feline feces can also seep into our water and into the ground, where it can be picked up by humans. This infection, called toxoplasmosis, has a strong association with a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms.
In addition, if a pregnant woman becomes infected, she can pass the infection to her developing fetus, which can lead to brain damage or blindness at birth, or mental disabilities later in life.
The parasite is controlling the host. It makes you think that maybe we don’t have as much control over our behavior as we think we do.
If you’re experiencing mental health issues—such as schizophrenia, psychosis, anxiety, depression, or memory problems—and you aren’t seeing improvement from standard treatment, it’s worth investigating if an underlying infection like toxoplasmosis is involved. Brain imaging and screening tests can help detect infectious diseases and get an accurate diagnosis so you can get the proper treatment.
At Amen Clinics, when we see evidence of infections on brain SPECT imaging scans, we do additional lab work and testing. Our integrative medicine physicians are trained to diagnose and treat any infections, such as T. gondii, Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr virus, H. pylori, and others.
If you want to join the thousands of people who have already visited Amen Clinics and enhanced their brain function with our personalized diagnosis and treatment plans, 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 Daniel G. Amen, MD
Father’s Day will be different this year. With the ongoing pandemic and physical distancing, many families won’t be celebrating the way they usually do. For me, this holiday will never be the same since my dad died earlier this year. Many of you may also be missing your late fathers on this special day. Be prepared that the holiday may give rise to feelings of grief and sadness which is completely normal. For others, it may bring on a depressive episode. And for those whose parents died in a violent or sudden way it may trigger symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Whatever feelings arise, remember that there are a variety of ways to honor your late father, even if he passed years ago. See if any of the following ideas resonate with you.
Using your smartphone, tell a memorable story about your dad or narrate a slideshow, and share it with your family or on your social media pages. Sharing what made your father special to you can put a smile on your face. And it’s likely to generate support from others that can help fill the void you may be feeling.
Spend some time at your father’s gravesite (if it’s allowed in light of the pandemic), if that helps you feel closer to him. Talk to him as if he were still alive.
Did the two of you like gardening, playing golf, or fixing cars together? Relive those times by engaging in that activity again. Say a few words in his memory before you start.
Did your dad love watching the sunset from the top of a local hiking trail? Did he enjoy sitting on a park bench and watching the people passing by? Did he feel most at home just hanging out in the garage? Visit this spot, if possible, and try to see it through his eyes.
Some people find comfort in writing a letter to their late father every year. Share the things in your life that you wish you could have told him in person and read it out loud on Father’s Day. Or you can write something about him. When my father died this year, I wrote the following poem for him and it helped me process my feelings.
I see him in every flower that blooms; he was a master gardener,
I see him in every brilliant Pacific sunset; which he loved to photograph repeatedly,
I see him every time we play cards and someone says gin; he was a master strategist who stomped us all,
I see him in his big chair surrounded by his grandchildren; he was a great, great grandfather,
I see him in every brain we scan because he helped me invest in our first imaging cameras, and
I see him every time I check my Schwab account and look at the UNFI stock he recommended, which goes up and down like my emotions since he left.
Good Grief … he’s everywhere in my brain.
I hear his beautiful deep voice saying, … “Danny, it’s your dad, give me a call, I have tangerines, avocados, and lemons.” When I want to cry and have good grief, I play his voicemails over and over.
I hear him when the television blares too loud because like me he has trouble hearing and won’t wear hearing aids,
I hear him whenever someone says “bullshit” or “no” or “I’m the boss, do what I say”; he was a very strong leader,
I hear him whenever I hear a tennis ball hit a racquet, as we had so many great games together. (pause)
I hear him when he tells me I can do anything I put my mind to; he encouraged so many people and set us all up for success.
Good Grief … he’s everywhere in my brain.
I sense him whenever I smell a sweet orange from his ranch or a gardenia from his garden,
I sense him every time I go into a supermarket; it was his life,
I sense him every time someone calls me a maverick; because I inherited it from him,
I sense him whenever we go on vacation because he taught us that families have fun together.
I sense him whenever our very large family gathers, which he and my mother created with love. When I told my mother that cinnamon was a natural aphrodisiac, she hit her forehead and said that’s why we have 7 children he would never leave me alone. Lebanese cook with a lot of cinnamon.
Good Grief … he’s everywhere in my brain.
I feel him every time I lift weights, as we did so many Sunday workouts together,
I feel him whenever I do a plank, knowing he will go longer than anyone in the room, even me because he was so stubborn,
I feel him every time I walk Mr. Vinnie. I remember buying him for dad because he was so sad when the original Vinnie died. He loved his dogs … sometimes more than his kids.
I feel him every time I remember kissing the top of his head when I’d say see you next week, and
I’ll always feel his soft hands before they took him away the day he died.
Good Grief … he’s everywhere in my brain and is intricately woven into the fabric of my soul.
He was bold, brilliant, outspoken, and the essence of the American Dream. I won’t lie, early on it was hard being his son … the boss’s kid. How could anyone live up to the success he created. As a grocer he fed thousands, he was a leader in his industry and a financial wizard. He was tough, opinionated, and yes I know many of you don’t want to hear it, but he could be brutal. He used to say, “I don’t get heart attacks, I give them.”
In 1980 when I told him I wanted to be a psychiatrist, he asked me why I didn’t want to be a real doctor, why did I want to be a nut doctor and hang out with nuts all day long? It hurt my feelings. He later came to respect what I did and sent me many, many patients. Apparently, he also knew a lot of nuts 😊.
Good grief … my father is everywhere in my brain …
From longing for his approval as a child while he was away working to build an empire …
To adopting his work ethic … he was working the day he died, and I suspect I will be working too when my time comes …
To finally being one of my best friends in the last years of his life and the father who was perfect for me.
If you’re suffering from grief, depression, anxiety, or other issues, understand that mental health problems can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. 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.
Grammy-nominated “Havana” singer Camila Cabello, who first rose to fame as part of the girl group Fifth Harmony, recently revealed that she suffers from anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In a heartfelt personal essay in The Wall Street Journal, the 23-year-old entertainer shares that her carefully curated image on social media doesn’t tell the whole story of her life.
In her inspiring essay, she writes about the moments from her life that her fans haven’t seen, including: “Me crying in the car talking to my mom about how much anxiety and how many symptoms of OCD I was experiencing.” The young star says she has lived with “constant, unwavering, relentless anxiety that made day-to-day life painfully hard.”
Cabello admits that she was worried that letting people know she struggles with mental health issues would make her seem weak. “The little voice in my head was telling me that if I was honest about my mental health struggle and my internal battles (i.e. being human), people would think there was something wrong with me, or that I wasn’t strong, or that I couldn’t handle things.”
These are sentiments felt by many of the 40 million people who experience anxiety each year, the 2-3% of Americans who suffer from panic attacks (a form of anxiety disorder), and the 1 in 40 American adults affected by OCD. They are also felt by over 50% of Americans who will experience some form of mental health problem in their lifetime.
Far too many people feel stigmatized by mental health issues, so they don’t talk about it. This is changing, however, as more and more people like Cabello open up about psychiatric issues. But should you go public about your own personal struggles? There’s no rule book about sharing your diagnosis, but the good news is, you’re in control of your own story. Here are some things to consider if you’re thinking about opening up about your experience.
Before you announce to the world that you’ve been diagnosed with OCD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or any other psychiatric condition, ask yourself why you want to share your mental health status. Are you hoping to use your experience to help others with similar issues? Are you trying to raise awareness about living with mental health problems? Do you want people in your network to understand you better? Do you need special accommodations at work or at school? Have loved ones been concerned about you? Or is there some other reason? Understanding your motivation for telling others about your mental health issues can help you decide who you will share with and when.
When we see high-profile people like Cabello go public with their diagnoses, it can make you feel empowered to share your own story. In general, the more awareness our society has about the struggles that more than half of us experience, the better. For Cabello, opening up sparked a wave of support from her fans. One of her followers on social media wrote, “…as a person who also struggles with bad anxiety, I’m so grateful that she’s speaking up about it…”
However, you should be cognizant that the stigma attached to mental health problems remains and sadly, it may impact your career opportunities, education, and social circle. Announcing your diagnosis or psychiatric symptoms may elicit support from some but may also subject you to some unkind comments. Make sure you’re prepared to cope with any negativity that may be directed at you.
If you have already been diagnosed with a mental health disorder or you have a therapist, ask them about how and when to tell others. They may be able to help you anticipate the types of questions or reactions you should expect.
The more you understand about your condition, the better you can respond to people who have questions for you. It can also help you educate others who don’t react positively to your news.
Too few people realize that anxiety, OCD, depression, and other conditions aren’t mental illnesses, but rather brain health issues that steal your mind. Brain imaging studies show they are associated with biological changes in the brain. When people see brain scans showing there is a biological basis for these issues, it makes them more understanding and supportive.
Make a list of the people you want to tell and start with those you think will be the most supportive.
There are many organizations where you can discuss your symptoms and experiences with others who are going through similar issues.
Sharing your story at churches, in schools, or to other organizations where your experience may provide some benefit to those in the audience.
Cabello closes her essay with, “We live in a culture that pursues unattainable perfection. Social media can make us feel like we should be as perfect as everybody else seems to be. Far from being a sign of weakness, owning our struggles and taking the steps to heal is powerful.”
This is so true. Letting others know we aren’t perfect and asking for help are not signs of weakness. They are signs of strength. The key is choosing the right people to share with and doing it at the right time, so it empowers you and widens your support network.
Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. 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 Daniel G. Amen, MD
When I was dating my wife, she promised me she would never say, “I told you so.” She lied. Now, it’s my turn to say it. For over 30 years, I have been telling my patients that alcohol is not a health food. Many of them respond by asking, “But what about all the studies saying moderate drinking is good for your heart?”
It’s true that some studies point to benefits for heart health with moderate drinking, but others show differently. It can seem very confusing. In June, however, the American Cancer Society took a major step in the debate by revising its cancer prevention guidelines to clearly state, “It is best not to drink alcohol.”
I told you so!
For years, the ACS had simply recommended limiting alcohol consumption. The new stance makes more sense for the organization considering its website also says, “Alcohol use is one of the most important preventable risk factors for cancer, along with tobacco use and excess body weight.”
The idea of eliminating alcohol during the pandemic, however, may seem impossible. You may think you need your wine, beer, or Quarantinis to cope with the skyrocketing stress and anxiety of the lockdown, the job losses, and the added social unrest due to the killing of African-American George Floyd by police officers. You’re not alone. Weekly retail sales of alcoholic beverages soared by up to 55% during the pandemic, according to a report in The Guardian.
But drinking isn’t the solution. In fact, our brain imaging work at Amen Clinics makes it crystal clear that alcohol is not good for the brain, mental well-being, or quality of life.
Thousands of brain SPECT scans of “moderate” drinkers reveal abnormal activity patterns in the brain. Alcohol is a toxin that is harmful to the brain, and it increases the risk of cognitive dysfunction and mental illness.
For example, did you know…
Alcohol addiction is strongly associated with mental health issues, and about 8.5 million American adults with a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring mental health condition. Common conditions seen in people with addictions include:
Many people who struggle with mental health use alcohol as a way to self-medicate. Although this may provide short-term relief from symptoms, it usually leads to long-term problems and almost always makes things worse.
To overcome addictions and mental health issues, it starts with the brain. Brain dysfunction is the #1 reason why people get addicted to alcohol and other substances. And enhancing brain health is the first step to lasting recovery.
When you see all of the negative effects of alcohol, it becomes painfully apparent that it is not a health food. If you want a better brain, a better mind, better physical health, and a better life, it’s best to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.
Addiction, depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. 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.
With the pandemic upon us and anxiety through the roof, who can sleep? An increasing number of people are having a tough time dealing with anxious, racing thoughts that keep us from getting the quality sleep we so desperately need. It’s causing hordes of people to turn to prescription pills for relief.
According to an April 2020 report, there has been a 34% increase in the number of prescriptions filled for antianxiety medications during the pandemic. New prescriptions filled for the most popular anti-anxiety drugs—Xanax, Valium, and Ativan—jumped 38% during stay-at-home orders. At the same time, the number of prescriptions filled for sleep disorders rose by 15%.
“This is a disaster waiting to happen,” says Dr. Shane Creado, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine physician at Amen Clinics in Chicago and the author of Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes. Here’s why.
Anti-anxiety medications (such as Valium, Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin) are benzodiazepines that are quick-acting and can be beneficial on a very short-term basis for acute anxiety. However, they have several drawbacks. Brain SPECT imaging studies show that “benzos” reduce overall blood flow and activity in the brain and are harmful to brain function. “They can cause memory problems, daytime drowsiness, confusion, addiction, and severe withdrawal syndrome if they are abruptly discontinued,” says Dr. Creado, who does sleep consults and who is the creator and host of an online course called “Overcoming Insomnia.”
Trying to go off these drugs can increase anxiety to higher levels than before you started taking the medication. Benzos are also dangerous when combined with alcohol or other sedating drugs. From 1999 to 2013, overdose deaths quadrupled, according to research in the American Journal of Public Health.
Sleep drugs, such as Ambien and Lunesta, have similar risks. To understand how they work, it’s important to know that “insomnia is not the lack of sleep, but instead, excessive wakefulness of the brain,” according to Dr. Creado. These drugs are effective because they calm an overactive mind and causing you to become unconscious, but they also have many downsides.
“They may limit REM sleep and that can lead to morning grogginess, which is also known as the ‘hangover effect,’ as well as brain fog and memory problems,” says Dr. Creado. In addition, some people experience episodes of sleepwalking, sleep-driving, sleep-eating, and other behaviors while taking these drugs and have no memory of their actions the following day. Stopping the pills can cause rebound insomnia, making it even harder to get the rest you need.
In addition, benzodiazepines and these sleep drugs carry a black box warning, the FDA’s most stringent warning given to medications with the most serious side effects. This all adds up to a growing number of people who are going to need help to stop their prescription drug habit and to learn how to overcome insomnia and anxiety without these medications.
Although many experts have been pointing to a post-pandemic mental health crisis, “there hasn’t been enough focus on the sleep disruption epidemic that is headed our way,” says Dr. Creado. This will have dire consequences on mental health, physical health (such as inflammation, heart attacks, strokes, lowered immunity), work productivity, relationships, and more. To avoid becoming a sleep-deprived victim of the second wave of the pandemic, you need to take action now.
Here are some tips to improve sleep quality.
Sleep disorders, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting to get treatment until the pandemic is over 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 and functional medicine evaluations 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.
In an intimate conversation on YouTube, singer Halsey opens up about what she has learned about living with bipolar disorder since being diagnosed with the condition as a teen. In this video, which is intended to be educational, the 25-year-old award-winning singer talks about how she wrote her latest album “Manic” during a manic episode.
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that involves severe changes in mood, energy, and activity levels—swinging from euphoria (mania) to depression. Nearly 6 million Americans are affected by the condition, which causes them to cycle between manic episodes and depressive episodes.
Although Halsey was diagnosed at an early age, not everybody gets diagnosed as quickly. As is mentioned in her video, it can be 6 months for some people but 10 years for others. And there can be several misdiagnoses along the way. The symptoms seen in bipolar disorder can be similar to those associated with depression, ADD/ADHD, or even schizophrenia, which can lead to misdiagnosis. Making the distinction between bipolar disorder and other conditions is critical because following the wrong treatment plan can make symptoms much worse.
Halsey says the one question she wishes she would have asked when she was 16 or 17 that might have helped her cope with what she was going through is, “How do I know what I’m allowed to feel?”
This is a common concept among those with mental health conditions. People suffering from psychiatric issues—such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychosis, and other conditions—often try to squash their uncomfortable feelings. A better approach is to recognize your thoughts and feelings and accept them for what they are, but don’t let them have power over you.
In the video, Halsey says that a lot of people have questioned her diagnosis, saying, “You don’t seem like you have bipolar disorder.” She explains, “They see a young woman who’s achieving all these goals, and they think, ‘Well, there really can’t be anything hindering her from that.’”
In reality, successful people are also vulnerable to mental health issues, which brain SPECT imaging studies show are actually brain health issues. For some people, like Halsey, it’s possible to channel the emotions and struggles in a creative way that resonates with others.
Halsey admits in the video that as she became more familiar with her condition, she was better able to recognize the onset of a manic or depressive episode. When out-of-control euphoria or deep sadness is returning, it’s a good idea to get more serious about interventions. Treatments that can promote stable moods and energy levels in people with bipolar disorder include natural supplements, healthy nutrition, exercise, helpful forms of therapy, and (if necessary) medication.
The manic episodes experienced in bipolar disorder are characterized by abnormally elevated moods, inflated self-esteem, grandiose ideas, racing thoughts, inappropriate behavior, and sometimes delusions or hallucinations. Halsey admits she thinks her mania is “the worst part of me” and considers her manic self irresponsible, untrustworthy, and unreliable. At the same time, she says, “When I’m manic, that’s also when I make my best art. It’s when I’m the most compassionate. It’s the version of me that has given me everything that I have.”
Don’t focus solely on the downsides of bipolar disorder. Be grateful for its upsides too. This will help you keep a more balanced view of your condition.
All relationships are challenging, but it can be especially hard when one person in the couple has bipolar disorder. In her video, Halsey explains that if she meets someone when she’s in a stable phase, things might be great at first. But when a manic or depressive episode returns, that person might want out of the relationship. “That’s not what I signed up for,” is something she says her dates may have thought.
Helping significant others understand more about bipolar disorder may ease the ups and downs in these relationships. A partner who’s in tune with the cyclical nature of the condition can also be helpful in making sure the person with bipolar disorder continues to follow their treatment plan to minimize risky behavior during manic episodes and prevent them from falling into a deep depression. This can help a relationship.
When Halsey first got her diagnosis, she says, “People were telling me all the things I couldn’t do.” Fortunately, she was able to look past the negativity and think about all the things she could do. If you’re diagnosed with bipolar disorder or any form of psychiatric condition, it’s always a good idea to stay focused on the positive things you can do in your life.
Halsey’s inspiring educational video also explores how mental health is a perpetual journey that requires constant care, attention, and energy. These are wise words. Following a brain healthy treatment plan that enhances brain function and diminishes symptoms is not a temporary program. To maintain more stable moods throughout the lifespan, you need to continue with a targeted treatment plan that includes healthy lifestyle habits.
Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. 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.