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By Daniel Amen, MD [Excerpted from Change Your Brain Every Day] Since 1991, my team at Amen Clinics and I have built the world’s largest database of brain SPECT scans related to behavior, totaling more than 225,000 scans on patients from 155 countries. We have seen patients as young as nine months and as old as 105 years. Our brain imaging work has taught us many important lessons about the daily practices and habits of brain and mental health that we teach our patients.

DAILY PRACTICES FOR BRAIN AND MENTAL HEALTH

If you sat on my neuropsychiatrist’s couch every day for a year, these are the concepts and daily practices you would learn. This book contains 366 (in case you acquired it in a leap year) short essays organized around eight major themes:
  1. Major life lessons I’ve gleaned from looking at more than 225,000 brain SPECT scans.
  2. How to understand and optimize the physical functioning of the brain—what I call the hardware of your soul.
  3. Learning to manage your mind to support your happiness, inner peace, and success—the “software” that runs your life.
  4. Developing a lifelong plan to deal with whatever stresses come your way.
  5. Using your brain to improve your relationships—your network connections.
  6. Developing an ongoing sense of meaning and purpose that informs your actions
  7. every day.
  8. Brain-focused nutrition and nutraceuticals (targeted supplements) to support
  9. your brain and mind.
  10. Condition-specific wisdom, such as dealing with past trauma, anxiety, depression, addictions, ADD/ADHD, and more.

TINY HABITS MAKE BIG CHANGES IN YOUR BRAIN AND MENTAL HEALTH

Each day will also have a simple practice for you to do: a tiny habit to try, a simple exercise, a question to ask yourself or others, a meditation, or an affirmation that over time will change the trajectory of your life. Tiny habits are the smallest things you can do that will make the biggest difference in your life. Several years ago, I partnered with Professor B. J. Fogg, director of the Persuasive Tech Lab at Stanford University, and his sister, Linda Fogg-Phillips, to develop tiny habits for our patients. You will find dozens of them in this book. B. J. and Linda teach that only three things change behavior in the long run:
  1. An epiphany (seeing your brain scan can do it)
  2. A change in the environment (what and who surrounds you)
  3. Taking baby steps or creating tiny habits

TIPS TO AVOID SOCIETY’S BAD INFLUENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH

In my book The End of Mental Illness, I asked myself, if I were an evil ruler and wanted to increase the incidence of mental illness, what I would do? Society has a large impact on your brain and mind. I also asked, if I were a good ruler and wanted to decrease mental illness, what strategies I would employ? You will find dozens of good ruler versus evil ruler strategies in this book so you know how to avoid the traps society lays for us.

THE NUMBER 1 DAILY HABIT FOR BETTER BRAIN AND MENTAL HEALTH

Don’t think you must do everything. Focus on a few simple ideas you can put into your life as time allows. The most important tiny habit you’ll learn is this: Whenever you come to a decision point in your day, ask yourself, “Is this good for my brain or bad for it?” It will take only about three seconds, and if you can answer the question with information and love (love for yourself, your family, and your mission in life), you will quickly have a better brain. By using this habit, one of my patients told me, “I wake up at 100 percent every day because I stopped drinking alcohol, which was clearly not good for my brain.” It’s up to you how fast you go through this book, but I recommend you just read a page a day. It’ll only take a few minutes, but over time it’ll change your life as you learn to think about and practice brain and mental health every day for a year. Just as I encourage my patients to lose weight slowly, so they develop the lifestyle habits that will help them stay trim and healthy for the rest of their lives, establishing these brain and mental health habits one at a time will help them last. Let’s get started changing your brain in a positive way every day. In Change Your Brain Every Day, psychiatrist and clinical neuroscientist Daniel Amen, MD, draws on over 40 years of clinical practice with tens of thousands of patients to give you the most effective daily habits he has seen that can help you improve your brain, master your mind, boost your memory, and make you feel happier, healthier, and more connected to those you love. If you want to join the tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics who have already learned how to change their brain every day and have a better life, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.   You may think life circumstances determine your mood, but there are seven brain neurochemicals that also have a huge impact on how you feel. Serotonin is one of them. Known as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, serotonin regulates not just your mood, but a number of additional functions such as appetite, sexual desire, sleep, stress, and memory, to name a few. When serotonin levels are imbalanced, even a slight amount, it can trigger a negative mood, disrupt your sleep, increase your appetite, or lead to emotional overeating. Low levels of serotonin can also affect your thinking causing you to get stuck in worry and negative thoughts. Serotonin influences us to be more open-minded, flexible, and adaptive—and it helps us to focus our attention away from worries and be amenable to cooperating with others.
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While this powerful neurochemical can help you feel good, it can also cause you to feel bad when you have suboptimal amounts. Here’s what you need to know about serotonin, and how to keep your body’s serotonin levels balanced to maximize your happiness.

WHAT IS SEROTONIN?

In simple terms, serotonin is a chemical messenger that transmits information between nerve cells and throughout your body. About 5-10% of your body’s serotonin is produced in the brain’s raphe nuclei, located in the brainstem. The other 90-95% is surprisingly synthesized in your gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin is made from the essential amino acid tryptophan, which has to be obtained in your diet. Serotonin influences us to be more open-minded, flexible, and adaptive—and it helps us to focus our attention away from worries and be amenable to cooperating with others. When you feel respected by others and have healthy self-esteem, serotonin increases—and conversely, when you feel disrespected, serotonin levels go down. Hence, it plays an indispensable role in helping us to navigate life well. Serotonin also plays a role in sleeping, eating, digestion, blocking pain, and blood platelet function to heal wounds!

CONSEQUENCES OF SEROTONIN IMBALANCES

Less than adequate levels of serotonin are associated with low mood, worry, anxious feelings, poor memory, pain, aggression, suicidality, low self-esteem, oppositional behavior, rigidity, and difficulty dealing with new, changing, or unplanned events. On the flip side, higher levels of serotonin are associated with brighter moods, feeling more respected, and greater flexibility. Experts are not entirely sure why some people have low serotonin levels. It is thought that genetic factors, brain changes due to aging, chronic stress, lack of sunlight and physical activity, and chronic pain may play a role. Too much serotonin, better known as serotonin syndrome, shows signs that can be mild or severe and can be life-threatening. It’s often caused by a change in medication. Of course, the key to feeling good is making choices that support healthy serotonin levels in the brain and body. Below are nine researched ways to balance serotonin.

9 WAYS TO BALANCE SEROTONIN NATURALLY

1. Consume Tryptophan-Rich Foods

Since your body needs to get the essential amino acid tryptophan from the diet to make serotonin, eating tryptophan-rich foods can help increase serotonin levels. Animal proteins such as lean chicken and turkey, beef, and pork are some of the richest sources of tryptophan. Other good sources include salmon, soybeans, milk, pumpkin seed, oats, and eggs. It’s important to combine tryptophan-rich foods with complex carbs (such as sweet potatoes, quinoa, veggies, legumes, fruits, whole grains, etc.), which helps drive tryptophan to the brain.

2. Eat More Seafood

The omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and vitamin D play critical roles in serotonin synthesis and release, according to a study published in the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (FASEB). Ensuring your body has healthy levels of these three nutrients helps to optimize brain serotonin concentration and function. Both nutrients are plentiful in wild-caught fish such as salmon, sardines, Atlantic mackerel, cod, herring, lake trout, and canned light tuna. If you have trouble consuming adequate amounts of seafood and vitamin D, consider supplementing.

3. Make Positive Comparisons

When you negatively compare yourself to others, it erodes your self-esteem. The antidote to this kind of negative thinking is to focus on what you have and write it down. This action can give you an emotional boost, according to research, likely increasing serotonin levels. A daily focus on what you are grateful for can help build neural pathways that make it easier to recognize what is right about yourself, instead of always focusing on what you lack.

4. Exercise

Exercise helps to drive tryptophan into the brain, which can turbocharge serotonin levels. One review study found that exercise increases the firing rates of serotonin neurons. Research has demonstrated that exercise can boost mood and cognitive flexibility.

5. Take Serotonin-Boosting Nutritional Supplements

Try supplementing with targeted supplements that have shown some indication of helping to optimize serotonin levels in the body. 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), curcumin, St. John’s Wort, magnesium, and B vitamins have all been associated with increased serotonin levels in studies.

6. Enjoy Regular Massage

Research indicates that chronic stress negatively impacts serotonin production and hinders serotonin receptor function. Massage counters stress. One study evaluated 84 pregnant women with depression. Those who received a 20-minute massage twice a week reported feeling less anxious and depressed and had higher serotonin and dopamine levels and lower cortisol levels after four months.

7. Get Sunlight or Bright Light Therapy

Getting sunlight or bright light therapy increases serotonin levels and improves mood. One Australian study found higher serotonin levels in individuals who were exposed to sunnier days. Getting 15 minutes or less is enough to make a difference. Bright light therapy has been shown to have mood-boosting effects in people struggling with depression, as well as seasonal affective disorder, according to research. This convenient method allows you to safely receive the benefit of light independent of the weather outside.

8. Enjoy Meditation and Downtime

Spiritual contemplation and meditation increase serotonin levels, some research indicates. Take time out of your day for reflection and contemplation.

9. Keep Your Thoughts Positive

Your thoughts are powerful. In fact, research indicates your thoughts influence how you feel and the serotonin your brain makes. In one study that used positron emission tomography (PET) scans, researchers measured serotonin levels in healthy subjects when they focused on positive, negative, and neutral thoughts. Focusing on positive thoughts was correlated with increased levels of serotonin. If you focus on something positive, your serotonin levels increase, and you feel better! Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. By Daniel Amen, MD [Excerpted from Change Your Brain Every Day] You are not stuck with the brain you have. You can make it better, even if you have been bad to it, and I can prove it. You can literally change your brain, and when you do, you change your life. Over the last 30 years, I’ve ended most of my lectures with the above words. It’s the mission that drives my work. Your brain controls everything you do and everything you are. Each day it is changing. Either it is getting better and growing younger, or it is getting worse and growing older due to your daily diet, supplements, thoughts, decisions, and habits. This daily reader is designed to help you be the master of your brain’s destiny and boost your memory, mood, focus, and overall sense of happiness and peace. Learning to love and care for your brain will also decrease your stress, improve your relationships, increase your chances of success in every area of your life, help you stave off dementia, and prevent you from becoming a burden to those you love. Physical health is a daily practice. Brain and mental health require daily practices, which are needed now more than ever as anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and cognitive decline are at epidemic levels.
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BRAIN AND MENTAL HEALTH ARE DAILY PRACTICES

Physical health is a daily practice. You cannot be 50 pounds overweight on Monday, have a salad that day for lunch, and expect to be trim by Friday. Ridiculous, right? Physical health takes consistent effort and daily practice over a long time, including eating right, smart supplementation, exercising, managing stress, and making many, many more good decisions than bad ones. Yes, you can take pills to help manage diabetes, hypertension, and chronic pain that result from making many bad decisions, but they won’t give you the energy and vitality you want. In the same way, brain and mental health require daily practices, which are needed now more than ever. Anxiety disorders, depression, suicide, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and cognitive decline are at epidemic levels, as are the number of prescription medications purported to help these conditions. Alzheimer’s disease is expected to triple in the coming decades, and since the pandemic, anxiety disorders and depression have more than doubled in children and adults. Something needs to change. If you want to feel happier and more relaxed; if you want to be cognitively sharper and lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease, it will take developing consistent brain and mental health practices over time. Change Your Brain Every Day will show you how.

LESSONS FROM THE NEUROPSYCHISTRIST’S COUCH

In this book, I share the daily practices I’ve learned on the other side of the neuropsychiatrist’s couch (neuropsychiatrists are psychiatrists who believe brain health is foundational to helping their patients heal and thrive). For more than 40 years, I’ve worked with children, teenagers, and adults seeking to overcome anxiety, depression, obsessions, compulsions, addictions, anger, past emotional trauma, past head trauma, relationship issues, and memory and learning problems. This volume condenses those 40 years of knowledge and experience into a step-by-step, daily journey of brain optimization and healing. I use these daily practices in my life and encourage those around me to do the same. In Change Your Brain Every Day, psychiatrist and clinical neuroscientist Daniel Amen, MD, draws on over 40 years of clinical practice with tens of thousands of patients to give you the most effective daily habits he has seen that can help you improve your brain, master your mind, boost your memory, and make you feel happier, healthier, and more connected to those you love. If you want to join the tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics who have already learned how to change their brain every day and have a better life, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.   By the Medical Physicians at Amen Clinics Mental health issues affect all of us. Either you’ve struggled personally, or you know someone who has. No one escapes. The incidence of mental illness had already reached an epidemic level before the pandemic hit. Since the pandemic, things have gotten worse. The numbers have skyrocketed with deaths from drugs, alcohol, and suicide at the highest level in recorded history, according to a 2022 report. A 2022 study in BMJ found that people who have had COVID-19—even mild cases—are 60 percent more likely to struggle with mental health problems. And one of the study’s authors states that over 2.8 million new cases of psychiatric illness can be tied to COVID infections. How will the vast majority of these people be diagnosed? The same way Abraham Lincoln was diagnosed with “melancholia” over 180 years ago.

Psychiatry is Stuck in an Antiquated System

Today’s psychiatric diagnostic system is virtually the same as in Lincoln’s day with doctors talking to patients about their symptoms and looking for symptom clusters—without any biological data. For example, let’s say you go to your primary care physician and say you’re depressed. You’ll likely be diagnosed with depression and given an antidepressant. If you say you’re anxious, you usually get an “anxiety disorder” diagnosis and anti-anxiety medication. Or if you say you have trouble with attention, you may be diagnosed with an attention-deficit disorder (ADHD) and a prescription for stimulants. These medications can help some people, but they also make some people worse. And all psychiatric medications have FDA black box warnings, meaning they have serious and sometimes life-threatening side effects or risks. Psychiatry remains the only medical specialty that virtually never looks at the organ it treats. Cardiologists look at the heart, orthopedists look at the bones and muscles, and obstetricians look inside the uterus. Psychiatrists guess. If you’re depressed, anxious, unfocused, obsessive, addicted, suicidal, homicidal, or psychotic, no one will look at your brain. That’s insane. The consequences of “brainless psychiatry” are staggering. Just look at these statistics: Despite the pharmaceutical revolution in psychiatry, outcomes have not improved since the 1950s. Psychiatrist Thomas Insel, the former Director of the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), wrote in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, “The unfortunate reality is that current medications help too few people to get better and very few people to get well.” This is consistent with what Insel’s predecessor, Steve Hyman, former director of the NIMH, wrote in a 2012 commentary in Science Translational Medicine, that we have failed to progress significantly in the last half-century in medications to treat psychiatric illnesses.

A “Meaningless” Psychiatric Guide

Part of the problem is psychiatry’s steadfast reliance on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the “bible” of psychiatric conditions. An explosive 2019 study in Psychiatric Research confirms that making psychiatric diagnoses based solely on symptom clusters is scientifically meaningless. The study, led by University of Liverpool researchers, focused on a meticulous analysis of five chapters in the DSM-5: anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, trauma-related disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Their main findings highlight many of the shortcomings of the current diagnostic paradigm: This study’s deep dive into the numbers shows just how murky and inconsistent the diagnostic model is. For example, “There are almost 24,000 possible symptom combinations for panic disorder in DSM-5, compared with just one possible combination for social phobia.” Equally concerning is their finding that “two people could receive the same diagnosis without sharing any common symptoms.” And the sheer number of combinations of symptoms makes the ability to arrive at an accurate diagnosis nearly impossible. Take this stunning fact, for instance: “In the DSM-5 there are 270 million combinations of symptoms that would meet the criteria for both PTSD and major depressive disorder, and when five other commonly made diagnoses are seen alongside these two, this figure rises to one quintillion symptom combinations—more than the number of stars in the Milky Way.” The researchers conclude that following a different approach may be more effective than remaining committed to what they called a “disingenuous categorical system.” It doesn’t have to be this way.

Reframing Mental Health as Brain Health

From our experience with tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics, which opened its first clinic over 30 years ago, it is clear that making diagnoses based solely on DSM symptom clusters—such as anxiety, depression, temper outbursts, or a short attention spa—is inadequate and disrespectful to patients. Symptoms don’t tell us anything about the underlying biology of the problems our patients have. Reframing the way we think about “mental illnesses” by looking at them as brain health issues is more accurate. It is this discovery that completely changed the way we approach diagnosing and treating our patients at Amen Clinics. It is also the underlying reason why Amen Clinics has one of the highest published success rates for complex patients, who have failed an average of 3.3 providers and five medications. In fact, 84 percent of the complex, treatment-resistant patients we treat at Amen Clinics report feeling better after six months. We are on the cusp of a new revolution that will change mental health care forever. It is time to discard the outdated, stigmatizing paradigm that taints people with disparaging labels, preventing them from getting the help they need, and replaces it with a modern brain-based, whole-person program rooted in neuroscience and hope. No one is shamed for cancer, diabetes, or heart disease, even though they have significant lifestyle contributions. Likewise, no one should be shamed for depression, panic disorders, bipolar disorder, addictions, schizophrenia, and other brain health issues. Over the last 30-plus years, we have built the world’s largest database of brain scans related to behavior. We have performed more than 300,000 brain SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scans, which measure blood flow and activity patterns, and over 10,000 quantitative electroencephalograms (QEEGs), which measure electrical activity, on patients from nine months old to 105 years from over 150 countries. Our brain-imaging work has completely disrupted how we help our patients get well. Take Jarrett, for instance. He was diagnosed with ADHD in preschool. He was hyperactive, restless, and impulsive in addition to having a bad temper, learning problems, and trouble making friends. He had seen five doctors and had been placed on five different stimulant medications. None of them worked, and in fact, they triggered rages and mood swings. Jarrett’s latest physician suggested starting him on an antipsychotic. That’s when his mother brought Jarrett to Amen Clinics. At Amen Clinics, Jarrett’s SPECT scan showed that he had a type of ADHD we call “Ring of Fire,” in which there is overactivity throughout the brain. Giving stimulants to someone with this type is like pouring gasoline on a fire. On a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to this type of ADHD, Jarrett’s behavior improved. His rages stopped, he made the honor roll or Dean’s list for 10 years, and he started making friends. Today, he’s in college and wants to be a firefighter because, as he says, “On somebody’s worst day, I want to make it better.” Now, look at Adrianna, who was a healthy 16-year-old when she went to Yosemite with her parents for vacation. When they arrived at their cabin, they were surrounded by six deer. They thought it was a magical moment. Ten days later, however, Adrianna became agitated and started having auditory hallucinations. When her parents sought treatment for her, Adrianna was admitted to a psychiatric hospital and given antipsychotic medications, which failed to help. Over the next three months, Adrianna was seen by 25 doctors and prescribed multiple medications—all at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars. One of those doctors told her mother that Adrianna was schizophrenic and would require medication for the rest of her life. When Adrianna’s mother learned about Amen Clinics and our brain-body approach, she brought her daughter in for an evaluation. Adrianna’s brain scan showed signs of inflammation, which prompted us to look deeper into the potential causes of her symptoms. After additional testing, it turned out that Adrianna had Lyme disease, an infection caused by deer ticks. Treatment with antibiotics helped her get her life back. She subsequently graduated from Pepperdine University and then went on to get a master’s degree and is now living a happy life. That wouldn’t have happened if she had stuck with the standard psychiatric treatment model. At Amen Clinics, we have thousands of stories like these of patients who have gotten their lives back after years of suffering. But some people in the traditional psychiatry field continue to cling to the status quo and resist the shift to viewing mental health problems as brain health issues that steal your mind.

Ending Mental Illness By Creating a Revolution in Brain Health

Despite pushback from some in the psychiatry field who remain stuck using an outdated paradigm, there is a growing understanding that mental health is really brain health. A growing number of mental health professionals are partnering with Amen Clinics in the care of patients. In fact, over 10,000 medical and mental health professionals have referred thousands of patients to Amen Clinics from over 150 countries on six continents. In addition, the Amen Clinics team has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles on SPECT as it relates to mental and behavioral health in prestigious scientific journals. Discover magazine named an Amen Clinics study on how SPECT can help differentiate PTSD from traumatic brain injury (TBI) as one of the 100 Top Stories of 2015. And other experts—such as the journal Radiology and the Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine—have validated the use of brain imaging in psychiatry. A veritable brain health revolution has begun. This brain-based approach provides a new path forward for psychiatry—one that will reduce stigma, increase compassion and compliance, and ultimately help more people be healthier and happier. Isn’t that the ultimate goal? Cali sober, or California sober, is a “newish” term that refers to the benefits of semi-sobriety, or leading a more sober lifestyle than you had before. Followers say they have started drinking less, or swapping out their glass of wine in favor of marijuana or psychedelics like mushrooms. But is a Cali sober lifestyle safe, or does it still harm your brain, mood, and cognitive function?

WHAT IS “CALI SOBER”?

Before exploring the answer, it’s worth briefly understanding why people choose semi-sobriety in the first place. The singer Demi Lovato (who uses them/their pronouns and has been remarkably generous in sharing details of their struggles with drug abuse and mental health) wrote a song called “California Sober” last year. Is a Cali sober lifestyle safe, or does it still harm your brain, mood, and cognitive function? Demi Lovato has changed their tune on the subject.
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“I’m California sober,” crooned Lovato, who came close to dying from a drug overdose in 2018. “It doesn’t have to mean the growing part is over.” Used to live in fear of always slipping But living for perfection isn’t living,  I ran a little slower, now I’m tripping,  A beautiful and magical beginning. By consuming fewer, or supposedly less-harmful intoxicants, Cali sober adherents claim they are cleaning up their acts, at least a bit, and are the better for it. While it’s both logical, and scientifically supported, that reducing consumption of mind-altering substances corresponds to a reduction in physical harm, it does not eliminate it. Far from it, in fact. Mounting research shows that strikingly low levels of alcohol, and other substances, can have far more negative consequences for a person’s brain health—both right away and over the long-term—than is commonly believed.

CALI SOBER AND THE DANGEROUS ALLURE OF ‘JUST ONE DRINK’

One new study, published in Science Daily in August, found that even one drink a day can reduce a person’s brain size. That solo drink can permanently impact the brain’s neurons, the way they interact and the way their mitochondria operate, the study found. “These results suggest that even a single consumption event can lay the foundation for alcohol addiction,” according to the authors of the study. The authors used a large data set, scrutinizing brain MRIs from more than 36,000 middle-aged to older adults in the United Kingdom. The scans showed that the white and gray matter in the study participants’ brains shrunk with even light-to-moderate alcohol use. In another finding that supports the central Cali sober idea, the study did reveal that the heaviest alcohol users benefited greatly from cutting back from three glasses to two glasses a night. But while this is true, it does not address the damage done by such seemingly moderate alcohol consumption. The news isn’t much better when it comes to embracing marijuana or psychedelics as “healthier” substitutes for drinking.

CALI SOBER AND MARIJUANA: NOT SO INNOCUOUS AFTER ALL

Even using marijuana temporarily can impair the creation of memories and expose people to the risk of cognitive dysfunction as they age, according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine. The researchers followed more than 5,000 people for more than 25 years beginning in 1986 through 2011. For every additional five years of marijuana use, participants remembered one fewer word from a list of 15 words. Adolescents who use cannabis run a higher risk of depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts, according to a 2019 review in JAMA Psychiatry. Equally worrisome, as many as 10% of new cases of psychosis—the temporary inability to distinguish what is real from what isn’t—may be associated with taking high-potency cannabis, according to research in The Lancet Psychiatry. When it comes to the greatest contributing risk factors in speeding up how quickly a brain ages, the use of cannabis came in second, after schizophrenia, according to an Amen Clinics brain imaging study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. The study involved a review of 62,454 brain SPECT scans, in a collaboration between Amen Clinics, Google, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of California in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. The study found that while alcohol abuse represented 0.6 years of accelerated aging, cannabis abuse was even worse, representing 2.8 years of accelerated aging. At number one on the list, schizophrenia represented 4 years. “The cannabis abuse finding was especially important, as our culture is starting to see marijuana as an innocuous substance,” Dr. Daniel Amen said of the investigation. “This study should give us pause about it.

FROM MUSHROOMS TO MOLLY—MORE CAUSE FOR CONCERN IF YOU’RE CALI SOBER

When it comes to psilocybin, the psychoactive chemical in magic mushrooms, more research needs to be done, but early findings suggest people should approach them with caution. A 2020 brain imaging study in the journal NeuroImage found that psilocybin drug lowers activity in a part of the brain called the claustrum by studying brain scans of people before and after they took the drug. Although people who take mushrooms famously report effects that range from seeing colors more vividly, to thinking unusual thoughts and feelings of euphoria, it’s not the case for everybody. Some people report nausea, numbness, anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks, fear, and feeling depressed. And while MDMA, also known by the street drug names Ecstasy or Molly, releases serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine—all neurotransmitters associated with pleasure and well-being—there can be downsides. Levels of serotonin, for example, can be depleted following the use of MDMA, prompting adverse psychological impacts. Regions of the brain associated with impulse control and attention, working memory, and visual information processing can be impacted by long-term MDMA use.

IS CALI SOBER HEALTHY?

Let’s return to the allure of that single glass of wine. At Amen Clinics, the evidence from brain imaging studies demonstrates that even one glass of beer or wine per day can be directly toxic to brain function. The SPECT scans of people who drink excessively—more than three drinks a week—appear toxic. More generally, alcohol can harm the brain and body in numerous ways. It is associated with: It should come as no surprise that the state of California itself—while associated in name with the Cali sober movement—is under no illusions about the risks of semi-sobriety. Electronic signs on California freeways, as elsewhere in the country, continue to flash an unequivocal message: “Buzzed driving is drunk driving.” To put it simply, no matter all the ways our culture relentlessly romanticizes it, alcohol is not a health food. The only truly healthy relationship with it is entire abstinence, aka a fully sober life, not a semi-sober one. Given the evidence about the dangers posed by even moderate alcohol consumption, perhaps the fad should be renamed—far more realistically—Cali buzzed. Today, that’s an idea that even Demi Lovato might agree with. Less than a year after their “California Sober” song came out, the singer changed their tune. “I no longer support my California sober ways,” Lovato said on Instagram in December 2021, sparking widespread headlines regarding the about-face. “Sober sober is the only way to be.” Substance abuse and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.   Nearly everybody has heard of endorphins. They are well-known to be released during exercise, contributing to an overall feeling of happiness. Yet, these neurochemicals, which act as neurotransmitters in your nervous system and hormones in your circulatory system, are so much more. Endorphins play a critical role in relieving pain, enhancing pleasure, and helping to reduce inflammation and stress. They are essential to your well-being. However, endorphins are not always maintained by the body at optimal levels, which can have adverse effects on your health. Among the mental health conditions associated with low levels of endorphins are anxiety, depression, impulsive behavior, and addiction, to name a few. Among the mental health conditions associated with low levels of endorphins are anxiety, depression, impulsive behavior, and addiction.
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Here’s what you need to know about these remarkable neurochemicals, including ways to promote higher endorphin levels in your body to support and protect your overall wellness.

HOW ENDORPHINS WORK

In the 1970s, researchers discovered peptide molecules formed within the body (endogenous) that they believed to have morphine-like properties as they appeared to enhance pleasure, reduce stress, and relieve pain. They termed them endorphins (a combination of the words endogenous + morphine) because they acted on opioid receptors in the brain and nervous system. This is why you will sometimes see endorphins referred to as “endogenous opiates.” Endorphins are released by your brain’s hypothalamus and pituitary gland in response to injury, pain, or severe stress. When they bind to opioid receptors (part of the endogenous opioid system that is responsible for regulating pain, reward, and addictive behaviors), other neurochemicals are affected resulting in pain-relieving effects, pleasure, or euphoria, depending on the type of endorphin.

BENEFITS OF ENDORPHINS

The pain-relieving action from endorphins can sometimes be life-saving. For example, the fast-acting. analgesic effects of endorphins are what would allow you to get out of a burning car despite having broken bones! As part of the reward system pathway, endorphin levels may increase and enhance pleasurable activities such as consuming delicious foods like chocolate, experiencing sexual pleasure, or getting lost in a beautiful piece of music Of course, endorphins can also kick in if your body is pushed to the limit—like when an athlete runs long distances. In such instances, endorphin levels go up, helping to quell inflammation, reduce pain, and uplift mood. You’ve probably heard of the “runner’s high.” Although research is ongoing to determine what causes it, the pain relief, anti-inflammatory influence, and dopamine release resulting from endorphin levels increasing are believed by medical experts to help create that good feeling. When you are feeling good, confidence levels go up too!

MENTAL HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF LOW LEVELS OF ENDORPHINS

Medical research has found genetic and non-genetic causes for endorphin deficiency. When people have low levels of endorphins, they are more likely to suffer from mood changes, depression, anxious feelings, difficulty sleeping, body aches and pain (including fibromyalgia and headaches). They are also much more vulnerable to addiction. Opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, and a number of prescription pain medications work on the same opioid receptors that endorphins do. However, they work faster and cause a much greater release of dopamine, and a more intense craving for more and more, which makes them extremely addictive—especially if your body is endorphin deficient to start with. Interestingly, though, you can get addicted to endorphins. As pain releases endorphins, people who exhibit self-harm behaviors like cutting or even compulsive tattooing may be addicted to the resulting endorphin release from the pain, research indicates. Studies have additionally highlighted a link between increased levels of endorphins and exercise addiction. While there are addictive behaviors related to endorphin’s feel-good benefits, it is rare for your body to produce too many of them.

8 WAYS TO BALANCE YOUR ENDORPHINS AND BOOST WELL-BEING

Help your body to produce plenty of pain-relieving, pleasure-enhancing, feel-good endorphins with the following actions.

1. Exercise on a consistent basis.

Research has shown higher levels of endorphins in subjects who exercise regularly. Perhaps that’s why a 2021 study showed that participants who exercised regularly during the pandemic maintained a healthy mood!

2. Be of service to others.

Giving your time, service, or resources to help another may activate endorphins. Imaging research has shown that the reward centers of the brain light up when we give to others.

3. Practice yoga.

Yoga is a well-known stress reliever. One research review suggests that there’s a neuro-physiological correlation between yoga, pain, and endorphins and encourages further study.

4. Meditate.

Although not fully understood, research acknowledges a connection between meditation, elevated endorphin levels, reduced pain, and feelings of joy.

5. Enjoy spicy food.

There’s a reason so many people enjoy spicy food! Jalapeno and other chili peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which research has found to trigger both pain and pleasure perceptions, and the release of endorphins.

6. Eat dark chocolate.

Researchers know that consuming dark chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins, although it is not entirely clear why. One study theorizes that it is delicious palatability – the intense enjoyment of dark chocolate may trigger more good feelings!

7. Laugh more.

Do you know that fantastic feeling you get after a good, genuine laugh? Well, research shows that laughing triggers the release of endorphins – it’s the perfect therapy for low mood. You can watch a good comedy or spend time with people who make you laugh.

8. Get acupuncture.

Acupuncture and electroacupuncture have been accepted around the world as alternative medicine therapies for acute and chronic pain. Research has revealed that endorphins play a critical role in the pain relief electroacupuncture provides. Depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.   If you’re worried about losing your memory—whether you’re already becoming more forgetful or you’re concerned about the future—the terms Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are probably on your radar. Like many people, you may think they are interchangeable, but Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are not the same. Do you know the difference? Here are 10 things you need to know about Alzheimer’s and dementia.   Like many people, you may think Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are interchangeable, but they are not the same. Do you know the difference?
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10 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA

1. Dementia is a syndrome, not a disorder.

This general term encompasses a range of symptoms related to cognitive impairment, including memory loss and problems with thinking skills or reasoning. When a person’s symptoms become severe enough to interfere with daily living, they are said to have dementia.

2. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia.

Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, accounting for 60% to 80% of all cases. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impairs memory and cognitive function, leads to personality changes, and impacts moods. Research suggests that a buildup of beta-amyloid plaques between brain cells and abnormal tangles of tau protein inside brain cells play a role in the disease.

3. There are many causes of dementia.

In addition to Alzheimer’s, there are many other types of dementia, including but not limited to:

4. Memory loss is not a normal part of the aging process.

Many people, including physicians, mistakenly think that memory loss and cognitive decline are normal as a person gets older. This is not true!

5. Dementia and Alzheimer’s cases are rising.

An estimated 57.4 million people worldwide were living with dementia in 2019, and that number is predicted to jump to 152.8 million by 2050, according to an analysis published in 2022 in The Lancet. By contrast, approximately 6.5 million Americans ages 65 and older are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. By 2050, that number is expected to hit 12.7 million.

6. Alzheimer’s is more common in women.

Nearly two-thirds of the 6.5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease are female. Experts point to the fact that women live longer than men as a primary reason for this, considering that older age is the main risk factor for the disease. One study based on data from the Framingham Heart Study suggests that men may appear to have a lower risk for dementia due to what scientists call a “survival bias.” This means that men who lived to age 65 and beyond were more likely to be those with better cardiovascular health, which is associated with a lower risk for Alzheimer’s.

7. Dementias affect the brain differently.

The various dementias are generally associated with areas of low blood flow in the brain that can be seen on SPECT scans. Alzheimer’s disease typically affects the temporal lobes (memory, learning, and emotional regulation), parietal lobes (sensory processing and orientation to time and place), and posterior cingulate (involved in cognition and mood). Vascular dementia is caused by blood vessel changes—often from one or more strokes—that can occur throughout the brain. Lewy Body dementia often begins with damage to the occipital lobe (involved with vision processing), situated at the back of the brain. Frontotemporal dementia impacts the frontal lobes (involved in planning, judgment, and impulse control) and the temporal lobes.

8. Preventing Alzheimer’s and other dementias depends on your personal risk factors.

There are several modifiable risk factors that can reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Amen Clinics uses the acronym BRIGHT MINDS to help people remember 11 major risk factors for memory loss and what to do to decrease your risk.

9. Treatments need to be targeted to the causes.

For anyone struggling with memory loss or cognitive decline, it’s important to understand the underlying causes. Addressing root causes with targeted treatments can be the most effective way to improve memory and cognitive function.

10. Brain imaging can help differentiate root causes.

Brain SPECT imaging can help identify if a person’s cognitive changes are not due to Alzheimer’s or other dementias but rather caused by potentially reversible issues such as infections, exposure to toxins, head trauma, or depression (as in the case of pseudodementia which mimics the symptoms of dementia). The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that when people struggling with cognitive decline or memory loss follow a brain-healthy memory rescue program to minimize their risk factors, it can improve memory and cognitive function. It is never too late—or too early—to start taking better care of your brain. Memory loss, cognitive decline, mood changes, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.   Electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT for short, is a medical procedure performed under anesthesia that involves electrical stimulation of the brain to induce brief, controlled seizures. It is most commonly performed on people suffering from severe mental health disorders that have not responded to treatment or that require rapid results. Although research has found that ECT can be effective, there are significant downsides, including memory loss.   Performed on people suffering from severe mental health disorders that have not responded to treatment or require rapid results, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be effective, but there are significant downsides, including memory loss.
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WHAT IS ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY?

ECT is a procedure that dates back to 1938 when Italian neurologists Ugo Cerletti and Lucino Bini first intentionally delivered electric shocks to patients to induce seizures. In the early days of the procedure, physicians used high doses without any anesthesia, contributing to serious side effects and a stigma that remains today. Current ECT procedures involve lower, targeted doses and are performed with anesthesia and muscle relaxants. It can be an effective technique for certain severe psychiatric disorders, but it continues to be associated with a number of aftereffects, including memory loss, confusion, problems with new learning, headaches, and muscle aches.

WHICH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS MAY BE TREATED WITH ECT?

ECT is used to treat severe cases of certain psychiatric issues that have not responded to standard treatments, such as medications and psychotherapy. It may also be used in cases when rapid results are of the essence. A 2021 review of 7 randomized controlled trials on the use of ECT for acute mania found high rates of improvement. Despite this, the procedure is rarely used for mania, accounting for only 0.2%-12% of ECT use globally. ECT is typically considered only when pharmacotherapy has failed. However, it’s important to note that ECT for mania is considered an “off-label” use in the U.S.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF ECT?

Although ECT is generally considered safe, it is associated with a variety of risks and side effects that have contributed to the limited utilization of the procedure. Another factor that may play a role in memory issues following ECT is the fact that it is performed under anesthesia, which is associated with post-operative cognitive dysfunction.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE CONSIDERING ECT

Most people only consider ECT when other standard treatment options have failed. What many of these individuals don’t realize, however, is that there are a host of additional ways to treat depression and other psychiatric issues that are not typically offered through traditional psychiatry or medical fields. As mentioned earlier, brain SPECT imaging has helped Amen Clinics identify 7 types of depression and anxiety, and it can increase understanding of the causes of mood disorders and other mental health issues. Knowing more about your brain and the underlying root causes of your mental health problems can be a key to finding solutions that don’t involve a medical procedure with significant side effects. Depression, suicidal ideation, and mania related to bipolar disorder and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Content updated from previous publish date. One of the secrets to happiness is to enjoy real happy foods (and beverages) that will make you feel better, not just in the moment but in the long run. Scientific evidence shows that many foods elevate moods, boost energy, and calm anxiousness and stress—the necessary ingredients for happiness. A wealth of research also points to a host of sad foods to avoid—the ones that dampen your mood, zap your energy, and ramp up tension. Scientific evidence shows that many foods elevate moods, boost energy, and calm anxiousness and stress—the necessary ingredients for happiness. A wealth of research also points to a host of sad foods to avoid.
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HAPPY EATING RULE #1: CHOOSE FOODS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY NOW AND LATER

The first and most critical rule of happy eating centers on consuming foods that make you feel good not only at the moment but also enhance your mood, energy, and physical well-being in the long run. This one simple eating strategy is the most important with respect to happiness. Think of common comfort foods like pizza, ice cream, or chips—they may give you a quick boost now but rob you of feelings of contentment later. In general, they are low-quality foods that have been scientifically engineered to taste so good that they trigger your brain’s “bliss point” and the release of some of the neurochemicals of happiness—such as dopamine—causing you to become addicted to them. The Standard American Diet (aptly referred to as “SAD”) is filled with foods that are loaded with unhealthy ingredients and artificial chemicals that are detrimental to mental, emotional, and physical well-being. A growing body of research shows that the SAD diet is associated with: Decades of research have irrefutably concluded that an unhealthy diet is also associated with a heightened risk for physical ailments, including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer. After working with tens of thousands of patients over more than 30 years at Amen Clinics, it is clear that having any of these issues steals your joie de vivre.

9 SAD FOODS THAT STEAL HAPPINESS

Some foods are weapons of mass destruction because they are destroying the health and happiness of America and the world, as they are being exported around the globe. These are foods that make you happy now but make you feel bad, tired, anxious or stressed later. Sad foods include those that are:
  1. Highly processed: A 2022 study in the journal Addiction shows that ultra-processed foods (those that are high in refined carbohydrates or added fats) are as addictive as tobacco.
  2. Sprayed with pesticides: When your body, brain, and organs are being assaulted by pesticides, they can’t function at optimal levels. These food saboteurs can kill your mood and lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
  3. High-glycemic: Scheming food manufacturers may try to convince you that the sweet stuff delivers happiness, but it’s actually a mood killer. All forms of sugar—even natural honey or maple—cause blood sugar levels to spike and then crash. This negatively impacts mood; increases anxiousness, irritability, and stress; makes you feel fatigued; and causes cravings. Diets that are too high in sugar also promote inflammation, which is associated with depression and other issues that make you unhappy.
  4. Low in fiber: Low-fiber foods contribute to blood sugar highs and lows that zap moods.
  5. Food-like substances: Fake foods are a real threat to health and happiness.
  6. Artificially colored and sweetened: Artificial dyes, preservatives, flavoring, and other additives have been associated with mood disorders as well as other issues. For example, monosodium glutamate (MSG)can trigger depressive and anxious symptoms among other disturbances, according to research. The evidence about Red Dye 40 is even more alarming. Do you think artificial sweeteners are giving you a quick boost of happiness without the downsides of sugar? Wrong! Studies have linked aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) to depression, anxiety, irritable moods, and insomnia, as well as a host of other neurophysiological issues. Artificial sweeteners—including aspartame, saccharine (Sweet’N Low), and sucralose (Splenda)—can also lead to high insulin levels, which is associated with a higher risk for depression in addition to Alzheimer’s disease and a variety of physical ailments.
  7. Laden with hormones: The meat and dairy industries have used hormones for years to increase milk production and accelerate growth, but these hormones can be detrimental to health and well-being.
  8. Tainted with antibiotics: The food industry uses antibiotics to prevent disease in livestock, but that means you are consuming these medications too.
  9. Stored in plastic containers: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical found in plastic storage containers that can act as an endocrine disruptor.

11 HAPPY FOODS THAT BOOST MOODS

Research shows that some foods contain nutrients that elevate moods. They make you happy now . . . and later. Happy foods include:
  1. Organic colorful fruits and vegetables, especially berries and leafy greens
  2. Sustainably raised fish and meat
  3. Nuts and seeds
  4. Healthy oils
  5. Eggs
  6. Clean protein powders (sugar-free, plant-based)
  7. Dark chocolate
  8. Unprocessed foods
  9. Organic foods
  10. Low-glycemic foods (they don’t spike blood sugar)
  11. High-fiber foods
If you want to increase your happiness, you must pay attention to what you put on the end of your fork! Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.