If you’re experiencing anxiety, you may be inclined to reach for prescription anti-anxiety pills to make those jittery feelings stop. Although these medications may work in the short-term, they don’t get to the root cause of your anxiety. And in some cases, they can lead to long-term problems.
In general, it’s best not to start taking something you may not be able to stop. After the pandemic, anxiety disorders more than doubled in children and teenagers.
Statistics show that prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines—including alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin)—dramatically increased. The problem is that they are addictive, and once you start them, they are often very hard to stop.
That’s not the only bad news. Brain-imaging studies at Amen Clinics show that some anti-anxiety pills harm the brain. Why take a temporary solution that will create lasting problems?
Related: What You Don’t Know About Anxiety Medication
The good news is that there are natural remedies for anxiety that provide long-term benefits, and they don’t damage the brain. In this blog, you’ll learn more about the brain’s role in anxiety, as well as 11 natural anxiety treatments.
After the pandemic, prescriptions for antianxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines, dramatically increased. The problem is that they are addictive, and once you start them they are often very hard to stop.
Anxiety is not merely a fleeting feeling of nervousness. It’s a complex emotional state deeply rooted in the brain’s intricate networks. To effectively manage anxiety, it’s essential to comprehend how our brain contributes to these sensations.
Based on the brain SPECT imaging work at Amen Clinics, it’s clear that abnormal blood flow and activity levels in certain brain regions are associated with anxiety disorders. Here’s a brief overview of the main brain areas involved in anxiety and panic disorders.
The basal ganglia are large, deep brain structures that sit near the limbic system and play a crucial role in coordinating thoughts, emotions, and physical actions. They help regulate movement, especially when it comes to initiating and transitioning between actions smoothly.
Studies show that the basal ganglia are key players in habit formation. At Amen Clinics, brain imaging has revealed that these structures also help regulate the brain’s overall anxiety level.
When the basal ganglia are overactive, it’s commonly linked to symptoms such as chronic worry, muscle tension, hyperawareness, and fearfulness. In fact, one of the most statistically significant findings from the neuroimaging work is that individuals with heightened activity in the basal ganglia are more likely to engage in nail biting—a common, habit-driven response to anxiety.
At the core of our emotional responses lies the limbic system, a collection of structures including the amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and thalamus. This system is pivotal in processing emotions, forming memories, and orchestrating stress reactions.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals across nerve endings. Imbalances in certain neurotransmitters are linked to anxiety disorders:
Related: Try These 9 Natural Serotonin Boosters for Happier Moods and Less Worry
Prolonged stress can alter the brain’s structure and function—a concept known as neuroplasticity. Chronic anxiety may lead to:
By delving into the brain’s role in anxiety, we can adopt natural strategies that not only alleviate symptoms but also promote enduring mental well-being.
Press Play to Discover Foods That Help Calm Anxiety
In this video, Amen Clinics integrative nutritionist Cindy Santa Ana reveals foods that can soothe anxiousness while promoting healthy moods.
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Anxiety disorders are very painful, but too often people reach for marijuana, alcohol, or prescribed benzodiazepines. These can be of short-term benefit but cause long-term problems with addiction and memory issues.
If the above interventions are ineffective or only partly effective, you may want to consider other anxiety treatment options. Seek help from a mental health professional for a targeted treatment plan.
Anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and other mental health conditions can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we provide personalized, science-backed treatment plans designed to target the root causes of your symptoms. Our 360-approach includes brain SPECT imaging, clinical evaluations, innovative therapeutic techniques, medications (when necessary), and holistic lifestyle recommendations to promote the health of your brain, body, and mind. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
Seger, Carol A, and Brian J Spiering. “A critical review of habit learning and the Basal Ganglia.” Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience vol. 5 66. 30 Aug. 2011, doi:10.3389/fnsys.2011.00066
Stathis, P et al. “Connections of the basal ganglia with the limbic system: implications for neuromodulation therapies of anxiety and affective disorders.” Acta Neurochirurgica. Supplement vol. 97,Pt 2 (2007): 575-86. doi:10.1007/978-3-211-33081-4_67
Cisneros T. Fills for Mental Health Prescription Drugs Rose During COVID and Remain High. GoodRx, February 21, 2023. https://www.goodrx.com/healthcare-access/research/fills-for-anxiety-and-depression-prescription-drugs-rose-during-covid-pandemic
Fortuna, Lisa R et al. “The Impact of COVID-19 on Anxiety Disorders in Youth: Coping with Stress, Worry, and Recovering from a Pandemic.” Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America vol. 32,3 (2023): 531-542. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2023.02.002
It’s normal to feel a few butterflies before a big moment. But when your heart starts pounding like a drum before public speaking, your hands go clammy before a friendly pickleball match, or your mind goes completely blank before a test—you may be dealing with performance anxiety.
Also known as stage fright, competitive anxiety, or “choking,” this intense fear of being judged or failing in high-stakes situations can affect anyone—students, athletes, executives, musicians, even romantic partners. And it’s far more common than most people realize.
In fact, up to 60% of individuals experience performance anxiety at some point in their lives, according to research in Frontiers in Psychology.
The good news? You don’t have to keep living at the mercy of your nerves. With the right strategies, you can train your brain and body to respond with calm instead of panic when you’re under pressure.
In this blog, we’ll explore science-backed stress management strategies to reduce performance anxiety—so you can step into the spotlight, the arena, or the boardroom with confidence and clarity.
Also known as stage fright, competitive anxiety, or “choking,” performance anxiety involves an intense fear of being judged or failing in high-stakes situations. And it can affect anyone.
Performance anxiety is not considered a diagnosable mental health condition. Rather it falls under the umbrella of anxiety disorders, such as social anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder.
It typically occurs in situations where you’re expected to perform, be evaluated, or deliver results under pressure. It can show up in a wide variety of settings:
While a little nervous energy can motivate you, excessive anxiety can interfere with your ability to think clearly, communicate confidently, and perform at your best. You may experience common symptoms like:
In some instances, it can lead to a full-blown panic attack. If any of this sounds familiar, you’re in the company of some high-performing athletes, executives, and actors. The key to overcoming this is learning tools to manage those reactions and retrain your mind and body.
One of the most effective ways to overcome performance anxiety is through intentional relaxation techniques that calm your nervous system. These methods help shift your body out of fight-or-flight mode and into a calmer, more focused state mentally, emotionally, and physically.
When you’re anxious, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. This ramps up those physical symptoms and can make your thoughts race faster than you can think through them.
Relaxation techniques have been shown to reduce anxiety naturally by soothing your parasympathetic nervous system, which results in slower breathing, lower heart rate, and easing muscle tension.
Here are a few simple stress management strategies you can try:
Practicing relaxation regularly trains your body to respond more calmly in high-pressure situations wherever you are. Over time, these techniques can reduce anxiety naturally and become your go-to tools for navigating stress in healthier (and easier) ways.
Another powerful strategy to overcome performance anxiety is through visualization—mentally rehearsing success. Visualization is one of the top boost confidence techniques used by athletes, public speakers, and performers because it works.
Visualization helps you tap into your brain’s ability to simulate experiences. When you vividly imagine yourself performing well, your brain fires off the same neural pathways as it would if you were actually doing it.
By making the event or goal feel familiar and less threatening, you end up reducing performance anxiety and achieving more than you thought you would.
Visualization strengthens the mind-body connection by reinforcing positive expectations. When you “see” yourself succeeding, your body follows suit in action, which reduces performance anxiety and boosts self-trust over time.
You can also try guided imagery to help you relax and fall asleep when needed. Basically, this technique involves envisioning yourself in an imaginary environment—a tropical beach, a flower-filled meadow, or a cozy fireplace, for example—and taking in the sights, scents, and sounds. After visiting this imaginary place, you feel more relaxed.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a psychological approach that helps you identify and challenge the unhelpful thoughts driving your anxiety. By shifting your mindset, CBT allows you to reduce anxiety naturally and respond to stress with a plan.
Related: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: What Is It and Who Can Benefit?
One of the best stress management strategies CBT offers is cognitive restructuring. Instead of thinking…
“I’m going to fail.”
…CBT can help you reframe your thoughts to…
“I’ve prepared for this, and I can handle it.”
This mental shift allows you to take back the mental control you need to reduce panic and restore balance in your life.
Try these CBT-inspired tools to help manage your performance anxiety:
Related: Gain Control Over Negative Self-Talk
If you’re struggling to cope with persistent performance anxiety, working with a mental health professional can help you apply CBT principles in a more personalized way. Therapy offers a safe space to explore deeper fears and reduce anxiety naturally over time.
Mindfulness—the practice of being present without judgment—is one of the most reliable stress management strategies for reducing anxiety naturally. You can learn to stay focused during high-stakes moments by taking a moment to recenter yourself.
Mindfulness interrupts that spiral of anxious thoughts by grounding you in the present. This helps reduce anxiety naturally by shifting your attention away from what could go wrong and toward what is happening right now.
These can boost confidence techniques that help you center yourself before stressful events. Choose one or more to use when you need them:
Consistent mindfulness practice improves emotional dysregulation, sharpens focus, and builds stress resilience. It makes this one of the most sustainable stress management strategies for managing performance anxiety long-term.
Your everyday habits—how you eat, sleep, and move—play a major role in how your body responds to stress. Healthy routines can help you stay grounded and reduce the intensity of performance anxiety.
Research shows that eating the wrong foods can trigger anxiety at the moments when you need to be at your best. For example, eating a high-fat diet, getting inadequate amounts of protein, and consuming excessive amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates can negatively impact focus, energy, and memory—all things you need when it’s time to perform.
Press Play to Learn How Caffeine Affects Anxiety
If you struggle with performance anxiety, you may want to check your caffeine intake. Too much java may be giving you the jitters.
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Decades of research on physical activity shows that it boosts mood-enhancing brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. Regular exercise is a beneficial way to reduce anxiety naturally, improve sleep, and help you feel more capable and in control.
You may already know that a lack of sleep and poor nutrition spikes cortisol (stress) levels. But did you know that they can also make you more reactive to stress?
Prioritizing rest and eating balanced meals can help your brain and body perform optimally. Proper sleep and nutrition help calm your body’s nervous system, so you don’t get so fearful when you need to perform.
To recap, here are a few simple habits that enhance your daily stress management strategies to calm anxiety:
Fortunately, even these small changes can add up to greater emotional balance and resilience.
In most cases, no single method will solve performance anxiety overnight. The most effective approach is to combine multiple confidence-boosting techniques that work for your unique personality and lifestyle.
To manage your performance anxiety, feel free to mix and match strategies that you’ll enjoy doing again and again:
Performance anxiety doesn’t have to control your life. Creating your own personalized toolkit will help you be better prepared to handle any high-pressure situation with clarity and confidence.
Performance anxiety isn’t classified as a formal mental health disorder, but it falls under the broader category of anxiety-related issues. It’s closely related to social anxiety and can significantly impact quality of life if left unaddressed.
Yes. Performance anxiety isn’t limited to public speaking or performing on stage. It can show up during athletic competitions, academic testing, work presentations, romantic relationships, and even one-on-one conversations—any situation where you feel pressure to perform.
Try deep, slow breathing or box breathing to reset your nervous system. These techniques calm your body’s fight-or-flight response in minutes, helping you feel more grounded and in control when the pressure is on.
National Center for Health Statistics. (2019). Health, United States, 2018 – Mental health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544286/
Rao, V., Rosenberg, P., Bertrand, M., Salehinia, S., Spiro, J., Vaishnavi, S., Rastogi, P., Noll, K., Schretlen, D. J., Brandt, J., & others. (2009). Aggression after traumatic brain injury: Prevalence and correlates. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 21(4), 420–429. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2918269/
Kaźmierczak, I., Zajenkowska, A., Rajchert, J., Jakubowska, A., & Abramiuk-Szyszko, A. (2023). The Role of Anger Expression in Unmet Expectations and Depressive Symptoms. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(15), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20155900
Sukhodolsky, D. G., Smith, S. D., McCauley, S. A., Ibrahim, K., & Piasecka, J. B. (2016). Behavioral interventions for anger, irritability, and aggression in children and adolescents. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 26(1), 58–64. https://doi.org/10.1089/cap.2015.0120
Selman, S. B., & Dilworth‐Bart, J. E. (2024). Routines and child development: A systematic review. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 16(2), 272–328. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12549
It’s easy to brush off a bad mood, poor sleep, or constant stress as “just life.” But what if these are early warning signs of something deeper?
Mental health problems often start quietly—subtle changes in thinking, feeling, or behavior that are easy to dismiss. Yet catching these mental health red flags early can make all the difference.
Whether you’re concerned about yourself or someone you care about, understanding the early symptoms of mental health issues is crucial. Ignoring them can lead to worsening symptoms, strained relationships, and even long-term consequences.
Here are 11 mental health warning signs you should never ignore—and what to do if you recognize them.
Mental health problems often start quietly—subtle changes in thinking, feeling, or behavior that are easy to dismiss. Yet catching these mental health red flags early can make all the difference.
When your sleep patterns start to change drastically, it could signal a potential mental health issue. For example, significant shifts in your circadian rhythm or physical health—such as insomnia or oversleeping—often point to conditions like depression or anxiety.
In a 2019 study, up to 90% of people with depression experienced sleep disturbances. Sleep problems can exacerbate feelings of stress and become a cycle that’s difficult to break.
Similarly, whether eating too little or too much, changes in your appetite can indicate underlying mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. Sudden weight gain or weight loss can also be a sign of a mental disorder.
For example, research shows that appetite and weight fluctuations are common in people with major depressive disorder. Some people lose their appetite while others feel hungrier than usual.
If you’re experiencing low moods or having rapid or dramatic shifts in mood, it could be an indicator of a mental disorder. Persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or irritability are common signs of depression, which affects 29% of US adults at some point in their lives, according to a recent Gallup Poll.
On the flip side, feelings of euphoria that come and go may make you feel amazing in the short-term but might be a sign that something’s wrong. For example, people with bipolar disorder might fluctuate between high-energy manic states and deep depressive episodes.
If you or someone you know is experiencing chronic low moods or extreme emotional ups and downs, it could be time to seek help from a mental health professional.
Press Play to Discover the Warning Signs of Mood Disorders
In this video, Amen Clinics psychiatrist Dr. Jay Faber reveals a specific behavior pattern that’s a common sign of bipolar disorder.
If you’re increasingly isolating yourself from social activities or withdrawing from relationships you once enjoyed, it could signal a deeper issue that needs to be evaluated. Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities or avoiding interactions with friends and family can be a sign of depression or other mental health conditions.
Understand that this is not about the natural progression of certain relationships or growing out of certain hobbies. This is about having the desire to want to enjoy those parts of your life again—except your mind isn’t allowing you to feel that desire and continue enjoying it.
Social withdrawal is often linked to a lack of energy or motivation, both of which are common when dealing with mental health disorders. A NIMH report showed approximately 20% of U.S. adults experience some form of mental illness annually, with social withdrawal being a hallmark symptom.
If you are someone who previously excelled at work, school, or social activities, but you’re suddenly struggling to keep up with your tasks, it could indicate mental health issues. Research shows that it’s important to pay attention to daily functioning problems, such as:
These may be signs of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). When these are left untreated, your ability to work and interact socially can be significantly and negatively impacted.
If your performance has noticeably decreased in one or more areas of life, it’s important to explore the possibility of a mental disorder with a trusted and qualified mental health professional.
Everybody experiences times when it’s challenging to stay on task. But if your problems with focus and concentration persist and get in the way of your success, it could be a sign of trouble. Focus and attention problems are hallmark signs of ADHD, but they can also be linked to other mental health disorders.
For example, research shows that cognitive issues like poor focus are experienced by nearly 50% of people with depression and anxiety disorders. If these symptoms interfere with work or daily life, you need to seek professional help to assess potential mental health disorders.
Related: 5 Simple Ways to Boost Your Focus
A heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli—think light, sounds, smells, or textures—can signal an overactive nervous system. This is then often triggered by stress, anxiety, or trauma.
If you find yourself avoiding public places, loud environments, or large crowds because you become overwhelmed by external stimuli, it could be a red flag. Your hypersensitivity may be a sign of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ADHD, or anxiety.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) reports that anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the U.S. Many of those struggling with anxiety disorder also experience sensory sensitivities or overload as part of their condition.
When you start to feel detached from yourself or your surroundings, or lose interest in life, it’s important to give yourself space to learn why. This feeling of disconnection, also known as depersonalization, can make a person feel as though they are observing life from the outside.
This symptom is common in those with major depressive disorder, where emotional numbness can take over and result in apathy toward daily activities or people. If you find yourself or a loved one lacking initiative or experiencing emotional numbness, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional.
Mental disorders like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia can cause illogical thinking or delusions that lead people to believe in exaggerated or false thoughts about themselves or the world. These beliefs might include thoughts of grandeur or the idea that you have special powers to control events around you.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1 in 300 people worldwide experience schizophrenia in their lifetime, often manifesting as distorted thinking and perceptions. If someone’s beliefs seem out of touch with reality or become more outlandish, it may indicate a serious mental health condition that requires intervention.
Excessive nervousness, fear, or paranoia can be symptoms of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or social anxiety disorder. Uncharacteristic behavior like erratic speech or avoiding everyday tasks due to irrational fears, often points to an underlying issue.
The NIMH reports nearly 30% of adults in the U.S. experience an anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Most of them report symptoms such as hypervigilance and hyper-avoidance of triggering situations. If you or someone you love seems to be living in constant fear, it may be time to seek professional mental health guidance.
Related: 4 Steps to Break an Anxiety Attack
A sudden change in your performance at school or work can be an early warning sign of a mental disorder. Such changes may include:
If your productivity isn’t what it used to be, you may want to take a deeper dive to investigate what’s causing the drop in performance.
Recognizing mental health symptoms early can be critical to getting the right help and support. They should not be dismissed lightly. Getting an early diagnosis means early intervention, so you can better manage your symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.
Anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we provide personalized, science-backed treatment plans designed to target the root causes of your symptoms. Our 360-approach includes brain SPECT imaging, clinical evaluations, innovative therapeutic techniques, medications (when necessary), and holistic lifestyle recommendations to promote the health of your brain, body, and mind. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
Stickley, A., Leinsalu, M., DeVylder, J.E. et al. Sleep problems and depression among 237 023 community-dwelling adults in 46 low- and middle-income countries. Sci Rep 9, 12011 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48334-7https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-48334-7#citeas
Simmons, W Kyle et al. “Depression-Related Increases and Decreases in Appetite: Dissociable Patterns of Aberrant Activity in Reward and Interoceptive Neurocircuitry.” The American journal of psychiatry vol. 173,4 (2016): 418-28. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15020162
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Keller AS, Leikauf JE, Holt-Gosselin B, Staveland BR, Williams LM. Paying attention to attention in depression. Transl Psychiatry. 2019 Nov 7;9(1):279. doi: 10.1038/s41398-019-0616-1. Erratum in: Transl Psychiatry. 2020 Feb 12;10(1):64. doi: 10.1038/s41398-020-0748-3. PMID: 31699968; PMCID: PMC6838308
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National Institute of Mental Health. (2024). Any Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved from www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder
While the terms “neurodivergent” and “neurodiversity” are not new, they’ve gained significant traction in recent years. Still, many people harbor confusion about their exact meaning and the conditions they describe.
Diagnoses for neurodiverse conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—also called attention deficit disorder (ADD)—are on the rise. At the same time, growing research and awareness are helping to shed light on other neurodiverse traits, such as dyslexia, and how they affect thinking, learning, and behavior.
With increased awareness, we now recognize that these brains are simply wired differently. At Amen Clinics, we’ve seen this firsthand. For decades, we’ve used functional brain scans with SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) to reveal the unique activity patterns that distinguish neurodivergent brains from neurotypical brains.
For decades, Amen Clinics has used functional brain scans with SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) to reveal the unique activity patterns that distinguish neurodivergent brains from neurotypical ones.
Since the 1970s, SPECT scans have helped medical experts understand how the brain works. Today, this state-of-the-art imaging tool evaluates blood flow and activity in different regions of the brain. SPECT shows what areas of the brain are working well, too hard, or not hard enough.
Meanwhile, the terms neurodivergent and neurodiversity have been used since the 1990s. They are frequently credited to Australian sociologist Judy Singer, as well as (in more recent research) to the collective of neurodivergent people themselves. Neurodivergence refers to brains that developed differently.
As the U.K.-based organization ADHD Aware points out, neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD and ASD present symptoms, behaviors, and traits that result from these developmental differences. They can occur before birth or in the early stages of childhood.
This distinguishes neurodivergence from a mental health condition. In the latter, patterns of behavior or state of mind deviate from the “normal self.” But neurodevelopmental conditions denote a different “normal” altogether.
ADHD Aware adds that the roots of neurodevelopmental conditions may be found in:
While these brains work differently, they can also have unique strengths. Let’s look at some ways neurodiversity can affect brain function, according to findings from SPECT scans at Amen Clinics.
Related: The ABCs of the Human Immune System
An estimated 7 million (11.4%) U.S. children from ages 3-17 had ever been diagnosed with ADHD in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). That reflects a 1-million increase compared to statistics compiled in 2016.
Over decades of performing brain scans, Amen Clinics has determined that there are actually seven types of ADD. Each has its own unique set of symptoms, but generally ADHD brains show differences when trying to concentrate.
In the neurotypical brain, concentration would increase blood flow in certain regions—especially in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This region is key in planning, focus, organization, and follow-through.
However, during moments of concentration, people with ADHD will experience a blood flow decrease in the PFC. Trying harder to concentrate actually makes the task more difficult.
Related: What Is the Executive Center of the Brain
Here is an overview of differences in brain function for each of the seven types of ADHD:
Type 1: Classic ADD is often called ADHD, due to the presence of hyperactive behavior. Hallmark traits include being inattentive, easily distracted, and restless or fidgety.
Type 2: Inattentive ADD, the second most common type, is associated with being quieter, more introverted, and prone to daydreaming. These individuals can also have trouble focusing but don’t usually show the behavior problems that characterize Classic ADHD.
In Types 1 and 2, the brain appears normal at rest. But during times of concentration, there tends to be decreased activity in the underside of the PFC, as well as in the cerebellum and basal ganglia.
Type 3: Overfocused ADD relates to difficulties with shifting attention. Brain scans show increased activity, even at rest. Increased activity occurs in the anterior cingulate gyrus (the brain’s “gear-shifter”), while decreased activity affects the underside of the PFC, the cerebellum, and the basal ganglia.
Type 4: Temporal Lobe ADD can create issues with learning and memory, unstable mood, and aggression. SPECT scan findings highlight decreased (and occasionally increased) activity in the temporal lobes, both at rest and during concentration.
Concentration also triggers decreased activity in the underside of the PFC, the cerebellum, and the basal ganglia.
Type 5: Limbic ADD involves an underactive prefrontal cortex during concentration, while the deep limbic area (involved with mood) is overactive. SPECT scans typically show increased deep limbic activity at rest, and decreased activity in the PFC, cerebellum, and basal ganglia during concentration.
Type 6: Ring of Fire ADD is associated with overall high activity in the brain, which can lead to overwhelming thoughts and emotions. These patchy areas of increased activity often affect multiple areas of the brain, creating a “ring” shape, but patterns can vary from person to person.
Type 7: Anxious ADD corresponds with areas of low activity as well as overactivity—and the resulting anxiety can aggravate ADHD symptoms. Brain scans show increased activity in the basal ganglia at rest and during concentration. In the PFC and cerebellum, activity decreases during concentration.
Like ADHD, autism diagnoses are also increasing. According to the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, about 1 in 31 (3.2%) 8-year-old children had been identified with autism spectrum disorder in 2022. In 2020, that number was 1 in 36.
Any of the following symptoms, ranging from mild to severe, can accompany ASD:
The differences in early brain development associated with ASD relate to the way neurons communicate with one another. This can lead to a variety of issues, including difficulty performing everyday tasks.
However, ASD does not point to a single brain problem in adults and children. In fact, a suspected eight to 10 factors can influence abnormal brain function and lead to this type of neurodivergence.
Brain-imaging studies of people with autism reveal that their brain patterns tend to have areas of high activity, low activity, or areas of both. Abnormal activity often affects the cerebellum, anterior cingulate gyrus, amygdala, and the temporal, frontal, and parietal lobes.
Therefore, there are high and low activity patterns in ASD. High activity patterns describe increased activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus and lateral prefrontal cortex. This is linked to symptoms such as repetitive speech and behavior. Increased activity in the brain can also contribute to mood instability or anxiety.
Low activity patterns, meanwhile, tend to accompany a smaller, less active cerebellum. This is associated with diminished motor skills and problems with learning and thought coordination. Overall, the surface of the brain, as well as the parietal and temporal lobes, have decreased activity, affecting communication, language, and social skills.
In addition to ADHD and autism, neurodivergence can take numerous other forms. Here are some of the most common types:
Dyslexia, which describes reading impairment and affects about 20% of the population. SPECT scans of individuals with dyslexia often show decreased activity in two brain regions: the prefrontal cortex and the left temporal lobe.
Dyslexia is a type of specific learning disorder (SLD), a grouping that includes other neurodivergent conditions, such as:
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) estimates that 5-15% of school-age children have a learning disability.
Dyspraxia, also called developmental coordination disorder (DCD), affects motor abilities. In the past, researchers struggled to pinpoint its best diagnosis and management. Today, while more research is still needed, studies have linked several brain areas to this condition: the cerebellum, basal ganglia, parietal lobe, and parts of the frontal lobe.
The APA defines neurodiversity as a “concept that regards individuals with differences in brain function and behavioral traits as part of normal variation in the human population.” Therefore, this definition includes, in addition to all of the above:
Neurodivergence can easily be misdiagnosed or simply remain untreated. And, because disorders like autism and ADHD are complex and assume multiple forms, brain imaging is instrumental in guiding accurate diagnosis and effective, targeted treatment plans.
Press Play to Learn About ADHD Interventions
In this video, Amen Clinics psychiatrist Dr. Steven Storage reveals natural ways to heal ADHD—without medication.
Click below to tune in:
Through improved understanding of the neurodivergent brain and neurodivergent thinking, mental health professionals can provide brain-based interventions to minimize this growing population’s challenges and optimize its strengths. The ultimate goal is to best equip neurodivergent individuals for success—regardless of their differences.
Botha M, Chapman R, Giwa Onaiwu M, Kapp SK, Stannard Ashley A, Walker N. The neurodiversity concept was developed collectively: An overdue correction on the origins of neurodiversity theory. Autism. 2024 Jun;28(6):1591-1594. doi: 10.1177/13623613241237871. Epub 2024 Mar 12. PMID: 38470140.
ADHD Aware. What Is Neurodiversity: Neurodevelopmental Conditions. https://adhdaware.org.uk/what-is-adhd/neurodiversity-and-other-conditions/
American Psychiatric Association. Exploring a Strengths-Based Approach to Neurodiversity. April 11, 2022. https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/exploring-a-strengths-based-approach-to-neurodiver
CDC. Data and Statistics on ADHD. November 19, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/data/index.html
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