If you’ve been struggling with bothersome symptoms like extreme mood swings, nervousness, feeling numb, or lack of focus, you may have visited a professional for help. But that doesn’t mean you feel better. Far too often, solutions for mental health issues don’t work.
Did you know that since the launch of Prozac in 1987, antidepressant use in the U.S. has increased 400%, and more than 1 in 10 Americans now takes one? But over half of people taking antidepressants don’t get relief from them—even after trying four different kinds of antidepressants.
Antidepressants aren’t the only psychiatric drugs that aren’t giving people the relief they want. Conditions, such as anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, memory problems, and addiction are skyrocketing… despite the escalating use of psychiatric medications!
Unfortunately, treatment failures in traditional psychiatry remain high.
The Problem of Misdiagnosis and Mistreatment
Treatment failures are alarmingly common. Often, it’s due to misdiagnosis. For example, did you know that:
- 69% of people with bipolar disorder are initially misdiagnosed.
- General practitioners correctly identify depression in only 47% of cases.
- ADD/ADHD is often misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder.
Getting the wrong treatment based on a misdiagnosis can be devastating. Not only can the wrong medications be ineffective in healing your symptoms, but they can also produce additional unwanted side effects. And that can lead to other prescription drugs to counteract those symptoms, and the spiral continues. It can all add up to months, years, or even decades of unnecessary suffering.
If you’ve gone from one medication to another without eliminating your symptoms, you may feel like you’ve tried everything and there is no hope.
The good news is, there is hope.
What Traditional Mental Health Professionals are Missing
If you’ve seen a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, counselor, or your primary care physician—or all of these—and you still haven’t gotten relief for your symptoms, it isn’t the end of the line.
There’s a reason why some providers may have missed the root cause of your problems. With the current psychiatric diagnostic model, which relies on symptom clusters, clinicians will never be able to know the underlying brain patterns of the patients they treat. It’s impossible to tell if a person’s inattention, depression, or aggression is being caused by:
- Low blood flow from vascular disease
- A premature aging process
- An inflammatory process, related to low omega-3 fatty acids or gut problems
- A genetic abnormality
- Lasting physical trauma from playing football in high school
- Toxic exposure from carbon monoxide or mold exposure, which needs to be treated
- Seizure activity
- A brain infection
- Nutrient or neurohormone abnormalities
- Blood sugar abnormalities
- Undiagnosed sleep apnea
- A brain that is working too hard and needs to be calmed down
- A brain that is not working hard enough and needs to be stimulated
A New Way to Diagnose and Treat Mental Health Issues
Looking at the brain with SPECT imaging can give mental health providers more information to help diagnose what’s causing your symptoms. Brain scans can show evidence of head trauma, infections, or exposure to toxins. Combine that information with lab tests to check your hormone levels, blood flow, and other important health numbers, and your provider now has a much clearer picture of what’s going on in your brain and body.
Getting an accurate diagnosis is critical to getting the right treatment so you can start feeling better fast.
If you’ve been suffering even after receiving treatment, it’s time to stop struggling and start healing. At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging, as well as a comprehensive 4-circle approach that looks at biological, psychological, social, and spiritual elements to diagnose and treat your symptoms. To learn more or to schedule your comprehensive evaluation, please visit us online or call 888-288-9834.
Do you take insurance?
Comment by Kristy Sharp — October 23, 2019 @ 6:25 AM
This article is absolutely correct. I’ve been diagnosed with ADD, and I’ve tried every medication for it. Not only did the medication not work, but I had severe side effects from each one of them. As I get older, the quality of my brain is drastically changing to the point where I am getting less intelligent and more depressed. Yet, I can’t get any help.
Unless a miracle happens, I will be stuck on SSI and Medicaid for the rest of my life and never be able to work again.
I wish someone could help me.
Comment by Margaret — December 4, 2019 @ 5:17 AM
Not knowing your situation but changing to a diet of high red meat (carnivore diet) or a keto does wonders for many people and of course make sure to get your sleep, find healthy ways to manage stress, get some minimal exercise and find time to spend in nature – all the above over a short period of time helps MANY people decompress from the pressures and stresses of life challenges. Wishing you well.
Comment by khal hass — December 4, 2019 @ 5:44 AM
I have been on anti depressants for over 40 years , moved out of the country for the past three years and found that i was able to cope with out drugs…..then moved back to the states a year ago and had to start antidepressants again. I would love to get to the root of my depression. Unfortunately a scan is not in my budget so i have stepped up my supplements and started exercising more often . I will continue to read and watch the Amen clinic information . I learned about Dr. Amen through my Company ..Paul Mitchell and will take advantage of the course they offer. Looking forward to learning more to better enjoy my aging process.
Comment by patricia millar — December 4, 2019 @ 7:06 AM
Seeing a psychiatrist is the beginning of an exciting, ‘down the rat hole’ journey…If at first you are not diagnosed with one of the myriad of new “designer'” abnormalities, rest assured, some enterprising psychologist will invent a new one to fit you into a category…Once diagnosed, you will become a new victim and be entitled to legal, medical and governmental comforting to nurse you along…Having Brain imaging, in my opinion, is probably the best way to immediately diagnose a concern without spending time on someone’s couch…
Comment by Dr Henry Sinopoli — December 4, 2019 @ 8:27 AM
Hi I so glad you wrote this article.
We tried over 15 medications, my son is now 12.
Last year I went to your NY clinic and got the spect scan.
I tried the supplements and some worked and some
We had opposite side effects of what it was supposed to do.
Then we tried medication again and still having a hard time finding the right one.
Do you see people privately, I would love to talk to you!!
Thank you,
Karen
Comment by Karen — December 4, 2019 @ 9:10 AM
Reached out once. Try again. Please have Chicago or DC office call.
Comment by Darren Kenneth ‘ChuX’ Berry A — December 4, 2019 @ 12:03 PM
Hello Darren, thank you for reaching out and letting us know. We’d be happy to pass along your information and have Amen Clinics Chicago reach out to you directly. We look forward to speaking with you.
Comment by Amen Clinics — December 4, 2019 @ 1:05 PM
I would like to know the location of the Amen clinics in eastern USA or outside of USA eg.Canada
What is the cost of specta of the brain
What is the cost of subsequent treatment
Comment by Radha Persad — December 4, 2019 @ 4:41 PM
Any locations in NYC area??
Have any expertise with Conversion
Disorder?
Comment by Miri — December 4, 2019 @ 5:11 PM
Do you take Health Partners insurance?
Comment by Kimberlee Kistner — December 5, 2019 @ 7:01 PM
You are teasing people by say there is hope if you go to your Clinic majority of patients can not afford to go to the clinic, until you lower the price or if Insurance starts covering there is no hope, if Dr Amen really wants to help, he says he wants to lower the suicide rate but The cost is Astronomical lowers the price and you will help more people. Dr Amen has a great way to change the field of psychology, more Dr’s need to do it his way and lowers the price and get the Insurance companies to pay, instead of getting people in credit card Debt, which will cause more anxiety, you would help so much more people
Comment by Shari Rotheiser — December 18, 2019 @ 3:58 PM
Dr. Amen, You can only get help if you are wealthy. Dr. Amen please find a way to lower prices if you really want to help. I’m sure you are getting rich from this.. but have you no help for those of us who are not. Meyer
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