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Before becoming parents, did you ever witness an exasperated and overwhelmed parent lose it in Aisle 7 and find yourself thinking smugly, “I’m never going to yell at my kids”? If you have a child with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), which is also called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), it is almost guaranteed that at some point during your parenting, you have felt so frustrated that you wanted to yell at your child. Maybe you have done so. A lot.

Trying not to Lose Your Temper can be Difficult

When your child does not listen, behave, comply, or openly defies, it can understandably send even the most patient of parents over the proverbial edge. However, the reality is that yelling is not an effective behavior management strategy and usually backfires. Many people with ADD have low activity in the front part of their brains, due to lower levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Additionally, researchers have found that people with ADD have low levels of the stress hormone adrenaline. As a way to feel more alert ADD children often find themselves conflict seeking; it stimulates them on an unconscious level. Kids and teens with ADD can be masterful at making other people mad or angry at them. But it is imperative that you not lose your temper with them because it often makes things worse. If they get you to explode, their low energy frontal cortex turns on, they feel better, and they unconsciously come to crave it. You do not want to let your anger be their medication. They can get addicted to it! That’s right, we’ve actually seen ADD kids get addicted to their parents’ anger. And if you end up giving them the adrenaline and dopamine rush that they are looking for by engaging in conflict and yelling at them, they will figure out how to make you do it again…and again…and again. Sound familiar? Then read on for some suggestions on what to do instead of yelling. It is important to note that once parents learn how to become less reactive, to not feed the need for adrenaline and dopamine with anger, the ADD child may initially get worse. It appears the child with ADD goes through withdrawal when others become calm and regulated, at least initially. When they can no longer get the adrenaline anger rush, they go after it full force. Unconsciously, they seem to say to themselves, “I have been able to get my adrenaline fix from you for a long time, I know I can make you yell at me.” They escalate the outrageous behavior. But if you can remain nonreactive for a long enough period of time, the conflict driven behavior usually significantly diminishes. And be prepared that, like a drug addict (think adrenaline junky), they will periodically test the “nonreactive skill” of the people in their environment by seeking intense emotional reactions.

What to do Instead of Yelling

Remember that yelling shows your child that you, the almighty parent, has lost control. Your child will always do more of what you do, not what you say. Therefore, the more you can model calm behavior, the calmer your child will become. Amen Clinics has helped tens of thousands of people with ADD/ADHD from all over the world. With targeted treatment, you can change your brain and change your life. If you feel that you or a loved one could benefit from an evaluation, contact Amen Clinics today at 888-288-9834 or visit us online. Losing your memory or developing brain fog is not normal – it’s a sign of trouble. In an article published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease depression and dementia have been linked with findings showing that brain SPECT imaging has the proven ability to distinguish depression or dementia in people with both with 83% accuracy. One of the most important ways to decrease risk for depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease is to decrease all of the risk factors. Here we’ve outlined four risk factors to address to keep your mind healthy as you age.

Excessive Stress

Stress is a major risk factor for depression and dementia. Some major causes of stress include: Whenever you’re exposed to a flood of stress hormones, it not only disrupts your sleep, but it can damage your immune system and shrink the memory centers in your brain. Since stress is everywhere, ALL of us would benefit from a regular stress management practice. Exercise and meditation can help, but another option is medical hypnosis which we have used with patients for many years. Research has shown that medical hypnosis can: Recently, a woman from Australia came up to one of our clinics and said she used our medical hypnosis program to help her fall and stay asleep.

Untreated Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Studies have shown that ADD is associated with low activity in an area called the prefrontal cortex, which acts as the brain’s brakes. It stops you from saying or doing impulsive things. When the prefrontal cortex is low, people tend to be easily distracted and have trouble controlling themselves, making it very hard to stay on track and consistently make good decisions—even though they want to. Amen Clinics has treated many patients experiencing memory issues. One of our patients was 94-years-old when she first came to the clinic. She couldn’t focus and could never finish reading the newspaper. A month after she started treatment, she told said with a big smile on her face that she had read her first book! Other patients are much younger, including one patient who was 50-years-old.

Infrequent Exercise

If you exercise less than twice a week it increases your risk of dementia, but you can eliminate that risk today by exercising more than twice a week. Walk like you’re late for 45 minutes, 4 to 5 times a week and lift weights twice a week. The stronger you are as you age the less likely you are to get dementia and, in fact, it could save your life. Also, exercise can be very effective for combating depressive symptoms.

Absence of New Learning and Addiction to Technology

No new learning or being addicted to your email, text messages or video games increases your risk of dementia and depression. In one study sponsored by Hewlett-Packard, people who were addicted to their gadgets lost 10 IQ points over a year. It was more harmful than smoking marijuana, which also decreases IQ. You can decrease these risk factors TODAY by limiting your gadgets and adding mental exercise to your life. Your brain is like a muscle, the more you use it in positive ways, the more you CAN use it. You have to work out your whole brain. Work out your brain for at least 15 minutes a day! If you’re ready to take control over your future, call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Dealing with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is challenging for both children and parents. To better manage the family impact of ADD/ADHD it’s important that all members of the family discuss and understand how ADD/ADHD effects their home, school, and relationships.  Even the best parenting skills can wane when they’re up against the day-to-day stress of having an ADD/ADHD child or teenager in the family.

Here are 10 Tips to Better Manage Families with ADD/ADHD:

1. Identify the Issue

Get a professional medical opinion to identify the issue. Then you can create the appropriate action plan and seek the support needed. Denial will only perpetuate stress and suffering.

2. ADD Runs in Families

Every member of the family who has ADD needs to be treated, parents included. ADD has genetic underpinnings, it is helpful to screen all immediate family members.

3. Exercise Together

Physical exercise is fun and has many tangible mental and physical health benefits.

4. Be Flexible

Don’t push when you see your child get stuck or locked into a particular idea.

5. Schedule Quiet Time

If your child is noisy and you prefer quiet, make sure that you allot yourself enough “quiet time” so that you can recharge your batteries and be more able to deal with the noise.

6. Learn to Forgive

Harboring bad feelings has a negative effect on your brain and body. Forgiveness and understanding go a long way in helping families heal.

7. Avoid Sugar

Avoid irritable, oppositional and cranky behavior by avoiding food and drinks with high sugar content.

8. Children Respond Well to Touch

Give lots of hugs. The more touching and connecting there is, the more relaxed everyone will feel.

9. Communication is Key

Make sure that you, the parent, has someone to talk to about the stresses of your life. The better you handle your own stress, the less likely you will be to take it out on your children.

10. Try Deep Breathing

Learn how to breathe slowly when things are getting out of control. Gaining control over your breathing is the first step to controlling your actions. Whenever you start to get upset, try these three steps:
  1. Take a big breath in
  2. Hold it for 2 seconds
  3. Then, very slowly exhale for between 5-10 seconds
To help promote more positive relationships, try a few of these tips and start creating a more harmonious family environment.

We Can Help

ADD is a neurobiological disorder with serious psychological and social consequences. Children, teens, adults and parents need to know that it’s not their fault, they didn’t cause it, and there is hope. Amen Clinics is here to help you understand the ADD brain and provide treatment options that address more than just symptoms. Call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit us online to schedule a visit. This is a subject that is very near and dear to my heart – Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) in females. I am a father of three daughters – two of which have ADD – and my wife, Tana, was diagnosed with ADD. ADD is commonly thought of as a disorder of hyperactive, behaviorally troubled boys. Yet, it affects many girls who are often overlooked because they tend not to be as hyperactive and have fewer behavior problems. In fact, although females have ADD in high numbers, males are diagnosed three to four times more than females. Missing ADD in women can have devastating lifelong effects on their health, mood, relationships, career, and finances. I’m going to share with you 8 specific ways that ADD may be holding you back:

1. Disorganization

Most people with ADD tend to struggle with organization. You often struggle keeping spaces tidy, especially your room, book bags, filing cabinets, drawers, closets, and paperwork. Things are left half done, half put away, “organized” through piles, or dropped wherever. Other people often complain bitterly about the disorganization, such as bosses, teachers, children, and spouses.

2. Being Chronically Late

Challenges with the organization of time are also something that you tend to struggle with. You tend to be late and have trouble completing tasks on time. Tasks and duties tend not to get done until there are deadlines or someone else is mad at you for not doing it. Often, you agree to do too many things at once, not realizing the time commitment involved. The chronic tardiness lands many ADD people in deep trouble. For example, you get fired from jobs for being late to work, not once, but on a chronic basis.

3. Conflict Seeking

To feel more alert, folks with ADD often find themselves seeking conflict or excitement. You can be masterful at making other people mad or angry at you which can have a serious impact on personal relationships. Additionally, many people with ADD are in constant turmoil with one or more people at work. You seem to “unconsciously” pick out people who are vulnerable and begin to pick verbal battles with them. Conflict may follow you from job to job.

4. Short Attention Span

This is true for regular, routine, everyday tasks. People with ADD have a difficult time with boring tasks and need stimulation or excitement to stay engaged, which creates problems in terms of following through on things like homework, chores, or paperwork. The mundane is terrible for you and not by choice. Many people with ADD can pay attention just fine for things that are new, novel, interesting, highly stimulating, or frightening.

5. Easily Distracted

You tend to notice more in your environment than others, which makes you easily distracted by outside stimuli, such as light, sounds, smells, certain tastes, or even the clothes you wear. Your keen sensitivity causes you to get easily off task. This can completely ruin relationships because they require consistent attention over time.

6. Stress

You may experience chronic stress from the results you’ve created in life. Chronic exposure to stress hormones does not make ADD better. In fact, stress hormones damage the memory centers, and chronic stress causes the brain to become hyper-alert, leading to severe distractibility and an inability to filter out extraneous stimuli.

7. Sleep Problems

Sleep disturbances are very common in people with ADD. Thanks to having a busy brain, you may have trouble getting to sleep at night and getting up in the morning. Sleep cycle problems can interfere with relationships, work, school, and overall energy level. Sleep deprivation leads to overall decreased brain activity and makes ADD worse. To optimize brain function, proper sleep is essential. Be sure to practice good sleep hygiene.

8. Insecurity

You may often have what feels like a long list of failures. You have many experiences of trying hard and not succeeding. ADD coaching can be particularly helpful for this. It allows females with ADD to develop a greater sense of confidence in their abilities.  This, in turn, gives you the momentum to move forward with your goals. The good news is that ADD is highly treatable. However, ADD, like many other conditions, is not just a single and simple disorder. Therefore, treatment is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have identified 7 types of ADD– and each requires a different treatment plan because of the diverse brain systems involved. To begin treatment for ADD, it is critical to know which type you have so that you know how to implement the most targeted interventions possible for your specific type. Amen Clinics has developed a free and confidential questionnaire to help you know if you or a loved one has ADD and which type you might have. Tens of thousands of people with ADD from all over the world have been helped by Amen Clinics, and we can help you, too. To learn more or schedule a comprehensive evaluation, contact the Amen Clinics Care Centeronline today or call (888) 288-9834. Do you know anyone who constantly loses her car keys? Or maybe their glasses? You know the type – the potential absent-minded professor type or the chronic daydreamer who appears forgetful, careless or even apathetic. We all know someone like that. At Amen Clinics, we prefer the term Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) because ADHD highlights the hyperactive component of the condition (H), and ignores half the people who have it, who are not at all hyperactive. Yet, too many people who suffer from Inattentive ADD (the Type 2 subset of ADD) are never diagnosed because the symptoms can be so subtle and restrained. If you can check off most of these symptoms on a family member or a friend, he or she may in fact have Inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder– a subtype of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

ADD Typically Shows Up Early in Life

Most people don’t realize that ADD is a developmental disorder – it’s not something that magically appears in middle age. If you have ADD symptoms, but never had them as a child, it could be due to something else, such as depression, chronic stress, hormonal changes, a head injury, or some form of toxic exposure. It’s critical to know that ADD is a not a single, simple, or separate disorder. Based on our extensive brain SPECT imaging work at Amen Clinics, we have discovered that there are seven different types of ADD:
  1. Classic ADD (ADHD)
  2. Inattentive ADD
  3. Over-focused ADD
  4. Temporal Lobe ADD
  5. Limbic ADD
  6. Ring of Fire ADD
  7. Anxious ADD
Understanding which type or types you have is critical to getting the right treatment. One treatment does not fit all, and treatments for one type of ADD often make the other types worse, sometimes dramatically so. Each of the ADD subtypes has its own set of symptoms because of the abnormal blood flow patterns in the brain specific to each subtype. However, most people who suffer from ADD share these characteristics:

People with Inattentive ADD Often Get Misdiagnosed

When most people think about ADD, they think about Classic ADD. People with Classic ADD are hyperactive, restless, impulsive, disorganized, distracted, and have trouble concentrating. The second most common type of ADD is Inattentive ADD. Unfortunately, many of these people never get diagnosed. Instead they are labeled slow, lazy, or unmotivated. While people with Classic ADD bring negative attention to themselves with their hyperactivity, constant chatter, and conflict-driven behavior, Inattentive ADD folks tend to be quiet and distracted. Rather than cause problems in class, they are more likely to daydream or look out the window. They are not often impulsive and are less likely to blurt out inappropriate things. They are frequently thought of as couch potatoes who have trouble finding interests or motivation in life. Girls seem to have this type as much, or more, than boys. Inattentive ADD is the perfect example of why the general term “ADHD” does not fit all ADD types. If clinicians and parents are looking for hyperactivity to reach a diagnosis, the condition may be left untreated. Untreated or incorrectly treated ADD affects nearly every aspect of your life and has been associated with: The good news is that Inattentive ADD is usually very responsive to treatment. It is often possible to change the whole course of a person’s life if the disorder is properly diagnosed and treated. Then it’s imperative to know which type you have so that you know how to implement the most targeted interventions possible for your specific type. Amen Clinics has helped tens of thousands of people with ADD from all over the world and we can help you, too. To learn more or schedule a comprehensive evaluation, contact an Amen Clinics Care Center today, or call (888) 288-9834. Amen Clinics has developed a free and confidential questionnaire to help you know if you (or a loved one) has ADD and which type you might have. Take our fascinating questionnaire and gain some clarity on ADD, and how it may affect you or someone you love. In the traditional medical and psychiatric communities, stimulant medications are considered first-line treatments for attention-deficit disorder (ADD), also known as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). From 2006-2016, total stimulant usage doubled, according to a study in Plos One. Many people with ADD/ADHD think medication is the only solution, however, there are many proven natural strategies that can help.   Many people with ADD think medication is the only solution, however, there are many proven natural strategies that can help.
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Many alternatives to ADD medication have been found to reduce ADD symptoms, which include short attention span, distractibility, procrastination, disorganization, problems with follow-through, and poor impulse control. This is good news for the 6 million children and 4.4% of adults who are affected by this common condition. In some cases, natural solutions can complement prescription stimulants and allow for reduced dosages. For other people, taking a natural approach is enough to keep symptoms at bay. Talk to your healthcare provider before making changes to your medications.

Here are some natural tips to start helping ADD/ADHD today:

1. Take a high-quality multivitamin and mineral supplement every day.

Research shows that people with ADD/ADHD often have nutritional deficiencies, including low levels of vitamin D, zinc, ferritin, and magnesium. Taking a supplement helps replenish levels of these important nutrients. Studies have reported that daily multivitamins/minerals help people with learning and help prevent chronic illness.

2. Take omega-3 fatty acids.

Multiple studies, including a 2020 trial in Translational Psychiatry and a 2017 study in the Journal of Lipids, show that taking omega-3 fatty acids can be beneficial for symptoms related to ADD/ADHD, such as attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. There are 2 active compounds in omega-3 fatty acids: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Research suggests that fish oil higher in the EPA form of omega-3s may be the most helpful, but it depends on your type of ADD/ADHD. Dose suggestions for adults are 2,000 to 6,000 mg of high-quality fish oil a day (1,000-2,000 mg for children.)

3. Eliminate everyday stimulants.

Avoid consuming caffeine or using nicotine products. The brain SPECT imaging work at Amen Clinics—over 160,000 functional brain scans and growing—shows that caffeine and nicotine decrease brain activity over time, sometimes, significantly. In addition, both interfere with sleep, and people with ADD/ADHD often have difficulty sleeping.

4. Exercise daily for 30-45 minutes.

The neuropsychiatrists at Amen Clinics have seen a direct relationship between the level of exercise a patient gets and the severity of their symptoms (more exercise = less severe symptoms). Physical activity boosts blood flow to the brain. In addition, when ADD patients are playing sports, such as basketball, where there is intense aerobic exercise, they tend to do better in school or at work. For kids, if you can’t find a safe exercise (no brain injuries please from football, hockey, or soccer headers), take them on long, fast walks.

5. Limit screen time.

Keep television, video games, and device time to no more than 30 minutes a day. This may be hard for kids and teens, but it can make a huge difference. In a 2019 study on preschoolers in Plos One, when screen time exceeded 2 hours a day, there were “clinically significant” increases in attentional problems and other symptoms associated with ADD/ADHD.

6. Think of food as a drug.

Most people with ADD/ADHD do best with a higher-protein, lower-simple carbohydrate diet. This isn’t true for all types of ADD. People with Type 3: Over-Focused ADD tend to respond better to a more balanced diet with more complex carbohydrates.

7. In dealing with kids, employees, and spouses with ADD – NO YELLING!

Many people with ADD have low activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) due to lower levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. To feel more alert, they often find themselves seeking conflict or excitement. They can be masterful at making other people mad or angry at them. Don’t lose your temper with them, because it often makes things worse. If they get you to explode, their unconscious, low-energy PFC activates and unconsciously, they come to crave it. Never let your anger be their medication. They can get addicted to it.

8. Get screened for other issues.

Up to 60% of people with ADD/ADHD also have learning disabilities, and they are particularly common in Type 4: Temporal Lobe ADD. People with ADD/ADHD should also be screened for Irlen Syndrome, a visual processing problem that is commonly seen with the condition.

9. Never give up seeking help.

If you aren’t getting the results you want from your treatment plan, keep investigating. Other issues, such as head trauma, co-occurring conditions like depression, or hormonal imbalances may play a role in the severity of your symptoms. Brain SPECT imaging and lab testing may be helpful in determining if other issues are at work.

10. Know your (or your child’s) ADD Type.

The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics has shown that there are 7 types of ADD/ADHD. Knowing your type is critical to getting the right treatment plan. You can begin with our ADD Type Test to discover your (or your loved one’s) ADD Type and get a personalized overview on what to do about it. ADD/ADHD—as well as anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions—can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk. ADD also called ADHD is a national health crisis that continues to grow. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 20% of boys and 11% of girls are being diagnosed with it. Even though it is now being diagnosed more frequently than ever, it remains one of the most misunderstood and incorrectly treated illnesses of our day. ADD often has a powerful negative impact on a person’s ability to do well in school. In fact, studies show that as many as 33% of kids with ADD never finish high school (3 times the national average). If you look at the following list of hallmark symptoms of this neurobiological disorder, it is easy to see why: Students with ADD are often not identified by their schools as needing assistance and end up falling through the cracks. However, after years of receiving complaints from parents, the U.S. Department of Education just released new guidelines intended to prevent schools from discriminating against the ever-increasing population of students with ADD. Furthermore, the guidelines direct school districts to identify students with ADD and provide appropriate accommodations to assist them in being successful in school. Additionally, the guidelines entitle parents to ask that their child is evaluated by their school district. As reported in the Los Angeles Times, the U.S. Department of Education’s assistant secretary for civil rights, Catherine Lhamon, was quoted as saying, “The failure to provide needed services to students with disabilities can result in serious social, emotional and educational harm.” Identification of the disorder is just the first step. ADD, like many other conditions, is not just a single and simple disorder; therefore, treatment is not a one-size-fits-all solution. With more than 125,000 brain scans in our database, we have identified 7 types of ADD—and each requires a different treatment plan because of the diverse brain systems involved. What works for one person with ADD may not work for another—or could even make the symptoms worse! When properly diagnosed, kids and teenagers with ADD & ADHD can heal and live a happy life. Amen Clinics has helped tens of thousands of people with ADD from all over the world and can help you, too. To learn more or schedule a comprehensive evaluation, contact the Amen Clinics today or call 888-288-9834. There are many people who feel anxious, depressed, impulsive, or prone to anger, and they think the problem is “all in their head” or purely psychological. However, one of the clearest things we at Amen Clinics have found in our research is that these problems often do have a biological basis in the brain. We are talking, of course, about adult attention deficit disorder (ADD), which is also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although ADD is a large umbrella of symptoms that can be most often noticed in those children bouncing off the wall in the doctor’s office, we often forget that hyperactivity is just the most visible effect of a much more complicated disorder. There are many different types of ADD, and they aren’t all quite as obvious as the screaming child running laps in the parking lot. In fact, at Amen Clinics, we prefer the name ADD, as ADHD highlights the hyperactive component of the disorder (H) and discards half the people who have it, particularly females, who are typically not hyperactive.

Myth #1: Children outgrow their ADD problem by adulthood

Fact: While ADD is most often diagnosed in children, for two-thirds of them the disorder persists into adulthood. Over the past few decades, the conversation on mental health has grown and more adults with the disorder are now being diagnosed. ADD is highly heritable, and adults often are diagnosed for the first time when they bring their child in seeking help. However, there is no such thing as adult-onset ADD. These adults have often been living their entire lives unaware, but with the constant feeling that their brains worked a little differently. Just because these adults haven’t been identified as ADD until later in life, doesn’t mean they haven’t been living with the disorder’s effects. Treating adult ADD starts by understanding the disorder itself and the effects it has on you and those around you, in order to begin succeeding with ADD, not in spite of it.

Myth #2: ADD is just an excuse for the habitually distracted and disorganized

Fact: There is a difference between an excuse and explanation. Just like anyone else, ADD adults have to hold themselves accountable; they are skilled and often incredibly creative people who are capable of great things. However, they cannot deny the effects the disorder can have on their lives. We have scanned tens of thousands of brains and seen the clear differences in brain function between an adult with ADD and an adult without it. Among the many signs, lower blood flow to key areas such as the prefrontal cortex (the brain’s decision maker) and lower levels of adrenaline are often seen in ADD adults, causing them to sometimes be impulsive or craving excitement. Knowing this can help you understand this complicated disorder, and act to explain rather than make excuses, taking steps to minimize the challenges adult ADD presents. Amen Clinics has helped tens of thousands of people with ADD/ADHD from all over the world. With targeted treatment, you CAN change your brain and change your life. If you feel that you or a loved one could benefit from an evaluation, contact the Amen Clinics Care Center today at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online today. At Amen Clinics, we knew about the NFL concussion problem 25 years ago, simply because we were looking at brains. We quickly learned these tragic facts: even mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) can ruin someone’s life, and the underlying impact of TBI on mental health problems is missed because most doctors don’t look at the brain.

Undiagnosed concussions and TBIs are a very serious problem.

They are a major cause of psychiatric disorders including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and panic disorder along with homelessness, domestic violence, divorce, and suicide. Furthermore, untreated brain injuries can lead to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Although we have heard about the NFL concussion crisis in the media over the past several years, this issue was brought into the spotlight when the movie, Concussion, starring Will Smith, was released. The story features the work of Dr. Bennet Omalu, who more than a decade ago, identified the physical brain pathology of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Dr. Daniel Amen was a consultant on this very important film and highly recommends seeing it because it will really help you understand the devastating, long-term impact that head trauma has on the individuals who suffer from its consequences.

How Do You Know Unless You Look?

Because we look at the brain using brain SPECT imaging, many people with a history of TBI come to Amen Clinics for evaluation, including professional athletes. In fact, Dr. Amen is the lead researcher on the first and largest brain imaging and rehabilitation study on NFL players. This research not only demonstrated high levels of brain damage in players, but also showed the possibility of significant recovery for many of them using the principles that underlie our work, including nutrition, supplementation, and exercise. We apply these same principles for brain health to all patients with TBI. As inferred above, one of the most prevalent conditions we identify with SPECT is previously undiagnosed TBI. All too often concussions are not taken very seriously unless a person has noticeable symptoms shortly after one occurs. Many times, clinicians do not know to ask their patients about a past history of head injuries. However, we think it is very important to ask them multiple times in multiple ways because people often forget or dismiss such incidents as inconsequential, but they all matter – even sub-concussive events. If you don’t already have your own set of questions for assessing a history of head injury, consider using ones like these: Given the magnitude of people suffering from known TBIs as well as undiagnosed concussions, it is really important to take the time to assess for them. With the proper treatment, people can get better and live more balanced and productive lives. Contact us today at 888-288-9834 to see how we may help, or schedule a visit today. Are you tired of hearing people say that ADD/ADHD isn’t real, and that people with it just need to try harder? As you probably know, that’s just not true. ADD/ADHD is real—we can see it in the brain.

Here are 5 facts about ADD/ADHD:

1. ADD has been described in the medical literature for over one hundred years. In 1902, pediatrician George Still described a group of children who were hyperactive, impulsive and inattentive. 2. ADD is found in every country and has been studied. We’ve seen patients from Ethiopia. One who had been expelled from his tribe for being easily distracted and impulsive. 3. Many people with ADD are never hyperactive. The non-hyperactive or inattentive ADD people are often ignored because they do not bring enough negative attention to themselves. Many of these children, teenagers, or adults earn unjust labels: “willful,” “lazy,” “unmotivated” or “not that smart.” Females, in our experience, tend to have Type 2, Inattentive ADD, and it can be devastating for their daily life. 4. The harder many people with ADD try, the worse things get for them. Brain imaging studies show that when people with ADD try to concentrate, the parts of their brains involved with concentration, focus and follow-through (prefrontal cortex and cerebellum) shut down—just when they need them to turn on. 5. Ineffective parents or teachers cannot cause a child’s ADD. However, ADD behaviors can make even the most skilled parents and teachers appear stressed and inept.

Does Your Child Suffer from ADD?

If you suspect that you or your child might have ADD, don’t wait to get help. Effective treatment does not make those with ADD different people: It removes the barriers hindering them from being the people they already are and allows them to reach their potential. We like to think of effective treatment for ADD like glasses for people who have trouble seeing. The glasses do not change the person; they just make the person’s vision more effective.

We Can Help

Imaging changes everything. At Amen Clinics, we can help you and your loved ones overcome the stigma and suffering associated with ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression, brain injury, weight loss, addictions, memory issues, brain fog, and other emotional and cognitive issues. If you are ready to regain control over your life or help a loved one do the same, give us a call at 1-888-288-9834 or click here to ask a question.