Entrepreneur and author Billy Carson didn’t grow up having it all. In fact, his upbringing was filled with stress and trauma—the stuff that can negatively impact your brain and contribute to depression, resentment, and anxiety. He experienced the type of trauma that can cause changes in the brain that make you more likely to turn to alcohol, drugs, sex, or video games for relief from painful memories. But not Carson. He used the childhood trauma he faced to fuel his ambitions and turned his pain into purpose. But even though he’s reached a high level of success, he wanted to know if he could be performing at an even higher level if improved his brain health. That’s why he visited Amen Clinics to get a brain SPECT scan.
Entrepreneur and author Billy Carson used the childhood trauma he faced to fuel his ambitions and turned his pain into purpose.
When you grow up with childhood trauma or in a stressful environment, it can play a major role in shaping your mental health as an adult. In many cases, adverse childhood experiences have a negative impact on brain function and mental health.
For Carson, the odds seemed to be stacked against him. His dad was an alcoholic and drug addict. In an effort to get away from that negative influence, his mom moved the family to a town in Florida that, unfortunately, turned out to be so crime-ridden the police wouldn’t even go there. “They called it the Bermuda Triangle,” Carson says in an episode of Scan My Brain.
By age 6, Carson was seeing people getting stabbed or being killed in the neighborhood. “It was a normal everyday event,” he says. At night, he would grab a butcher knife, push over the dinette table, put his siblings behind it, then stand guard all night to protect them. The town was so tough the school crossing guards would try to rob the kids on the way to school. The junior high school he attended got closed down because kids were murdering each other.
With that start in life, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Carson had fallen into the same negative behaviors as the other neighbor kids. But something about Carson was different. He told his mother, “I don’t belong here.” And he started looking for a way out.
FROM TRAUMA SURVIVOR TO ENTREPRENEUR
Carson’s entry into the world of entrepreneurship came at age 7 courtesy of an ice cream truck. As a youngster, he desperately wanted something from the ice cream truck but didn’t have any money. He decided to sell his toys door-to-door and ended up with a handful of cash that he used to buy some Bazooka bubble gum. Success! At that moment, he came to a life-changing realization: “Nobody’s coming to save me. I’m gonna have to save myself.”
With this understanding, he knew he was going to be okay in life. And that simple yet powerful shift in mindset changed everything. From that point on, he worked to build his own success, which now includes books, music, a television network called 4biddenKnowledge, and more.
However, like many successful people, he wondered if his brain could be better.
HIDDEN BRAIN ISSUES THAT CAN HOLD YOU BACK
As an entrepreneur, business owner, or executive, your brain is your greatest asset. Some high achievers manage to excel in business despite challenges involving brain function that can affect focus, moods, anxiety, memory, and more.
When Carson saw his brain scan, he could clearly see evidence of a mild traumatic brain injury stemming from a car accident that occurred at age 22. Carson was in the passenger seat when his friend who was driving fell asleep while going about 75 mph. The impact from the accident jettisoned Carson through the window, leaving him with nerve damage around his right eye. He also says his memory isn’t as good as it could be.
On his brain SPECT scan, which measures blood flow and activity in the brain, Carson could see damage to the left temporal lobe, a brain region involved in memory.
Another finding on his SPECT scan was too much activity in the brain’s emotional centers in a pattern that is commonly seen in people who have experienced trauma. In some people with this diamond pattern, it leads to negativity and blaming others for their lot in life. But not for Carson. With a positive, optimistic attitude, he exhibits resilience and focuses on problem-solving, which provides him with a sense of peace.
This is something Daniel Amen, MD, refers to as posttraumatic growth, a process that occurs in some people that allows them to turn pain into purpose. For Carson, that comes in the form of helping others live more fulfilling lives.
OPTIMIZING BRAINPOWER FOR BETTER SUCCESS
For Carson, there is still some room for improvement in terms of brain health. To help optimize his brain, Dr. Amen’s recommendations include:
Play table tennis to improve brain activity in some brain regions
By following a brain optimization plan, Carson is hoping to see increments of improvement in certain areas of his life. For any entrepreneur, achieving peak performance requires optimal brain function. Getting a brain scan to assess and identify brain regions that could benefit from optimization can be the key to reaching the next level of success.
Optimizing brain health for peak performance 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 888-288-9834or visit our contact page here. In its long history of usage, marijuana has been alternately considered everything from a dangerous “gateway drug” that destroys health, to a natural and nonaddictive medicine that offers a safer alternative to oft-abused pharmaceuticals such as opioids. Even after decades of usage in American society, this substance is surrounded by a surprising amount of mystery and mythology.
These views are further confused by ever-changing laws and perceptions around cannabis use in the United States. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, under federal law, marijuana is still a Schedule I illegal substance, but so far, 19 states, 2 territories, and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts of cannabis (marijuana) for adult recreational use. Even more states have decriminalized cannabis or have legalized its use for medical purposes. These more permissive laws have been shown to increase usage among certain demographics.
However, as use increases and legal regulations ease, it’s important to note that marijuana has never been proven to be safe—after all, cigarettes and alcohol are legal, too, but that doesn’t mean they’re not extremely harmful to health. Let’s look more closely at some of the facts around marijuana use and dependence.
As use increases and legal regulations ease, it’s important to note that marijuana has never been proven to be safe—after all, cigarettes and alcohol are legal, too, but that doesn’t mean they’re not extremely harmful to health.
Overall, marijuana has depressive effects. Brain imaging research at Amen Clinics, studying marijuana use and the brain, showed that marijuana users have lower blood flow in the brain than non-users. On brain SPECT scans, the decreased blood flow was most commonly seen in the hippocampus during concentration tests (when participants engage in a concentration task during the brain imaging process). A 2016 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease presented similar findings: After studying imaging of 1,000 cannabis users’ brains, there were signs of noticeable deficiencies in brain blood flow, including in the right hippocampus, the area of the brain that helps with memory formation.
These results suggest that marijuana use has a damaging effect on regions important in memory and learning, which are areas also associated with Alzheimer’s. Such effects can even persist over time. Several studies in chronic cannabis users showed that structural changes to the hippocampus show up even after six months of abstinence from the drug.
CANNABIS ADDICTION IS REAL
There is also evidence that marijuana is far from “harmless” or “non-addictive.” A study using PET imaging to demonstrate the release of dopamine in the striatum—a region of the brain involved with working memory, impulsive behavior, and attention—showed that THC, marijuana’s main psychoactive compound, created similar dopamine-releasing behaviors as found in other addictive drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. This effect is what keeps people using a drug, even in the face of negative consequences.
Therefore, many medical organizations and experts have recognized that prolonged or excessive cannabis use can lead to cannabis use disorder or marijuana use disorder. According to an article published by The Pew Charitable Trusts, these disorders are on the rise—not only because of increased legalization measures but due to the greater potency that accompanies today’s genetically engineered plants and more concentrated products.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) points to recent data suggesting that 30% of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder. The incidence increases among people who started using marijuana before the age of 18—they are 4 to 7 times more likely to develop a marijuana use disorder than those who start consuming the drug as adults. Studies have even shown that people are at greater risk for psychosis and a range of other risks if they start smoking marijuana at a younger age. In other words, marijuana use can have serious health consequences for people of all ages.
SYMPTOMS AND PREVALENCE OF CANNABIS USE DISORDER
What are the hallmarks of marijuana or cannabis use disorder, versus “recreational” use? The NIDA explains that these disorder designations are associated with dependence, which refers to users who experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking the drug. They may report symptoms including irritability, mood, and sleep difficulties, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, and/or various forms of physical discomfort. These usually peak within the first week after quitting but can last for up to 2 weeks.
Beneath these outer symptoms, marijuana dependence occurs when the brain adapts to large amounts of the drug by reducing the production of and sensitivity to its own endocannabinoid neurotransmitters. The NIDA notes that it is possible to be dependent without being addicted, but research suggests that 9% of people who use marijuana will become dependent on it, although the number rises to 17% in those who start using marijuana in their teens.
However, in more extreme cases, a disorder can morph into an addiction. Yale Medicine reports that about 13% of U.S. adults use cannabis products, but to be considered addicted, the person should meet at least 2 of the 11 criteria for substance use disorders, as outlined by the American Psychiatric Association. These can include an inability to reduce or halt consumption, frequent cravings, relationship and social problems stemming from the drug’s usage, and the development of tolerance, which means that more of the substance is needed to get the same effects.
Finally, like with many drug addictions, marijuana use disorder often goes untreated. The NIDA estimated in 2015 that about 4 million people in the United States met the criteria for marijuana use disorder, but only 138,000 voluntarily sought treatment for their use.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND TREATMENT OF CANNABIS USE DISORDER
What determines whether a “recreational” pot smoker will become someone with a use disorder or addiction? This is a complicated question, but a study published in 2020, led by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, showed that two regions of human DNA “appear to contribute to one’s risk of becoming dependent on marijuana, showing a genetic link.” But, as is often the case, nature meets nurture. The study noted that “researchers also identified behavioral factors linked to problems with marijuana via their genetic overlap, such as risk-taking behavior, schizophrenia, and lower levels of educational attainment.”
Ultimately, cannabis use disorder is a serious concern, and continued use of the drug can lead to a range of negative impacts. That’s why it’s important to first identify the problem and then to seek help for usage that raises the red flags of dependence and addiction (or, ideally, to stop usage before it reaches this point). Whether this type of disorder is classified as mild, moderate, or severe, all users can benefit from treatment, though no one type of treatment works for everyone. Therapy, residential treatment, or joining sober communities are just some steps that can be taken to help get a marijuana user on the right track—and prevent further damage to the body and brain.
The one factor that most treatment programs miss, however, is that the #1 reason why people get addicted is brain dysfunction. Healing the brain and optimizing brain function must be part of an addiction treatment program to kick the habit for good.
Dependence, 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, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. When influencer and musician Stephen Hilton posted a video about how alcohol is the only drug you have to explain why you’re not using it, he couldn’t have been more right. Have you ever been at a social gathering and had somebody try to force you to have a drink even though you said, “No, thank you” more than once? Why do drinkers feel the need to ask why you aren’t having wine, beer, or a hard seltzer as if there must be something wrong with you for not wanting to consume alcohol? Buzzed people often wrongly assume that non-drinkers must be boring, incapable of letting loose, too sheltered, or just no fun.
Now think about other addictive substances. Has anyone ever grilled you about not smoking cigarettes or questioned why you don’t want to use drugs like cocaine, ecstasy, or heroin? Of course not. But when it comes to alcohol, people are routinely subjected to pressure to drink even when they’ve already said no. This kind of peer pressure can push you to drink excessively to the detriment of your own mental health, cognitive function, and physical well-being. It’s time to fight back with some effective strategies to resist the booze pushers.
When it comes to alcohol, people are routinely subjected to pressure to drink even when they’ve already said no.
Feeling pressured to drink is common. One study out of Finland found that in the previous 12 months, roughly 50% of people had felt pressured to drink. Social drinkers and heavy drinkers are more likely to say they have been pressured to drink, according to research in Drug and Alcohol Review. The researchers suggest this may be due in part to a “collective aspect” of alcohol consumption as imbibers tend to associate with others who have the same drinking habits.
A 2020 systematic review in BMC Public Health looked at 13 studies on peer pressure and alcohol consumption. The review shows that peer pressure may lead to excessive drinking, which comes with consequences for mental health and physical well-being. And that peer pressure can come in many forms, including:
Direct influences: This is when someone offers you a drink and doesn’t want to take no for an answer. They may question why you said no or make you feel like you aren’t any fun or that you’re an outsider if you refuse to join them in drinking. In addition, someone may buy you a drink, hand you one at a party, or fill (or refill) your glass even though you’ve said you don’t want one. This may also include being pressured to participate in drinking games, which increase overconsumption of alcohol. According to the BMC Public Health study mentioned above, people who drink little to no alcohol are more commonly confronted with direct pressure to imbibe more.
Indirect influences: Merely being in a social setting where you are observing others who are consuming alcohol can make you feel tempted to join in even when you don’t want to.
Societal influences: Our society encourages drinking in so many ways. Images and scenes involving alcohol are commonplace in TV shows and movies; at sporting events, concerts, and other entertainment events; and on social media. In addition, drinking is part of our culture and an accepted aspect of many traditions—just think of the typical wedding toast with champagne, for example.
If you want to rethink your drinking, you need to learn how to say no.
18 WAYS TO SAY NO TO ALCOHOL
If you’re going to be in a situation where you’re likely to be offered alcohol, arm yourself with statements you can use to make it crystal clear that you don’t want to drink. This is especially important when simply saying, “No, thank you” isn’t enough. Here are some examples you can try:
“Because I love my brain and want to keep it healthy.”“I have an allergy to alcohol.”“Alcohol kills gut bugs, and I love my gut bugs.”“When I drink, I act like an @$$.”“I prefer to save my calories for food.”“I want to be fully present and take everything in.”“I never drink when I have to drive.”“I’ve already had my limit for the night.”“At this age, I’ve decided to prioritize my health, so I don’t drink anymore.”“Since I stopped drinking, I love that I wake up feeling refreshed every day.”“I have an early day tomorrow, and I want to be my best.”“I’m in training.” (If they ask what you’re training for, you can say you’re training for a 5K race, a tennis table tournament, or simply your best life.)“I’m taking a medication that doesn’t mix well with alcohol.”“We are what we drink, so I’ve decided to skip the booze—and my head is so much clearer!”“When I learned that alcohol is implicated in about 8 types of cancer, I gave it up.”“I’m in a program.” (If they ask you what kind of program, you can say a brain health program.)“I’m sober.”“I’m trying to cut down, and I would really appreciate your support.”
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO ALCOHOL
At first, you may find it difficult or uncomfortable to refuse a drink when someone offers. For this reason, practice your responses with a friend or loved one. Be firm, yet respectful. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel. Soon, your responses will become automatic. If you state your case and someone still keeps pushing you to drink, use the broken-record technique and just keep repeating your statement until they back down.
Learning that you’re in charge of your own alcohol consumption and that you don’t have to give in to social pressure can be so empowering. It’s a potent reminder that you’re in control of your own brain health and physical well-being. Don’t let others steal your health from you.
Excessive alcohol consumption and other mental health disorders can’t wait.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 or visit our contact page here. Modern medicine is full of many miracles. But are antidepressants one of them? A growing body of evidence suggests the meds taken by millions of Americans may not be the solution depressed people want.
During the past century, we witnessed the eradication of some serious diseases, the development of cures for previously incurable illnesses, and medications to help manage the symptoms of what could otherwise be life-threatening conditions. Yet, despite the progress that has been made in numerous realms of the medical field, there has not been an equal degree of advancement in the treatments for mental health disorders, including depression.
Despite the progress that has been made in numerous realms of the medical field, there has not been an equal degree of advancement in the treatments for mental health disorders.
In the late 1980s, the now well-known antidepressant medication Prozac was introduced into our consumer consciousness because of its lower side effect profile and its reported ability to reduce symptoms. Following this, many other similar medications for depression cleared the FDA hurdles too, and launched the mind-drug revolution in the field of psychiatry. Since that time, prescriptions for antidepressants have been on the rise. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health issues for so many people, it’s estimated that more than 40 million people in the U.S. were taking an antidepressant.
HOW EFFECTIVE ARE ANTIDEPRESSANTS?
The theory behind the way these medications work is that they increase the availability of certain neurotransmitters in the brain—serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine—which are chemicals associated with our sense of well-being. Therefore, it would seem to make sense that antidepressants could potentially be the solution for anyone struggling with depression. Unfortunately, that is far from the reality of the response rate to them.
Although people struggling with severe depression often benefit more from antidepressants, scientific research has repeatedly found that the average rate of symptom remission from taking these medications hovers somewhere between 30% and 50%. Ironically, in many studies on depression, placebos (fake pills) have a 50% response rate as does psychotherapy.
An important reason why more people don’t get relief from antidepressants is that depression does not have a singular cause. There are numerous underlying factors that can lead to depressive symptoms, including:
In addition, symptoms of depression are linked to unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as a poor diet, overeating, smoking, addictions, and being physically inactive. Furthermore, depression frequently accompanies medical problems. A research study published in General Hospital Psychiatry looked at the data from 30,801 adults with chronic medical conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke, among others, and found that their risk for depression was 3 times higher than that of healthy control subjects.
ANTIDEPRESSANTS AREN’T THE ANSWER TO A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE
A 2022 study in the journal PLoS One analyzed the data on more than 17 million people who had depression along with at least one medical condition. The researchers specifically looked at the differences in the mental and physical components of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between those who took antidepressants for their depression and those who did not.
In this study, the mental components of the HRQoL assessment measured each person’s social functioning, psychological distress, any role limitations from mental health problems, and a sense of well-being. The physical components they evaluated were energy level and fatigue, pain, overall health, and role limitations due to medical conditions. The researchers were surprised by what they found. Compared to the people not taking an antidepressant, those taking them had some mild improvements in some of their mental scores but had no significant improvement in their physical scores. In other words, antidepressants were not helping them have a better quality of life.
4 BASIC STRATEGIES TO GET HEALTHIER AND BOOST YOUR MOOD
Most people will agree that having a good quality of life is important on so many levels because of its direct impact on our mental health and physical well-being. It can help to provide us with a sense of purpose and meaning and feel connected to others—without which our lives can feel empty or insignificant. Because of this, it is vitally important to take preventative steps to protect your health as much as you can. And, even if you’ve been bad to your body and brain, you can choose to make positive changes now that will serve you well.
Some basic strategies to prioritize your overall health should include:
Getting an annual check-up and following your doctor’s recommendations for the treatment of any health problems. Ask your doctor to help you create a plan to overcome or best manage any medical concerns.
Switch from a high-fat, high-sugar diet to one that includes clean protein, low-glycemic carbs, healthy fats (like avocados), and plenty of fresh produce—research has found that the more daily servings (up to 8) of fruits and vegetables a person consumes, the better their mood is.
Get regular exercise. Physical activity is so important! If you’ve been a couch potato, start with a walk around the block and increase the minutes you walk each day. Gardening and housework count as physical activity too. Not only does exercise improve your fitness and help with weight management, it also boosts brain chemicals that improve your mood.
Manage your stress. Whether it’s with supportive counseling, meditation, yoga, tai chi, or learning to extinguish the automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) swirling around your mind, it’s critical to find a way to minimize your stress because it can be a big driver of health problems and depressive symptoms.
Getting control of your physical health is fundamental to not only having a better quality of life but also helping to keep psychiatric issues from holding you back. Change can be hard and giving up those bad habits can be a challenge, but you can do it. Start with one healthy thing at a time and notice that when you experience success with it you will be naturally motivated to keep going in the right direction.
As the saying goes, “Every journey begins with a single step.”
Depression 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. Alcohol problems creep up slowly. A phenomenon called denial—the refusal to admit the truth or reality of something—allows people to ignore the signs of growing dependence. For example, you may tell yourself you don’t have a problem because you don’t typically get falling-down drunk or because your friends drink a lot more than you do. Or maybe you tell yourself that you don’t have a problem because you only drink beer or wine. Meanwhile, as you continue drinking regularly, your brain is essentially rewiring itself, driving you to drink more, regardless of the shame, guilt, or repercussions.
You may tell yourself you don’t have a problem because you don’t typically get falling-down drunk or because your friends drink a lot more than you do.
The truth is that an alcohol use disorder can be mild, moderate, or severe. Most people with a problem will show signs in several or all of these areas: physical health, mental health, social (work, family, and friendships) connections, or spiritual well-being. There are many clinical tools—such as the CAGE Assessment—to gauge whether a person has an addiction, but below are typical scenarios that may indicate you have or on your way to having a problem with alcohol.
12 WARNING SIGNS YOU HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM
1. You have more drinks than planned.
You are headed out to meet some colleagues for drinks, but you intend to have only one drink and plan to return home at a reasonable hour as you need to be fresh in the morning for work. You meet them at a Mexican restaurant where there are endless pitchers of margaritas served. You have one and decide an extra one can’t hurt. Then someone buys a round of tequila shots, and you end up partaking. It becomes a heavy night of drinking. You get home late. You feel horrible the next morning and fail to do your best work.
2. Alcohol occupies a featured role in your life, and you spend a lot of time thinking about drinking, obtaining alcohol, drinking alcohol, or recovering from drinking (hangover).
You are the social planner amongst your hard-drinking friends. You come up with exciting new social activities always involving alcohol. You spend time and money procuring fine wine or a particular brand of hard liquor for poker night, a chili cook-off, a boating trip, or game day. Your Sundays are often a wash as you can pretty much guarantee you’ll have a hangover.
3. The day after drinking you feel bad and experience brain fog, irritability, tiredness, or low motivation.
You meet your friends for a couple of beers on a Friday night, and you wake up feeling horrible on Saturday. You cancel plans, stay home, get nothing done on your to-do list, and isolate.
4. It’s causing conflict in your relationships.
You fight with your spouse every time you go out and have wine with dinner. Or perhaps you come home every Thursday evening from an evening out with boys, perhaps too late and having had one too many. Your partner won’t talk to you the next day because they are disgusted by your lack of responsibility and failure to care about your own well-being.
5. You’re getting into trouble at work, at school, with your money, or with the law.
You don’t answer the phone because the credit card company is calling you asking for payment for the bill that’s two months late. You missed another day of work due to a hangover and you are afraid of being fired. You’re in danger of being kicked out of college because you failed to maintain a passing average last semester because you blew off too many papers and exams due to your partying lifestyle. You can’t drive because you had a second DUI citation.
6. You’re getting sick physically or psychologically.
Your doctor tells you your blood pressure is too high, or you drink to cope with uncomfortable emotions like anxiousness, emptiness, or hopelessness. But when you stop drinking you feel even more anxious and depressed and do not want to face work on Monday.
7. You withdraw from life and from hobbies you normally enjoy.
You’ve stopped showing up to play tennis on the weekend with your friends. You do not socialize outside of work and instead choose to stay home alone, sometimes drinking.
8. You take dangerous risks while drinking that could harm yourself or others such as driving, skiing, or swimming.
It’s Saturday morning, you can’t quite remember how you got home the night before. Then you remember you drove your friends home after a night of drinking, knowing you put yourself and others at risk.
9. When you drink, your behavior is out of character, and you say or do things that make you feel ashamed, guilty, and remorseful.
You went out with your girlfriends to a party. You abandoned them during the party to cozy up to a guy. You leave the party to spend the night at this man’s house and awake the next day, embarrassed and ashamed that you abandoned your friends and had sex with a stranger.
10. You’ve developed a tolerance and need more alcohol to get the same effect.
You used to get a happy buzz from drinking one glass of wine, but now you need to finish an entire bottle to achieve that same feeling.
11. You’ve tried unsuccessfully to reduce your drinking.
You decide you are only going to drink a beer or glass of wine on special occasions, but somehow you end up drinking every day. When you try to quit completely, you get the shakes or feel nauseous.
12. You keep drinking despite negative consequences.
Even though your drinking is causing real problems, you keep doing it. Alcohol has become more important to you than other aspects of your life.
YOU THINK YOU HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM, NOW WHAT?
First, recognize that an alcohol problem is not a moral failing, but a brain disorder that needs treatment. The brain SPECT imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that brain dysfunction is the primary reason why people drink too much. Finding the root causes—such as past emotional trauma, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression, or head injuries—that are driving your need to drink is an important step in the process. Treating any such underlying issues is key to overcoming an alcohol use disorder.
Problems with alcohol, drug addictions, 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. Negativity is all around us. Nasty comments fill social media pages. Bullies torment their peers. And too many of us mentally beat ourselves up. Celebrity stylist Maeve Reilly—whose clients include Hailey Bieber, Megan Fox, and Ciara—knows the impacts of these hurtful practices only too well.
Years of being bullied in school made Reilly feel unsafe. “It was so awful,” she says in an episode of Scan My Brain with Daniel G. Amen, MD. To avoid her tormentors, she adds, “I used to eat my lunch in the bathroom stall.”
The relentless bullying fueled low self-esteem and led to drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and using cocaine as coping mechanisms to numb the pain. The substance use quickly became an addiction and by the time she was 16 years old, Reilly was using 8-12 grams of cocaine a day. It ravaged her health and when she entered treatment at age 17, she weighed only 90 pounds and was “near death” as she puts it.
Reilly emerged from treatment 4 months later and has been sober ever since. But that doesn’t mean her painful past doesn’t still live inside her mind. Now, at age 34, she wanted to know if her past experiences had negatively impacted her brain health, so she visited Amen Clinics for a brain SPECT scan.
EMOTIONAL PAIN IN THE BRAIN
Like many people who have endured trauma, Reilly’s SPECT scans showed overactivity in the brain’s emotional centers. As Dr. Amen explains in the Scan My Brain episode, this is associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety. It’s also commonly seen in people who are highly sensitive, empathetic, and who tend to feel deeply. Negative or hurtful comments can be especially painful for individuals with this brain activity pattern.
Past traumas, such as bullying or emotional abuse, can continue to haunt a person’s mind years or even decades later. Hateful and hurtful comments may pop up or play in a seemingly endless loop that leaves people feeling worthless, hopeless, and helpless. When people are exposed to negativity early in life, they are more likely to adopt a negative outlook. In fact, research shows that people can become addicted to negativity.
Overcoming negative thinking habits is one of the keys to calming the emotional brain. To help Reilly conquer negative thinking patterns, Dr. Amen asked her to do an exercise he uses with many of his patients—write down her 10 worst thoughts about herself. Then he helped her work through one of those ANTs (automatic negative thoughts)—“I’m not good enough”—by questioning it.
Learning to challenge your thoughts is like cleaning out your mental closet, getting rid of anything that doesn’t serve that’s taking up space, and making room for thoughts that help you in life.
HEALING THE BRAIN AFTER ADDICTION
Substance abuse has a toxic effect on the brain. On SPECT scans, the brains of people with addictions often show a pattern called scalloping due to overall low blood flow. Reilly was concerned her brain might show some lasting damage from her alcohol and drug use during her teenage years. She was relieved when her SPECT scan did not show the abnormal brain function typically seen in addicts.
What you can learn from Reilly’s SPECT scan is that when you stop using toxic substances—whether it’s alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, or other substances—the brain can heal. Putting the brain in a healthy environment that includes nutritious foods, nutritional supplements, physical exercise, and healthy thinking patterns can speed the healing process.
Addictions, 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 888-288-9834or visit our contact page here. With several states in the U.S. having legalized the medical and recreational uses of marijuana in recent years, many people are relieved, while just as many others continue to warn of its danger. The divisiveness about this topic makes it very difficult to separate facts from myths, despite increasing reports about the benefits of using medical marijuana products to offset symptoms of certain mental or physical health conditions.
To help clarify the confusion and as a way to continue opening up the dialogue around the pros and cons of marijuana use, Dr. Rebecca Siegel, a psychiatrist with Amen Clinics New York, has written an engaging and informative book entitled, The Brain on Cannabis: What You Should Know about Recreational and Medical Marijuana. As a certified prescriber of medical marijuana, Dr. Siegel has witnessed the positive response many of her patients have had with it when traditional treatments have failed them.
Along with key educational, including that marijuana is made from the dried flowers and leaves of the cannabis sativa plant, Dr. Siegel addresses almost any question the reader might have on this topic. In addition, she includes a captivating look at the historical journey cannabis has made through diverse cultures over the course of human history.
The Surprising History of Medical Marijuana
Most people aren’t aware that the medicinal use of cannabis did not evolve with the decriminalization of marijuana in recent years. Rather, this plant and its derivatives have been utilized throughout much of human history.
In her book, Dr. Siegel weaves together a fascinating timeline going back 6,000 years when cannabis was known to have been a farm crop. In 2737 B.C., China’s Emperor Shen Neng recognized its efficacy as medicine and permitted it to be used for hundreds of ailments, including malaria, gout, pain, and rheumatism. Eventually, cannabis was utilized in many other cultures as well for a variety of problems, ranging from nausea and coughs to tumors, jaundice, and more.
During the 1700s in what is now the U.S., certain health problems were treated with the seeds and roots of the hemp plant. Through the early part of the 1900s, cannabis was medically endorsed for many health issues, including incontinence, inflammation of the skin, and labor pains. Its wide-ranging acceptability was such that it could even be ordered through the Sears, Roebuck, and Co. catalog!
Well…that is until the tide turned in response to an increase of opiate and cocaine addictions in the U.S. (both substances were also legal at the time) and the hammer came down as laws changed. Subsequently, the use of cannabis for medicinal or other purposes became a crime.
The ensuing hysteria was well characterized in the fear-mongering 1936 film, Reefer Madness, as public attitudes made a dramatic U-turn in the forthcoming decades. The perception became that marijuana use was relegated to hippies and stoners who followed the Grateful Dead.
Health Conditions that May Benefit from Medical Marijuana
Now in 2021, while the unflattering stereotype remains in the minds of many, the use of medical marijuana has slowly gained traction again. Clinical experience and ongoing research show promising discoveries about its potential to provide relief of symptoms caused by a variety of health problems. These include:
To be very clear, Dr. Siegel does not endorse the recreational use of marijuana for several reasons. As a physician, she recognizes the potential short-term consequences, such as mood changes, cognitive difficulties, and the possibility of psychosis as well as the long-term risks like impaired brain function and the risk for lung disease.
Throughout The Brain on Cannabis, Dr. Siegel uses a straightforward approach to address this complex topic. In the process, she provides many details and facts that help to educate readers so that they can make informed choices for their own life when it comes to using marijuana or not.
If you’re seeking validated information about the benefits and risks of marijuana, Rebecca Siegel, MD, a psychiatrist and certified prescriber of medical marijuana has written a comprehensive guide that addresses both sides of this issue. With a relatable style and easy-to-understand language, The Brain on Cannabis: What You Should Know about Recreational and Medical Marijuana untangles the confusion around the ever-evolving discussions on marijuana and its appropriate uses. Click here to order your copy now. Some people believe all forms of marijuana will hurt you, while others insist they’re perfectly safe. With so much conflicting information, it’s hard to know what to believe about this increasingly available substance that, over the decades, has transitioned from its status as a common recreational drug to becoming a segment of mainstream medicine.
Increasingly, people are asking healthcare providers about the use of marijuana and its derivatives for certain health problems. However, since the research is still ongoing, getting a clear answer has been difficult. Enter Rebecca Siegel, MD, a psychiatrist with Amen Clinics New York, who provides clarity on the subject.
Inspired by the questions she was fielding from her own patients, Dr. Siegel began exploring the pros and cons of cannabis, along with studying its medicinal uses. She eventually earned a certification that allows her to certify her patients to obtain state-regulated marijuana for certain health conditions. Since that time, she has discovered a great deal more and recognizes how complicated, confusing—and often inaccurate—the available information can be.
Getting to Know The Brain on Cannabis
In a genuine effort to help others understand the background, uses, myths, and research about marijuana for medicinal and recreational uses, Dr. Siegel has written a fascinating new book entitled, The Brain on Cannabis: What You Should Know about Recreational and Medical Marijuana (release date September 28, 2021). In an easy-to-understand manner, she covers both sides of the marijuana debate as well as shares factual information that can empower readers with the knowledge to make their own decisions about whether or not to choose medical marijuana—or related products for recreational use.
One of the most helpful things about this book is that Dr. Siegel begins with the basic information about marijuana, including descriptions of the terminology that so often confuses people. For example, she explains that the flowers and leaves of the plant, cannabis sativa, are what marijuana is made from. There are also varieties of the cannabis plant known as hemp, which is not taken as a drug. Instead, it has strong fibers that are used to make rope, paper, and fabrics.
What Differentiates CBD and THC?
Another piece of foundational information Dr. Siegel discusses in her book are two of the most well-known compounds—CBD and THC—that are frequently misunderstood. She explains that CBD, which stands for cannabidiol and is best known for its medicinal properties, is non-psychoactive. This means it doesn’t produce the mind-altering effects, i.e. “feeling high.” And according to a research study in the journal, Trends in Pharmacological Science, it is not considered to be a toxic or impairing substance.
Conversely, tetrahydrocannabinol—or THC—is the part of the cannabis plant that usually induces a mildly euphoric feeling for most users, although it can affect people in different ways—some of which are not good. Research continues to be ongoing about the adverse impacts of THC on the brain, especially for young people and those who may be genetically vulnerable to mental illness. Brain SPECT imaging studies conducted at Amen Clinics show that marijuana users have lower blood flow in areas of their brain that are associated with memory and learning.
Research continues to be ongoing about the adverse impact that THC from the cannabis plant has on the brain, especially for young people and those who may be genetically vulnerable to mental illness.
Despite this, it may be surprising to learn that THC is not only used for recreational purposes, but it actually has medicinal properties too.
Medical Uses of Marijuana and CBD
With her extensive clinical experience and the scientific lens through which she stays current on developments about the medicinal uses of CBD and marijuana, Dr. Siegel has been able to help many patients. In an excerpt from her book, she writes:
“In my practice, I’ve seen patients with a variety of conditions— most frequently, chronic pain, PTSD, inflammatory bowel disease, and cerebral palsy—benefit from medical marijuana. Evidence has also revealed that medical marijuana has been proven to alleviate pain, discomfort, and nausea associated with the effects of some cancer treatments. And the use of medically approved CBD has had remarkable results in children suffering from countless daily epileptic seizures. Scores of other patients will testify to the ways it has benefited them.Although most medical professionals agree that more research is needed to fully understand how marijuana in general, and THC in particular, affect the brains and bodies of users, it is already providing hope for many.”
Throughout The Brain on Cannabis, Dr. Siegel addresses both sides of the marijuana debate, and dispels the myth that marijuana is always harmful or always harmless. She believes neither of these are true; that in fact, marijuana can be harmful to the brain AND it can be useful for medical purposes. This new book equips the reader with the best information available at the time of its writing so they can make smart choices about marijuana for themselves.
CTA: If you’re seeking validated information about the potential benefits and risks of marijuana, Rebecca Siegel, MD, a psychiatrist and certified prescriber of medical marijuana has written a comprehensive guide that addresses both sides of these issues. With a relatable style and easy-to-understand language, The Brain on Cannabis: What You Should Know about Recreational and Medical Marijuana, clarifies the confusion around the ever-evolving discussions on marijuana and its appropriate uses. Click here to order your copy now. In the U.S., millions of people celebrate “Happy Hour” to decompress at the end of the day. Whether it’s at a bar, a casual get-together with friends, or alone with some beers or a bottle of wine, drinking to unwind is par for the course in American culture. And this lifestyle is clearly reflected back to us on TV and in other media advertising by its portrayal of people smiling and having fun, which then makes drinking alcohol seem like the best way to feel good.
Men who have over 4 drinks in a day or more than 14 drinks per week.
Women who down more than 3 drinks per day or more than 7 in a week.
If you’re like many other people, your drinking habit might have gotten worse during the pandemic, even when restrictions were placed on social interactions. According to a research article in JAMA Network Open, in March 2020—right off the bat—store sales of alcohol in the U.S. increased 54% over the previous year, while online liquor sales increased a whopping 262%!
Another study that was published in December 2020 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health assessed changes in alcohol consumption during the pandemic. The researchers found that 60% of the participants drank more, with almost half of that group drinking to help them manage their stress. This is essentially the same reason so many people use alcohol to unwind at the end of the day anyway.
Here are 10 great ways to wind down without the booze:
1. Go outside and get some fresh air.
Whether it’s taking your kids to a park, walking the dog, or going for a long stroll while listening to some music or a podcast, simply getting out of your work orbit, moving your body, and shifting your focus onto positive things can help you feel more relaxed.
2. Read a book.
If you’ve been on your feet all day and can’t wait for a chance to relax on your derriere, sit down in a comfy chair (instead of on a barstool) and spend some time reading a good book. Stories can capture our attention and help to shift our thoughts away from the day’s stressors.
3. Cuddle or play with your pet(s).
The mere act of spending time with your furry friends can lower levels of the notorious stress hormone, cortisol. At the same time, it boosts levels of oxytocin which helps you relax. Petting your dog or cat can also lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
4. Exercise.
One of the best ways to shake off the day’s tension is by breaking a sweat and getting in a good workout. Not only is exercise effective in lowering cortisol levels too, but it also increases the production of endorphins, the body’s pain-relieving hormones. And, if you’ve had a really tough day, consider playing a competitive game of tennis, pickleball, racquetball—or even ping pong—to exercise your body and your brain!
5. Do some yoga.
Whether you’re a total beginner or an advanced practitioner, this 5,000-year-old practice helps to reduce mental and physical tension. It can improve muscle strength and the breathing exercises that are incorporated into the movements or poses can induce a sense of calm and clarity.
6. Spend time on your favorite hobby.
If you like to garden, carve wood, play an instrument, paint, sew, or engage in other creative leisure activities, take time after work—or whenever you’re feeling stressed out—to immerse yourself in it for a while. Shifting your focus onto something enjoyable, like hobbies, can lower your blood pressure and stress hormones. Plus it’s fun, which is why you like to do it!
7. Try some meditation.
Sometimes after a long day, it can be difficult to turn off all the noise in your head, which then prolongs feelings of stress. Meditating can help you let go of all that chatter while lowering stress hormones and at the same time enhancing your brain function. If you’ve never done it before, you can find plenty of free beginner meditations online.
8. Have a nice long soak.
Take some time to yourself and draw a hot bath with some lavender, bergamot, or cedarwood essential oil sprinkled into the water. Soaking in the tub causes your skin to release endorphins which makes your muscles relax, so it can be the perfect antidote for a long day.
9. Watch a comedy.
Whether it’s a TV show, stand-up act, or hilarious movie, laughter is one of the best ways to release your tension Interestingly, when you’re having a good laugh at something really funny, your stress response system gets activated at first but then lowers itself. This reduces your blood pressure and heart rate causing you to feel relaxed and happy—with a smile on your face.
10. Choose a non-alcoholic drink.
It is 100% possible to gather with your friends and have a great time even when you are going booze-free. Sparkling water with some lemon, lime, or a few drops of flavored stevia, a low sugar mocktail, or even ice water is refreshing and will give you something cold to sip on while enjoying good company.
If alcohol consumption has become your go-to way of coping, you are certainly not alone. Many others increased how much they drink too and now are struggling with overcoming this bad habit. However, by practicing new ways to unwind and release your stress, like the ones described above, you’ll discover how possible and easy it is to decompress in a healthy manner while protecting yourself from the harmful effects of alcohol.
Alcohol and drug addiction can’t wait. 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 or visit our contact page here. Being addicted to something is usually associated with the excessive use of substances like alcohol, opiates, street drugs, and nicotine. All of these can lead to a psychological and physical dependence because of the complex ways in which they take over the brain.
But did you know that aside from the use of drugs and alcohol, there are several common behaviors to which people can become addicted? These are called process addictions or behavioral addictions, and you might not even recognize that you have a serious problem.
There are several common behaviors to which people can become addicted. These are called process addictions or behavioral addictions, and you might not even recognize that you have a serious problem.
The term process addiction or behavioral addiction refers to uncontrollable habits that people will engage in—compulsive gambling and addiction to pornography or sex are some of the more well-known ones. However, there are other addictions that might fly under the radar because they are common activities for many people. The difference is that some people can’t seem to stop despite the negative consequences it might be having on their lives. And, when they try to give it up, they can struggle with mental health symptoms from the withdrawal.
5 Common Process Addictions
Because these addictive behaviors are a more extreme version of everyday activities, it can be harder to detect them and understand when they might be developing into a big problem.
Are any of these 5 process addictions getting in the way of your life or the life of someone you care about?
1. Video Gaming
As ubiquitous as these games are, some people are not able to hit the pause button on this habit. This is particularly true for those who have been playing video games for most of their lives. A research study published in the journal, Psychological Science, analyzed the gaming behaviors of more than 1,100 kids between the ages of 8 and 18. The study found that 8% of them met the criteria for “pathological gaming,” which indicated that the excessive amount of time spent playing video games adversely affected their functioning at school and led to health problems for these kids.
But this growing problem is not relegated only to the young. There are many adults who are hooked on gaming too (hello millennials!), and their addiction can result in the neglect of important responsibilities, thus causing problems with their relationships, careers, finances, and physical and mental health.
2. Shopping
It’s not unusual to joke about how a little retail therapy might help you get out of a funk, and often it does the trick. You feel better and move on, and don’t have the urge to go to hit the “Buy Now” button again any time soon. Not so with people who are truly addicted to shopping.
For a person who has what is known as compulsive buying behavior (CBB), shopping is like a drug and they experience a reduction of stress and a sense of euphoria when they buy something. The impulsive and excessive shopping results in stockpiles of purchases that don’t get used and/or overflowing closets with many items still having the tags on. For obvious reasons, this addiction can lead to significant financial problems, including maxed-out credit cards and even bankruptcy.
3. Exercise
Although the mental and physical health benefits of exercise are well-known, some people take their workouts to the extreme. Over time, they need to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of exercise to feel the same emotional benefits. The hyper-focus and excessive amount of time spent exercising often lead to the exclusion of other important aspects of their lives, including social and family commitments.
To the extent possible, they may also continue exercising despite physical injuries. Everything in their life is organized around their need to exercise. And, according to an article published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, when exercise addicts have to stop, they experience withdrawal symptoms such as increased anxiety, irritability, and sleep problems. They keep exercising to avoid the discomfort these bring on.
4. Tanning
There’s no question that it is important to spend some time in the sun, and that doing so can make us feel better. When our skin is exposed to sunshine, it makes vitamin D which is critical for our overall health. But some people take tanning to the extreme. Whether it’s by sunbathing at the beach or pool, or in a tanning bed, they become dependent on how this habit makes them feel. Interestingly, it has been found that ultraviolet light makes our skin generate pain-relieving and mood-boosting endorphin hormones, so some researchers theorize that tanning can have underlying addictive properties.
Unfortunately, it has been well-established that ongoing exposure to ultraviolet light can lead to skin cancer. In fact, every day in the U.S., 9,500 people are diagnosed with some type of it. Nonetheless, a person who is addicted to tanning will continue to engage in this behavior, despite knowing the potential—even lethal—consequences.
5. Food
While being addicted to certain types of food is not considered an eating disorder per se, it’s a form of disordered eating. What this means is that, unlike anorexia or bulimia where there are specific patterns associated with their eating behaviors, a person who has a food addiction will have a difficult time controlling themselves around certain foods—even when they aren’t hungry. Often, the foods they crave are high in sugar, fat, or salt, and when eaten, trigger the release of dopamine—the brain’s pleasure chemical. This is the same neurotransmitter involved in drug addiction, and for the same reason, makes it difficult for them to stop.
People who are addicted to food might intend to have just a couple of cookies or chips, but once they get started, they end up eating the whole bag. Of course, the consequences of compulsive eating are numerous since it can lead to obesity, which increases the risk for heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and other serious health problems.
Behavioral Addiction Problems are Brain Problems
By virtue of how the brain works, anything your brain finds pleasurable will be remembered and your brain will encourage you to repeat it. And, under normal circumstances, this is not a problem. Healthy activities and foods, beautiful objects, and fun social interactions can make you feel happy, so your brain will encourage you to include more of these in your life.
However, not everyone is able to maintain self-control with the things they like to do. This is very much the case for those who have problems with addiction—and there is science to back this up.
Using brain SPECT imaging for the past three decades, one of the big discoveries made by Amen Clinics is that addiction is not a single or simple disorder. Different brains become addicted in varying ways, and based on specific patterns found through brain imaging, the data reveals that there are 6 types of addicts:
Type 1: Compulsive Addicts
Type 2: Impulsive Addicts
Type 3: Impulsive-Compulsive Addicts
Type 4: Sad or Emotional Addicts
Type 5: Anxious Addicts
Type 6: Temporal Lobe Addicts
Each brain type is more vulnerable to certain kinds of addiction, so successful treatment plans will require different strategies to bring the brain back into balance. Despite the length of time, someone has been addicted to a behavior or substance, with the right diagnosis it is still possible to strengthen and optimize the function of the brain to reduce the possibility of relapse in the future.
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, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
