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“No one has ever grown up in the history of humanity like Justin Bieber. No one has ever been that famous worldwide in an era of social media where every year of your adolescence you were the most Googled person on the planet.” 

In Justin Bieber’s new docuseries, “Seasons,” that’s how his manager Scooter Braun describes what it was like for the superstar to grow up in the public eye. The “Baby,” “Sorry,” and “Love Yourself” artist was discovered at age 13 and shot to instant fame, becoming the world’s biggest YouTube sensation, a social media phenom, and an international chart-topper.

Despite his enormous talent and the adulation that came with fame, he faced some serious struggles like so many people do. “Being human is challenging for everybody,” he says in the docuseries. “We’re all struggling to some degree. We all have our individual pains, and fears and anxieties, worries.” Justin knows this only too well because while his career was soaring, his personal life was spinning out of control into anxiety, depression, and addiction. And his brain was under assault.

Drugs, Rock ’n’ Roll, and the Adolescent Brain

The adolescent brain is a remarkable work in progress, with billions of connections called synapses being created at lightning-fast speeds, and an important process called myelinization underway. With myelinization, brain cells are coated with a protective sheath that increases the brain’s processing speeds. The process begins at the back of the brain and works its way forward, with the prefrontal cortex (the area involved in impulse control, forethought, judgment, and empathy) the last area to gain the protective covering, usually around a person’s mid-20s.

Certain things like alcohol, drugs, and even fame can disrupt this important process. A brain imaging study appearing in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showed that heavy marijuana use among young adults and adolescents may affect normal brain development. The study found brain abnormalities in areas involved with decision-making, memory, and executive functions—the regions in the front of the brain that are the last to undergo myelinization.

Substance use and fame at a young age can also disrupt the reward system in the adolescent brain. In a healthy brain, whenever we do something enjoyable, it’s like pressing a button in the brain to release a little bit of the neurotransmitter dopamine to make us feel pleasure. Pushing these pleasure buttons too often or too strong reduces dopamine’s effectiveness. Eventually, it takes more and more excitement and stimulation to feel anything at all.

In the YouTube docuseries, Justin reveals he started smoking marijuana when he was just 13. Then he moved on to harder substances, including a mind-numbing cocktail of cough syrup (hydrocodone) mixed with alcohol and prescription medication. The concoction was so potent, his security team would creep into his room in the middle of the night to check his pulse and make sure he was still breathing. With the substance abuse and all those screaming fans, Justin’s reward system was getting worn out. He was addicted not only to the drugs but also to fame. And he was in a downward spiral.

It became so overwhelming for him that he canceled the final dates of his “Purpose” world tour in 2017, and the media announced that he was having issues and it seemed like he was “falling into another dark place.” They were right.

What Justin Bieber’s Brain Scan Showed

In Episode 5 of the docuseries (which is currently available on YouTube premium), Justin reveals that he has been coming to neuropsychiatrist and brain imaging expert Dr. Daniel Amen at Amen Clinics for 5 years for help with the issues he’s been struggling with.

Justin bravely opened up to Dr. Amen about the trauma and instability he experienced in his childhood, his addictions, and his anxiety and depression. To find the root causes of his issues, he underwent brain SPECT imaging. SPECT measures blood flow and activity in the brain and shows 3 things: areas with healthy activity, too much activity, or too little activity.

Before coming to Amen Clinics, Justin had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a condition that is often misdiagnosed. In fact, 57% of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder don’t actually have the condition, according to a 2008 study from researchers at Brown University. Justin’s brain scans showed something other than bipolar disorder, and it changed the course of his care. You can see more about what his brain scans revealed in the episode.

Justin’s Journey to Healing

Drawing on our brain imaging work and the latest neuroscience, Justin made the commitment to get on a path to better brain health. To help heal his brain, the young man started doing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), a noninvasive treatment that involves breathing 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. The increased oxygen is picked up via the bloodstream and transported to damaged tissues to facilitate the healing process.

HBOT has been used to improve many issues including, but not limited to:

Justin has told Dr. Amen that he loves HBOT therapy so much he got a hyperbaric chamber for his home, and he uses it on a daily basis.

When Dr. Amen informed Justin how important nutrition and supplementation is if you want to change your brain and heal your mind, the musical artist cleaned up his diet and also started doing IV nutrient therapy on a regular basis. IV therapy provides more potent doses of important nutrients than oral supplements, and because it bypasses the digestive system you get 100% absorption without any gastrointestinal issues.

HBOT and IV therapy are only part of the brain-based plan that has been helping him cope with the anxiety, depression, and other issues he faces.

The artist has subsequently received a diagnosis of Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that can lead to a vast array of neuropsychological symptoms, including:

With a comprehensive treatment plan in place, the superstar feels like he’s on the right track to healing and getting back to the creative music-making process and performing that feeds his soul. He says it’s because he’s “in a good headspace… a better headspace.” We would say, it’s really all about being in a better “brainspace.”

At Amen Clinics, we take a unique brain-body approach to diagnosis and treatment that includes brain SPECT imaging, as well as laboratory testing to check physical health, and other important factors that could be contributing to symptoms of depression. By getting to the root cause of your symptoms, we can create a more effective, personalized treatment plan for you.

If you want to join the tens of thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health, overcome their symptoms, and improved their quality of life at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Many addiction treatment centers offer solid programs for overcoming addictions that ruin your life. So why do an estimated 40%-60% of people relapse? What’s missing?

The answer lies in your brain.

The brain is the supercomputer that runs your life. It plays a central role in your vulnerability to addiction and your ability to recover and maintain sobriety. Brain dysfunction is the #1 reason why people fall victim to addiction, why they can’t break the chains of addiction, and why they relapse. Understanding the brain’s role in addiction and recovery is the key to breaking free from your addictions.

How the Brain Keeps You Chained to Addiction

Your susceptibility to addiction depends in large part on the biological makeup of your brain and your brain’s reward system. What is the brain’s reward system? It is an intricate network of brain systems and neurotransmitters that are critical to human survival. It drives us to seek out the things we need to stay alive and carry on the human race, such as sex and food.

Many things that are not necessarily crucial to our survival also activate the reward system in a healthy way, such as:

Then there are substances and behaviors that cause the reward system to become overactive in an unhealthy way, such as:

Let’s take a closer look at the neurotransmitters and brain systems involved in the reward system so you can see how it works and how it gets out of whack. First, let’s examine the role played by four neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters act as the brain’s messengers, relaying information within the brain. The strength or weakness of each of these neurotransmitters plays an important role in your ability to stop engaging in bad behaviors, such as compulsive gambling or shopping, or in driving you to addiction.

Brain Chemicals Involved with Cravings and Self-Control

Dopamine—motivation, saliency, drive, stimulant
Serotonin—happy, anti-worry, calming
GABA—inhibitory, calms, relaxes
Endorphins—pleasure and pain-killing properties

Dopamine is a feel-good chemical. Whenever we do something enjoyable, it’s like pressing a button in the brain to release a little bit of dopamine to make us feel pleasure. Cocaine, methamphetamines, alcohol, and nicotine all cause dopamine surges that make these substances highly desirable—sometimes even more desirable than the things we need to survive like food, water, and sex. The amount of dopamine released when drugs are taken can be 2-10 times more than what your brain produces for natural rewards. When dopamine is in low supply, it is linked to depression, ADD/ADHD, addiction, and other mental health issues.

Serotonin is thought of as the happy, anti-worry, flexibility chemical. Many of the current antidepressants work on this neurotransmitter. When serotonin levels are low, people tend to be worried, rigid, inflexible, oppositional and argumentative, and they are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, obsessive thinking, or compulsive behaviors.

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms or helps to relax the brain. If you have suffered an emotional trauma or you are under a lot of stress, GABA may be depleted and your emotional or limbic brain may become excessively active, which is associated with depression and stress. This can lead you to use substances in an attempt to self-medicate and calm your limbic brain.

Endorphins are the brain’s own natural pleasure and pain-killing chemicals. They are the body’s own natural morphine or heroin-like compounds. Substances like opioids trigger the release of endorphins, which are heavily involved in addiction and the loss of control.

Why Can’t I Just Say No? The Brain’s Self-Control Circuit

The brain systems that drive you to seek out things that bring you pleasure and the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which puts on the brakes when you are about to engage in risky behavior, work in concert to create your self-control circuit.

In a healthy self-control circuit, an effective PFC provides impulse control and good judgment while the deep limbic system offers an adequate dose of motivation so you can plan and follow through on your goals. You can say no to alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription opioids, gambling, and many other bad behaviors.

In the addicted brain, the PFC is diminished and the drive circuits take control. When the PFC is underactive, it can create an imbalance in the reward system and cause you to lose control over your behavior. When this is the case you are more likely to fall victim to relapse despite your desire to stay in recovery. Having low activity often results in a tendency for impulse-control problems and poor internal supervision, and is associated with ADD/ADHD.

To overcome addiction, stick with a recovery program, and avoid relapse, it’s critical to address any underlying brain dysfunction as well as any co-occurring mental health conditions.

At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to help our patients see and understand any underlying brain dysfunction. This is often a powerful first step to breaking the chains of addiction. We use an integrated brain-body approach to healing the brain and treating co-occurring mental health problems. If you want to join the thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health and overcome their addictions and psychiatric symptoms at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

In 2019, for the first time in decades, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new type of drug for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The medication is an esketamine nasal spray that is derived from ketamine, a psychedelic drug that appears to have antidepressant properties and to be helpful for people with treatment-resistant depression. Only one-third of people with depression get complete relief from treatment with antidepressants, according to a 2014 study. 

Despite the FDA approval, ketamine still raises questions and cause for concern. How safe is it?

Psychiatry Goes Psychedelic

The current trend in treating psychiatric illnesses is to go beyond traditional pharmaceutical medications by using psychedelic drugs, especially ketamine, but also LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, ayahuasca, and ibogaine. 

First developed in the 1960s, ketamine was administered as an anesthetic and given to soldiers during the Vietnam War. Due to its hallucinogenic effects, ketamine has a reputation as a popular and illicit party drug, going by the nickname “Special K.” It dulls pain and users often feel detached or dissociated from their own body.

In 2000, researchers started studying ketamine as a treatment for depression and discovered that it improves mood much faster than traditional antidepressant medications, and sometimes works when other drugs have failed. 

Ketamine Shows Potential

More than 100 studies have shown that ketamine has antidepressant effects. For example:

Ketamine in the Brain

Unlike antidepressants, which work by enhancing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, ketamine is thought to change the way brain cells talk to each other—similar to a computer reboot or hardware fix. Basically, ketamine binds to receptors in the brain that trigger the production of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter that influences how neurons communicate. It is believed that this process has an impact on thinking patterns, moods, and more.

Although ketamine offers some promise, it is not a solo cure-all. Expecting a pill or nasal spray to provide a complete solution to depression is wishful thinking. To fully address any mental health condition, a comprehensive plan that factors in all the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of a person’s life is critical to any treatment plan.

The Downside of Ketamine

Ketamine is known to cause side effects, such as dissociation (out-of-body experiences), perceptual disturbances (feeling like time has slowed down, for example), high blood pressure, dizziness, and nausea. In addition, some research has found the drug may be addictive.

A 2018 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry argues for caution. It showed that the antidepressant effects of ketamine were eliminated with the opiate blocker naltrexone, meaning it worked by activating the opiate centers of the brain.

A review in Neurobiology of Stress that same year concluded that “both preclinical and clinical studies indicate that repeated treatment with low-dose ketamine infusions can have addictive properties and induce cognitive deficits.” 

And it remains unclear what happens when a person stops taking the drug.

In the long run, could it have similar damaging effects as other drugs of abuse and be causing more harm than good? Brain SPECT imaging has shown that opioids, benzodiazepines, and other drugs of abuse cause alterations in blood flow and activity in the brain that impair its function. More research on ketamine is needed to understand its long-term effects on the brain and to ensure its long-term safety.

At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging, which can reveal exposure toxins that are hurting the brain and impacting its function. Our brain imaging work has shown that some medications—such as benzodiazepines often prescribed for anxiety, as well as chemotherapy— have a harmful effect on the brain. We have helped many people overcome treatment-resistant depression using the least toxic, most effective therapies.

To learn more or to schedule your comprehensive evaluation, please visit us online or call 888-288-9834.

The search for effective ways to treat depression and other mental health conditions is expanding beyond typical pharmaceuticals. In particular, psychedelics are making waves as potential therapies for psychiatric disorders.

The hallucinogen ketamine made headline news in 2019 when it earned FDA approval as new drug therapy for depression. Another hallucinogen, psilocybin (the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms), was recently decriminalized in Denver and has also been gaining favor as a new approach for treatment-resistant depression and other mental health conditions.

But is taking a psychedelic trip on magic mushrooms safe for people with psychiatric issues?

What is Psilocybin?

Psilocybin is a natural hallucinogen that distorts perception and can cause profound visual and auditory hallucinations. People can have very different experiences form ingesting magic mushrooms.

Psychedelic effects can include:

Not everybody has such a magical experience. Some people have decidedly unpleasant reactions to the substance, including:

These positive or negative effects emerge about a half-hour after ingesting the substance and can last approximately 4-6 hours.

History of Psilocybin

People have been using psychoactive mushrooms for medicinal and religious purposes for thousands of years. In the 1950s, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, the man who gained notoriety for discovering LSD, synthesized the substance. This opened the door to clinical research using the drug as a potential therapy for a variety of psychiatric issues, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), substance abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression.

In 1970, the U.S. designated it as a Schedule I drug of the Controlled Substances Act, effectively criminalizing it and indicating that it has a high risk of abuse. This put an end to most clinical research until it resurfaced more recently.

How Do Magic Mushrooms Affect the Brain?

Scientists have long believed that psilocybin works by binding to serotonin receptors in the brain. This prevents the reuptake of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s involved with mood control, shifting attention, and cognitive flexibility. Antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) work in the same way to enhance serotonin.

A 2012 brain imaging study found that psilocybin also decreases brain activity in certain areas of the brain, including the thalamus, which is involved in the transfer of information.

“’Knocking out’ these key hubs with psilocybin appears to allow information to travel more freely in the brain, probably explaining why people’s imaginations become more vivid and animated and the world is experienced as unusual,” study author Robin Carhart-Harris told LiveScience.

Psilocybin as a Psychiatric Treatment

Some small studies suggest psilocybin may be helpful for treatment-resistant depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, addiction, cancer-related anxiety and depression, and more.

In spite of the growing body of research, a 2018 review of the existing scientific evidence claims our understanding of psilocybin’s effects is still in its infancy and suggests caution. “Progress needs to be made in explicitly understanding the cognitive and neural mechanistic process by which psilocybin works,” the authors say.

In addition, scientists have yet to determine if the use of psilocybin could have detrimental effects in the long run. We know that some pharmaceuticals prescribed to treat mental health issues can be harmful to the brain. For example, brain SPECT imaging studies have shown that some anti-anxiety drugs, such as benzodiazepines, have negative impacts on blood flow and activity in the brain.

More research on psilocybin is needed to know the lasting impacts on the brain and to establish whether it is safe on a long-term basis.

At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging, which can reveal exposure to toxins that are negatively impacting the brain. Our brain imaging work has shown that some medications—such as benzodiazepines often prescribed for anxiety, as well as chemotherapy— have a harmful effect on the brain. We have helped many people overcome treatment-resistant depression using the least toxic, most effective therapies.

To learn more or to schedule your comprehensive evaluation, please visit us online or call 888-288-9834.

After being a psychiatrist for over 30 years, I have come to hate the terms “mental illness” and “psychiatric disorders,” and you should too.

Here’s why.

Mental illness and psychiatric disorders conjure up stigmatizing images of lunacy in people who are mad, disturbed, unbalanced, or unstable, even though these adjectives apply to an extremely small percentage of people who struggle with mental health issues.

Being diagnosed with a mental illness or a psychiatric disorder insidiously taints or stains everyone who struggles with perceived issues of the mind, making them less likely to ever want to seek help for fear they’ll be diminished in the eyes of others.

By labeling these issues as mental health or psychiatric, people suffer in silence because of the shame they feel. Consider the rash of celebrity suicides of people who were too embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help (from Ernest Hemingway, Judy Garland, and Junior Seau to Robin Williams, Mindy McCready, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Anthony Bourdain). On the outside, they seemed like they had everything; on the inside, they were suffering.

If we do not erase—or at least lower—the stigma for these issues, many more people will unnecessarily suffer and die without getting the help they need.

But things are changing. We are now on the cusp of a new revolution that will change mental health care forever.

How Reframing Mental Health as Brain Health Changes Everything

My new book, The End of Mental Illness, discards an outdated, stigmatizing paradigm that taints people with disparaging labels, preventing them from getting the help they need and replaces it with a modern brain-based, whole-person program rooted in neuroscience and hope.

No one is shamed for cancer, diabetes, or heart disease, even though they have significant lifestyle contributions. Likewise, no one should be shamed for depression, panic disorders, bipolar disorder, addictions, schizophrenia, and other brain health issues.

Over the last 30 years, my colleagues and I have built the world’s largest database of brain scans related to behavior. We have performed more than 160,000 brain SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scans, which measure blood flow and activity patterns, and over 10,000 quantitative electroencephalograms (QEEGs), which measure electrical activity, on patients from 9 months old to 105 years old from 121 countries.

Based on our brain imaging work, it has become crystal clear to us that, as psychiatrists, we are not dealing with mental health issues, but we are dealing with brain health issues. And this one idea has changed everything we do to help our patients.

Brain imaging has completely disrupted how we help our patients get well, and this information can help you, even if no one ever looks at your brain. The human brain is an organ just like your heart and all your other organs, and you can only be as mentally healthy as your brain is functionally healthy.

Fortunately, you are not stuck with the brain you have. You can change your brain and make it better.

The End of Mental Illness is written by psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and brain health expert Dr. Daniel Amen and relies on the latest neuroscience and leading-edge brain imaging to show that mental health is really brain health. In The End of Mental Illness, he reveals the 11 risk factors that can harm your brain health and create “mental health” problems. And he shares the proven strategies he has learned after 30-plus years of clinical practice that will help you minimize your risk factors, enhance brain health, and end mental illness. Order your copy today.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, or other conditions, understand that optimizing underlying brain health is the key to getting well. At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging to help identify brain problems and areas that need optimization and to create a personalized treatment plan.

If you want to join the tens of thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health and overcome their symptoms at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

Across the country, over 400 people have been struck with a serious lung illness linked to vaping and as many as 5 have died. U.S. health officials have issued a statement urging people to stop vaping due to the deadly breathing issue.

But lung issues aren’t the only danger associated with vaping. The habit is also damaging the brain and increasing the risk of mental illness.

How Vaping Harms the Brain

Vaping nicotine or THC causes you to inhale into your lungs a host of fine and ultrafine toxins that can also penetrate your brain. Does size matter? Yes! The smaller the particle you inhale, the greater its ability to cause inflammatory reactions and damage your brain.

The Trouble with E-Cigarettes

There’s no question, vaping is addictive, and teens and adults are getting hooked. E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that is quickly absorbed into the blood vessels that line the lungs. With vaping, it takes only about 10 seconds for nicotine to reach the brain.

That’s where it hijacks the brain’s reward system. Nicotine binds to receptors in the brain, causing it to pump out large doses of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine. This dopamine surge can be 2 to 10 times what your brain releases for natural rewards—think hearing your favorite song on the radio, hitting a home run in baseball, or eating a delicious peach. Over time, this diminishes dopamine’s effectiveness and makes people need more and more of it to get the same effect.

Nicotine causes other problems too. It constricts blood vessels, lowering blood flow to the brain. This deprives the brain of the nutrients it needs and eventually causes lower overall activity. Brain imaging studies show that low blood flow is associated with short attention span, distractibility, disorganization, impulsivity, anxious thoughts, depression, schizophrenia, and addictions.

E-cigarettes raise the risk of mental health problems. A 2019 study found that university students who used e-cigarettes were significantly more likely to have mental health disorders, such as ADD/ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, gambling issues, and drug use.

The problem with vaping is getting worse. In 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General called e-cigarette vaping among youth an “epidemic.” In a report involving over 40,000 teens nationwide, more than 20% of 12th graders said they had vaped nicotine in the previous month. That’s twice the number who had reported vaping in 2017. Younger kids are also jumping on the trend with 11% of 8th graders saying they had smoked e-cigarettes in the past year.

The Dangers of Vaping THC

Vaping THC, the psychoactive substance found in marijuana, is equally troublesome.  Research from Amen Clinics has found that marijuana lowers blood flow to an area of the brain called the hippocampus, which is involved with memory, attention, moods, and learning.

A 2019 review of 11 studies involving more than 23,000 people found that using cannabis as an adolescent increased the risk of developing depression and suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts in young adulthood. Other research shows marijuana impairs short-term memory, contributes to learning and attention problems, reduces focus and coordination, and increases the risk for psychosis.

There is no question that vaping is putting America’s youth at risk.

If you’ve taken up vaping or if your teen or tween is vaping, understand that it is addictive and associated with brain and mental health issues. To help patients overcome addictions, Amen Clinics takes a brain-body approach that looks at all the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that may contribute to the problem. For more information or to schedule a visit, call 888-288-9834.

 

 

As if the breakdown of a marriage wasn’t stressful enough, now comes research showing that getting divorced also increases your risk of developing dementia. A new study out of Michigan State University found that people who are divorced are twice as likely as their married counterparts to experience the cognitive dysfunction associated with dementia. And those at highest risk? Divorced men.

Published in The Journals of Gerontology, the study tracked more than 15,000 people aged 52 and over who weren’t hitched. They fell into four groups—never married, living together but not married, widowed, and divorced or separated. The Michigan State researchers assessed their cognitive function every 2 years and found that all of the unmarried groups had a significantly higher chance of getting dementia than married people, and it was the divorced group that suffered the most.

This study makes it clear that marital conflict is bad for your brain.

Divorce as a Risk Factor for Dementia

Divorce or separation should be viewed as a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of the condition. Alzheimer’s currently affects 5.8 million Americans, and it is the 6th leading cause of death in the nation. And the numbers keep rising.

Loneliness may be a contributing factor. Being separated from a spouse can increase a sense of loneliness, which can have a major impact on mental well-being. Unfortunately, one-third of seniors between the ages of 50 and 80 say they feel a lack of companionship, and 25 percent of them feel socially isolated, according to a 2018 University of Michigan poll. For seniors, living alone was associated with feelings of loneliness, with 41% of solo dwellers reporting feeling isolated.

The loneliest among us experience cognitive decline 20 percent faster than people who are connected to others, and loneliness has been associated with depression, social anxiety, addictions, even hoarding.

Saving a Troubled Marriage

Considering these new findings, if your marriage is on the rocks, you may want to make a concerted effort to rekindle your relationship. This means you need to stop blaming your partner for marital problems and start looking for the underlying reasons why your relationship isn’t working. There are a number of brain health issues that can threaten a marriage.

1. Mental Health Issues

If you or your partner develop anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, or adult ADD/ADHD, it can make it hard to connect in a meaningful way as a couple. People who struggle with focus and concentration may find it hard to follow through with plans and may space out on your anniversary or birthday. Likewise, people who are feeling depressed may isolate themselves. It doesn’t mean they don’t care about you, it’s just that their brain isn’t functioning optimally.

Solution: Getting an accurate diagnosis and a targeted treatment plan can help you (or your partner) get back to feeling like yourself again.

2. Head Trauma

If you or your loved one falls off a ladder, gets whiplash from a car accident, or flies head-first off a bike, it can have devastating consequences for your mental health…and your marriage. Head injuries increase the risk of anxiety, depression, ADHD, addictions, psychosis, suicide, and more—all of which can ruin your marriage. Many people who experience a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) don’t experience these mental health problems until months or even years after an incident, so they don’t see the connection.

Solution: Detecting past head trauma with brain SPECT imaging can be the first step to healing the brain and mending a broken relationship.

3. Neurohormone Issues

Many marriages disintegrate due to hormonal imbalances. Hormones are chemical messengers produced in the body that control and regulate the activity of certain cells or organs. Neurohormones—such as thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone—have an important impact on the brain. When they’re healthy, you tend to feel young and energetic. When they’re out of balance, you can feel tired, cranky, moody, or anxious. This can sabotage a formerly happy union.

Solution: Check your hormone levels and consider replacement therapy to optimize your levels.

4. Exposure to Toxins

Being exposed to toxins can damage the brain and change your (or your spouse’s) personality. One couple was going to marital therapy and was on the brink of divorce because, over the years, the husband had turned into a jerk with a bad temper. After scanning his brain, it became clear that the guy wasn’t trying to be conflict-oriented, his brain showed damage from toxic exposure. It turned out he had been working in a furniture factory where he was inhaling harmful chemicals that were harming his brain. When he changed jobs, he was able to follow through on the marital therapy recommendations, and they saved their marriage.

Solution: Looking at the brain with brain SPECT imaging can reveal evidence of toxic exposure.

5. Addictions

It’s easy to blame a partner for a problem with drinking or drugs. But it’s harder to ask yourself why they are engaging in excessive drinking or substance abuse. In many cases, people with addictions are using substances as a way to self-medicate their underlying negative feelings or mental health issues.

Solution: By finding and treating the root causes of their distress and optimizing their brain health, they may be better able to follow a recovery plan and remain sober. This can help your marriage.

At Amen Clinics, we have helped thousands of couples overcome marital conflict and mental health/brain health issues so you can mend relationships and heal past hurts. If you and your significant other need help, call 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

 

 

Did you know that a blow to the head or a whiplash-type injury can have lasting impacts long after any immediate symptoms—headaches, dizziness, blurred vision—have resolved? In fact, a concussion can have consequences that remain or emerge decades later.

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is considered a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI), which occurs in over 2 million people each year.

Why is it so easy to damage the human brain?

Your brain is very soft, and it resides within a really hard skull that has multiple sharp, bony ridges. Whiplash, jarring motions (think Shaken Baby Syndrome), blast injuries, and bumps to the head can cause your brain to slam into the hard, interior ridges of the skull. 

A concussion can cause the brain to lurch back and forth, stretching and twisting delicate tissues. This can hurt the brain in many ways, including:

5 Long-term Concussion Consequences

1. Memory loss

A study in PLOS Medical Journal found that people with a traumatic brain injury were 4 to 6 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia within a year of the injury compared with people who had not suffered a TBI. This same 2018 study also reported that a concussion raises the risk of developing dementia over three decades later.

2. Abnormal tau proteins in the brain

Research shows that repeated concussions and TBIs, especially sports-related injuries in young athletes, can cause a proliferation of tau proteins within the brain. These substances are considered hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease and have been associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the neurodegenerative disease that has been documented in professional boxers and football players.

3. Loss of smell

Loss of smell is a common consequence of head trauma, and although it may sound inconsequential, it can be indicative of a serious problem. The area of the brain involved with smell (olfactory cortex) is near the memory centers, and they tend to deteriorate and die together. Having trouble smelling things like peanut butter, lemon, strawberries, or natural gas is associated with a higher incidence of significant memory problems, according to the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Scoring poorly on the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test strongly predicted those who would be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease later in life. 

4. Addiction

People who suffered a head injury prior to their 5th birthday or between the ages of 16 and 21 are at an increased risk of developing drug abuse, according to a 2014 study. Substances like drugs and alcohol are toxic to the brain and cause further damage that can negatively impact your life in many ways.

5. Mental health problems

Experiencing a head injury raises the risk of developing a mental illness, but surprisingly, few mental health providers are aware of this. Concussions and TBIs—even ones that occurred years earlier—have been linked to a rise in the following conditions:

Have You Had a Concussion?

You might assume that you would readily remember if you had suffered a concussion, but a surprising number of people don’t recall experiencing a head injury. Some develop a form of amnesia surrounding the event, others think the bang on the head they got as a kid wasn’t significant enough to cause problems. Take some time to remember (or ask your parents) if you have ever experienced any of the following common causes of concussion:

If you do recall a head injury, and you’re plagued with bothersome symptoms, it’s time to take action.

Consider Getting a Functional Imaging Study

A functional imaging study, such as SPECT or qEEG, may help pinpoint injured areas and is worth investigating if you are experiencing any issues with memory, substance use disorders, or mental health issues. Identifying past brain trauma can be a powerful first step to healing the brain and eliminating your symptoms.

At Amen Clinics about 40% of our patients have experienced a concussion or TBI, but many of them don’t remember it… until they see the damage in their brain scan or QEEG. Seeing the underlying biology of the brain allows us to create a personalized treatment plan to heal the brain and address the root cause of symptoms. For head injuries, we use a combination of the least toxic, most effective therapies, which may include neurofeedback, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), nutraceuticals, and medications, as well as simple lifestyle changes that can make a big difference.

If you’re tired of struggling with symptoms and think you may have suffered a concussion or head injury, find out how we can help. Talk to a specialist today by calling 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

 

Did you know that people who experience a mental health disorder at any time of life are at twice the risk of alcohol abuse and four times the risk of drug abuse? Addiction problems are particularly common in people with untreated ADD/ADHD. And the problems can start early. Kids and adolescents with the condition are 2.5 times more likely to develop substance use disorders (SUD) than their peers, according to research in the journal Pediatrics. And Harvard researchers have found that over half of all adults with untreated ADD/ADHD will abuse drugs or alcohol during their lifetime.

Cindy, 42, had fallen into that trap. She was abusing methamphetamines, had failed numerous treatment programs, and had lost her third job in a year due to tardiness and poor performance. As a child, she was described as hyperactive, restless, impulsive, disorganized, and a thrill-seeker. She had taken Ritalin for a short while, but her parents weren’t comfortable giving her mediation and told her she should just try harder in school. It didn’t work. By the time she entered high school, she was using drugs to help her pay attention in school. “When I speed, I feel clear and have energy and focus. I hate coming down, and I hate that I have to break the law.”

What’s Driving the ADHD/Addiction Duo?

People with ADD/ADHD tend to have trouble with impulse control even though they may start each day with good intentions to abstain from drinking alcohol or using drugs. Brain SPECT imaging studies show that children, adolescents, and adults with the most common type of ADD/ADHD (brain imaging shows there are actually 7 different types of ADD/ADHD) tend to have low activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), likely due to low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine.

The PFC is part of the brain’s self-control circuit and is involved in judgment, impulse control, planning, and follow-through. When it is underactive, people can be impulsive, have trouble following through on plans, and have poor judgment. It makes it harder to stay away from substances even when you know they are detrimental to your well-being.

Dopamine is a feel-good chemical. Whenever we do something enjoyable, it’s like pressing a button in the brain to release a little bit of dopamine to make us feel pleasure. In some people, low levels of dopamine mean they need more and more of a substance to feel that joy. Alcohol, cocaine, and methamphetamine all cause dopamine surges that make these substances highly desirable.

Common Substances Abused by Type of ADD/ADHD

Many people with ADD/ADHD self-medicate with drugs or alcohol (or both) as a way to feel better, more focused, more together, less anxious, less depressed, and less overwhelmed. They aren’t necessarily trying to get high, they just want to feel more normal. The symptoms people experience and the substances they tend to abuse depend on which of the 7 types of ADD/ADHD they have.

Substance Abuse and Brain Function

Brain imaging studies clearly show that alcohol and drug use are harmful to brain function and exacerbate ADD/ADHD symptoms over time. Alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines, and marijuana all decrease brain activity over time, sometimes significantly. For example, when a teen with ADD/ADHD uses alcohol to settle the internal restlessness, it is calming in the short-term, but it damages cellular activity, worsening symptoms in the long-term.

5 Natural Ways to Power Up the PFC and Boost Dopamine

There are several natural strategies that strengthen the PFC and boost dopamine to help people who have problems with impulse control and substance abuse. Here are 5 ways to do it:

If you or your child are struggling with poor impulse control, lack of focus, disorganization, or a short attention span, don’t wait to seek help. About 40% of kids and 80% of adults with symptoms of ADD/ADHD don’t get the treatment they need, which increases the risk of substance abuse. If you are using drugs or alcohol to self-medicate your symptoms, we can help you find healthier ways to feel better fast.

At Amen Clinics, we have treated thousands of children, adolescents, and adults with ADD/ADHD and addictions. We use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to diagnose and treat the 7 types of ADD/ADHD and to decrease the stigma associated with substance abuse disorders. Talk to a specialist today about how our personalized precision psychiatry approach can help you. To learn more, schedule a visit today or call 888-288-9834.

We’ve all heard the claims that alcohol is good for your health. The media is quick to cite studies saying that a glass of wine a day reduces the risk of heart attack and that drinking two glasses of wine or beer a day has been linked to a longer life. Sounds good, but what does alcohol do to the brain?

When it comes to that 3-pound supercomputer in your head, the news isn’t so rosy. Brain SPECT imaging studies at Amen Clinics, which has built the world’s largest database of functional brain scans related to behavior, as well as other research show that alcohol can damage the brain in ways that might make you think twice the next time you’re ordering at the bar.

Brain SPECT imaging studies at Amen Clinics show that alcohol can damage the brain in ways that might make you think twice the next time you’re ordering at the bar.
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5 Scary Ways Alcohol Damages the Brain

1. Shrinks brain volume

People who drink just 1-7 drinks per week have smaller brains than nondrinkers, according to a 2008 study at Johns Hopkins that appeared in Archives of Neurology. This same research found that people who have 2 or more drinks per day have even more brain shrinkage. Changes in the brain can occur early. A 2020 study in Scientific Reports found that moderate drinking was associated with lower total brain volume in early middle age (ages 39-45) in both males and females. Research on adolescents and alcohol consumption in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience showed that those who became heavy drinkers between the ages of 12-17 compared to those who did not drink alcohol started out with less brain volume and lost even more brain volume over time. When it comes to the brain, size matters!

2. Lowers blood flow to the brain

The brain scans of heavy drinkers show reduced overall blood flow to the brain. The brain uses 20% of the blood flow in your body and it is critical for healthy brain function. When levels are low it can lead to a laundry list of problems—brain fog, poor decision-making, trouble concentrating, impulsivity, and more. It’s especially important to know that low blood flow on brain scans is the #1 predictor of future memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease.

SPECT Scan of heavy alcohol abuse.

3. Causes atrophy of the hippocampus

Drinking 1-2 glasses of wine a day, which is considered “moderate” drinking, leads to atrophy in the hippocampus, according to a 30-year study of 550 women and men that was published in 2017 in BMJ. The hippocampus is a critical brain region for learning and memory. In this study, people who had 4 or more drinks per day were 6 times more likely to have atrophy in this critically important region of the brain compared with nondrinkers, and moderate drinkers had 3 times the risk. The researchers noted that they found no protective effects from light drinking. And higher alcohol use was also linked to changes in the microstructure of the corpus callosum, a thick bundle of nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain and that is involved in allowing both sides of the brain to communicate effectively.

4. Reduces the number of new brain cells

Excessive alcohol consumption lowers the generation of new brain cells, especially in the hippocampus, according to animal research presented at Neuroscience in 2009. In the study, monkeys that consumed alcohol experienced a 58% decline in the number of new brain cells formed and a 63% reduction in the survival rate of new brain cells.

5. Increases the risk of dementia

Compared with non-drinkers and light drinkers, moderate to heavy drinkers have a 57% higher risk of dementia, according to research in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A. Drinking can literally make you lose your mind.

ALCOHOL ABUSE AND THE BRAIN

In people who abuse alcohol, the impacts on the brain can be even greater. A wealth of evidence, including findings in a 2016 review in Frontiers in Psychiatry, suggests that certain brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex (involved in decision-making, impulse control, planning, and follow-through) and the hippocampus (involved in memory, mood, and learning), experience the most damage from long-term abuse of alcohol.

BRAIN REHAB PROGRAM

Although these findings paint a grim picture of alcohol’s impact on the brain, the effects don’t have to be permanent. You are not stuck with the brain you have. Brain imaging studies at Amen Clinics show that the brains of heavy drinkers and alcohol abusers have the potential for recovery. Before-and-after SPECT scans in patients who follow a brain rehab program show remarkable improvements in blood flow and activity in the brain. Additional scientific evidence has found that the cognitive deficits related to damage to the prefrontal cortex recover more rapidly than those associated with the hippocampus.

To rehab your brain, follow these tips:

Addiction, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to help our patients see the effects alcohol has had on their brain. This is often a powerful first step to quitting alcohol or reducing consumption. We use an integrated brain-body approach to healing the brain that includes biological, psychological, social, and spiritual areas of your life.

To learn more, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.