On March 31, Dr. Daniel Amen was featured on the Dr. Phil show to talk about how to do a mental health checkup during the coronavirus pandemic. In this special feature, the two doctors provide the tools you need to boost your brain function and your psychological health to help you cope better with the current global health crisis. Here are some of the highlights of what they share.
With people experiencing high levels of anxiety, fear, stress, and depression, it’s more important than ever to think about our mental well-being. “We have to pay attention to what we say to ourselves,” says Dr. Phil.
According to Dr. Amen, “Mental hygiene is just as important as washing your hands…literally we have to disinfect our thoughts.”
On the show, Dr. Amen offers several solutions to help viewers learn how to practice mental hygiene and to go from being filled with anxious and fearful thoughts to more positive and empowering thoughts that can help boost brain function as well as immune system function.
As Dr. Amen explains on the show, the amygdala is considered the fear center of the brain. When activity in this region goes up, activity in your frontal lobes goes down. The frontal lobes are involved in planning, judgment, and decision-making. This disconnect drives panic and fear and interferes with good decision-making. To keep your amygdala from hijacking your brain, avoid anything that lowers activity in the frontal lobes.
On the show, Dr. Amen shares 4 common things you may be doing that could be decreasing activity in your frontal lobes. And he offers a simple breathing technique that can calm your amygdala to help you feel better fast.
Too much stress and anxiety can attack areas of the brain involved in mood and memory and can suppress the immune system, however, some anxiety is beneficial. According to Dr. Amen, it’s what drives you to do the right things, like social distancing. Dr. Phil, a pilot since he was a teenager, says it’s a good thing “to recognize true danger.” Achieving a healthy level of anxiety is the key, and Dr. Amen offers a number of suggestions to help you mitigate rampant anxiety and replace it with appropriate concern.
On the show, Dr. Amen discusses the simple lifestyle changes and foods that can improve brain function, boost moods, and support the immune system.
The #1 thing you can do to keep your immune system operating at peak capacity is to get adequate sleep. In this feature of Dr. Phil, the pair of doctors offer simple strategies to help you sleep better.
Watch the Episodes here:
Self-Isolating? ‘Mental Hygiene Is Just As Important As Washing Your Hands,’ Says Psychiatrist
Psychiatrist Says Writing Down Negative Thoughts Helps To Get Them Out Of Your Head
Brain Specialist Offers Breathing Exercise To Help Relieve Anxiety During COVID-19 Pandemic
If you’re struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other mental health issues, you aren’t alone—45% of Americans say the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their mental health. Just because you’re sheltering at home doesn’t mean you have to wait for the pandemic to be over before seeking help. In fact, during these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting to get treatment is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.
With nonstop news reports about the coronavirus and schools closing due to COVID-19, parents may be wondering about the best way to talk about it with their children. How can you bring it up without scaring your kids and making things worse?
Child and adult psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, who has 4 children and 5 grandchildren, offers 8 tips on how to open up the conversation.
Kids have wild imaginations. If you don’t address the issue with them at all they may conjure up frightening stories in their head that can lead to excessive anxiety, panic, and looping worries.
Finding out what they have heard about the illness is a great opportunity to address any misconceptions they may have. Check the World Health Organization’s myth busters page for common myths about COVID-19.
One of the things child psychiatrists often have to teach parents is that kids pick up on more than just the words parents say. If you’re filled with anxiety and fear or compulsively using sanitizer, your kids are likely to mirror your behaviors.
Make sure you know the basics about the disease so you can provide accurate information. The CDC has a great page about COVID-19 facts for discussions with kids.
In general, too much screen time is harmful to developing brains. Letting children get their information from TV news or internet sources can heighten their fears. Be sure to monitor what your kids are watching and let them know to come to you if they have questions or concerns.
Whenever you blame someone else for the problems in your life, you become powerless to change anything. Blaming others is an example of an ANT (automatic negative thought) that makes you feel like you have no control over your life. And guess who’s listening? Your child. When talking to your child, don’t say that it’s someone else’s fault that the virus is spreading. Instead, focus on what you can do about it.
To help kids feel empowered, emphasize that there are many things they can do to stay healthy:
Telling them about these things is just the first step. Be sure to reinforce your child’s positive behavior by noticing when they wash their hands or give an “air 5.” Pointing out what your child is doing right is much more effective in shaping behavior than noticing the bad.
Let your kids know it’s normal to feel anxious or worried and that everybody feels like this from time to time. Reassure them that it should pass but also encourage them to let you know if their stress doesn’t go away or if it gets worse. In some cases, when a child experiences excessive anxiety or panic, they may benefit from professional help.
At Amen Clinics, our Child and Adult psychiatrists have helped thousands of children overcome anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive worrying, and compulsive behaviors. For more information, 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 these unprecedented times as the coronavirus spreads across the globe, people are feeling more anxious, depressed, scared, stressed, and lonely than ever. To help you soothe your fears and nourish your soul, read these Bible verses whenever you need comfort. May God bless you and keep you healthy.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
Romans 5:3-4
Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
Psalm 103:2-3
When you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:6
Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.”
Matthew 21:21
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
“I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
Joshua 1:5
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 6:34
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.
Revelation 21:4
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
Excerpted from Stones of Remembrance: Healing Scriptures for Your Mind, Body, and Soul by Daniel G. Amen, MD. During this time of uncertainty, we are making this eBook available to you on Amazon and Google for FREE through April 15, 2020.
If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or other issues, find out how Amen Clinics can help. For more information, 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.
Are you one of those people who compulsively wash your hands, won’t touch doorknobs, and refuses to shake hands with people. These are common symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and if you’ve been diagnosed with this condition you may feel like you typically overreact to a fear of germs or contamination.
But with the coronavirus (now called COVID-19), which the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC have now classified as a pandemic, your compulsive hand-washing may be a good thing! This may actually be a time when being obsessed with avoiding germs is beneficial for your health and may protect you from contracting the virus.
However, as anyone with OCD knows, that likely won’t soothe your obsessive worries. In fact, with the COVID-19 outbreak, you may be overwhelmed with anxious thoughts about the virus.
People with OCD often have intrusive recurring thoughts that include fears of getting sick or of harm coming to a family member or loved one. With a global epidemic looming large, it can exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety. And those compulsive behaviors that interfere with your everyday life can become even more time-consuming and more disruptive.
They may keep you from getting to work on time, or from going to work at all. They may cause you to cancel social engagements and to avoid any crowded areas, effectively leading to social isolation and increased feelings of panic.
You may be tempted to watch the news 24/7 for the latest updates on COVID-19, or you may feel compelled to scour the internet for every bit of information you can find on the virus, but this will only ratchet up your anxiety. Limit your exposure to news about the virus to no more than 5 minutes a day, preferably in the morning. It’s best not to watch disturbing news at night right before going to bed because this can interfere with restful sleep. And not getting enough sleep can depress your immune system and make you more vulnerable to the illness.
The CDC offers specific recommendations to protect yourself from the virus. For example, it advises that you wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This doesn’t mean you should wash your hands twice as long a hundred times a day. If you’re rubbing your skin raw and leaving it chafed, you’re actually increasing susceptibility by creating ways for the virus to infect your body.
Avoiding large crowds, shaking hands, and close contact with anyone who is sick is recommended. However, going into voluntary self-quarantine is likely to ramp up anxious thoughts and worries. Even if you need to work from home or keep your kids home from school, lean on your support network to help you deal with it. Make it a point to reach out to friends and family to talk about your concerns.
Be aware of obsessive worries that start looping in your head and tell yourself to “stop!” Understand that having OCD is associated with too much activity in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG). Looping worries are a sign that your ACG has gotten stuck. There are ways to get unstuck. For example, write down the fearful thought and ask yourself if it is true. It is also very helpful to distract yourself by singing a song you love, reciting a prayer, or play with your dog or cat to take your mind off the worrisome thought.
When anxious thoughts hit, you may experience cravings for simple carbohydrates that will give you an immediate boost of the “don’t worry, be happy” neurotransmitter serotonin. But the temporary mood boost from candy, cookies, and cake will lead to a crash that increases feelings of anxiety, which causes even more cravings. Instead, focus on smart “feel better fast” foods, such as eating complex carbs—think sweet potatoes—which offer a more slow-release, sustained rise in serotonin without the crash.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other mental health issues, you aren’t alone—45% of Americans say the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their mental health. Just because you’re sheltering at home doesn’t mean you have to wait for the pandemic to be over before seeking help. In fact, during these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting to get treatment is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.
In the 4-part Hulu docu-series “Hillary,” former President Bill Clinton says that the affair he had with then-intern Monica Lewinsky was a way of “managing my anxieties.” Evidently, his stress-management strategy backfired and caused him a lot more anxiety considering the scandal eventually led to a grand jury investigation and his impeachment in 1998.
Clinton isn’t the only American to turn to unhealthy ways to deal with anxiety. Every day, millions of people self-soothe or self-medicate by taking drugs (whether they’re illegal, prescription, or over the counter), drinking excessively, overeating, engaging in compulsive spending, binge-watching TV shows, smoking, guzzling caffeine, or (like Clinton) having extramarital affairs.
There are better ways to cope with stress, pressure, and anxiety!
Decades of research have shown that meditation and prayer can calm stress and anxiety. Loving Kindness Meditation, in which you repeat words like “May I be safe and secure, may I be healthy and strong, may I be happy and purposeful, may I be at peace” can develop feelings of goodwill and warmth.
Using self-hypnosis can quickly decrease the stress-induced fight-or-flight response and can lower anxiety. One simple technique involved focusing on a spot, taking slow and deep breaths, relaxing your muscles, envisioning yourself riding down an escalator, enjoying a feeling of tranquility when you reach the bottom of that escalator, then imagining yourself riding back up the escalator and opening your eyes. It should leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed.
Every time you take a breath, it brings oxygen to your blood cells. When you exhale, your body releases waste products, such as carbon dioxide. When there’s too much carbon dioxide in your system, it can cause stressful feelings of anxiety, disorientation, and panic attacks. Breathing deeply from your diaphragm calms the brain’s basal ganglia, the area that controls anxiety. Whenever you’re feeling anxious or stressed, take 5 deep breaths, taking twice as long to exhale to settle.
There is strong scientific evidence for several nutritional supplements that can support a sense of calm and relaxation.
Focus on foods that promote calm and relaxation, including:
Learn to challenge the automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) that pop into your head and make you feel anxious, nervous, and stressed. Every time you have an anxious thought, write it down and ask yourself if it is true.
Music can soothe you when you’re stressed or under a lot of pressure. Create a playlist or try Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” or Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.”
Hormonal imbalances can mimic symptoms of anxiety and nervousness. Have your healthcare provider check your thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels to see if they are out of whack and optimize them if necessary.
A 2014 study in Frontiers in Psychiatry shows that anxiety is linked to low levels of heart rate variability (HRV), the time interval between heartbeats. You can biohack your way to a healthier HRV with biofeedback apps to help you deal more effectively with stress.
These substances may temporarily mask feelings of anxiety and stress, but they actually worsen anxiety and lower the body’s ability to respond to stress. Limit or eliminate them completely from your diet.
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. By getting to the root cause of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and panic attacks, we can create a more effective, personalized treatment plan for you. We believe in using the least toxic, most effective solutions for anxiety and other mental health problems.
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.
Everybody worries from time to time, but some people seem to have a Ph.D. in worrying. Are you one of them? Do you spend your days (and nights) ruminating over every little thing you might have done wrong or that might go wrong in the future? Worried about the germs on every surface you touch? Worried that you should have changed that one PowerPoint slide on that big project at work? Worried that your child might get sick? Or even worse, worried that you might in some way put your child in harm’s way?
Ruminating about things you can’t control or fixating on fears of what might happen isn’t healthy. But is it normal? When worrying becomes chronic and intrusive thoughts become distressing, it can be a sign of a mental health condition that is often underrecognized and undertreated—obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Many people know that OCD can involve repetitive rituals, such as excessive hand washing, checking and re-checking that the door is locked, or extreme cleaning. What people don’t understand is that these compulsions are typically a way for people to deal with unwanted thoughts and worries that loop in the brain. And you don’t have to have physical rituals to have OCD. Some people with the condition develop mental rituals—such as praying, counting, or saying words silently to oneself—to cope with their worries.
If you’re one of the 1 in 40 adults affected by OCD or if your child is one of the 1 in 200 kids who have it, you may have repetitive thoughts and worries about:
These unwanted worries can trigger distressing feelings of anxiety or disgust. People with OCD often make a great effort to suppress or resist these intrusive thoughts and worries, but the more a person tries to control them, the more powerful they become.
Many mental health conditions can be misdiagnosed, but OCD is one of the most likely to be mistaken for other conditions because it involves so many overlapping symptoms. In fact, a 2015 study among primary care physicians found that half of OCD cases were misdiagnosed. And other research on the diagnosis and management of OCD reported that it takes an average of 11 years to receive treatment after meeting the diagnostic criteria for OCD.
OCD can be misdiagnosed as:
ADD/ADHD: People with ADD/ADHD tend to struggle focus and attention and often don’t complete tasks. People with OCD may also have trouble finishing projects, but it’s due to a need for everything to be perfect, and if things aren’t just right they don’t complete it.
Anxiety: Like people with OCD, those with anxiety may be filled with anxious thoughts and worries. The difference is that people with anxiety tend to worry about real-life concerns while those with OCD may have irrational thoughts and worries.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): People with autism may display repetitive behaviors, which can mimic some of the ritualistic patterns seen in people with OCD.
Mood disorders: In depression, people have many negative thought patterns that are also common in those with OCD.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): People with PTSD often make an effort to avoid places that bring up memories of traumatic events, while those with OCD may use avoidance to minimize the risk of triggering unwanted worries.
Psychosis or schizophrenia: These disorders are characterized by delusions. People with OCD may have irrational fears that can be mistaken for delusions. The difference is that people with OCD typically recognize that their worries are unfounded but are unable to control them, whereas those with psychosis or schizophrenia believe their delusions.
Tourette syndrome: Involuntary vocal or motor tics are the hallmarks of this condition. Some of the repetitive rituals common in people with OCD may be mistaken for Tourette.
Brain imaging studies show that the chronic worrying associated with OCD isn’t a mental health problem, but rather a brain health issue. Brain scans using SPECT imaging technology reveal abnormalities in the brains of people with OCD. In particular, SPECT scans show increased blood flow in two regions of the brain—the basal ganglia and anterior cingulate gyrus.
You can overcome chronic worrying and OCD. It starts by calming the areas of the brain that are overactive. To see some strategies you can use, read this blog on 5 simple things you can do if you have OCD.
At Amen Clinics, we take a whole-body approach to helping people overcome symptoms of chronic worrying and OCD. We perform comprehensive evaluations that include brain SPECT imaging to make an accurate diagnosis so you can get the right treatment plan for your needs. We believe in using the least toxic, most effective solutions, including helpful forms of therapy, nutritional supplements, and lifestyle changes, as well as medications when necessary.
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.
Some people are calling it the biggest scandal to rock baseball since the steroid debacle. During the 2017 World Series, the Houston Astros engaged in a sign-stealing scheme that alerted their hitters to know what type of pitch to expect—fastball, breaking ball, change-up, and so on. The Astros went on to beat the Dodgers that year to win the World Series, but that title has been tainted since the cheating scandal came to light.
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has slapped the team with punishments, including a $5 million fine and the loss of first- and second-round draft picks for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. But some say this doesn’t go far enough.
It all makes you wonder, why did they cheat?
Based on reviewing over 160,000 brain SPECT scans related to behavior from tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics, neuropsychiatrist Daniel Amen, MD, says, “Brain dysfunction is the number-one cause of bad behavior.” He suggests it’s likely that a combination of anxiety, obsessiveness, and a lack of a moral code are underlying factors when people engage in bad behavior. “From a neuroscience perspective, lower frontal lobe function often leads to cheating and lying,” he says.
Here are some specific findings based on SPECT imaging that show how abnormal brain activity is linked to cheating and lying.
The prefrontal cortex is the seat of impulse control, judgment, and empathy. When brain activity is low in this area, it leads to troublesome behavior, such as impulsively lying or cheating, poor decision-making, and a lack of empathy for anyone who may be hurt by your actions. It can also be associated with ADD/ADHD.
Anxiety often makes people fearful that they are not able to accomplish their goals on their own. Anxious types also have a tendency toward perfectionism, which makes you feel like you can only be valued (or loved) if you end up on top. When this type of anxiety takes hold, you may be more likely to lie or cheat to reach your lofty goals. Looking at the brain with SPECT imaging reveals that anxiety is often associated with abnormal activity in areas, such as the basal ganglia and the amygdala (the brain’s fear center).
Getting stuck on obsessive thoughts, such as the idea that winning at all costs is the only option, can cause you to get trapped in a course of action—even if deep down you know it isn’t the right thing to do. On SPECT, people with obsessive thinking patterns or compulsive behaviors often show unhealthy brain activity in an area called the anterior cingulate gyrus. Known as the brain’s gear shifter, it’s what helps you go from thought to thought. When it isn’t working right, you tend to get locked into looping thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
A 2011 study from USC found that the brain places a higher value on winning when you’re in a group than when you’re by yourself. In this trial, winning in a group setting increased activity in an area of the brain associated with rewards as well as an area involved in social reasoning. The study participants who won while in a group setting were more likely to engage in risky and competitive behavior to keep winning. This helps explain why people are more likely to try something stupid, such as cheating, in order to win when they’re with their friends (or teammates).
SPECT imaging shows that people who abuse alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription medications tend to have brains that have a toxic appearance. Brain scans of people with addictions show lower overall activity, which is associated with poor judgment and impulse control problems.
A wealth of research shows that experiencing a blow to the head, say from a fastball to the temple, can lead to brain trauma that increases the risk of impulsivity, anxiety, poor judgment, drug and alcohol abuse, and more.
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 and bad behavior. By getting to the root cause of your symptoms and unwanted behaviors, 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.
Do you know someone who is annoyingly full of themselves or who seems to have absolutely zero remorse for their actions? You might call them a narcissist or a sociopath. Many people throw these terms around interchangeably, but they are two separate personality disorders. What’s the difference, and how can you tell if someone has one of these dangerous personality types?
In our “selfie” culture, it’s not unusual for people to seem self-absorbed, act like they’re very important, seek validation, or come off as entitled. Does that make them a narcissist or a sociopath? Not necessarily. It’s only when these characteristics are so extreme that they cause problems at work, at school, with the law, or in relationships—getting fired, flunking out, getting arrested, or losing loved ones—that they meet the diagnostic criteria for these disorders.
People with narcissistic personality disorder or sociopathy, also known as antisocial personality disorder, share many similarities. They both view themselves as special, think primarily of their own needs, and don’t consider other people’s feelings. And they can both be disarmingly charismatic, superficially charming, and frighteningly intelligent.
These personality disorders are more common than you might imagine. The number of people with narcissism is estimated to range from less than 1% to over 6% of the population, and research shows that the lifetime prevalence of antisocial personality disorder ranges from 2-4% in men and 0.5-1% in women. This means millions of narcissists and sociopaths are populating our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and churches.
1. Every sociopath is a narcissist, but not every narcissist is a sociopath.
2. They both hurt people, but with sociopaths it’s intentional. Narcissists can take advantage of people, but it’s often a consequence of their heightened focus on their own needs and desires and their lack of awareness of how what they do affects others. With sociopaths, however, exploiting or hurting others can actually bring them pleasure.
3. Sociopaths are more dangerous than narcissists. People with antisocial personality disorder are more likely to be engaged in an abusive or controlling relationship. They’re also more likely to be involved in illegal activities or financial fraud schemes. If dating someone like this, you’re in trouble. It could be a very dangerous situation. Most people who engage in domestic violence are narcissistic or sociopathic
4. Narcissists are actually insecure. Behind all their bravado, narcissists often have a fragile ego. They can’t handle criticism and will usually turn the tables on anyone who dares to point out a flaw or mistake. They are experts at gaslighting.
5. Sociopaths are masterful actors. These people are skilled chameleons, able to take on many forms based on what they want out of a relationship.
6. Sociopaths stay in touch with their exes. Antisocial personality types keep their exes around when they are beneficial to them, according to a 2017 study in Personality and Individual Differences. They maintain relationships with people from their past when it provides them something they want, such as information, money, sex, or admiration.
7. Narcissistic brains work differently. A 2013 brain imaging study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that narcissists have less gray matter volume in brain regions associated with empathy. Other brain imaging research has found that people with NPD also have hypersensitivity in brain systems associated with distress and social pain networks.
8. Sociopaths have brain abnormalities. Neuroimaging research in a 2017 issue of Scientific Reports suggests that people with antisocial personality disorder may have reduced white matter integrity. Another brain imaging study in the Journal of Neuroscience on prisoners found that those with antisocial personality disorder have reduced connections in areas of the brain related to empathy and guilt as well as areas associated with fear and anxiety.
9. The stress response system works differently in people with antisocial personality disorder. Research shows that the autonomic nervous system, which is what triggers the fight-or-flight system in stressful situations doesn’t function normally in these people. In people who don’t have the disorder, running a red light, telling a bald-faced lie, or stealing something from a friend’s home flips the switch on the fight-or-flight system and causes the heart to beat faster and breathing to quicken. Not in people with antisocial personality disorder. They simply don’t get stressed about the consequences of their actions.
If you’re in a relationship with a narcissist or sociopath, it may be a dangerous situation for you. Getting these people to seek treatment is challenging because they won’t admit anything is wrong with them. Getting treatment for yourself can be beneficial in helping you learn how to cope with these difficult personalities or how to walk away before it’s too late.
At Amen Clinics, we have helped thousands of people overcome personality disorders as well as spouses and significant others who need help living with these people. We use brain SPECT imaging to help people understand that their personality issues are brain-based rather than a character flaw. This can be a very important first step in the healing process. For more information on how we can help, call 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are helping others, you can or schedule a time to talk that is convenient for you.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
More than 100 studies have shown that ketamine has antidepressant effects. For example:
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.
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.