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Susan first heard about Amen Clinics when one of her children benefited from their services. At that time, she was very impressed with the success of the targeted treatment plan, but she had no idea she’d eventually seek Amen Clinics services for herself. Several years later, a traumatic event triggered a deep emotional shift for Susan. “I was numb for several weeks, but then started sinking into a deep depression,” Susan explained. It was much more than a case of the blues. The depressive state was compounded by other symptoms that were making her day-to-day life unbearable.

When Everyday Life Becomes Unbearable

Susan was only able to sleep for about two hours each night, had virtually lost her short-term memory, and was struggling with long-term memory. She even lost her sense of direction. “All I wanted to do was stay in bed all day with my door locked,” Susan said. “I had to take a leave of absence from work and was just doing the minimum to care for my children.” In the midst of this frightening time, Susan remembered Amen Clinics and made an appointment. Her Amen Clinics psychiatrist recommended specific anti-depressants, but also strongly recommended the Amen Clinics’ Full Evaluation protocol, including brain SPECT imaging.

SPECT Imaging Reveals The Truth Behind Susan’s Struggle

The medication did help some, but Susan decided to follow up with the Full Evaluation. She wondered if the brain SPECT scan might reveal any additional clues about her symptoms. The neuroimaging provided a remarkable insight. “My SPECT scan showed a high degree of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” Susan said. Both anxiety and depressive states were cycling repeatedly, and her brain couldn’t shift out of that pattern. With that new information, Susan’s Amen Clinics psychiatrist had a much clearer understanding of her brain’s needs. He explained that Dr. Amen’s research has shown there are actually seven types of anxiety and depression, with each requiring unique treatment strategies. In fact, for some of the types, common anti-depressant medications are not effective. Susan’s psychiatrist knew of an alternative treatment that had been helpful for her particular anxiety-depression pattern. “He recommended Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a supplement to the anti-depressants,” Susan said. TMS uses large magnets to train neuro-circuits to function appropriately. It acts upon neuro-circuits somewhat like certain medications, but without side effects. Susan “hoped and prayed” that this alternative therapy would work. It did. Within the first week of treatment, Susan felt some improvement. During the next two weeks, her memory came back, she started sleeping better, and she felt hopeful for the first time. “At the end of my course of treatment, my memory was better than ever,” Susan said. Her sense of direction returned, and she felt comfortable taking care of her children and completing day-to-day tasks. “I was able to return to work, and I felt positive about my situation and my future.” Today, Susan enthusiastically refers friends and family. Since her experience, she has recommended Amen Clinics to dozens of people. “Everyone has been very pleased with the life-changing care that they have received.” Innovative approaches to treating anxiety and depression can yield transformative results. Brain SPECT scans often reveal factors that cannot be fully addressed by medication alone. It’s time to open the door to a bright and hopeful future! For information on scheduling an appointment please visit us online or speak to one our skilled professionals by calling 888-288-9834. Social anxiety is the fear of social situations and the interaction with other people that can automatically bring on feelings of self-consciousness, judgment, and inferiority. Everyone has feelings of anxiety, nervousness, and stress in their lives from time to time. Almost everyone has felt anxious in social situations. Particular popular experiences that make a majority of people uneasy include having to speak in front of a group or when interviewing for a new job. While others are anxious and nervous in almost all social situations. But social anxiety is more than just being shy or having occasional nervousness. It involves intense fear of social situations.  It’s more common among introverts, and because each person has a unique chemical makeup, the intensity and frequency of the symptoms vary greatly from person to person.  In the United States, studies have recently pegged social anxiety disorder as the third largest psychological disorder in the country, after depression and alcoholism. It is estimated that 7-8% of the population suffers from some form of social anxiety. Many learn to cope and overcome social anxiety through self-help methods or seek counseling. However, those who are severely impaired due to high levels of anxiety should seek professional help.

Challenge Your Thoughts

Social anxiety sufferers have negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to their anxiety. Challenging your negative thoughts is one effective way of reducing the symptom. Dr. Amen has created a powerful and effective exercise, called Kill the ANTs, that takes no more than a few minutes to complete and will help reverse your negative thought process.  “ANTs” are Automatic Negative Thoughts that come into your mind automatically but are not true. Left unchecked, these ANTs can infest your mind and ruin your mood, relationships, and life. Dr. Amen says “You do not have to believe every stupid thought that goes through your head.”  Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, write down the thoughts that are bothering you, reveal the facts about the situation and talk back to them.

Brain Healthy Tips to Help With Anxiety

Another way to boost your mood and reduce anxiety is to write down five things you are grateful for every day. Research suggests that focusing on gratitude helps to calm the deep limbic or emotional areas of the brain and enhances the judgment centers. When you focus on what you love, your brain works better, and you’ll feel better. You will notice a significant positive difference in your level of happiness in a short period! Taking supplements like fish oil will increase levels of omega-3 fatty acids that have been associated with anxiety and depression. GABA has shown to promote relaxation by increasing calming, focused brain waves, while also reducing other brain waves associated with worry. A balanced diet between protein and complex carbohydrates is also best for the anxious/compulsive brain type. An example of a balanced breakfast would be two scrambled eggs and tomato salsa in an Ezekiel wrap. Lunch would be a brown rice bowl with Tamari and grilled wild Alaskan salmon. Dinner could be rotisserie chicken with roasted brussels sprouts and quinoa. Meditation, diaphragmatic breathing, listening to relaxing music, intense exercise, hypnosis and optimizing vitamin D levels are also great ways to gain control of anxiety. Anxiety and depression are not the results of character flaws or personal weakness; they are the result of biological problems in the brain that can be balanced. If you or a loved one is struggling, contact the Amen Clinics today or call (888) 288-9834. For daily brain health updates, follow us on Facebook. It’s often been noted that rejection is among the most painful of human emotions. Anyone who has felt the sting of rejection, ostracism or shunning knows how deeply these experiences sting. According to a Purdue University expert, ostracism can cause pain that often is deeper and lasts longer than a physical injury. “Being excluded or ostracized is an invisible form of bullying that doesn’t leave bruises, and therefore we often underestimate its impact,” said Kipling D. Williams, a professor of psychological sciences. “Being excluded by high school friends, office colleagues, or even spouses or family members can be excruciating.” “When a person is ostracized, the brain’s dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, which registers physical pain, also feels this social injury,” Williams said.

The process of ostracism includes three stages:

1. The initial acts of being ignored or excluded 2. Coping 3. Resignation

Fundamental and foundational for our human needs are the feelings of belonging. Exclusion or ostracism is so painful because it threatens this need and the core of our self-esteem. “Again and again research has found that strong, harmful reactions are possible even when ostracized by a stranger or for a short amount of time,” said Williams. More than 5,000 people have participated in studies using a computer game designed by Williams to show how just two or three minutes of ostracism can produce lingering negative feelings. Even when being ignored briefly by strangers, with whom the individual will never have any face-to-face interaction, the negative effect is powerful and consistent. This was true even with a great variety of personalities. People also vary in how they cope during the second stage of ostracism. Coping can mean the person tries to harder be included. For example, they may try to engage in behaviors that might foster acceptance: mimicking, complying, obeying orders, cooperating or expressing attraction. If this tactic doesn’t work, and hope for inclusion is lost, people stop worrying about being liked and decide they just want to be noticed. In this stage, they may resort to provocative behavior and even aggression. However, if a person has been ostracized for a long time, people can’t continue to cope with the pain and often eventually give up. This is the third stage, called resignation. The third stage is called resignation. In some people who have been ostracized, they become less helpful and more aggressive to others in general. They also may feel an increase in anger and sadness. “Long-term ostracism can result in alienation, depression, helplessness, and feelings of unworthiness.” Sometimes “extreme groups” (gangs and the like) can provide members with a sense of belonging, self-worth, and control, but they can also fuel narrowness, radicalism and intolerance, and perhaps a propensity toward hostility and violence toward others. When a person feels ostracized they feel out of control, and aggressive behavior is one way to restore that control.

Here are some tips if you have experienced ostracism:

At the Amen Clinics, we have compassionate therapists who may be able to help you find peace, self-esteem, and acceptance after a painful ostracizing, shunning or other experience of being excluded. We may also be able to suggest exercises, supplements, and if needed, medication to help. No doubt such experiences hurt. But remember, there is always help. Call us today at 888-288-9834 to get started, or tell us more. The experience of anxiety and depression is similar for men and women in many ways. Fifty percent of those who experience an episode of anxiety and depression will have another episode within five years, and many will develop chronic relapsing forms of the disorder. In that case, being male or female doesn’t change the risk. Men and women with anxiety disorders or depression also share the tendency to have complicated, or comorbid, conditions. The risk of suicide and suicide attempts is higher for both depressed men and women.

There are a few differences in the course and experience of depression and anxiety that may be gender-related.

The most impressive difference between men and women becomes apparent at puberty. In childhood, the rates of anxiety and depression are similar for boys and girls. This begins to change as children reach adolescence. The rate of depression and anxiety among girls begins to rise at puberty and accelerates through the teenage years. Women are diagnosed with anxiety and depression far more commonly than men. Some studies indicate that as many as 15-20% of women may be suffering from depression. Amen Clinics specializes in the personalized diagnosis of anxiety and depression. Often, there are underlying reasons or brain trauma that need to be realized and treated. Get more information on the Amen Clinics Method regarding depression by calling 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit today. We first met Margaret when she was 68 years old. She lived alone, and her family was worried because she appeared to have symptoms of serious dementia. She was ragged and unkempt, she often forgot the names of her own children, she frequently got lost and she had just had her driver’s license revoked after having four minor accidents in a six-month period. When she nearly burned the house down by leaving a stove burner on, her family finally admitted her to a psychiatric hospital. Some members of Margaret’s family had had enough and were ready to put her into a supervised living situation. It seemed that Margaret was suffering from dementia. We ordered a SPECT study to see what was happening in her brain. The results showed full activity in her parietal and temporal lobes. If she had Alzheimer’s disease, there should have been evidence of decreased blood flow in those areas. Instead, the only abnormal activity shown on Margaret’s SPECT was in the deep limbic system at the center of the brain, where the activity was increased. Often, this is a finding in people suffering from depression. Sometimes in the elderly, it can be difficult to distinguish between Alzheimer’s disease and depression because the symptoms can be similar. When depression “masquerades” as dementia, we call it pseudodementia. A person suffering from pseudodementia may appear demented, yet not be at all.

Depression & Dementia Are Two VERY Different Treatment Paths

The diagnosis makes a critical difference in a person’s life. Depression is highly treatable; dementia is a much tougher go. The diagnosis of dementia would lead to prescribing to the family a set of coping strategies and possibly new medications to the patient, whereas a diagnosis of some form of depression would lead to prescribing an aggressive treatment of supplements or antidepressant medication, along with psychotherapy and exercise. You can see how the distinction would color the entire picture for not only the individual but his or her family. It changes relationships. It determines whether a person is able to live independently.

The Importance of Brain Imaging

Brain imaging is a critical tool in accurate diagnosis. Before brain imaging, most psychiatrists never looked at the organ they treated. They referred to a list of symptoms and did their best to accurately diagnose a patient. We have often thought of it as throwing darts in the dark. Because of the extreme difference in treatment directions – inaction, where the condition is guaranteed to persist versus action that can be very effective in restoring the quality of life – pseudodementia is a condition that is especially impacted by the lack of “sight” into the functionality of the brain.

A Hopeful Outcome

The results of Margaret’s SPECT study convinced us that she should try the antidepressant Wellbutrin (buproppion). After three weeks, she was talkative, well groomed and eager to socialize with other patients. After a month in the hospital, she was released to go home. Six months later we repeated her SPECT study and it was completely normal. She remained markedly improved. So much so that we felt comfortable writing a letter to the DMV, and it gave her back her license!

Dementia-like symptoms? Seek help.

People over the age of 65 are at highest risk for pseudodementia. If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of confusion, forgetfulness, poor concentration, slower speech and function, apathy and decreased energy, consider an evaluation for pseudodementia. At Amen Clinics, we use SPECT imaging to see blood flow and brain function, which goes a long way to indicate the true nature of the condition. If you or someone you love is struggling with memory problems, you will find inspiration and all the information and resources you need in Memory Rescue: Supercharge Your Brain, Reverse Memory Loss, and Remember What Matters Most available HERE. Ten years prior to coming to Amen Clinics, Theresa would have described her life as “amazing.” However, a series of very stressful life events had sent her into a tailspin. This began in 2006 when her infant daughter was diagnosed with cancer she developed stress, struggles with mood, and anxiety. “Dear God, if I am not going to get any better, just let me die.”  After her decade-long struggle battling trauma, working with a variety of therapists, and trying countless medications, 43-year-old Theresa recalls uttering these words aloud. Theresa began experiencing difficulty sleeping, which was addressed with different sleeping medications. When Theresa came to Amen Clinics for an evaluation, she was suffering from depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

Theresa’s Downward Spiral

A few years later, her older daughter was diagnosed with anorexia and a few years after that, her father’s health began failing. Theresa became his primary caretaker until his death two years ago. Additionally, she was experiencing financial stress due to the mounting medical bills and she had gained a substantial amount of weight due to “stress eating” and feeling too fatigued to exercise. She felt that these issues had caused her to become forgetful. During this time, her insomnia, depression, and anxiety significantly increased. Again, she was given a variety of different medications to try to alleviate her symptoms, some of which seemed to work for a little while before losing their effectiveness. She was also in and out of therapy but didn’t seem to be getting any better.
Prior to coming to Amen Clinics, Theresa feared that no one would be able to figure out what was wrong with her.
The findings from Theresa’s scans revealed marked increased activity in her thalamus which is associated with mood problems as well as marked increased activity in her basal ganglia which is found with anxiety disorders. There were some surprising findings as well – notably, flattening of her prefrontal pole and decreased activity of her temporal, parietal and occipital lobe as well as her prefrontal pole. These findings are indicative of past brain injury she didn’t realize she had! The clinical history viewed in the context of SPECT imaging allowed the Amen Clinics physicians to more fully understand Theresa’s underlying brain physiology so they could create the best possible and most individualized treatment plan for optimizing her brain health. This included personalized supplement, nutritional, and exercise recommendations. In addition, it was recommended that she begin Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) which helps address emotional trauma and Neurofeedback which can help train one’s brain waves to produce healthy patterns, activating areas that need greater stimulation, and calming areas that are overactive.

Theresa’s Improvement

By following these recommendations, Theresa began to feel significantly better. “I am really looking forward to going on a date with my husband tonight. But you know the best part? Last weekend, instead of hiding in my room, I played ball with my kids – they have their mom back!” Theresa’s story wonderfully illustrates the importance of SPECT imaging and how it can transform an individual’s life. If the Amen Clinics physicians had not had the ability to physically see her brain, they would have had to simply guess at what was going on in Theresa’s brain – just as all of the other treatment professionals had done up to that point. At Amen Clinics, we want to help you learn more about your brain and how you can make it better, not only for yourself but for the generations that follow. Call us today at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit today. *names and/or medical details have been changed to protect the former patient’s identity. We’ve known that hormones affect our mood, brains and even other functions of our body for years, but until recently, we haven’t seen such studies on the correlation between hormonal birth control and depression. In a published study following over one million women between the ages of 15 and 35, those on hormonal birth control showed over 30% increased risk of depression. Even more alarming is that younger women showed a higher prevalence.

Can Taking Birth Control Make Depression Worse?

After using hormonal birth control for just six months, research shows that changing levels in estrogen were a main cause in the increase of depression. Any time there are changes in hormone levels, just based off of your brain chemistry alone, your mood will be affected. Depending on the type of depression you have, birth control pills can improve it or make it worse.

Is Birth Control and Depression Connected?

• PMS or menstrual related depression can be improved by using the birth control pill. • Depression that only sets on during “that time of the month” is caused by hormonal changes in your body. • Those rapid changes can be “mellowed” by taking the pill. • Many women with menstrual or PMS related depression see an improvement in the way they feel after being on the pill for a couple of months. If you constantly suffer from depression, it is probably not hormone related, at least not related to the hormonal changes associated with your period. Taking the pill in this case can make things worse instead of helping relieve your depression. Many women feel increased depression after being on the pill. There are also some who don’t start feeling depressed until they start taking the birth control pill. Usually using an alternate form of birth control in addition to some natural or prescription medication will get you back out of depression. Depression should never be stigmatized. Mental health is brain health, and science proves that your mental health is often affected by the prescriptions you take and the food that you eat. There’s nothing wrong with taking birth control, but, like anything that can affect your mood, it’s important that you stay aware of your feelings and behaviors. If you or a loved one has been experiencing depression symptoms, call us at at 888-288-9834 or tell us more online. It’s a proven fact that people who exercise regularly benefit from a positive boost in mood and have lower rates of depression.  In the past, most common treatments for depression were psychotherapy or medication.  However, psychologists are quickly figuring out that exercise is and can be a successful alternative.

Why Is Exercise So Important?

Exercise is a magic drug for many people experiencing depression and anxiety disorders and is becoming more and more prescribed by mental health providers. Studies have shown that individuals who exercise report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression and lower levels of stress and anger. Exercise appears to affect, like an antidepressant, particular neurotransmitter systems in the brain, and it helps patients with depression re-establish positive behavior. Exercise helps keep your psyche fit. It’s an effective, cost-efficient treatment for depression and my help in the treatment of many other mood disorders.

Natural Ways to Combat Depression:

1. Exercise is a great alternative for treating depression. 2. It wards off anxiety and feelings of depression. 3. Boosts self-esteem. 4. Improves sleep, which can often be a problem when you’re depressed. 5. When exercising your body releases chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins trigger positive feelings in the body, which can be accompanied by positive feelings and thoughts. 6. Provides a distraction from your worries. 7. Helps you get rid of built up stress. Any form of moderate exercise can help with depression. Higher intensity exercises, like running or biking, will help release feel-good hormones, while lower intensity exercises like yoga or gardening, can help you relax and connect with your body. Below are some great exercises to choose from: • Walking • Swimming • Playing tennis • Golf (walking the course instead of using the cart) • Gardening • Dancing • Biking • Yoga • Running

Improve Your Brain Health Today

At Amen Clinics, we have spent decades helping people just like you improve their brain, and thus mental health, and can help you too. Call us today at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit. “Real men don’t cry.” That unhealthy stereotype can be particularly detrimental to men with a psychiatric condition. Since men learn from a young age to bottle up their emotions, they are far less likely than women to seek treatment for a mental illness. This is especially true of depression since women are diagnosed with the complaint more frequently than men. Major depressive disorder affects six million men each year in America and many millions more will choose to tough it out rather than admitting they need help. Sadly, those who suffer from depression may never know how their ailment influences other people in their life. A recent study shows that depression in fathers has a direct effect on the behavioral problems of their adolescent children. This should come as a wake-up call to the multitude of men who are attempting to manage their symptoms by white-knuckling their way through the pain. Since depression can have a negative influence on the entire family, it is time for men to step up and get help. Delaying treatment for depression can have significant personal, interpersonal, occupational and social consequences.

If you are struggling with symptoms of depression, here are nine proven strategies that can help you:

1. Know Your Type

Did you know that there are different types of depression? Knowing your type can help reduce stigma, provide hope and guide treatment.

2. Stress Less

It is easy to become overwhelmed in our fast-paced society. To reduce stress, try meditation, yoga or other relaxation techniques.

3. Quality Sleep

Insufficient and inconsistent sleep can increase irritability, moodiness and poor judgment. To remain at the top of your game, it is recommended that you get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

4. Step into the Light

Daily exposure to appropriate levels of sunlight can boost serotonin and vitamin D3 levels which can improve your mood.

5. Get Moving

Exercise is the most important thing you can do when feeling depressed. Exercising releases “feel good” chemicals in your brain that can promote a sense of well-being.

6. Eat Good Mood Food

Good mood foods like lean protein, raw spinach and walnuts contain bliss-enhancing nutrients which can elevate your mood.

7. Kill Your ANTs

ANTs are the Automatic Negative Thoughts that pop into your head, causing you to get upset or depressed. Once you identify an ANT, jot it down, identify it and then kill it by writing a more realistic version of the same thought.

8. Talk it Out

Most men aren’t comfortable talking about their feelings. However, opening up about personal struggles can have big benefits for those who deal with depression. Whether in a support group or with a therapist, talking it out can reduce your sense of isolation and provide relief from your symptoms.

9. Get a Brain Image

Depression is not the consequence of a character flaw or personal weakness, it is the result of biological problems in the brain that can be balanced. By looking at our patient’s brain function through brain SPECT imaging, we can identify the underlying brain biology of a person’s depressive systems, allowing us to tailor a treatment plan to begin the healing process. At Amen Clinics, we understand that depression is not a simple disorder with a one-size-fits-all solution. We have helped tens of thousands of people with depression from all over the world and can help you, too. Call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Joey, age 9, struggled with hyperactivity, restlessness, impulse control problems, inattention, and distractibility. His pediatrician had suggested trying a couple of different medications but Joey’s mother was interested in trying alternative treatments first. She had heard about our work with neurofeedback and wanted an alternative to medication. Joey did neurofeedback twice a week and we quickly began seeing significant changes, including less hyperactivity and longer ability to focus. After he stopped the neurofeedback he continued to do well in school and at home.

WHAT IS NEUROFEEDBACK?

Neurofeedback is a specialized treatment that uses advanced computer technology for balancing and optimizing your brain. It is a fun, interactive and engaging treatment that helps you strengthen and retrain your brain to a healthier, more focused state. Using real-time displays of brain activity, you can learn how to self-regulate your brain function. Monica, age 17, came to the clinic for problems with anxiety, worrying, temper outbursts, poor school performance, and oppositional behavior. She had been in psychotherapy for two years, which seemed to help her temper problems but not her oppositional behavior or school performance. Additionally, she had tried two different medications but she did not like the side effects. When she learned about neurofeedback she liked the idea of learning how to control her own brain. We did neurofeedback twice a week and within the first month she noticed less worrying. By the end of 6 months she felt more focused, less anxious, and overall more cooperative, which her family validated. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of neurofeedback to improve many conditions including:

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF NEUROFEEDBACK?

Patients report enhanced memory and focus, decreased impulsivity and anxiety, better mental clarity, more restful sleep, improved mood, and a host of other benefits after using neurofeedback without side effects! In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics named neurofeedback a “Level 1: ‘Best Support’ intervention for ADD/ADHD, on par with medication.” The effects and benefits of training last long after the training itself has stopped. Because the brain has actually learned (or relearned) a more efficient way of performing, it will continue in this way as new pathways in the brain are created, thus making lasting change the path of least effort.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

With neurofeedback, YOU become an active part of your brain’s healing.  You will play a video game using just your brain—it’s fun! Here’s how it works: electrodes are placed on your head to measure electrical activity in your brain (this is painless, non-invasive, and safe for people of all ages). Then, you will play some games that require concentration. At the same time, you will be able to view your brain activity on a computer monitor. A clinician will show you how to interpret the activity: which patterns mean your brain is engaged and which patterns mean your brain is less engaged. You CAN change your brain and change your life. Amen Clinics can help. To learn more about neurofeedback strategies or to schedule an appointment, contact the Amen Clinics Care Center today at 888-288-9834.