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Anxiety and depression are real illnesses. If you or a loved one suffers with either of these potentially debilitating conditions, you are not alone. Left untreated, anxiety and depression can have serious personal and social consequences, including: Anxiety and depression are not the results of character flaws or personal weakness; rather, they are related to biological problems in the brain.

Brain Systems Involved with Anxiety and Depression

The brain is a very complex organ. Through SPECT brain imaging at the Amen Clinics, we have found that there are five major systems in the brain involved with how we feel, what we think and how we act or behave. Abnormalities in any of these five systems – including combinations – can contribute to the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  1. The Basal Ganglia: Allows for smooth integration of emotions, thoughts, and physical movement.
  1. The Deep Limbic System: Sets the emotional tone of your mind, stores emotional memories, controls motivation and appetite.
  1. The Anterior Cingulate Gyrus: Responsible for cognitive flexibility, this is your ability to go with the flow, adapt to change, and deal successfully with new problems.
  1. The Temporal Lobes: The storage of memories and images that help us define our sense of ourselves.
  1. The Prefrontal Cortex: The “Executive Center” of the brain.

The 7 Types of Anxiety and Depression

One common misconception is that anxiety and depression are separate problems. However, research had demonstrated that anxiety and depression occur together 75 percent of the time. Another misconception is the belief that anxiety and depression are simple and straightforward disorders. Through SPECT brain imaging of tens of thousands of people, the Amen Clinic has described 7 different types of anxiety and depression and knowing which type you have is critical to getting the right help.

Treatment For all Types of Anxiety and Depression

Rule out Medical Causes

Thyroid abnormalities, anemia, sleep apnea, brain injuries, vitamin and nutritional deficiencies, and certain medications can all cause problems related to anxiety and depression. Getting a thorough physical exam is one of the first, most important, steps.

Exercise

All types benefit from exercise because exercise boosts blood flow to the brain.  Exercise also increases your “feel good” hormone, serotonin, availability in the brain. In a study comparing exercise to common antidepressant medication, the two were equally effective after twelve weeks. However, exercise was actually more effective than antidepressants after ten months.

Kill Your ANTs

People with anxiety and depression are often filled with automatic negative thoughts (ANTs). These are the views and judgments that automatically come into your mind and ruin your day. Learning how to correct these negative thought patterns has been found to be as effective as antidepressant medication without any side effects. Amen Clinics has helped tens of thousands of people with anxiety and depression from all over the world and can help you, too. To learn more or schedule a comprehensive evaluation, contact the Amen Clinics Care Center today online or call (888) 288-9834.   Depression can make everyday life feel draining.  Low energy and lack of sleep are the most common symptoms of depression we tend to see at Amen Clinics. Quite often, these feelings can stem from your depression medication – and wind up not solving your real problem, which leaves you feeling even more helpless and frustrated. Have you been on antidepressant medications or mood stabilizers, and have seen little to no improvement?

Restlessness and Depression

When people have been on antidepressants and are not getting any better, they tend to have lower energy than normal. This type of fatigue is different for people who just didn’t get enough sleep last night, or do not live healthy lifestyles. This type of energy lag has a flow. This sort of depression consists of starting your morning feeling groggy and tired. Then by mid-morning, you have a jolt of energy. Around the late afternoon, you are starting to feel extremely worn out. By night time, when you should be falling asleep, you find yourself staying up and unable to rest. Not only is this cycle toxic to your body but it isn’t helping the depression problem that’s occurring in your body.

Depression and Low Energy Explained

When symptoms occur, a great amount of stress is placed on your body. Over time your poor body begins to secrete a neurohormone called cortisol. Cortisol is the stress hormone that has been linked to depression. When your cortisol secretion level is too high, your adrenal glands cannot keep up, resulting in:

Testing Your Cortisol Hormone or Stress Levels

At Amen Clinics, we offer a salivary cortisol test* four times per day (call for locations that offer this test). Unlike most of our human hormones, cortisol levels fluctuate. They go up in the morning and then throughout the day they slowly decrease, making us want to go to sleep by bedtime. If your stress hormone levels happen to run backward, that is when you’ll feel the effects of stress, low energy, and weight gain.

Optimizing Adrenal Function From Stressors

With this salivary test, we are able to optimize your adrenal gland functions and help your brain stay clear and bright.  Balancing your stress hormones also allows you to lose weight, and keep it off. We also test you for depression and cortisol levels:

Why It’s Important to Receive a Proper Diagnosis

In Dr. Daniel G. Amen’s book, “Change Your Brain Change Your Life” he refers to how most people struggling with depression are diagnosed by a psychiatrist or other mental health professional who is searching for a “symptom cluster”. For example, if a patient says they are depressed they are most likely to get a diagnosis of depression and be prescribed antidepressant medication or psychotherapy for depression. However, these diagnostic labels don’t tell us about the underlying biology of these problems. That is why a one-size-fits-all treatment plan for depression, just isn’t realistic. Find a specialist who compassionately comprehends your needs and fears. If you or a loved one is depressed and not getting any better, you might suggest that cortisol hormones are checked, and full physical. For more expert advice, watch: Amen Clinic’s Live Chat on Facebook or contact us here. *Salivary tests are not available at all Clinic locations. Please call 888-288-9834. There has always been a correlation between brain damage, as a result of a brain injury, and later onset depression or depression symptoms. But what if the reverse was true – what if recurring depression actually did physical damage to structures of the brain?

Size Matters When it Comes to Your Hippocampus

In a study published in Molecular Psychiatry, researchers have found that when people encounter repeated bouts of depression, their hippocampus shows clear, physical shrinkage. The hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for forming memories, also helps in developing healthy emotional behaviors. Researchers began looking at the hippocampus because there was speculation as to whether a smaller hippocampus would lead to depression symptoms. At the Brain and Mind Research Institute, researcher Ian Hickey built and cross-referenced a 9,000-person brain scan library. When comparing the healthy control brains to those that had experienced regular episodes of depression, he could reasonably conclude that depression actually does tangible, physical damage to the brain. Further, when the subjects had started experiencing depression before the age of 21, their physical changes were most obvious.

Depression May Cause the Hippocampus to Shrink 10 Percent

Your hippocampus is a part of your limbic system, the area of your brain that houses all of the emotional aspects of your life. It dictates how we see ourselves and our understanding of us in the world. On average, researchers found that the hippocampus shrunk up to 10 percent when someone experienced repeated episodes of depression. In other animals, shrinkage in the hippocampus also changes other behaviors as well. Symptoms of a shrunken hippocampus include trouble concentrating and memory problems. This begs the question, though, which comes first? The shrunken hippocampus or the depression?

Neuroplasticity – How Your Brain Can Reverse the Damage

Regardless of how depression starts, you’re not stuck with the brain you have; you can change your brain, and your hippocampus. Studies at the Centre for Psychiatric Research in Stockholm have followed depressed people for 10 years in one study, and results show that negative effects on the hippocampus from chronic depression can be reversed. The right, individualized treatment can reverse those effects, especially given that the hippocampus is one of the most regenerative areas. This ability, to repair and create new nerves – neurogenesis and neuroplasticity – proves that you can change your brain and reverse the shrunken hippocampus and keep the reoccurring depressive episodes from happening. In animal trials, neurogenesis is paramount to making depressed brains healthy again, and through various trials, antidepressant treatments seem to effectively start or encourage the process. One thing that researchers are trying to figure out next: Can antidepressants help chronic depression because of the way serotonin in the brain is affected, or because of the way it encourages new nerve cells to form? Or both? The sooner that depression is treated, the less damage done is to the hippocampus. Though antidepressants have showed to help, researcher Ian Hickey and Amen Clinic founder, Dr. Daniel Amen, encourage the regenerative process in brain cells. The Amen Clinics Method encourages using the least toxic methods to treat conditions like depression, and to increase neuroplasticity. If you or a loved one have experienced recurring episodes of depression, don’t wait. Amen Clinics patients have a better quality of life after just six months, 85 percent of the time. Don’t you deserve to live happy and healthy? Call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

Increasing Rates of Depression in Girls

As rates of depression among the girl demographic increases, it gives pause to how this will affect future generations of adults. We pride ourselves on removing the stigma of mental health. It’s important that treatment for mental health issues becomes more socially accepted.

Teenagers and angst seem to go hand-in-hand with one another. However, sometimes there is more than just angst going on. What happens then? Research is starting show us that clinic depression with young girls is starting to rise. For instance, clinic depression among adolescent girls has increased by 37 percent, with one in six girls experiencing an episode in the past year. A study published by Pediatrics, recently addressed the mental issues of young people and its overwhelming  prevalence. 

“This shows us there are a growing number of untreated adolescents with depression and that we are making few inroads in getting mental health care to this population. It is imperative that we find ways to reach these teenagers and help them manage their depression,” says Ramin Mojatabai, MD, PhD, MPH at the Bloomberg School. Ramin is explaining a recent epidemic. The epidemic is that we have seen enormous climbs in young adults being diagnosed with depression. Shockingly, there have been lower rates of treatment.

Thoughts that Economic Downturn Could be Affecting Adolescents

From 2005 to 2014, depressive episodes among female adolescents increased from 13.1 percent to 17.3 percent with whites more predisposed than non-whites.  There is an interesting coincidence of the resulting increase – the economic downturn. Although, the change in economic climate did not affect the rate of depression in young adults.

Depression Increases may Link to Social Media

Some think that the growth in depression among females may be correlated to their increased use of social media, screen entertainment, and mobile phones. 

However, the problem remains: suicide rates for adolescent girls has tripled over the last 15 years. One of the predictions? Suicidal rates could be growing due to the most popular depression medications having a warning sign for people under the age of 26. The warning states: that by taking the medication you can increase your risk of suicidal thoughts and actions.

Depression should always be taken seriously. At Amen Clinics, we see each patient as an individual and they are diagnosed and treated as such, using the least toxic and most effective means possible. If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of depression, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we can help navigate the way. Call 888-288-9834 today.

Who You Spend Time With Impacts Your Mood

When you are with positive, supportive, and loving people, you feel happier and more content, and you live longer. This is not only intuitively true but research has demonstrated it again and again. For example, in a study at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio, 10,000 men were asked, “Does your wife show you her love?” The detailed health histories of the men followed over ten years who answered yes showed fewer ulcers, less chest pain, and longer lives than those who answered no. When you spend time with negative or hostile people, you tend to feel tense, anxious, upset, sick, and less intellectually on the ball. Being around people who make you feel stress causes your body to secrete an excessive amount of adrenaline, which makes you feel anxious and tense and puts you on your guard. Increases in the stress hormone cortisol can disrupt neurons in the hippocampus, one of the main memory centers in the brain. Through the years people have told us that living with a person who suffered from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, panic disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, or borderline personality disorder has had a negative impact on their physical and emotional health. The chronic stress for family members associated with these illnesses when they are untreated or under-treated can be devastating. Mothers of untreated ADD children, for example, have a higher incidence of depression themselves and often complain that they are physically sick more often and cognitively less sharp than before they had the child. In our experience, a hallmark of unhappy people is that they have a tendency to surround themselves with negative people – with people who do not believe in them or their abilities, people who put them down, discourage them from their goals, and treat them as though they will never amount to anything. Surrounded by these types of people, you eventually get a clear message that you are no good.

Are you surrounded by people who believe in you and give you positive messages?

Do you spend time with people who encourage you to feel good about yourself? Or do you spend time with people who are constantly putting you down and down playing your ideas? Who are the five people you spend the most time with? Are they positive or negative? The reasons people surround themselves with negativity are easy to understand. People who grow up in negative environments often grow up to be negative. It is what they are used to and, in a strange sort of way, it is what they are comfortable with, what their brain knows. A Choctaw medicine man once told us, “People do not seek happiness, they seek familiarity.” If an insecure parent continually belittles his child to make himself feel better, the child grows up believing that he is no good and that he is not worthy of being around people who make him feel good. When the trauma of divorce of death happens in a family, a young child often erroneously believes he is at fault and carries around tremendous guilt for a long time. Some children who witnessed parents struggle through a difficult marriage get the message programmed in their brains that relationships are inherently problematic, and they, too, get caught in incompatible relationships. Adults, as well as children, can be beaten down after years of living through a difficult marriage or being in an abusive job situation. Many people will stay in a job they hate, for example, because their boss leads them to believe that no one else would hire them and that they are lucky to have the job. Just as in an abusive marriage, in an abusive job situation, employees have their self-esteem beaten down to the point that they no longer believe they can go beyond their abusive environment.

Past relationships have a real impact on present ones.

If your past relationships were filled with negativity, chances are your present and future relationships will be the same unless you make a conscious effort to overcome the past. If you are experiencing depression caused by your past or present relationships, you are not alone. Depression CAN be treated and Amen Clinics CAN help. Call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Approximately 15.7 million American adults are affected by depression. Many of us are no longer shocked by that statistic as we may have loved ones who have struggled with depression or had encounters with it ourselves.

Depression affects every area of one’s life

Many of us would be shocked if we understood the extent to which depression can affect us. It can have an effect on our personalities, relationships, careers, hobbies, and even our brains. Much in the same way our good habits can change our brain for the better, the sadness and isolation of depression can change our brains for the worse. Research has shown that, over time, depression can start to wear down the important gray matter in crucial areas such as the: 1. Prefrontal cortex (the command center of the brain) 2. Hippocampus (the brain’s emotional and memory center) 3. Activity in these areas is often lower than it should be in people suffering from depression, depending on the type, but brain SPECT scans are showing that these areas are being actually changed by the depression.

Depression is a brain disease not just sadness

Depression is much more than just an extended, deep sadness; it is an extremely complex disease with a set of challenging symptoms that are the result of biological problems in the brain; it can affect anyone, from grandparents to grandchildren. Instead of going away on its own, depression will often stick around, changing you and, as demonstrated by research, your brain. Many people have tried to explain this feeling; some say they now feel trapped and alone when they used to be so happy.

Brain Systems Involved with Depression

Through brain SPECT imaging at Amen Clinics, we have found that there are five major systems in the brain involved with how we feel, what we think and how we act or behave. Abnormalities in any of these five systems – including combinations – can contribute to the symptoms of depression. 1. The Basal Ganglia: Allows for smooth integration of emotions, thoughts, and physical movement. 2. The Deep Limbic System: Sets the emotional tone of your mind, stores emotional memories, controls motivation and appetite. 3. The Anterior Cingulate Gyrus: Responsible for cognitive flexibility, this is your ability to go with the flow, adapt to change, and deal successfully with new problems. 4. The Temporal Lobes: The storage of memories and images that help us define our sense of ourselves. 5. The Prefrontal Cortex: The “Executive Center” of the brain. But this news is not all bad. Many of us know how it feels, and are working on feeling better. We realize we are not as alone as our changing brains make us feel and depression CAN be treated. However, having seen tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics, we know that depression is not a simple disorder with a one-size-fits-all solution. The Amen Clinics biomedical evaluation is part of the Amen Clinics Method Four Circles Approach to mental and physical health. We treat each patient as an individual, and take a full personal history before beginning SPECT imaging or recommending any treatment program. Call us today at 1-888-288-9834 or schedule an appointment online. Bill first came to Amen Clinics after attempting suicide in his dorm room. A twenty-year-old Yale student, despite his intellectual gifts, Bill nonetheless experienced bouts of severe depression. And his overdose on a lethal cocktail of Ambien, Effexor XR, and a fifth of whiskey had nearly killed him. Bill’s roommate at Yale called 9-1-1 when he discovered Bill unconscious following the overdose. Bill was rushed to the hospital, which saved his life. Once Bill was stabilized and discharged from the hospital, he took off a semester to get psychiatric help at Amen Clinics. We attempted to treat Bill with antidepressant medication, taught him techniques to rewrite his negative stories about himself and the world, and met with him for twice-weekly psychotherapy. Bill improved, but only moderately so. Antidepressant medications—and we tried several with Bill—really never altered his fundamental negativity and his proneness for severe depressive dips. Bill cooperated with treatment, but our treatment had not made enough progress to help Bill move toward being fully free of depression and able to return to Yale.

Treating Bill With SPECT

Because Bill had not made sufficient progress, we told him about brain SPECT imaging, a way to look at what the brain is doing, and asked him to consider it. It was our hope that SPECT might reveal something about the root of Bill’s problems that we were missing. Bill and his parents agreed, and Bill had his brain scanned a week later. We were not disappointed. The SPECT results showed that Bill’s brain was hurting in a way none of us had anticipated. He had significant damage to his left temporal lobe. Bill’s brain wasn’t just unbalanced; it was injured, significantly. We knew that temporal lobe problems, especially on the left side, can contribute to or cause marked depression and negativity—and also rage at times, which fortunately Bill didn’t have. Bill’s SPECT findings showed why antidepressants hadn’t helped him; antidepressants don’t fundamentally address brain injury, especially injury in the temporal lobes. Discussing Bill’s brain injury with him and his parents, we surmised that years of soccer caused the brain injury we had uncovered. We’ve seen quite a few soccer players who had head injuries from playing that sport. Heading a hard soccer ball is not a good thing for the brain.

SPECT Helps Target Treatment Options

With this new information provided by SPECT, Bill was placed on Lamictal, a medication that targets temporal lobe problems. Lamictal was the answer to our prayers. Gradually, Bill improved. Eventually, after several months, he was close to 100 percent, with hardly any trace of depression. Bill continued Lamictal, returned to Yale the following semester, and ultimately graduated with honors. Following Yale, Bill attended and graduated from a top law school and now works as a fourth-year associate for a large law firm. Without much exaggeration, SPECT imaging saved Bill’s life; we am certain that, given the severity of his depression and suicidal urges, he would have ended up killing himself if we had not found a successful treatment for him. Detecting and stabilizing his left temporal lobe was the key step in Bill’s successful treatment. The key point is that an injured brain must be healed before any other treatments—such as nutritional supplements, lifestyle management, counseling, psychotherapy, or antidepressant medication—can work. Imaging changes everything.  At Amen Clinics, we can help you and your loved ones overcome the stigma and suffering associated with many disorders. If you are ready to change your brain and change your life, give us a call today at 888-288-9834 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Bill was a patient of Dr. Annibali at Amen Clinics Washington D.C. His book Reclaim Your Brain—How to Calm Your Thoughts, Heal Your Mind, and Bring Your Life Back Under Control is available on Amazon and at Amen Clinics. No matter your age, moderate exercise will ward off Alzheimer’s and memory problems, decrease anxiety and depression, boost your ability to focus and enhance your brain’s ability to repair itself.

What Research Says

Research is showing an important link between regular exercise and Alzheimer’s prevention. A study involving 120 people between the ages of 55 and 80 showed that brisk walking for 30-40 minutes, three times per week is helpful for boosting and protecting the parts of the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

What Scans Tell Us

Brain scans taken before and after this year-long study showed that the prefrontal cortex (PFC)—responsible for focus, forethought, judgment, follow through and impulse control—and the hippocampus—responsible for memory and spatial navigation—grew in volume by 2% among the brisk walking group, while these same brain areas continued to shrink in the group that participated in stretching exercises only. When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, the hippocampus is one of the first regions to become impaired, resulting in the hallmark symptoms of Alzheimer’s: memory loss and disorientation. Don’t sit and wait for a train to hit you—get out of the way. Exercise is a great way to boost your brain and protect it from Alzheimer’s disease.

Better Than Happy Pills

If you’re prone to anxiety and depression, exercise is one of the best natural treatments that exists—and it’s free! Exercise activates the same pathways in the brain as morphine and increases the release of endorphins, your natural feel-good neurotransmitters! A depression study compared the benefits of exercise to those of the prescription drug, Zoloft. After 12 weeks, exercise proved equally effective as Zoloft in curbing depression. And after 10 months, exercise surpassed the effects of the drug… with ZERO negative side effects! Exercise is not only a fountain of youth, but also the closest thing to a happiness pill that you will ever find!

We Can Help

Don’t know where to start? Did you know that despite the natural aging process, you actually have a choice in how fast your brain ages? Your behavior and habits can speed up or slow down the rate at which your brain declines with age. Being mentally and physically active, eating nutritious foods and avoiding unhealthy habits can help you maintain optimal brain health and ward off dementia. The best way to sharpen recall, reduce brain atrophy, and eliminate all the risk factors that steal the mind is with our BRIGHT MINDS approach, which addresses memory problems, aging and Alzheimer’s disease. To learn more about Amen Clinics Memory Program based on Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS approach, check it out HERE, or call 888-288-9834. Major depression isn’t a choice or something that, “just goes away” over time. Depression is a brain issue. The longer depression is left untreated or ineffectively treated, the higher the risk of suicide becomes—especially in those with co-occurring mental health issues. In fact, a 2009 study revealed that 80% of suicide attempts were due to mental disorders, primarily related to anxiety, depression, impulse control and substance abuse. At Amen Clinics we have noticed two different types of suicide risk groups:

1. Those Who Cry Out for Help

The first suicidal risk group are those who express sadness and hopelessness through suicidal communication. This group often uses suicidal behavior to manage or work through difficult feelings. The major warning signs are: • Recklessness • Cutting or threats of self-harm • Increased alcohol consumption • Mild-to-moderate drug overdoses • Talking or writing about death/suicide

2. Those Who are Withdrawn and Hopeless

The second suicide risk group are those who withdraw, almost completely, into a deep sense of hopelessness and helplessness. This group is often quieter, and they are at highest risk for using lethal methods to complete suicide. The major warning signs are: • A lack of usual and prior emotional vitality and human connectedness • Becoming withdrawn, apathetic and disconnected from the world • The tendency to push others away, both passively and actively • No longer taking advantage of opportunities in life • Giving away personal items

What We Know Through Brain SPECT Imaging

We have seen that there are certain brain system activity patterns that demonstrate a person’s vulnerability to suicidal ideation and follow-through. If help is sought early enough, a targeted treatment plan can be created (using multiple methods) to effectively manage and recover from major depression and/or the co-occurring mental health issues that worsen depression.

A Note About Survivor Guilt

When suicide does occur, the act devastates lives. Family members are often left confused, wishing that they could have known—could have done something to prevent it. Sometimes they even blame themselves for not knowing their loved one was contemplating suicide and carry this emotional pain with them through their life. This is called survivor guilt, and left unsupported, it can also cause major depression… or lead to suicide. If you or a loved one is struggling with survivor guilt, seek help and connect to support groups. Please don’t suffer in silence.

Let Us Help Today

We will help you learn more about your brain and how to feel better. Give us a call at 1-888-288-9834 or click here to schedule an appointment. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of 161 crisis centers that provides a 24/7, toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Call 1-800-273-8255. Suicide rates among United States soldiers surpassed the civilian rate for the first time ever in 2008. In response, a group of academic, government and military researchers began the largest study ever conducted on suicide in the military, scanning records from nearly a million soldiers, surveying thousands of active soldiers, and investigating hundreds of suicides.

What Research Says

The ongoing study, Army STARRS, was designed to identify risk and protective factors involved in suicide, adverse mental health outcomes from deployment, and related functional impairment by investigating a wide range of influencers, from large administrative data sets to behavioral, neurobiological, and genetic markers. The first three research papers from the study were published in JAMA Psychiatry, providing an initial overview of the increased vulnerability to suicidal tendencies among military personnel.

Key Findings

• Around one quarter of the soldiers surveyed qualified for at least one current psychiatric disorder, such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse – a rate roughly twice that found among civilians, yet only half of those disorders surfaced after enlistment. • One in 10 soldiers surveyed qualified for a diagnosis of “intermittent explosive disorder,” a condition characterized by extreme anger, often to the point of uncontrollable rage. The rate was more than 11% among soldiers and less than 2% among civilians, yet three-quarters of the time, anger issues were present before enlistment. Dr. Matthew Nock, a lead author on one of the papers told the NY Times, “The people at highest risk of making an attempt struggled with depression and anxiety, or post-traumatic stress, in combination with impulsiveness and aggression. The former gets people thinking about suicide, and the latter gets them to act on those thoughts.”

We Can Help

If you are having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). At Amen Clinics, we want to help you learn more about your brain and how to feel better. Call us today at 888-288-9834 or tell us more to schedule an appointment.