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Are you feeling a sense of emotional overwhelm like you just can’t cope with the tsunami of challenges you’re facing? A lot of people eagerly anticipated a return to normalcy at the end of 2020, but that didn’t happen. All the changes, accommodations, limitations, and demands that we have had to deal with due to the pandemic have really added up and are taking a toll on many people. A recent report from the American Psychological Association found that 84%—that’s more than 4 out of 5—of the people surveyed have been experiencing elevated levels of stress. In addition, almost half of them reported having symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, as well as weight changes and problems with sleep—conditions that often accompany emotional overwhelm. There are a number of practical factors that can be contributing to how people are feeling, including circumstances such as: Having to manage multiple stressors like these, while knowing we must continue to push through for an undetermined length of time, is exhausting and can stretch the capacity to cope. Bearing this in mind, it’s important to understand that overwhelm is actually a natural response to all that people must deal with right now. It can also be very unsettling to know that even though there has been progress with getting the pandemic under control, we still must live with a lot of uncertainty. Managing multiple stressors, while having to keep pushing through for an undetermined length of time, is exhausting and can stretch the capacity to cope. Overwhelm is a natural response to all that people must deal with right now.
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What can make overwhelm even worse, is the absence of many things we might normally do to try and feel better. For example, some people aren’t yet able to spend time with friends, loved ones, or in community settings in a way that satisfies their human need for fulfilling connection. And with all the demands on their time, many folks are missing out on the activities that normally would give them joy and help with stress relief. Of course, some people are simply worn too thin to add one more thing to their plate. Despite all of this, please remind yourself that in the face of great difficulty, you persevered and made it this far.

3 Ways to Ease Emotional Overwhelm

To help you keep going, here are 3 simple things you can incorporate into your life that don’t cost anything and are not demanding of your time. Plus, they can improve your well-being while strengthening your ability to cope as you work your way toward the pandemic’s finish line.

1. Notice the micro-moments that lift your spirits each day.

When under duress, it’s easy to stay focused on the problems at hand. However, there likely are some small everyday things that help you feel momentarily better, such as: Paying more attention to the little uplifting things throughout your day can provide a nice counterbalance to those feelings of overwhelm.

2. Manage your automatic negative thoughts (ANTs).

It’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of unhelpful thinking patterns when life is stressful. These ANTs, as Dr. Daniel Amen calls them, fester in your mind and make you miserable, plus they release chemicals in the brain that make you feel emotionally and physically worse—and that’s not something you need more of right now! Using a technique borrowed from Byron Katie, here is a simple way you can challenge the negative thoughts that are making you feel even more overwhelmed: Start by identifying what the negative or stressful thought is, then ask yourself the following questions about it: Now, turn that original thought around and see if its opposite is actually truer because it just might be. By challenging your negative thoughts, you’ll learn to see through them more quickly, so they don’t keep dragging you down.

3. Reach out and connect with others.

Talk to someone else about how you feel instead of keeping it bottled up inside. Being overwhelmed right now is nothing to be embarrassed about. By connecting with others, whether it’s a trusted friend, family member, church community, or psychotherapist, you will discover that you aren’t alone. Having someone to lean on when the going gets tough can make all the difference in the world. Give yourself a pat on the back for hanging in there. This unprecedented and difficult time has shown how strong you can be. By incorporating the strategies above, you can boost your resolve to get through it while increasing your resilience for the future. Chronic stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health problems can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being—and that of your loved ones— is more important than ever. Waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to worsen symptoms over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. In March 2021, the independent nonprofit organization, FAIR Health, released a report about the staggering mental health challenges children and teens have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder, drug overdoses, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders have all been on the rise. The report also found a 334% increase in the rate of intentional self-harm for 13- to 18-year-olds in one section of the U.S. The term self-harm refers to the intentional act of causing physical harm to oneself through a destructive means, but without the goal of suicide. In some cases, it can be an extreme measure such as crashing a car, but more often, self-harm involves burning, head-banging, hitting, severe scratching, skin picking, and hair-pulling, as well as cutting or carving the skin with a sharp object such as a razor blade, knife, or even a paperclip. Cutting is the most common form of intentional self-harm and represents up to 80% of cases. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders (DSM-V), it falls under the category of non-suicidal self-injury  (NSSI). Even in a “normal” year, approximately 15% of teens engage in cutting, with a greater percentage found in college students, although some adults and children also cut. Females tend to self-injure somewhat more than males, and the highest rates appear to be in those who are bisexual, but the reasons for this are still not completely understood.

The Motivation for Cutting

While there are many reasons a young person might intentionally cut themselves, this behavior is largely a maladaptive coping mechanism for kids and teens who are not able—or don’t know how—to express their emotions in a safe and healthy way. Those who cut are often seeking a type of symbolic relief from bad feelings they have or that are difficult for them to manage. Cutting is a maladaptive coping mechanism for people, especially kids and teens, who aren’t able—or don’t know how—to express their emotions in a safe and healthy way.
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For example, someone who dissociates or feels emotionally numb may cut to “feel alive,” while depressed teens may cut to “release” some of their sadness. Among other causes, cutting may also come from feelings related to:

Who’s at Risk?

Self-injury is usually linked to underlying mental health conditions. In particular, it is strongly associated with a history of childhood abuse, especially sexual abuse. Self-injury is also seen in those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictions, as well as in borderline personality disorder (BPD)—a condition for which emotional regulation is very difficult. Research from the medical journal Encephale indicates that 50-80% of those with BPD engage in some form of self-mutilation, including cutting.

Cutting Can Become Addictive

Because cutting provides a temporary sense of relief to the person doing it, it can become a form of self-medication. The actual pain from the cut induces a release of endorphins—the body’s natural pain killers—which can boost mood or feelings of calmness. However, by repeatedly engaging the brain’s opioid system in this way, tolerance to the pain can build up, thus leading to increased cutting to get the same level of relief from the endorphin response.

Clues to Look For

While cutting can be done anywhere on the body, the most frequently targeted areas are the thighs, wrists, hands, and stomach. It is likely that a young person will try to hide the evidence of this behavior, so if you are concerned about your child or teen cutting, be aware of these clues:

Mental Health Treatment for Cutting

If you discover that your child has been cutting, it can be shocking—even frightening, but it’s important to understand that this behavior is treatable. Letting your child know that you care and want to help her or him find healthier ways to cope with their feelings is a great first step. In addition to possible medication for certain patients, some of the treatment modalities include: Whether it’s in an outpatient or inpatient setting, finding a mental health practitioner who is experienced with treatment for self-harming clients and their underlying mental health issues can pave the way for a healthier future for the young person in your life. Self-harm and other mental health problems can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being—and that of your loved ones— is more important than ever. Waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to worsen symptoms over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Have you ever been mobbed? Have you felt targeted by a group of people at work, at school, on social media, or even in your church who spread lies about you, harassed you, or tried to oust you from the community? That’s “mobbing,” a term that has emerged to define the way individuals can develop a group mentality to relentlessly pick on one person. If you have been the target of mobbing, it can have devastating psychological consequences.

What Exactly is Mobbing?

Mobbing is actually a primitive animal group instinct. For instance, birds will surround and attack a potential predator or other threat in order to drive it away. Well, humans do this too, although not with beaks! Whether it’s at a business office, in school, in your neighborhood—or even in the military, group members will insidiously start to (non-violently) attack a particular person to push them out of the group or organization. Mobbing can be initiated for any number of reasons. Perhaps the targeted person is seen as “different” or is perceived to be a threat to the status quo—or even because the person is envied. The process of mobbing can include overt and/or covert psychological harassment, non-violent hostility, gossiping, undermining, making false accusations about the person—and related hurtful behavior. It’s a systematic effort by a group of people to diminish the value, contributions, or credibility of someone with the primary objective of driving that person away. Mobbing is like getting kicked off the team, even though you know you never did anything to let the team down. Not surprisingly, those who are targeted can be left feeling defeated, isolated, and confused about what they did to deserve such treatment. It can feel devastating. People targeted by mobbing can feel defeated, isolated, and confused about what they did to deserve such treatment. It can feel devastating.
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How Dr. Daniel Amen Got Mobbed

Unfortunately, I have personal experience with the concept of mobbing. I spoke about it recently when I interviewed my friend, Dr. Loree Sutton, who is a retired Army Brigadier General and is now running for Mayor of NYC. She’d brought up the topic during our talk, and it struck a chord with me. Mobbing is very similar to what happened to me in the early 1990s. At that time, I had begun talking with fellow psychiatrists about our work with brain SPECT imaging and the importance of looking at the brain to understand the underlying causes of patients’ symptoms. But instead of this work being received enthusiastically, many of my psychiatry colleagues belittled, criticized, isolated, and diminished me. It was a very painful time in my career. Fortunately, our brain imaging work at Amen Clinics has already helped tens of thousands of patients. And, I have heard from many more people who have read my books or seen my public television specials who’ve said that their lives are better thanks to adopting the brain health principles I share. I remained buoyed by the support of all those we have been able to help over the decades, and that encouragement has kept me focused and charging ahead with brain imaging and my mission to end mental illness by starting a brain health revolution.

The Negative Impact of Mobbing

Although I was not deterred by what happened to me early on in my career, I know there are many people who are adversely affected by the mental and physical health consequences of mobbing. While most published research on this behavior is focused on work environments (or bird battles), mobbing can happen anywhere and to anyone. In 2019, a study on the psychological trauma caused by mobbing was published in the Archives of Neuropsychiatry. The researchers found that of those who had been subjected to workplace mobbing, 71% developed symptoms of PTSD and 78% had major depression. Not surprisingly, people with a history of trauma were more vulnerable to a worsening of symptoms after being targeted in this way. Mobbing can also lead to—or worsen—anxiety and sleep problems as well as somatoform disorders (physical problems without an identifiable cause). As you can imagine, it is a very stressful situation to be in and can impact physical health as well. A study published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology last year found that those who were subjected to mobbing at work had a 28-57% increased risk of having cardiovascular disease! In addition, many people also must face social challenges, such as leaving a job (because the mobbers made work so miserable), concerns about feeling welcomed at a school or church again, being able to feel emotionally safe in joining new organizations in their community—or even posting on social media. If you’ve ever been the target of mobbing—or know someone who has—it’s really worthwhile to seek the support of a trained mental health professional who can help you process the experience and help you make sense of it, so you can go forward with greater confidence and belief in yourself. Regardless of the cause, PTSD, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Everyone in Jessica’s family has repeatedly been the target of her unbounded rage, yet she takes no responsibility for her behavior. Ironically, she feels like people hate her, and doesn’t seem to understand why. Jessica has had anger problems all of her life, and now at age 18, she continues to destroy relationships and other things in her path. Without question, she is a very difficult and challenging teen. She has undergone numerous psychiatric evaluations, been admitted twice for 72-hour involuntary stays at mental health facilities, was sent to 3 different residential treatment schools, and was arrested for assaulting her mother. No treatment has successfully changed Jessica’s behavior. Not only does she continue to lash out at others—without provocation, but she also lies, has zero empathy or apology for her behavior, and acts entitled. Yet, she blames everyone else for the problems she invokes. Is it Jessica’s fault? Or is there something happening in her brain that is driving her behavior?

Dr. Phil’s Insight: Jessica Needs a Brain Scan

Jessica, her mother, Victoria, and other family members were on the Dr. Phil show to see if he could help them.  After learning more about her, Dr. Phil said he believed that Jessica has not yet been properly diagnosed and that for her to make changes to her behavior, she will need to get her brain assessed and treated. He recommended that she undergo an evaluation that includes brain SPECT imaging with Dr. Daniel Amen, world-renowned neuropsychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics. By using SPECT scans, the doctors at Amen Clinics can identify areas of the brain that aren’t working well and are likely causing problems for a patient. By using SPECT scans, the doctors at Amen Clinics can identify areas of the brain that aren’t working well and are likely causing problems for a patient.
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Dr. Amen appeared on the show to talk with Jessica and her family about the results from her brain scans, which showed she has severe temporal lobe ADD. This condition is caused by lower-than-normal activity in her prefrontal cortex (PFC) and temporal lobes and is one of the 7 Types of ADD discovered through the brain imaging work at Amen Clinics.

Temper Problems and Other Temporal Lobe Symptoms

The temporal lobes, which are on either side of the brain, play a critical role in mood stability, temper control, and learning. This finding likely accounts for Jessica’s aggression and emotional instability, as well as the learning disorder and reading difficulties she was diagnosed with in childhood. It was not her fault that she struggled academically—this part of her brain does not work as well as it should. Temporal lobes are also involved with other important functions; thus, deficits in this part of the brain can also be related to problems with:

Prefrontal Cortex Symptoms

Jessica’s scans also revealed low activity in her prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is a consistent finding in all types of ADD. When the PFC works well, it helps us stay focused and on task. It also helps us control our emotions and behavior. But when the activity in the PFC is low, it can lead to many issues, including problems with: The PFC is also like the command center for behavior and functions as its “brakes.” This may explain why Jessica uninhibitedly attacks people: The decreased blood flow in her temporal lobes contributes to her rage, while the low blood flow in her PFC makes it difficult to stop herself.

Moodiness, Anger, and More in Temporal Lobe ADD

Sudden bursts of unbridled anger are common with temporal lobe ADD, along with these behaviors and symptoms: Dr. Amen also noted that according to her scans, the emotional center in Jessica’s brain was overactive, which can cause a person to be prone to depression or color the world with negativity.

There is Hope for Temporal Lobe ADD and Anger Issues

The good news for Jessica is that her brain problems are treatable, especially because her brain is still developing—and will continue to until she’s in her mid-twenties. There’s an opportunity for significant improvement if she chooses to comply with the treatment plan Dr. Amen created for her. Aside from any medication or supplements to support brain function, there are some specific lifestyle changes necessary to help Jessica optimize her brain function. These include: Dr. Amen told Jessica that if she does the right things now to rehabilitate her brain, she’ll be able to achieve her potential—and not have to live with the regret that she didn’t take those steps. Getting her family involved in supporting her in adopting brain healthy habits is another strategy that is important for anyone trying to overcome mental health challenges. ADD, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Just as it sounds, the phenomenon of survivor’s guilt can affect anyone who has experienced or witnessed a life-threatening and traumatic situation that has taken the lives of others, but not their own. While our brains are primed for survival, those who get through such events alive may find themselves asking, “Why not me? Why wasn’t I taken too?” The gift of surviving can become emotionally torturous for some.   “Why not me? Why wasn’t I taken too?” The gift of surviving a traumatic event can become emotionally torturous for some. It’s called survivor’s guilt.
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There are many heart-wrenching examples of how this can happen, including:

The Link to PTSD

These are the same types of events that can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In fact, survivor’s guilt is often considered a serious symptom of PTSD. While not everyone who endures a traumatic event will develop PTSD, some research estimates that as many as 90% of people who lived through events where others died experience feelings of guilt. They may question their own survival and feel a sense of responsibility for what happened:

Other Symptoms to Look For

From the outside, it may be easy to think that a person is fortunate to have survived such a tragic event—and they are. However, on the inside, those with survivor’s guilt often have terrible remorse about what happened and may have a very difficult time coping with and processing the loss they survived. They are also likely to experience other symptoms of PTSD, such as: Survivor’s guilt is very distressing, and some people may be more vulnerable to developing it because of their personal and developmental history. For example, those who suffered abuse during childhood may be especially triggered because the new traumatic event brings old ones to the surface again. Also, people who have mental health problems like anxiety and depression (or a family history of psychiatric disorders), or have substance use disorder may be at greater risk as well.

There is Hope for Healing!

Humans are remarkably resilient, and many people will recover from PTSD and survivor’s guilt within a year or so—even without treatment. However, research indicates nearly 30% of those suffering from PTSD will not recover quickly. They may become overwhelmed by their symptoms and have difficulty functioning because of what happened. If you or someone you know is dealing with the anguish of survivor’s guilt and PTSD, it’s important to know that it is possible to heal so life can feel enjoyable again. It’s also critical to understand it was not your fault that others perished in a catastrophic event. Getting professional help can make all the difference in the world for you. Symptoms of PTSD and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.

By Dr. Elissa Mendenhall N.D.

Meet my patient Ronnie. A retired sea captain in his sixties, he’s a cheerful and optimistic man. On first impression, you would never guess that he had been experiencing multiple panic attacks each day since before he was 16 years old. By the time he arrived in my office, he had been suffering with daily panic attacks for some 50 years.

Although he led a productive and active life and career, his panic disorder very much impacted his quality of life. In the past, he had tried a variety of anti-anxiety medications, such as escitalopram and fluoxetine, but he found no relief from them.

Ronnie also had an inflammatory bowel disease, collagenous colitis, which was symptomatic to some degree most days of the month. When it was very active, he would sometimes have 30 bowel movements a day. There were a number of foods and nutritional supplements that he couldn’t tolerate because they triggered diarrhea or painful cramping. In addition to the panic attacks, Ronnie had been having episodes of depression for days to weeks at a time without a known cause.

What Was Causing Ronnie’s Issues?

I postulated that Ronnie’s bowel disorder was increasing brain inflammation. In addition, the medication he was taking for the bowel disease—budesonide—was helpful at relieving his symptoms, but I was aware that it is in the glucocorticoid family of medications, known to trigger depression and other psychiatric issues.

I told him that it was possible this medication could be causing depression. That’s when we started tracking the times when he took the medication. Our sleuthing revealed that the times he was depressed did, in fact, correlate with the times he was using that medication.

Finding a Path to Healing

Pinpointing the medication as a contributor to Ronnie’s depressive episodes was only the first step. We also tested for hidden food allergies and changed his diet, which cooled down the inflammation in his brain and his digestive tract. After he changed what he was eating, not only did his bowel disease go into full remission for several months, but his panic attacks also became far less frequent. With his dedication and my guidance, he was able to reduce and eventually almost eliminate the use of budesonide, which resolved his depression.

The next step involved pharmacogenetic testing and found that he was incompatible with SSRI antidepressants and several other classic antidepressant medications. In fact, he had a genetic marker that is common in people with bipolar disorder. Even though he did not meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder, his psychiatric prescriber saw the results of the panel I’d ordered and suggested he try a mood stabilizer medication (lamotrigine). With this, Ronnie’s panic attacks stopped altogether.

I had the privilege of working with Ronnie over the course of the next several years. During this time, he remained stable with only a few flares of mild anxiety and gut issues. Finally, after five decades of struggling, he was able to focus on the retirement and life he had envisioned. Freed from the grips of anxiety and disease, the sea captain ventured out to new horizons and began traveling the world with his wife. 

About the Author: Elissa Mendenhall, ND, Amen Clinics San Francisco Bay Area

Dr. Elissa Mendenhall, ND practices at Amen Clinics, which offers in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Dr. Mendenhall is a naturopathic doctor who can prescribe both natural and prescription medications. 

People are struggling with suicidal thoughts, especially with pandemic-related anxiety, depression, and loneliness casting a heavy gloom. Japan is reeling from an alarming rise in suicide, with more people dying by suicide in a single month than by COVID-19 during the entire pandemic. And a November 2020 study in BMJ suggests preventive action must be taken now to strengthen mental health in order to avoid this distressing trend from emerging throughout the world. Approximately 9.3 million Americans reported having suicidal thoughts, according to CDC statistics from 2015. By contrast, an estimated 1.3 million attempted suicide that year, confirming that most people who have these thoughts don’t act on them. After 30 years of clinical practice at Amen Clinics, including thousands of suicidal patients, it’s clear that having thoughts about suicide isn’t uncommon. One of the most important findings from treating thousands of patients at Amen Clinics is this: Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
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SUICIDE IN THE BRAIN

You may think it’s your fault that you’re contemplating ending your own life. However, brain SPECT imaging reveals that people with suicidal thoughts often have abnormal activity in the brain. The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics, which includes over 300 people who have attempted suicide, has found that certain brain patterns are common in people with thoughts about self-harm. Amen Clinics brain imaging studies on suicide and brain function have been published in peer-reviewed journals, including Translational Psychiatry and The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. These studies show that suicidality is associated with dysfunction in the brain’s limbic system (emotional centers), impaired impulse control, and low blood flow in a region known as Brodmann Area 25 that is commonly seen in treatment-resistant depression. “When my patients see their brain scans, it can be so helpful in reducing the shame, guilt, and self-blame they feel,” says Daniel Emina, MD, a neuropsychiatrist at Amen Clinics and the author of the upcoming book The Suicide Solution. “When people understand why they feel the way they do, and that there are ways to enhance their brain health and reduce suicidal thinking, it can be life-saving and life-changing. It can help them chart a path into life and freedom.”

8 WAYS TO FIND HOPE WHEN DARK THOUGHTS CLOUD YOUR MIND

1. Look for distractions.

If you get stuck on suicidal thoughts, picture a big red stop sign in your mind and say, “STOP!” Keep a list handy with ways to distract yourself from looping thoughts, such as taking a walk, exercising, getting in nature, reading an uplifting book, petting your dog, dancing to your favorite music, or eating a mood supportive meal (portion appropriate healthy fats, proteins, and complex carbs) that includes mood foods that fight depression. Consider channeling your negative emotions into creative actions (journaling, painting, cooking, making music, caring for others, etc.)

2. Challenge your negative thoughts.

Are you filled with thoughts like these? “I’m worthless.” “Life isn’t worth living.” “My family would be better off without me.” These are ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) that infest your mind and steal your happiness. Learning to question your thoughts is one of the most important tools you can use to find the light amid the darkness. Whenever you have one of these thoughts, ask yourself if it is true. Then ask yourself if the opposite of that thought is true and look for examples.

3. Remember to breathe.

“If you feel overwhelmed by suicidal thoughts, it’s common for your breathing to become quicker and shallower, which in turn can activate your fight or flight system, driving up your stress neurotransmitters, and impairing decision-making,” says Dr. Emina. Whenever you have suicidal thoughts, remind yourself to breathe deeply (deep belly breaths, not with your chest), taking twice as long to exhale as the inhale. For example, inhale for 3 seconds, hold it for one second, then exhale for 6 seconds. Doing this 10 times can help you feel better and clear your thinking.

4. Reach out to someone.

If clouds of dark thoughts descend on you while you’re alone, reach out to a family member, friend, minister, counselor, or any other person who will be supportive. “When suicidal thoughts are closing in on you, it can be hard to think about who to contact, so it’s a good idea to make a list of people in your support system so you’ll have it available when you need it,” says Dr. Emina. Simply add them to your favorites on your phone or use an APP like “My3App” to help you organize your safety net.

5. Don’t drink alcohol.

Over one-third of suicide victims consumed alcohol prior to their suicide attempt, according to statistics. Alcohol decreases blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, an area involved in impulse control, judgment, and decision-making. “When you drink or use other substances that lower activity in the frontal lobes, it can reduce your impulse control which can have devastating consequences,” says Dr. Emina. “When you’re in a stable state, you may think, ‘I want to die…but I don’t want to hurt my children.’ When alcohol fogs your thinking, you’re less likely to consider the consequences of your actions.”

6. Create a Hope Box

A strategy that many patients find helpful is to find a box and fill it with things that give you hope and that make you want to live. Make a list of the reasons why life is worth living. Include quotes, mantras, and verses that encourage you, photos of the people you love, mementos that are meaningful to you, and cards or letters that make you smile. Whenever you’re feeling down, open your Hope Box and let it fill you with inspiration.

7. Think about the legacy you’re leaving.

Remind yourself that children and teens who lose a parent to suicide are three times more likely to take their own lives, according to research in The Psychiatric Clinics of North America.

8. Seek professional help.

You don’t have to face troublesome thoughts alone. Finding a mental health care professional who uses brain imaging can help you understand your brain, optimize its function, develop strategies to challenge your thoughts, and find hope and healing. Work with a professional to create a pre-emptive safety plan to include reducing access to any potential methods of self-harm while creating a network of supports. If you are having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). At Amen Clinics, we have treated hundreds of people who have attempted suicide, and thousands more who have contemplated it. We specialize in precision psychiatry that includes brain SPECT imaging to identify underlying brain abnormalities that increase the risk of suicide and offer personalized treatment plans to optimize the brain and lead to a happier, healthier outlook on life. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal tendencies and would like more information on how to heal your brain and love your life, find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Are you having a rough time in your relationships? Is your spouse fed up with your inability to pay attention, focus, and follow through on your promises? Or are you sick of your significant other saying hurtful things, forgetting your birthday, and having extramarital affairs? You may be thinking it’s time to call it quits, but marital conflict and troubled relationships aren’t necessarily your fault. In reality, it could be undetected or untreated ADD, also called ADHD, that’s causing the problems. At Amen Clinics, we’ve treated thousands of couples and families where one or more parties have ADD/ADHD and we have seen first-hand how it can lead to butting heads, hurting each other, or feeling neglected or misunderstood. In many cases, people don’t realize that ADD/ADHD is playing a destructive role in the relationship or that this condition is a brain-based disorder. At Amen Clinics, we’ve treated thousands of couples and families where one or more parties have ADD/ADHD and we have seen first-hand how it can lead to butting heads, hurting each other, or feeling neglected or misunderstood.
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ADD/ADHD IN THE BRAIN

The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics—over 160,000 brain scans from people in 150 countries—shows that ADD/ADHD is typically related to abnormal blood flow and activity in the brain. Amen Clinics uses SPECT, which is a brain imaging tool that measures blood flow and activity in the brain. SPECT reveals 3 things: In the healthy brain, concentration typically causes an increase in blood flow to the prefrontal cortex (PFC), an area involved in focus, attention, organization, forethought, planning, judgment, and impulse control. SPECT scans show that when people with ADD/ADHD try to concentrate, however, blood flow to the PFC actually decreases, meaning the harder these people try to focus, the worse it gets. This can lead to a variety of symptoms that can challenge any relationship.

HOW ADD/ADHD RUINS RELATIONSHIPS

Here are 6 of the most common ways ADD/ADHD interferes with healthy relationships.

  1. Playing the “let’s have a problem” game: Because ADD/ADHD brains tend to be “sleepy” (low activity in the PFC), these people often need stimulation and excitement to activate the brain. In relationships, they may create drama by picking fights with others. For the person on the receiving end, it can feel like the ADD/ADHD person is frequently pressing your buttons to irritate you on purpose.
  2. Saying hurtful things: Having ADD/ADHD is associated with low impulse control, meaning these people are likely to blurt out whatever pops into their head without thinking. Anyone in a relationship knows it’s not a good idea to say everything you think. But ADD/ADHD people can’t help themselves, and when these thoughts are unkind—“Those jeans make you look fat,” “That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard,” “You’re so lazy”—it can cause a rift in the relationship.
  3. Having extramarital affairs: Most people in relationships will be sexually attracted to others at times, but they think about the consequences of an affair and that prevents them from acting on their impulses. A person with ADD/ADHD, however, may be attracted to someone they just met and even though they are married, they will have a sexual encounter that puts the relationship at risk.
  4. Forgetting important dates: People with ADD/ADHD may not remember birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays, making their loved ones feel unloved and unimportant.
  5. Being a procrastinator: Putting things off until the last minute and being chronically late are common signs of ADD/ADHD. In relationships, these traits can make others fume. Showing up 20 minutes late for a date, an important meeting at work or a child’s online learning class can sabotage the chances for a second date, create bad feelings with coworkers, and make a child feel unloved.
  6. Not following through. Even though people with ADD/ADHD may have every intention of keeping their word, they often drop the ball and don’t follow through or finish projects. The living room wall that’s only half-painted, the holiday cards that never made it into the mail, or the new flowers that died before they got planted in the garden are examples of good intentions but lack of follow-through. And these types of unfinished projects and broken promises can be sources of frustration in a relationship.

7 SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR ADD RELATIONSHIPS

Having ADD/ADHD or being in a relationship with someone who has this condition doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker. There are a number of ways to optimize brain activity to reduce symptoms and have a more fulfilling relationship.
  1. Find healthier ways to activate the brain. For example, intense aerobic exercise (walking like you’re late) 5-7 days a week can be very beneficial for the ADD/ADHD brain.
  2. Use technology to your advantage. Set reminders in your calendar to help you stay on time and on track so you can follow through on your promises and complete projects.
  3. Practice structured goal setting. Create a “One Page Miracle”—a single sheet of paper where you write down what you want out of your relationships. Before saying or doing anything, ask yourself if your behavior is helping you achieve your goals.
  4. Eat foods that help the ADD/ADHD brain. Eat a diet that’s higher in high-quality proteins and healthy fats and lower in simple carbohydrates.
  5. Take nutraceuticals that optimize the ADD/ADHD brain. Nutritional supplements that are beneficial include rhodiola, green tea, ginseng, and tyrosine.
  6. Know your ADD/ADHD type. Not everyone with this condition has the same symptoms. Based on the world’s largest database of brain scans related to behavior, the psychiatrists at Amen Clinics have identified 7 types of ADD. Getting a brain scan to learn your type (or your loved one’s type) is the key to finding the most effective treatment plan.
  7. Seek professional help. If you and your loved ones are struggling, you may benefit from psychotherapy, including couples therapy or family therapy. Be sure to seek out a professional who understands the role the brain plays in relationships and ADD/ADHD so you can get the help you need.
Marital conflict, relationship problems, ADD/ADHD, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your relationships and symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. On Wednesday, May 20, 1998, 15-year-old Kip Kinkel was caught with a stolen gun in his locker and suspended from school, pending possible expulsion. Police booked him on criminal charges and sent him home with his parents. According to Kip’s confession, his father was sitting at the kitchen counter drinking coffee while Kip grabbed a .22 rifle from his room then fired a bullet into the back of his dad’s head. When his mother arrived home later that day, Kip met her in the garage, told her he loved her, then shot her multiple times. The next morning, dressed in a long trench coat, Kip drove his mom’s Ford Explorer to a spot near Thurston High School and parked it. Carrying a rifle and two handguns, Kip walked down a hallway and into the school cafeteria, firing off over 50 rounds that killed two students and wounded about two dozen others. A group of classmates, including one teenager who had been shot in the chest, finally subdued him. After he was arrested and taken to the police station, the freckle-faced teenager lunged at an officer with a knife that he had strapped to his leg, yelling, “Kill me, shoot me.” The officer stepped back and used pepper spray on him. Kip was sentenced to 112 years in prison for aggravated murder and was prosecuted as an adult. Under Oregon law he was too young to face the death penalty. Kip had once been voted as “most likely to start World War III,” according to a Thurston High School student. Before the shootings, students at the high school said that Kip had talked about shooting people. After the shootings, officials found 5 bombs at the Kinkel residence, one of which went off when it was being disarmed. Authorities found a note in the living room that Kip wrote, saying: “My head just doesn’t work right. God damn these VOICES inside my head… I have to kill people. I don’t know why… I have no other choice.” What drives some people to kill another human being? Or to gun down dozens of their schoolmates? America has been captivated by killers for centuries—digging into their family histories, psychological profiles, and so much more. Now, thanks to brain SPECT imaging, we can also see inside their brains. What do brain scans reveal about murderers? America has been captivated by killers for centuries—digging into their family histories, psychological profiles, and much more. We use brain SPECT imaging to see inside their brains and have discovered 7 critical lessons.
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Amen Clinics, which has the world’s largest database of functional brain scans (over 160,0000 and growing), has scanned the brains of over 1,000 convicted felons, including over 100 murderers.

Here are 7 lessons from the brain scans of murderers.

1. People who do the worst things often have troubled brains.

The brains of murderers typically don’t look healthy. Brain SPECT imaging is a technology that measures blood flow and activity in the brain. It shows 3 things: areas with healthy activity, areas with too much activity, and areas with too little activity. On SPECT, the brains of murderers show abnormal activity in a variety of brain regions, especially the prefrontal cortex involved with empathy, judgment, and forethought. Look at this scan of a healthy brain compared to a scan from Kip Kinkel.  
The healthy surface brain SPECT scan shows full, even, symmetrical activity.
 
Kip Kinkel’s surface brain SPECT scan shows several areas of low activity (the areas that look like holes indicate low blood flow).

2. Murder does not always look the same in the brain.

You might think there is a singular pattern in the brain of killers, but there isn’t. Look at the brain scans of two 15-year-old murderers, for example. They look very different. The brain scan of Kip Kinkel shows underlying damage and toxicity and is dramatically underactive. In the SPECT scan of Paul, a teen who murdered his mother and 8-year-old sister with a baseball bat, it is evident that his brain works too hard.
A healthy “active” scan shows the most active parts of the brain with blue representing the average activity and red (or sometimes red and white) representing the most active parts of the brain. In the healthy scan on the left, the most active area is in the cerebellum, at the back/bottom part of the brain.
 
Kip Kinkel’s active SPECT scan shows severe underactivity.
 
Paul’s active SPECT scan shows dramatic overactivity.
 

3. Traumatic brain injuries are a major cause of psychiatric illness and violence.

Few people know about the link between traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and mental health problems because most psychiatrists never look at the brain. TBIs are associated with an increased risk of violent behavior, including suicide and murder. According to research in The Journal of Neuroscience, the rate of aggression and violence after a TBI ranges from 35%-90%. The brain scans of several of the murderers scanned at Amen Clinics show underlying damage to the brain from past head injuries.

4. Left temporal lobe abnormalities are common in violent people.

Many Amen Clinics patients who exhibited violence (murderers, arsonists, domestic assaults, rapists, bombers, etc.) had left temporal lobe abnormalities. The temporal lobes are located on either side of the brain behind the eyes and underneath the temples. Assault, murder, rape, arson, and other criminal behaviors are often associated with problems in this part of the brain. Other scientific research confirms that temporal lobe abnormalities are associated with increased aggression and violence.

5. Traditional mental health care is failing.

A number of our nation’s most notorious mass shooters—including Kip Kinkel (Springfield, OR, 1998), Eric Harris (Columbine, CO 1999), Seung-Hui Cho (Virginia Tech 2007), James Holmes (Aurora, CO, 2012), and Nikolas Cruz (Parkland, FL, 2018)—had seen psychiatrists or mental health professionals and had received “standard of care” treatment before their crimes. The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that cookie-cutter treatment plans for psychiatric illnesses don’t work. Not all brain types react the same way to psychotropic medications. For example, SSRIs, the most commonly prescribed antidepressants, are considered safe for many people. However, in some people with low activity in certain brain regions, they may increase impulsivity and behaviors that are out of character. Scientific research, including a 2017 study in BMJ, has shown that some antidepressants increase the risk of violence, suicide, and homicide, and the FDA issues a black box warning for antidepressants for people up to the age of 24. A growing body of neuroimaging research, including a 2020 study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences and a 2019 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry, shows that brain imaging may help predict which patients will respond favorably to antidepressants.

6. Murderous behavior based on brain problems can’t be fully excused.

Although brain dysfunction contributes to violence, it is not an excuse for bad behavior. People who commit heinous acts should not be excused and allowed to go home because they have a bad brain. Many people who have troubled brains never do anything bad. In judgment we must consider the brain. At this point in time, science shows that the brain is very important to moment-by-moment behavior, and it must be considered in sentencing people.

7. Brains can be rehabilitated.

What if our society evaluated and treated troubled brains, rather than simply warehousing them in toxic, stressful environments? Based on over 30 years at Amen Clinics of helping patients enhance their brain health and improve their lives, it’s clear that our society could potentially save tremendous amounts of money by making a significant percentage of these people more functional. With better brain health, violent criminals who get out of prison are more likely to be able to work, support themselves, and pay taxes. The Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky once said, “A society should be judged not by how it treats its outstanding citizens, but by how it treats its criminals.” Instead of just crime and punishment, SPECT imaging teaches us that we should also be thinking about crime, evaluation, and treatment. Aggression, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. By Daniel G. Amen, MD Everyone struggles with inner Dragons from the Past that breathe fire on your emotional brain and can drive anxiety, depression, and other emotional health issues. Your brain is always listening to these “mental” dragons. In addition, your brain is always listening to the words and actions of other people (They, Them, and Other Dragons), both alive and dead, who each have their own Dragons from the Past. That’s why relationships are often messy.   Your brain is always listening to the words and actions of other people (They, Them, and Other Dragons), both alive and dead, who each have their own Dragons from the Past. That’s why relationships are often messy.
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Unless you’re careful, you’re never just dealing with the moment; you’re also dealing with all the moments of all the people involved.

When They, Them, and Other Dragons Attack

In times of stress, such as when families, couples, and roommates have been cooped up for months to try to slow the spread of COVID-19, there is no escape from the They, Them, and Other Dragons. Being in close quarters escalates the fire breathing among these beasts. We’re also all being subjected to conflicting societal messages that left us feeling confused, sad, anxious, frustrated, angry, and fearful, and they are fueling our own Dragons from the Past. Let’s start by asking who “they” are. Growing up, my mother said (and maybe yours did too), “If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all. ‘They’ wouldn’t like it.” I often wondered who “they” were. Have you noticed people say things like “They said this . . .” “They said that . . .” “They think you should dress better, be taller, smarter, stronger, or more talented.” “They” are the collective voices in our heads that are constantly judging or criticizing our thoughts, actions, words, and the way we look.

7 Types of They, Them, and Other Dragons

In my book, Your Brain Is Always Listening, I introduce you to a variety of They, Them, and Other Dragons that may be unconsciously impacting your happiness, relationships, and success, including:
  1. Parent Dragons: Your brain is always listening to the voices of your mother or father (or mother or father figures) criticizing you or pushing you to be better.
  2. Sibling and Birth Order Dragons: Your brain is always listening to your birth order and the voices of your siblings, who were often competing with you for your parents’ attention.
  3. Children Dragons: Your brain is always listening to the voices of your children who often (although not always) adore you through their elementary school years then push away and criticize you during their adolescent and young adult years.
  4. Teacher and Coach Dragons: Your brain is always listening to the voices of your teachers who graded your intelligence and effort and your coaches who noticed your abilities and flaws.
  5. Friends, Popular Kids, Bullies, and Mean Girl Dragons: Your brain is always listening to the voices of your past friends, as well as the popular kids, bullies, and mean girls when you were growing up. These relationships soothe your dragons (good friends) or cause them to breathe fire (bullies and mean girls).
  6. Former, Current, and Prospective Lover Dragons: Your brain is always listening to this group. These are the most emotionally charged dragons of all, which is why they can make you more upset than any of the other ones, especially when the relationship goes sour.
  7. Internet Troll Dragons: Your brain is always listening to the voices of the people or bots on social media and the internet trolls who criticize you for sport. Unfortunately, this is happening at younger and younger ages.
In Your Brain Is Always Listening, I share what triggers these dragons and provide helpful strategies to reduce their negative impacts, so you can put an end to the Game of Thrones battles in your head. Your Brain Is Always Listening is written by psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and New York Times bestselling author Daniel G. Amen, MD. In this book, Dr. Amen equips you with powerful weapons to battle the inner dragons that are breathing fire on your brain, driving unhealthy behaviors, and robbing you of your joy and contentment. Order your copy here.  If you want to join the tens of thousands of Amen Clinics patients who have already tamed their dragons and overcome their symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and more, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.