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So many couples end up in therapy looking for a way to save their relationship. If only they had asked themselves this one question before they got hitched, they might have known if they were compatible for life or doomed for the psychiatrist’s couch. What is this insightful question?

Are you the person I’d be happy to be stuck with during a pandemic?

During the months and months of quarantine due to the pandemic, millions of couples are finding out whether or not they picked the right partner. With stay-at-home orders and business closures, you can’t escape each other by playing golf for 5 hours, going shopping, or hitting the local bar. Some couples are feeling blessed that they have a spouse who is loving, caring, and kind and whose company they enjoy. Others are discovering that spending more time together is shining a harsh light on major problems and fueling marital conflict.

Before getting married or getting engaged, you and your significant other should think about how well you would do being stuck together nearly 24/7 for months on end in a high-stress, high-anxiety situation. If you both think you’d like the other one by your side under these dire circumstances, then you can feel more confident that your union is built to last.

Create a Marriage One Page Miracle

A good way to gauge if you and your partner are marriage material and if you could survive—and thrive—in challenging situations is to write out your relationship goals. This exercise is called the Marriage One Page Miracle, and it has proven to be very insightful in pre-marriage counseling and in marital therapy. Here’s why.

The simple act of sitting down together to talk about your future is an opportunity to connect on a deeper level and make sure you both want to head in the same direction. It also lets you identify possible challenges so you can address them rationally before it’s too late and they become a problem. It also cements the idea that you are a team and that your decisions should always benefit the team, not just one individual. Goal setting together also helps you encourage each other along the way and provides accountability.

Here’s how to create your Marriage One Page Miracle. Before you sit down together, take the time to think about your individual goals for the following areas of your future life together: marriage, kids and parenting, finances, health, and spirituality.

Once you’ve thought about your individual goals, make an appointment with your significant other to see where you mesh and where you have differences. If your goals are wildly different, take it as a red flag that you don’t want the same things out of life and that you may want to rethink a future together. But don’t expect to see eye-to-eye on everything either. Having some differences doesn’t mean your relationship can’t last.

Use this time to come up with a shared plan on how you will address any differences. If you’re able to communicate effectively and come up with solutions together, it’s a good sign that you’ll be able to deal with challenges that arise in the future. And remember, your marital plan isn’t set in stone. Re-visit it every year and update your goals.

Marital conflict, anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, addictions, 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. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

After months of quarantine, we’re getting close to that time of year when kids, teens, teachers, and parents typically shift into “back to school” mode. But this fall, life is anything but typical. Some school districts are going with online instruction only, others are going back to classroom study with no masks or physical distancing required, and still others are going to try some sort of hybrid model.

As a parent, what are you supposed to do?

FINDING YOUR WAY WHEN ANSWERS AREN’T CLEAR

Now, more than ever, people are having to navigate conflicting information and dissenting opinions on very important issues—health risks, economic fallout, and mental health consequences. On top of the onslaught of contradictory information from health officials, news media, schools, and other sources, there’s also your child’s wishes and comfort level to take into consideration. When you’re faced with uncertainty or options that you find unnerving, what can you do?

Get the facts.

Find out as much as you can about your options. Will your school district allow parents to choose whether to send kids back to school or to remain at home with online instruction? If you want to send your kids to school, but their school will be closed, is there an option to put your child in another school to fit your desires?

Know the safety plan.

If you think that in-classroom learning and socialization outweigh the health risks and your child or teen is itching to go back to school, find out what the school will be doing regarding the potential spread of COVID-19. Is it enough in your view, or is it going overboard?

Focus on what you can control.

Don’t let thoughts about things that are out of your control infest your mind. Constantly worrying about things that are beyond your control will ramp up your stress and fuel anxiety and depression. Keep your attention on the things you can do and let go of the rest.

Prepare to be flexible.

Anticipate that school policies may change between now and school start dates and that they may change days, weeks, or months after the school year begins. If you’re a rigid thinker, which is often associated with too much activity in a region of the brain called the anterior cingulate gyrus, you may expect things to be done in a certain way, which can make it far more difficult to cope with any changes. When you mentally prepare yourself for changes, you’re better able to roll with them without getting upset, irritable, or frustrated.

Know the pros and cons.

Your personal financial situation, job, and family dynamics will influence your decisions regarding back to school. Make a list of pros and cons in each of these areas to help you see what works best for your family.

Gauge your family’s anxiety levels.

If the idea of sending your kids back to school fills you—or them—with panic and anxiety, you may want to consider continuing distance learning. Some parents are even making the shift to homeschooling as a way to gain more control and avoid the uncertainty and potential health risks of going back to school.

Take responsibility for your choices.

When faced with too many choices or seemingly no good options, some people become paralyzed due to the fear of making the wrong choice. This can be mentally exhausting and increases stress and anxiety levels. When you freeze and can’t choose a path, it ultimately means that someone else will be making the decision for you. Then if things go wrong, you’re more likely to blame someone else, which is disempowering and is the #1 guaranteed way to ruin your life. Taking responsibility for your decisions in life, including those regarding back to school, is empowering and keeps you in the driver’s seat of your life.

Anxiety, depression, 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 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. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Celebrity moms from Chrissy Teigen to Gwyneth Paltrow have spoken openly about their struggles with postpartum depression. But there’s another condition that affects new moms that hasn’t gotten the press it deserves—postpartum anxiety.

Having new-mom jitters is normal, and it’s completely natural to have some anxious thoughts when bringing a new baby home. Does that cry mean they’re sick, or is it just a dirty diaper? Am I doing this wrong? Should I check again to make sure the baby is still breathing?

In some women, however, these fearful thoughts become unrelenting and eventually interfere with the ability to enjoy motherhood. And the condition is more common than you might think.

In a study of 4,451 postpartum women, 18% reported having symptoms of postpartum anxiety. Other studies have found that up to 28% of women experience anxiety within the first 6 months of their baby’s life. That’s over 1 in 4 women!

Signs and Symptoms of Postpartum Anxiety

Postpartum anxiety disorder can show up in a variety of ways, and in some women, it may start during pregnancy. Some of the more common symptoms include:

In addition, postpartum anxiety may be associated with some physical issues, such as:

If you’re suffering from any of these symptoms, it could be a sign of a disorder that needs investigating.

Other Forms of Postpartum Anxiety

Generalized postpartum anxiety is the most common form of the condition, but there are other specific types of anxiety that can affect postpartum women.

Postpartum Anxiety and the Brain

Having postpartum anxiety does not mean you’re a bad mom. It isn’t your fault. Brain imaging studies show that there are biological brain-based reasons for the way you’re feeling. Here’s what brain scans using a technology called SPECT have found about the various types of postpartum anxiety.

Hope for New Moms

As you’ve seen, the number of women struggling with various forms of postpartum anxiety is significant, and those numbers could be even higher because many women suffer in silence and don’t seek help for their symptoms. This is a mistake because postpartum anxiety can affect your ability to bond with your baby and can get in the way of your parenting.

Because of this, it’s vitally important that you have an open and honest discussion about any symptoms you’re experiencing with your healthcare provider. With the proper treatment, you can optimize your brain health to heal the underlying brain issues so you can start feeling better about yourself and your little bundle of joy.

At Amen Clinics, when we use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to identify various types of postpartum anxiety. Importantly, we believe in using the least toxic, most effective forms of treatment that work for moms who may be breastfeeding.

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

With the expanding legalization of cannabis in the U.S., you may think it isn’t such a big deal if your tween or teen is smoking pot. Think again! A wealth of research shows that cannabis harms the teenage brain, but one of the more surprising—and alarming—findings is that regular use of marijuana is associated with a higher risk of psychosis. And the risk is even greater in people who start smoking at a young age.

Parents need to pay close attention considering that cannabis use is widespread among adolescents and teens. Approximately 1.8 million adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 were cannabis users in 2015. And an estimated 23% of 12th graders, 14% of 10th graders, and 5% of 8th graders use the drug at least once a month, according to the latest statistics.

The Marijuana-Psychosis Connection

A 2017 report on the health effects of cannabis cautions that pot use can have serious psychiatric consequences. Commissioned by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the report points to research showing that using marijuana at an early age, as well as heavy and prolonged usage may increase the risk of triggering the first episode of psychosis.

Psychosis is characterized by losing touch with reality and may include symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions. Each year, an estimated 100,000 adolescents and young adults experience their first psychotic episode, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. And research shows that cannabis is involved in close to 50% of all cases of psychosis and some types of schizophrenia. and When psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, are already present in adolescents and young adults, marijuana use can worsen symptoms.

What’s making the connection even more distressing is that the cannabis being sold today isn’t the same as the weed from the peace and love era of the 1960s. Levels of THC (spell out) have been on the rise for decades, making the new cannabis products—from joints to edibles, tabs, and vaping systems—far more potent.

A 2019 study in The Lancet Psychiatry shows why this is so concerning. This research confirms previous evidence showing that daily cannabis use and exposure at an early age increase the risk of experiencing a psychotic episode. Compared with people who had never tried cannabis, daily pot users were 3 times more likely to experience a psychotic episode. And the risk was higher in adolescents who started using the substance at age 15 or earlier.

What makes this study different from previous findings is that it looked at how using high-potency cannabis affects the risk of developing psychosis. The disturbing results showed that when compared to people who have never used marijuana, using the kind with high levels of THC nearly doubles the chances of experiencing a psychotic episode. Even worse, using high-potency pot on a daily basis increased the odds of a psychotic disorder by nearly 5 times. The researchers suggest that if high-potency cannabis were not available, as many as half of all first-episode psychosis cases could be prevented. 

Healthy SPECT Surface Scan (Top Down)
Marijuana SPECT Surface Scan (Top Down)

How to Talk to Your Teen About Marijuana

Talking to your teen about drug use can be difficult. You don’t want to come off sounding like you’re preaching, and young people don’t respond well to scare tactics or threats. One of the best ways you can start a conversation and help your teen understand how damaging marijuana can be is to do it with pictures. Show them brain scans of a healthy brain versus the brain of someone who is a regular cannabis user. Seeing is believing.

By sharing the images in this blog (you can find more brain scans of people with drug addiction here), you may be able to help them break their belief that pot is harmless. When teens see what substances can do to their brain function, it helps them develop brain envy. When young people realize that with a better brain comes a better life, they are more likely to want to take care of their brain with healthy habits.

Don’t wait to start this important conversation with your teen. Their brain depends on it.

At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to help our patients see and understand any underlying brain dysfunction. This is often a powerful first step to breaking the chains of substance use and addiction. We use an integrated brain-body approach to healing the brain and treating any co-occurring mental health problems.

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

 

When 3 psychiatrists from Amen Clinics hosted a webinar to answer people’s questions about the coronavirus pandemic, they received such a flood of queries they couldn’t get to them all during the allotted time.
Dr. Robert Johnson, Dr. Jennifer Love, and Dr. Jay Faber graciously agreed to respond to some of the most common additional questions they received. Here’s what they had to say.

“Would a couple of hyperbaric treatments a week be preventative for COVID 19?” 

Dr. Johnson: There was a study out of Wuhan, China, involving the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of severe COVID-19 cases. It involved 5 COVID-19 patients, 2 of whom were critically ill and 3 of whom were suffering from “severe” illness. They were treated with HBOT at the Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen in Wuhan Yangtze River Shipping General Hospital.

In that report, hyperbaric oxygen was added to the current comprehensive treatments being performed at the hospital for COVID-19 affected patients, with a dose of 90-120 minutes at treatment pressures of 1.4 to 1.6 ATA. The results were very encouraging; 5 patients received significant therapeutic benefits, including rapid relief of symptoms after the first session. The rationale for the improvement was the ability of hyperbaric therapy to quickly reverse progressive hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels).

However, there is no data regarding HBOT’s ability to prevent COVID-19 infection.

“How do we shift focus to our values and stop obsessing with goals? Especially when our goals seem further away due to the economic and social shifts we are seeing?” 

Dr. Johnson: A good model for this comes from the domain of sports. As an athlete, all you can control is your process. In fact, most athletic breakthroughs occur when you relinquish concern about the result and focus on your preparation and execution. The same principle holds as it relates to our obsession with goals in everyday life; we as individuals don’t have control over the macroeconomic effects of the coronavirus, but we can focus on clarifying the following:

  1. “What have I learned is most important to me going forward in this next chapter of my life (relationally, physically, spiritually, vocationally)?”
  2. “What are the changes I need to make in order to live those values?” 

So, it starts with clarifying your core values at this point in time, then developing, implementing, and sustaining the habits, practices, and mindset that will serve those core values/priorities. The key is to slow down and find joy in each step of the process—really enjoying your body’s ability to move when exercising, being present to your breath during mindfulness meditations, mining a feeling of gratitude for each small pleasure in your life, and enjoying the fruit that grows from being as authentic and vulnerable as possible in your relationships.

“How can we help our friends and family not falling to depression at this time when some are isolated alone?”

Dr. Love: FaceTime, send flowers or small tokens—books, a candle, a hand-written letter. Even a picture drawn by a 50-year-old of something ridiculous like a dinosaur walking through a garden with a robot would make anyone laugh (maybe at you, but whatever).  Write a series of encouraging notes, drawings, articles of interest, crosswords from the newspaper; put them into separate envelopes with dates to open, and send them together in a large envelope.  Find out whether there is a certain time of day when they feel the most lonely, sad, or anxious, and contact them half an hour before. Send them a TikTok. Video record the family singing a favorite song or a silly song. Send things randomly, frequently, and follow up with regular FaceTime calls or phone calls.

“I have an adolescent who is experiencing some paranoia. We are mainly staying home during the pandemic and not allowing him to visit his friends during this time. What are some recommendations for him?”

Dr. Faber: Loneliness and not seeing friends has been a big issue during the pandemic. Here are my suggestions. I would highly encourage using social media like FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom to spend time with friends. With that recommendation, your adolescent may be spending more time on social media than recommended before the COVID-19 restrictions. If social time is being used constructively, parents might think of giving their children more time to be on social media to talk with friends.

“My 26-year-old daughter is out there working with kids with autism. how can I help her cope with the added stress of being exposed to Covid-19?”

Dr. Faber: This is a great question. In order to cope with the stress, I would work closely with your doctor to make sure you’re doing everything possible to promote healthy immune functioning. Talk to your doctor about the proper use of multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc, as well as other agents. To decrease stress, simple relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can help keep our body in a protective state to stay calm and promote healthy immune functioning.

If you missed the webinar, click here for the video and the first round of questions answered.

Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting to get treatment until the pandemic is over is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

 

By Eboni Cornish, MD

Unfortunately, we do not have a cure or vaccination for COVID-19 at this time. It is continuing to spread, with over 1 million active cases of coronavirus in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Although much of the media attention has focused on the elderly and those with underlying health conditions as the most at risk, we are still learning about its effects on children.

How COVID-19 is Affecting Kids 

The evidence of pediatric complications of COVID-19 is newly emerging, and there are increased reports of children with Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystemic Syndrome (PIMS). As of May 7, 2020, at least 85 children have developed PIMS. This COVID-19 linked illness is associated with a high level of severe inflammation and can mirror symptoms of other inflammatory illnesses such as toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease.  Symptoms include high fevers, rash, red eyes, severe diarrhea, and possible complications with the cardiovascular system.

As states start to re-open, it is imperative that we have an enhanced focus on the immune system of our children. Our society is going to be exposed to a new normal, unlike anything we have ever experienced. 

11 Ways to Protect Your Children

Here are some things you can do:

1. Stay aware and get involved.

As schools open up, we have to remind ourselves to remain cautious. Form a positive relationship with the staff at your children’s school and stay informed. 

2. Steer clear of sick children.

Avoid close contact with any students that have cold or flu-like symptoms.  

3. Encourage your children to have good hygiene.

Teach them to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing; after going to the bathroom; and before eating. They can time this by singing the song “Happy Birthday” twice while washing in the sink. Also, teach your children the proper way to sneeze by covering their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow.

4. Keep a watchful eye.

Monitor your children for any signs of excess fatigue, diarrhea, fever, or any other complaints. Have a very low threshold when it comes to calling your pediatrician regarding adverse symptoms in your children. 

5. Clean high-touch areas.

Be sure to wipe down surfaces, such as tables, countertops, and doorknobs.

6. Keep a change of clothes on hand.

Consider having your child change clothes and shower after visiting any locations where more than 10 people are gathered.

7. Fuel up with healthy foods.

Children should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Try to introduce a vegetable with each meal. And consider introducing morning fruit smoothies in your child’s daily routine. If you have a picky eater, try to find healthier alternatives that are similar to their favorite food.

8. Wear masks.

COVID-19 is highly contagious and children should take the same precautions as adults. The CDC recommends that children 2 years and older should wear a cloth face covering over their nose and mouth when in public settings where it’s difficult to practice physical distancing. This is an additional public health measure people should take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in addition to (not instead of) the other everyday preventive actions listed above. Do not place cloth face covering on children younger than 2 because of the danger of suffocation.

9. Continue physical distancing.

Try to avoid unnecessary play dates.

10. Wipe down infant toys frequently.

Babies are prone to put their hands and mouths on anything in their grasp. It is important that we minimize their exposure to contaminated items. 

11. Wash using hot water.

Launder items using the warmest appropriate setting for the item and dry items immediately.

In summary, we now have evidence that COVID-19 can cause serious complications in our children. Let us not ignore the research. This is a new virus and we are still learning about it. We must remember that children are vulnerable to this disease.

Let’s focus on keeping our children safe.

About the Author: Eboni Cornish, MD, Amen Clinics Washington D.C.

Dr. Eboni Cornish is an integrative/functional medicine physician with a special interest in infectious diseases at Amen Clinics. She is a board member of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Educational Foundation which is responsible for training numerous physicians on the treatment of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne infections. Dr. Cornish’s approach to the treatment of chronic disease is to find the root cause of a person’s health problems by performing a comprehensive evaluation of the body’s various biological systems and taking an approach based on integrative strategies of healing.

Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting to get treatment until the pandemic is over is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

 

You’ve got questions. These 3 psychiatrists from Amen Clinics have answers. Dr. Robert Johnson, Dr. Jennifer Love, and Dr. Jay Faber recently hosted a webinar to allow viewers to ask them anything about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on emotional health. Here’s what they had to say.

https://youtu.be/Mh_u90orH3k

“I’m early in my recovery. How can I cope?”

Here are 5 key things people in addiction recovery can be doing right now for their health.

  1. Stay connected to a sponsor or someone who’s a sober encouragement through FaceTime or video chat, not just telephone.
  2. Find small groups of people that you’re comfortable with and do group chats, so they can have accountability but also just hang out and have a cup of coffee together and have some social time.
  3. Stay on your sleep schedule. Don’t stay up all night and sleep all day and going into bad behaviors, staying on a clean diet.
  4. Schedule. Take time at the end of the day and write out everything you’re going to do the next day and fill your schedule. Even if it’s just like “Call mom, watch a film on Netflix, make lunch,” it gives a sense of structure to the day.
  5. Set an intention. Pick a word of the week—kind, honesty, bravery, peace, calm. Really think about that word and how it applies to you in your life.

“My kids are driving me crazy. They’re just arguing and getting on each other’s nerves constantly. I tried different things to entertain and distract them. It just doesn’t seem to work for very long. Any recommendations?”

“I hear this every other day from one of my patients,” says Dr. Faber. Here are 3 strategies to try.

  1. Keep a schedule. You don’t have to schedule something every hour, but just break up your day in the morning, afternoon, and evening and make sure your kids have something to do in those 3 time slots. You might want to do that for yourself too to keep your own sense of wellbeing.
  2. Keep your kids active. Kids who get fidgety or antsy at home may start taking it out on themselves and play can sometimes turn into fighting, arguing, and other unpleasantries. Take advantage of the internet. For example, if your kids are into dance, you can find some of the coolest dance lessons for free or for a nominal charge.
  3. Encourage your kids to get creative and use FaceTime or Zoom to connect with others. For example, a couple of my older kids have brunch in the morning with their friends online and talk to each other for 30 minutes. This really gives your brain and your whole body an escape from all the internal things that are coming at us on a daily basis.

“I can’t stop worrying where all this is headed—whether I’ll have a job or be able to keep my car. I just end up monitoring events constantly on my phone, my laptop, and TV. Help.”

At this time, we have to figure out what we can control and what we can’t control. And the things we can’t control we have to just put in a box. Here are some techniques based on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) you can use these to distract yourself from your stressful thoughts.

  1. Get engaged in activities. This can be anything like doing puzzles, coloring, or painting. “A lot of my patients are doing paint by numbers,” says Dr. Love.
  2. Contribute to others. Thinking about what you can do for other people is one of the best ways to stop negative ruminations and to help with depressive or anxious ruminations. Who can you be kind to today? If you’re going to the market, can you pick up something for an elderly neighbor? Can you call someone you know is vulnerable?
  3. Gratitude. Train your brain to look at the things in your space around you that you’re grateful for.
  4. Limit TV news and social media. The information we get from these sources may be sensationalized and can be harmful to our emotional health. “I had a patient this week in Spain, and she and her 3 children are literally locked up in their apartment. They can get out for 1 hour a week to go grocery shopping and that’s it,” says Dr. Faber. “She’s been trying to contain her own emotions as she watches a lot of social media.”

“What are some healthy grounding techniques to ease or cope through a busy, racing, or anxious mind?”

Practice DBT principles of self-soothing and use all 5 of your senses to help stay grounded. Here are some well-known grounding techniques for people who have trauma in their background or who can dissociate in the context of being triggered emotionally. They’re very simple but very effective.

  1. Sights. “When I’m really anxious, I like to look at color, I like to look at art. I like a fire in the fireplace or just watching candles,” says Dr. Love. “Even just noticing where you see squares in a space or the color of the carpet can help,” says Dr. Johnson. “Or try standing on one leg with your eyes closed because you can’t stay dissociated, you can’t stay in that anxious space if you have more of a present moment sensate focus.”
  2. Sound. Listen to the rain or the wind or use white noise machines. You can also go online and play ocean sounds, music, or whatever you love.
  3. Touch. For touch, many people have animals they can pet. For kids, you can get a huge bucket and just fill it with dried beans and let them stick their feet and hands in it. It’s a very tactile, calming thing. “I’ve even had patients take an ice cube out of the freezer and just stick it on their wrist because it brings you back into the moment faster,” says Dr. Love.
  4. For scent, you can use candles, food. Add spices when you’re cooking. It smells wonderful. Lavender and vanilla are really calming. “A lot of my patients are using aromatherapy or lotion with a special scent that’s really relaxing,” says Dr. Love.
  5. Taste. Don’t scarf down junk food. Make something healthy and really savor the bites and take time to enjoy the meal as if you were at a 5-star restaurant. “Yesterday one of my patients asked, ‘Can I take a bite of a lemon?’ and I told them to go for it,” says Dr. Love.

“After surviving the COVID-19 illness, with moderate symptoms for 7 days, what recovery strategies do you suggest for supplements, exercise, nutrition, or other therapeutic techniques to help you when you come out of isolation?”

  1. Focus on nutrition. Stay away from inflammatory foods like sugar, junk food, cookies, candy, and potato chips. Eat more protein—chicken, fish, or low-fat beef—with no breading. And eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
  2. Boost your immune system. Some simple things you can do right now is take Vitamin C (500 milligrams twice a day for adults), Vitamin D (5000 IUs), zinc (particularly zinc
    picolinate at 25 mg a day), omega-3 fatty acids (try Omega-3 Power) Throw garlic in there as well.
  3. Saunas. If you look at the MERS syndrome that occurred, which was a coronavirus, there was some work done in test tubes looking at how heat causes the virus to die. If you have access to heat, especially saunas that get to 170 to 180 degrees, look about doing that.
  4. Exercise. “The first several days of this quarantine, I was in absolute CrossFit withdrawal. I was cranky and impatient until I got disciplined enough to start doing some kind of exercise every day,” says Dr. Johnson. Many companies have stepped up and provided free, home-based exercise options.
  5. Boost your brain. BrainFitLife—a personalized brain training site created by Dr. Daniel Amen and based on research derived from the world’s largest database of functional brain SPECT scans—has lots of awesome content about exercise, nutrition, sleep induction tapes, and brain training games.

“Can you talk about sleep needs during these times and how to improve sleep hygiene during these stressful times?”

Sleep hygiene is so important right now. “If you don’t get eight hours of sleep, we’re more likely to keep inflammatory toxins in our brain,” says Dr. Faber. Be very consistent with the time you go to bed and wake up, don’t take naps, and skip caffeine after lunch. “I create transition times in that hour before bed and in that hour when I get up. That hour before my bed is my spa hour,” says Dr. Love.

“Can we talk about when you’re staying home with an abusive family member and not feeling safe?”

We may be on lockdown, but you have to stay physically safe, emotionally safe, and sexually safe. If you’re with someone 24/7 who’s harmful to you, you’ve got to get out of that situation. Domestic shelters are open or stay with a friend where you can have a refuge. Also be aware of when these episodes more likely to occur, such as if someone is using alcohol or drugs or if someone’s not taking their psychotropic medications. “If your significant other is doing any of those, be much more watchful and be ready to get plan B ready,” says Dr. Faber.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other mental health issues, you aren’t alone—45% of Americans say the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their mental health. Just because you’re sheltering at home doesn’t mean you have to wait for the pandemic to be over before seeking help. In fact, during these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting to get treatment is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

Have you ever blamed your child’s teacher for not motivating your child to finish their schoolwork? Thought the teacher must not be any good because your child is really smart but doesn’t do well on tests? Or assumed the teacher doesn’t know how to deal with a child with attention-deficit disorder (ADD) or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? (Note, in this article, we will use the term ADD since many people who have this condition do not have hyperactivity.)

With the nation’s schools closed and most of us living under some form of quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents are being forced to homeschool their kids. And for some of you, you’re getting a first-hand look at just how challenging your ADD child can be. You may finally be realizing your child’s teacher wasn’t the problem after all. And you may be struggling to get your offspring to pay attention and complete any schoolwork.

What can parents do to help create an effective homeschool environment for ADD kids?

Know the 5 Hallmark Symptoms of ADD

It’s important to recognize the most common symptoms seen in children with ADD:

Short attention span: Children with ADD have trouble with boring, routine, everyday tasks and need stimulation and excitement in order to stay engaged.

Distractibility: Children with ADD tend to notice more in their environment than others, which makes them easily distracted by outside stimuli, such as light, sounds, smells, certain tastes, or even the clothes they were. Their keen sensitivity causes them to get easily off task.

Disorganization. Most children with ADD tend to struggle with organization of time and space. They tend to be late and have trouble completing tasks on time. Many things get done at the last moment or even later. They also tend to struggle to keep their spaces tidy, especially their rooms, book bags, drawers, closets, and homework.

Procrastination. Tasks and duties get put off until the last moment. Things tend not to get done until there are deadlines or someone else is mad at them for not doing it.

Poor internal supervision. Many young people with ADD have issues with judgment and impulse control, and they struggle not to say or do things without fully thinking it through. They also have a harder time learning from their mistakes.

Understand that ADD is a Brain Disorder

ADD is a brain-based disorder. It tends to affect the frontal lobes, in particular, an area called the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is involved in focus, forethought, judgment, organization, planning, impulse control, empathy, and learning from one’s mistakes.

Brain SPECT imaging studies show that ADD brains work differently. SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) is a nuclear medicine study that evaluates blood flow and activity in the brain. Basically, it shows three things: healthy activity, too little activity, or too much activity.

SPECT studies show that in the healthy brain when a person concentrates, blood flow increases to the PFC. In people with ADD, however, concentration causes blood flow to decrease to the PFC. In fact, the harder someone with ADD tries to concentrate, the worse it gets. Research shows that the low activity in the front part of the brain is often due to lower levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical heavily involved with attention span, focus, follow-through, and motivation. When its availability is low, people tend to struggle in these areas.

What’s a stressed-out parent supposed to do? Here are 7 strategies to create a more effective learning environment for kids with ADD.

7 Strategies to Homeschool Your ADD Child

1. Adopt structure and routines.

Kids with ADD have trouble with uncertainty and have difficulty delaying gratification. On the flip side, they are more likely to thrive in a structured environment. Be sure to post a daily schedule in the house where they can see what activities will be happening at what times.

2. Keep lessons short.

A short attention span is one of the hallmarks of ADD, so plan homeschooling lessons accordingly. Think of teaching in short segments rather than lumping all schoolwork into one continuous block. Depending on your child’s attention span, you may do a 30-minute or 45-minute lesson followed by 15 minutes of free time, especially active playtime. Physical activity boosts dopamine and enhances blood flow in the brain, both of which can be beneficial for kids with ADD.

3. Follow up often!

One of the things children with ADD have trouble with is follow-through. Because of this, you need to take an active role to make sure they know exactly what is expected of them in each school lesson and then check to make sure they have completed it on time. Check in frequently with your child to help keep them on track rather than waiting until the deadline.

4. Notice the positive.

ADD kids react better to positive encouragement and lots of it. Rather than pointing out what they’ve done wrong—not finishing an assignment on time, wrong answers on a test, or fidgeting—be sure to notice what they’re doing right. Saying things, such as, “Excellent job

5. Stay calm.

When trying to teach your child at home, NO YELLING! Due to low levels of dopamine, children with ADD often find themselves seeking conflict or playing “let’s have a problem.” They can be masterful at making other people mad or angry at them. Don’t lose your temper with your child, which often just makes things worse.

6. Know your child’s ADD type.

Brain imaging studies have found that ADD is not one thing. There are 7 different types, so one treatment will never work for everyone. The 7 types of ADD are: Classic, Inattentive, Overfocused, Temporal Lobe, Limbic, Ring of Fire, and Anxious.

7. Ask if you might have ADD too.

ADD is a generational disorder, meaning it tends to run in families. Often, when a child is suffering from the condition, one or both of the parents may also have it. In many cases, the parents may never have been tested for ADD or diagnosed with the condition, so their symptoms remain into adulthood. If you’re really struggling to manage your ADD child, it’s worth investigating if a short attention span, disorganization, procrastination, or other issues may be getting in the way of your ability to homeschool your little one. Addressing your own problems will improve your ability to be an effective home teacher. This Healing ADD at Home online course from BrainMD can be very helpful for adults with ADD.

If you’re struggling with your ADD child and it’s causing you stress, anxiety, and frustration, it’s important to address it sooner rather than later. Just because you’re sheltering at home doesn’t mean you have to wait for the pandemic to be over before seeking help. In fact, during these uncertain times, tending to your family’s mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting to get treatment is likely to make symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults and children, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

By Michelle Flowers, MD

Parenting isn’t easy, even on an ordinary day. Like many of you, my normally jam-packed, but somewhat routine life, has been uprooted and chaos has taken hold. If you, like me, are feeling a bit disoriented, here are a few strategies that can help.

1. Cut yourself (and your kids) some slack.

Unrealistic expectations are the enemy of a peaceful life. Now is a time to seriously evaluate what you can let go. I know your neighbor is posting on social media about how they’re getting organized or getting into the best shape of their lives thanks to “quarantraining.” But you need to remember that the “just-right” thing for your neighbor isn’t necessarily the just-right thing for you. Make a list of the expectations you have for yourself and your children then get rid of at least half of them. Leave space for peace by keeping only the essentials.  

2. Speaking of social media, limit it.

Although social media can be an excellent way to stay connected to friends and family, it can also cause suffering. Switching your attention back and forth creates stress in your brain. Decide on a reasonable amount of time (probably less than what your screentime app currently shows) and then schedule it into your day. Turning off notifications or keeping your phone in another room while you are working or spending time with your family helps create healthy boundaries. For more on this subject, check out the ScreenAgers movie or the Center for Humane Technology.

3. Connect with nature.

Even during uncertain times, you can still be certain of a few things. The steadiness of the Earth beneath your feet is one of them. The oxygen in the air you breathe is another. Make time to get outside and give nature a chance to support and energize you.

4. Speaking of breathing, keep doing it.

It may sound simple, but you need to keep breathing. You might be holding your breath without even knowing it’s happening. Take a moment to stop and become aware of your breathing. Breathe deeply and with a sense of wonder and gratitude. Notice the difference in how you feel when you inhale and exhale slowly. Link up this practice to something you already do multiple times a day, such as making a phone call, writing an email, or walking through a doorway. This will set a reminder in your brain to check in and take a relaxing breath.

5. Choose your emotions.

There will be times when your emotions choose you, but you can empower yourself by deciding how you would like to feel and then taking steps to make it happen. Gratitude is one of my favorite emotions and often an excellent place to start. Make time in your day to consider at least one thing you are genuinely grateful for. Think about it in great detail and try to recreate a sense of gratitude that fills your entire body. Like most things, you’ll get better if you practice. (Watch this short video I made to learn the secret to get a bigger mood boost from your gratitude practice.)

6. Relieve stress as a family.

Find family-friendly ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Blowing bubbles can easily become a fun way to teach kids how to breathe away the worry and anxious thoughts. Mind-jars can help introduce children and adults alike to the power of meditation. (Watch this video I made with two of my daughters to learn how to make a mind-jar.) Zen-doodling and coloring mandalas while listening to soothing music can become part of a nightly routine that will also prepare brains for more restful sleep.

7. Ask for help.

It’s okay to reach out to friends and family and let them know if you’re struggling. The staff at Amen Clinics will continue to be available. (Find out more about our mental telehealth and video therapy services or reach out to us at the number below.) If you’re feeling overwhelmed, please call 1-800-4-A-CHILD or visit Childhelp.

I am grateful to be on this journey with all of you and look forward to hearing more about what you’re doing to grow even more resilient during this challenging time. Share your quarantine parenting tips in the comments section, and let’s all get through this together!

About the Author: Michelle Flowers, MD, Amen Clinics Chicago

Dr. Michelle Flowers is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Flowers is passionate about helping people enhance the meaning of their lives. She works with you to identify your unique talents and direct your purpose. “Wellness comes from cultivating curiosity, seeing opportunities in challenges, practicing gratitude, and delighting in simple joys,” according to Dr. Flowers. “Listening to the deep wisdom that resonates within and around us allows us to move past fear and discover our power.” Dr. Flowers integrates modern and traditional practices. Her eclectic approach is inspired by Rogerian person-centered techniques and grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). She is also a certified hypnotherapist and has specialized training in aromatherapy. She customizes her approach to enhance your emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual health. She is committed to your pursuit of meaningful, realistic, and honest evolution.

Find out more about Amen Clinics, which offers comprehensive clinical evaluations and remote therapy sessions as well as in-clinic brain scanning, by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

With nonstop news reports about the coronavirus and schools closing due to COVID-19, parents may be wondering about the best way to talk about it with their children. How can you bring it up without scaring your kids and making things worse?

Child and adult psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, who has 4 children and 5 grandchildren, offers 8 tips on how to open up the conversation.

1. Don’t avoid the topic.

Kids have wild imaginations. If you don’t address the issue with them at all they may conjure up frightening stories in their head that can lead to excessive anxiety, panic, and looping worries.

2. Ask what they know about the coronavirus.

Finding out what they have heard about the illness is a great opportunity to address any misconceptions they may have. Check the World Health Organization’s myth busters page for common myths about COVID-19.

3. Stay calm and be reassuring.

One of the things child psychiatrists often have to teach parents is that kids pick up on more than just the words parents say. If you’re filled with anxiety and fear or compulsively using sanitizer, your kids are likely to mirror your behaviors.

4. Stick to the facts.

Make sure you know the basics about the disease so you can provide accurate information. The CDC has a great page about COVID-19 facts for discussions with kids.

5. Don’t let the news and internet do the talking for you.

In general, too much screen time is harmful to developing brains. Letting children get their information from TV news or internet sources can heighten their fears. Be sure to monitor what your kids are watching and let them know to come to you if they have questions or concerns.

6. Don’t blame others for the spread of the virus.

Whenever you blame someone else for the problems in your life, you become powerless to change anything. Blaming others is an example of an ANT (automatic negative thought) that makes you feel like you have no control over your life. And guess who’s listening? Your child. When talking to your child, don’t say that it’s someone else’s fault that the virus is spreading. Instead, focus on what you can do about it.

7. Focus on what you can do to protect yourselves.

To help kids feel empowered, emphasize that there are many things they can do to stay healthy:

Telling them about these things is just the first step. Be sure to reinforce your child’s positive behavior by noticing when they wash their hands or give an “air 5.” Pointing out what your child is doing right is much more effective in shaping behavior than noticing the bad.

8. Tell them it’s okay to be stressed.

Let your kids know it’s normal to feel anxious or worried and that everybody feels like this from time to time. Reassure them that it should pass but also encourage them to let you know if their stress doesn’t go away or if it gets worse. In some cases, when a child experiences excessive anxiety or panic, they may benefit from professional help.

At Amen Clinics, our Child and Adult psychiatrists have helped thousands of children overcome anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive worrying, and compulsive behaviors. For more information, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.