ARCHIVE

Do fluorescent lights ramp up feelings of anxiety, irritability, depression, or decreased concentration? Do you experience sensitivity to sunlight? Does the idea of being in a room with strobing lights make you feel stressed? That is the case for “You” actress Ambyr Childers. When she visited Amen Clinics for an episode of Scan My Brain, she talked to Daniel Amen, MD, about her ADD/ADHD, depression, and memory issues. During the conversation, she also noted that she has issues with light sensitivity. She’s bothered by sunlight, glare, and headlights. “I get headaches around fluorescent lights,” she says. Childers says she first began noticing light sensitivity when she would attend concerts or go to nightclubs. “As soon as you have the strobe lights and the loud music,” she says, “it became stressful, and I felt like I had a lot of anxiety.” Childers wishes she could have enjoyed concerts and nightclubs with her friends, but she crossed them off her to-do list. The actress assumed the stress she experienced around strobing lights was simply related to anxiety, but Dr. Amen suggested there might be another cause—Irlen Syndrome. Anyone experiencing light sensitivity, reading issues, or symptoms of anxiety, irritability, depression, or decreased concentration should be screened for Irlen Syndrome.
Click to tweet

WHAT IS IRLEN SYNDROME?

Irlen Syndrome, or Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, is a visual processing issue. It is not a problem with the eyes, but rather with how the brain processes visual information. It can lead to light sensitivity, difficulties with reading, and more. For people who struggle with Irlen Syndrome, written words can appear fuzzy, may seem to move around the page, or may even disappear. Some individuals see objects as closer or farther away than they are, or in different locations entirely. Certain colors of the light spectrum can irritate the brain in those with the condition. People who have Irlen Syndrome may experience anxiety, concentration problems, or migraines as their brain works to process visual input. Irlen Syndrome affects an estimated 14% of the general population, according to statistics from the Irlen Syndrome Foundation. The condition is more common in people with reading difficulties or dyslexia (46%), traumatic brain injuries or concussions (35%), attention and focus problems such as ADD/ADHD (33%), autism (33%), and those with treatment-resistant chronic headaches or migraines. Childers had been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD several years prior to her appointment at Amen Clinics.

SYMPTOMS OF IRLEN SYNDROME

Irlen Syndrome impacts people in different ways and symptoms include: These issues can lead to other symptoms, such as anxiety, irritability, depression, or decreased concentration. If you experience fatigue, irritability, headaches, or eye strain while reading, or have emotional issues that don’t respond to standard treatment, it’s worth investigating Irlen Syndrome as a possible cause.

CAUSES OF IRLEN SYNDROME

Irlen Syndrome tends to run in families, and research suggests a genetic risk factor for the condition. One study looked at 2 samples of children with symptoms who were referred for Irlen Syndrome screening and found an 81%-85% chance that one or both of their parents had similar symptoms and a 54%-76% chance that their siblings were also affected. Experts also point to a number of other factors that may contribute to the issue, including head injuries and inflammatory processes, such as Lyme disease.

IRLEN SYNDROME AND THE BRAIN

Brain imaging research using SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography), functional MRI (fMRI), and visual evoked responses (VER) show that the brain functions differently in people with Irlen Syndrome. In one study at Amen Clinics, SPECT scans of 42 people with Irlen Syndrome were compared with 200 age-matched individuals without the condition. In those with Irlen Syndrome, the brain scans showed increased activity in the brain’s emotional and visual processing centers and decreased activity in the cerebellum, an area that helps to integrate coordination and new information.

HOW IS IRLEN SYNDROME TREATED?

Irlen Syndrome is treated using the Irlen Method, a non-invasive technology that includes colored overlays and filters, as well as tinted eyeglass lenses or contact lenses. This unique treatment was developed by Dr. Helen Irlen, who discovered that colored, tinted overlays or lenses could be used to filter out specific wavelengths of light that are bothersome. The results of this treatment can be dramatic. People with Irlen Syndrome report that using tinted overlays or colored lenses reduces reading distortion issues. This also lowers stress on the brain and allows it to function more efficiently. Treating Irlen Syndrome can also lead to improvements in reading comprehension, concentration, motivation, self-esteem, and academic/work performance, as well as reductions in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and headaches. It’s important to understand that tinted lenses from an optometrist are not the same as the colored lenses required to treat Irlen Syndrome. To ensure the proper diagnosis and treatment, be sure to visit a certified Irlen Screener. Irlen Syndrome and related anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Do you ever find yourself plucking hairs from your head, eyebrows, or eyelashes? Do you do it repeatedly to the point that you have patchy bald spots or noticeable hair loss? You may have trichotillomania, a mental health disorder that involves compulsively yanking out hair despite efforts to stop doing so. Hair-pulling disorder occurs in about 1%-2% of American adults and more frequently in females, including Victoria’s Secret model Sara Sampaio. She recently spoke about having trichotillomania with Dr. Daniel Amen in an episode of Scan My Brain. “I pull on my eyebrows,” says the 31-year-old model. “It started when I was, I think 15.”

SYMPTOMS OF TRICHOTILLOMANIA

There are many signs and symptoms of trichotillomania, including: For some people, hair pulling is automatic, and they don’t even realize they are doing it. For others, it is a very focused activity that helps release tension. Individuals with this condition may also engage in other compulsive behaviors, such as biting their nails, skin picking, or chewing their lips. Sampaio says, “I tend to pick my lips a lot as well, and now I feel the need to do certain body movements.” She adds that “I just have so much tension everywhere that I feel like it just releases it.”

TRICHOTILLOMANIA AND OCD

Trichotillomania is considered to be a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and is believed to be related to anxiety. OCD is characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that cause distress and repeated behaviors (compulsions) that provide relief from that distress. Obsessions are recurrent thoughts that trigger unpleasant feelings of anxiety, fear, or disgust. Common thoughts include fears about germs or contamination, harm or violence, forbidden sexuality, or religion. Some weird signs of OCD include worrying about the way you breathe or being afraid you’ll steal something. Some people can’t stop thinking about dying. There is a subtype of OCD called death anxiety OCD when a person is obsessed with thoughts about their own death or the death of a loved one. Sampaio says the death of her grandfather triggered a fear of dying. “All of a sudden, I just had this big, overwhelming fear of dying,” she says. People with OCD engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions) to calm feelings of distress. Common compulsions include excessive hand washing, extreme cleaning, counting, repeated touching, and more. In many cases, the compulsions must be performed in a ritualistic manner. When left untreated, unwanted thoughts and compulsive actions can interfere with daily life and cause problems in relationships, careers, and in academic endeavors. When people eat their hair, it can form a large, matted hairball—called a trichobezoar—in the digestive tract. This can cause vomiting, weight loss, intestinal blockage, and in extreme cases, death.

 TRICHOTILLOMANIA, OCD, AND THE BRAIN

In people with trichotillomania, brain imaging studies have shown abnormalities in activity in certain regions of the brain, including areas involved in regulating impulses and habits, emotional processing, and reward processing. Neuroimaging research also points to abnormal activity in those with OCD. At Amen Clinics, brain SPECT imaging scans of individuals with OCD show abnormal blood flow in some brain regions. 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: areas of the brain with healthy activity, too little activity, or too much activity. SPECT scans of those with OCD show increased activity in the following two regions: The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics shows what many doctors miss about OCD—the fact that there is more than a single brain pattern associated with it.

TREATING TRICHOTILLOMANIA AND OCD

Treating trichotillomania and OCD requires a multi-modal approach that may include the following: With treatment that is targeted to your brain and individual needs, it is possible to stop struggling with disorders such as hair pulling and other OCD-related obsessions and compulsive behaviors. Trichotillomania, OCD, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Navy SEALs are the best of the best—highly intelligent and courageous individuals who are committed to intense training that pushes them to their physical and mental limits. Self-assurance, strength, and the ability to perform under highly stressful situations are requirements of the job. With determination and teamwork, these are people who continuously strive for improvement. Mark Divine is a prime example. At the age of 26, Divine graduated as “Honor Man” (the #1-ranked trainee) of his SEAL BUD/S class. After serving 9 years on active SEAL duty and an additional 11 years as a Reserve SEAL, he was tapped by the government to develop a nationwide mentorship program for SEAL trainees. Beyond the typical mental toughness techniques you might expect in such a leadership program, Divine includes brain healthy strategies such as meditation, yoga, and laughter. The program reduced SEAL trainee attrition by 5%. Why would someone as accomplished and successful as Divine want to see a psychiatrist for a brain scan? “I’m seeking to go from good to great, or from great to optimized for the rest of my life,” he says to Daniel Amen, MD, in an episode of Scan My Brain. This is a common desire for high performers who are determined to be the very best version of themselves and stay at the top of their game.   Why would someone who is accomplished and successful want to see a psychiatrist for a brain scan? High performers often want to go from good to great.
Click to tweet

EVEN TOP PERFORMERS CAN IMPROVE BRAIN HEALTH

People who reach the highest echelons of success—CEOs, entertainers, tech developers, entrepreneurs, inventors, athletes, financial experts—can always do better. They often hire coaches, organizational gurus, and leadership experts to guide them to the next level. But almost all of them neglect to focus on the one thing that is the foundation of all success: the brain. The brain is what allows these people to be creative geniuses, smart risk-takers, innovative problem-solvers, persistent in the face of rejection, and more. But what if their brain could be even better? What more could they do with enhanced brainpower? What would you do with 10% better brain performance? That’s what Divine wanted to achieve. And that’s why he underwent brain SPECT imaging to assess his current brain health and find ways to optimize it. SPECT is a functional brain imaging technology that measures blood flow and activity in the brain. It helps identify areas of the brain with healthy activity, too much activity, and too little activity. Based on this information, treatments can be targeted to enhance brain activity, which can improve:

OVERCOMING TRAUMA CAN BOOST SUCCESS

Being at the top of one’s game doesn’t mean that a person lived a charmed life or had everything handed to them. In fact, it’s often a completely different scenario. Some highly successful people grew up in a chaotic environment, had a traumatic upbringing, or faced adverse childhood experiences. These types of experiences can be debilitating for some people, but for others, it can be a motivator. Overcoming adversity can drive certain individuals, leading to something called post-traumatic growth. That’s what happened to Divine, who says, “I grew up in a pretty traumatic family.” He adds, “7 or 8 generations of alcohol on both sides of the family. Father was pretty abusive. I love him to death…but there’s a lot of trauma that is associated with that.” In addition to early childhood trauma, lifestyle habits and other life events can negatively impact the brain. For example, Divine played soccer growing up and repeatedly “headed” a soccer ball, which can harm the brain. He had a nasty waterskiing accident that caused him to black out. He also says he engaged in binge drinking during early adulthood. Then with 20 years as a Navy SEAL, he endured multiple microtraumas to the brain, including several parachute accidents, explosive blasts, and more than one head injury. Divine felt like he had learned coping mechanisms to deal with his traumatic upbringing—primarily exercise—which served him well as a SEAL. He gave up drinking some time ago, but he was still concerned about the multiple head injuries.

BRAIN SCANS SHOW WHERE OPTIMIZATION IS NEEDED

Most people never get a chance to see their brain, so they don’t know which areas require optimization. For Divine, getting a SPECT scan gave him that opportunity. His scan revealed telltale signs of past head injuries in specific brain regions as well as overactivation in other areas. With these findings, Divine was able to receive a personalized treatment plan including nutritional supplements, lifestyle changes, and psychological strategies to optimize his brain. “It’s good to know, to look inside, to look under the hood, so to speak, and see that there’s room for improvement,” he says. When Divine heard that by following his treatment program, he could possibly achieve a 10% improvement in brain function, he was thrilled. Think of what you could do with 10% more brain function! Peak performance and brain optimization can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Entrepreneur and author Billy Carson didn’t grow up having it all. In fact, his upbringing was filled with stress and trauma—the stuff that can negatively impact your brain and contribute to depression, resentment, and anxiety. He experienced the type of trauma that can cause changes in the brain that make you more likely to turn to alcohol, drugs, sex, or video games for relief from painful memories. But not Carson. He used the childhood trauma he faced to fuel his ambitions and turned his pain into purpose. But even though he’s reached a high level of success, he wanted to know if he could be performing at an even higher level if improved his brain health. That’s why he visited Amen Clinics to get a brain SPECT scan. Entrepreneur and author Billy Carson used the childhood trauma he faced to fuel his ambitions and turned his pain into purpose.
Click to tweet

HOW CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IMPACTS MENTAL HEALTH

When you grow up with childhood trauma or in a stressful environment, it can play a major role in shaping your mental health as an adult. In many cases, adverse childhood experiences have a negative impact on brain function and mental health. For Carson, the odds seemed to be stacked against him. His dad was an alcoholic and drug addict. In an effort to get away from that negative influence, his mom moved the family to a town in Florida that, unfortunately, turned out to be so crime-ridden the police wouldn’t even go there. “They called it the Bermuda Triangle,” Carson says in an episode of Scan My Brain. By age 6, Carson was seeing people getting stabbed or being killed in the neighborhood. “It was a normal everyday event,” he says. At night, he would grab a butcher knife, push over the dinette table, put his siblings behind it, then stand guard all night to protect them. The town was so tough the school crossing guards would try to rob the kids on the way to school. The junior high school he attended got closed down because kids were murdering each other. With that start in life, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Carson had fallen into the same negative behaviors as the other neighbor kids. But something about Carson was different. He told his mother, “I don’t belong here.” And he started looking for a way out.

FROM TRAUMA SURVIVOR TO ENTREPRENEUR

Carson’s entry into the world of entrepreneurship came at age 7 courtesy of an ice cream truck. As a youngster, he desperately wanted something from the ice cream truck but didn’t have any money. He decided to sell his toys door-to-door and ended up with a handful of cash that he used to buy some Bazooka bubble gum. Success! At that moment, he came to a life-changing realization: “Nobody’s coming to save me. I’m gonna have to save myself.” With this understanding, he knew he was going to be okay in life. And that simple yet powerful shift in mindset changed everything. From that point on, he worked to build his own success, which now includes books, music, a television network called 4biddenKnowledge, and more. However, like many successful people, he wondered if his brain could be better.

HIDDEN BRAIN ISSUES THAT CAN HOLD YOU BACK

As an entrepreneur, business owner, or executive, your brain is your greatest asset. Some high achievers manage to excel in business despite challenges involving brain function that can affect focus, moods, anxiety, memory, and more. When Carson saw his brain scan, he could clearly see evidence of a mild traumatic brain injury stemming from a car accident that occurred at age 22. Carson was in the passenger seat when his friend who was driving fell asleep while going about 75 mph. The impact from the accident jettisoned Carson through the window, leaving him with nerve damage around his right eye. He also says his memory isn’t as good as it could be. On his brain SPECT scan, which measures blood flow and activity in the brain, Carson could see damage to the left temporal lobe, a brain region involved in memory. Another finding on his SPECT scan was too much activity in the brain’s emotional centers in a pattern that is commonly seen in people who have experienced trauma. In some people with this diamond pattern, it leads to negativity and blaming others for their lot in life. But not for Carson. With a positive, optimistic attitude, he exhibits resilience and focuses on problem-solving, which provides him with a sense of peace. This is something Daniel Amen, MD, refers to as posttraumatic growth, a process that occurs in some people that allows them to turn pain into purpose. For Carson, that comes in the form of helping others live more fulfilling lives.

OPTIMIZING BRAINPOWER FOR BETTER SUCCESS

For Carson, there is still some room for improvement in terms of brain health. To help optimize his brain, Dr. Amen’s recommendations include: By following a brain optimization plan, Carson is hoping to see increments of improvement in certain areas of his life. For any entrepreneur, achieving peak performance requires optimal brain function. Getting a brain scan to assess and identify brain regions that could benefit from optimization can be the key to reaching the next level of success. Optimizing brain health for peak performance can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Do you typically wind down with wine? Crack open a 6-pack of beer at the end of a hard day at work? Or did you overdo it with alcohol in the past? It’s no surprise that excessive drinking is harmful to your brain. But is that harm permanent? Or can you heal your brain even if you’ve been bad to it? That’s a question baseball World Series MVP and 4-time All-Star Troy Glaus had when he visited Amen Clinics for a brain SPECT scan. In an episode of Scan My Brain with Dr. Daniel Amen, the former Angels’ slugger says he didn’t drink much in high school or college. It wasn’t until he hit the major leagues that he joined his teammates in a culture that encouraged alcohol use. “The game would be over at about 10 PM, and I’d be super excited and wired, and I’d have some drinks to help get to sleep,” says Glaus. Sometimes, he admits, a few drinks would turn into 5 or 6 drinks, and he would be “wasted, pass out, and wake up at 10 AM the next day.” Drinking not only helped him get to sleep, but it also helped the baseball player deal with chronic pain. As Glaus says, in the major leagues, “Everybody is in pain. We used to say that if you’re not hurt, you’re not playing hard enough.” He and many other players used alcohol to numb that pain. “The game’s over, you’ve iced everything down, and everything still hurts. Alcohol was a reprieve,” he says. Although alcohol offers short-term relief, it comes with long-term side effects. Years after retiring from baseball, Glaus’ drinking was creating issues in other areas of his life, including in his relationship with his wife and son. He was curious to see how the alcohol had affected his brain and if it was beyond hope.

DRINKING ALCOHOL AND THE BRAIN

Brain SPECT imaging is a brain imaging tool that measures blood flow and activity in the brain. It shows 3 things: areas with healthy activity, areas that are working too hard, and areas that aren’t working hard enough. SPECT scans of people who drink too much typically show markedly unhealthy patterns of blood flow and brain activity. In particular, excessive alcohol use leads to a pattern on SPECT called scalloping, or overall decreased blood flow and activity. This has been associated with depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADD/ADHD, and more. Low blood flow is also the #1 brain imaging predictor that a person will develop Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, research shows that people who drink every day have smaller brains. When it comes to the brain, size matters! For Glaus, seeing his brain scan was a wake-up call. It showed the distinctive scalloping pattern associated with drinking too much. It also showed evidence of past concussions and other concerning issues. In terms of his brain health, Glaus initially thought, “I was worried it was too far gone….I thought there was irreparable damage.” But he was motivated to follow a treatment plan because he wanted to be happier and more relaxed and to be a better example for his son. Two months later, he had a follow-up SPECT scan to check his progress. What he saw was stunning.

HEALING THE BRAIN AFTER EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL USE

Brain SPECT imaging shows that it is possible to improve brain health even if you’ve been a heavy drinker. At Amen Clinics, before-and-after SPECT scans of patients who have stopped drinking or overcome addictions show some of the most dramatic improvements in cerebral blood flow and brain activity. After about 2 months of giving up alcohol and following his treatment plan, Glaus’ follow-up scan revealed remarkable improvements. His brain was fuller with more symmetrical activity and better blood flow. His brain activity was especially enhanced in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), an area involved in impulse control, forethought, judgment, and follow-through. Seeing the improvements inspired the former baseball player to keep working on his new brain healthy habits. “It’s nice to see results from the work you put in,” he says. Along with having a better brain, Glaus is also enjoying a better life and says, “I feel great. I feel clearer. I feel healthier. I have much more energy.” He isn’t the only one who has noticed the positive difference. His wife says he’s like a new person. “He’s loving life, is more excited about things, and has more passion,” she says. “My son and I see the changes, and we love it!”

BRAIN HEALING INTERVENTIONS FOR HEAVY DRINKERS

Interventions that can help heal the brain if you drink too much or have had a drinking problem in the past include the following:

Eliminate the alcohol.

If you’ve already cut down on your alcohol consumption, or you’re completely sober congratulations! That is a huge step to healing your brain. If you are still drinking and need help to stop, look into a brain-centered treatment program.

Investigate the underlying causes of why you use alcohol.

Determine if something such as anxiety or depression is leading you to self-medicate with alcohol and seek mental health treatment for those issues. If you use alcohol to gain relief from chronic pain, consider other therapies, such as hypnosis.

Adopt brain-healthy habits.

Avoid things that hurt your brain and engage in things that help it, such as physical exercise. Every time you make a decision, ask yourself, “Is this good for my brain or bad for my brain?”

Try hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

HBOT is a simple, non-invasive, painless treatment with minimal side effects that use the power of oxygen to enhance the healing process and reduce inflammation. Before-and-after SPECT scans of patients who have undergone HBOT show remarkable improvements in blood flow.

Take nutritional supplements and medications (if needed).

Support your brain health with targeted nutraceuticals as well as any prescription medications you need. Addictions and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. If you have anxiety or experience panic attacks, you probably think it’s all in your mind. If you’re like most people, you likely assume it’s psychological or emotional issues that are causing the problem. In many cases, however, the root cause lies in the biology of your brain. Head trauma—even mild head injuries that don’t make you lose consciousness and aren’t diagnosed as a concussion—are a major factor in the development of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety disorders and panic disorder. Head trauma—even mild head injuries that don’t make you lose consciousness and aren’t diagnosed as a concussion—are a major factor in the development of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety disorders and panic disorder.
Click to tweet
Having multiple head injuries puts you at increased risk. Just ask Tyler Fernengel, a professional BMX rider who has had over 20 concussions during his extreme biking career. In one of those accidents, the 25-year-old’s bike broke in half and he did a face plant, damaging his orbital socket and cheekbone. Although the visible harm to his face healed, other internal, psychological issues worsened. “The main issue is severe anxiety,” Fernengel says to Amen Clinics naturopath Dr. Kabran Chapek in an episode of Scan My Brain. “The absolute worst and hardest thing I had to go through,” the pro BMX rider says, happened when he was mid-conversation with some friends. “Out of nowhere, I couldn’t remember what I was trying to say. I went into a full-body panic.” He says it was like an out-of-body experience, something psychiatrists call depersonalization or dissociation. Could it be related to all those crashes he experienced? And could your anxiety, panic attacks, and other issues be associated with head injuries from your past? Consider that brain SPECT imaging, which measures blood flow and activity in the brain, shows that 40% of Amen Clinics patients have prior head trauma. Surprisingly, many of them don’t recall getting hurt.

HIDDEN EFFECTS OF HEAD TRAUMA

When Dr. Chapek showed Fernengel his brain SPECT scan, he pointed out the aftereffects of all those head injuries. A healthy brain SPECT scan shows full, even, symmetrical activity. Fernengel’s, on the contrary, revealed numerous areas of low blood flow, a flattened effect on the frontal lobes, and a scalloping or bumpy appearance that’s associated with exposure to toxins. Dr. Chapek called it “one of the worst brains I’ve seen in a 25-year-old.” Your brain doesn’t have to be one of the worst, and you don’t have to have sustained 20-plus concussions to experience brain-related conditions like anxiety, panic disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A single head injury or a series of sub-concussive repetitive blows to the head from activities like heading a soccer ball can be enough to create changes in the brain that make you more vulnerable to mental health conditions.

HEALING THE BRAIN AND OVERCOMING ANXIETY AFTER HEAD TRAUMA

In providing a comprehensive treatment plan for Fernengel, Dr. Chapek explained that “when it comes to the brain, it’s seldom one thing.” There are typically multiple factors involved. It’s common for head trauma to be combined with stressful life events, a chaotic upbringing, unhealthy daily habits, and/or substance use—all of which ramp up the likelihood of problems. Fortunately, decades of neuroscience research show that the brain can change through neuroplasticity. And the Amen Clinics database of over 300,000 brain scans from tens of thousands of patients confirms that even if you’ve been bad to your brain, you can make it better. Here are some tips to help put the brain in a healing environment and calm anxiousness and panic. Anxiety, panic disorder, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. How is it possible that people who appear to have it all—a successful career, good looks, athleticism, or lots of friends, for example—can feel like they aren’t good enough? Sadly, thinking “I’m not good enough” is a far-too common thought that can plague people of all ages, income levels, education levels, and cultures. This one belief is the mother thought of despair. It can drag you down and ruin your life by breeding anxiety, depression, and in some people, suicidal thoughts and behaviors. And when you don’t feel worthy as a human being, it can make you feel like your life doesn’t matter, which makes you more vulnerable to engaging in unhealthy habits, such as overeating, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or using drugs. “I’m not good enough.” This one belief is the mother thought of despair. It can drag you down and ruin your life by breeding anxiety, depression, and in some people, suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Click to tweet
No one is immune to this toxic thought. Look at music superstar Meghan Trainor. She had a #1 song worldwide—something only a handful of people on the globe have ever accomplished—yet she is wracked with worries that she isn’t successful enough. In an episode of Scan My Brain with Dr. Daniel Amen, she revealed that she routinely stresses about her career and forgets about all that success she had from her debut song “All About That Bass.” Do you feel this way too? What’s behind this harmful notion and how can you overcome it?

Here are 7 reasons that fuel thoughts of not being good enough and ways to change your thinking, so you can feel better about yourself.

1. Self-criticism

Are you frequently thinking that you aren’t good enough, that you’re a failure, or that you don’t deserve love? These thoughts are all ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) that infest your mind and steal your happiness. Feel better fast: Don’t believe every self-critical or negative thought you have. Challenge the ANT by asking yourself if the thought is true. Then try to find evidence that the opposite of that thought is more true.

2. Comparing yourself to others

These days, it’s almost impossible not to compare yourself to others on social media. But trying to live up to the images you see online is a recipe for feeling like a failure. Feel better fast: Stop trying to judge yourself based on the success of others. Instead, strive to be the best version of yourself.

3. Focusing on the negative

If you won a game of table tennis by a score of 11-3, would you focus on the 3 points you lost and beat yourself up about what you did wrong? When you focus on what you’re doing wrong or on areas of your life where you don’t measure up, it trains your brain to look for more negativity and keeps you mired in low self-esteem. Feel better fast: Write down the 20 top accomplishments in your life and 5 positive attributes you have and look at it any time you’re feeling down about yourself. By focusing on your strengths and accomplishments, you will develop a healthier self-esteem.

4. Perfectionism

When you believe that the only way others will love you or value you is if you’re perfect, you are setting yourself up for failure, anxiety, and depression. This kind of toxic perfectionism is extremely harmful to your overall emotional well-being. Feel better fast: When you make a mistake, try to treat yourself the same way you would treat a friend or family member. Learn to forgive yourself.

5. Childhood trauma

Experiencing physical or sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, or other traumas as a child can have a lasting negative impact on your sense of self-worth. Feel better fast: Seek help from a professional mental health provider to address any unresolved issues stemming from adverse childhood experiences.

6. Critical parents

While you were a child, was it impossible to please one or both of your parents? Were you criticized about your looks, weight, schoolwork, choice of friends, and other things? For example, if you were proud to come home from school with B-plusses on your report card, did your mom or dad neglect to congratulate your hard work and ask why you didn’t get As? Constant parental criticism can set you up for a lifetime of feeling like you aren’t good enough. Feel better fast: Remember that when parents criticize a child, it often has more to do with their own issues than the child’s. Try not to take their remarks personally.

7. Negative social circle

If you surround yourself with people who are negative and who point out others’ flaws, you will likely adopt that same attitude. Feel better fast: Surround yourself with positive people who are encouraging and supportive, and who lift you up. You will feel better about yourself. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Negativity is all around us. Nasty comments fill social media pages. Bullies torment their peers. And too many of us mentally beat ourselves up. Celebrity stylist Maeve Reilly—whose clients include Hailey Bieber, Megan Fox, and Ciara—knows the impacts of these hurtful practices only too well. Years of being bullied in school made Reilly feel unsafe. “It was so awful,” she says in an episode of Scan My Brain with Daniel G. Amen, MD. To avoid her tormentors, she adds, “I used to eat my lunch in the bathroom stall.” The relentless bullying fueled low self-esteem and led to drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and using cocaine as coping mechanisms to numb the pain. The substance use quickly became an addiction and by the time she was 16 years old, Reilly was using 8-12 grams of cocaine a day. It ravaged her health and when she entered treatment at age 17, she weighed only 90 pounds and was “near death” as she puts it. Reilly emerged from treatment 4 months later and has been sober ever since. But that doesn’t mean her painful past doesn’t still live inside her mind. Now, at age 34, she wanted to know if her past experiences had negatively impacted her brain health, so she visited Amen Clinics for a brain SPECT scan.

EMOTIONAL PAIN IN THE BRAIN

Like many people who have endured trauma, Reilly’s SPECT scans showed overactivity in the brain’s emotional centers. As Dr. Amen explains in the Scan My Brain episode, this is associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety. It’s also commonly seen in people who are highly sensitive, empathetic, and who tend to feel deeply. Negative or hurtful comments can be especially painful for individuals with this brain activity pattern. Past traumas, such as bullying or emotional abuse, can continue to haunt a person’s mind years or even decades later. Hateful and hurtful comments may pop up or play in a seemingly endless loop that leaves people feeling worthless, hopeless, and helpless. When people are exposed to negativity early in life, they are more likely to adopt a negative outlook. In fact, research shows that people can become addicted to negativity. Overcoming negative thinking habits is one of the keys to calming the emotional brain. To help Reilly conquer negative thinking patterns, Dr. Amen asked her to do an exercise he uses with many of his patients—write down her 10 worst thoughts about herself. Then he helped her work through one of those ANTs (automatic negative thoughts)—“I’m not good enough”—by questioning it. Learning to challenge your thoughts is like cleaning out your mental closet, getting rid of anything that doesn’t serve that’s taking up space, and making room for thoughts that help you in life.

HEALING THE BRAIN AFTER ADDICTION

Substance abuse has a toxic effect on the brain. On SPECT scans, the brains of people with addictions often show a pattern called scalloping due to overall low blood flow. Reilly was concerned her brain might show some lasting damage from her alcohol and drug use during her teenage years. She was relieved when her SPECT scan did not show the abnormal brain function typically seen in addicts. What you can learn from Reilly’s SPECT scan is that when you stop using toxic substances—whether it’s alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, or other substances—the brain can heal. Putting the brain in a healthy environment that includes nutritious foods, nutritional supplements, physical exercise, and healthy thinking patterns can speed the healing process. Addictions, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Can you be a happy-go-lucky type of person for most of your life and then fall into depression in mid-life or beyond? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Stress is a constant in modern-day life. Deadlines at work, tension in relationships, mounting debt—they all cause stress. But what about when tragedy is added to the mix? Like a loved one is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, a marriage crumbles, or a pandemic hits. Or do all of them happen at once? When serious setbacks in life are piled on top of everyday stressors, it can be too much to bear, and even typically cheerful people can become depressed. When serious setbacks in life are piled on top of everyday stressors, it can be too much to bear, and even typically cheerful people can become depressed.
Click to tweet

WHEN A SUNNY OUTLOOK SINKS INTO DEPRESSION

This is the situation that actress (“General Hospital” and “The Bold and the Beautiful”) and producer Lilly Melgar found herself in recently. In an episode of Scan My Brain, she explained to clinical psychiatrist Jay Faber, MD, that she’d been through the proverbial wringer in the last few years. After a challenging marriage during which she felt like she was in constant fight-or-flight mode, she lived through what she called “an unnecessarily chaotic divorce.” The experience did a number on her nervous system, leaving her feeling exhausted and drained. As if that wasn’t enough, the night before the pandemic lockdown began in 2020, her former husband took his own life. A month later, Melgar’s father was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, but she couldn’t be with him due to the quarantine. Not long after that, her beloved dog died too. It was one tragedy after another. It was all too much for Melgar, who says she used to be a happy person by nature. Her usual sunny disposition and drive disappeared, and she says, “I discovered depression, insomnia, and lack of motivation.” To see how the compounded grief and stress were affecting her brain, Melgar visited Amen Clinics for a brain SPECT scan. She was hoping for answers to help her overcome the pain and sadness.

STRESS AND GRIEF IN THE BRAIN

Emotional trauma and stress impact the brain in many ways. In many people, stacked stresses, pain, and loss are associated with overactivity in the emotional centers of the brain. Among other findings, that’s what Melgar saw on her own brain scan—overactivity in the basal ganglia, anterior cingulate gyrus, and thalamus (part of the deep limbic system).

HOW TO CALM AN OVERACTIVE BRAIN

As Dr. Faber explained to Melgar, with the right strategies, it is possible to calm an overactive brain. Some lifestyle changes that promote calm include: Emotional trauma, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Most kids are scared of monsters—the kind that hide under the bed or in the closet at night. For some youngsters, however, monsters aren’t figments of their imagination. They are real people who do horrible things and change the trajectory of a child’s life. Just ask Hannah Brown, the star of season 15 of The Bachelorette and the winner of the 2019 season of Dancing With the Stars. In an episode of Scan My Brain, she tells Daniel Amen, MD, about a terrifying ordeal that happened when she was just 7 that changed her outlook on life, made her fearful, and led her on a path to depression. For some youngsters, monsters aren’t figments of their imagination. They are real people who do horrible things and change the trajectory of a child’s life.
Click to tweet

WHEN TRAUMA FUELS FEAR, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION

In the Scan My Brain episode, Brown reveals a traumatic event that changed her life. It happened when she was only 7 years old, but she vividly remembers the day her aunt and cousins were brutally murdered. Brown’s aunt and uncle were kind people who believed in giving people a second chance in life. They had hired a former inmate who had been jailed for a nonviolent offense and who was on work release to work on their home and became friendly with him. Some time later, he started using drugs and needed money. Brown’s aunt got a call from him, and she invited him over. She made tea for him, but then saw him rummaging around in her purse. An altercation ensued, and her aunt and two young cousins were killed. As a child, all Brown knew of the story was that someone had gone into their home and “hurt” her extended family and that they were now in heaven. Just that bit of knowledge scared her. “I was terrified as a kid. I thought someone was going to come in. I wasn’t scared of monsters. I was scared of a person,” she says. It wasn’t until years later that Brown pieced together what really happened on that fateful day. In the meantime, other things added to the trauma she experienced. At age 11, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of cancer. She underwent surgery to have an egg-sized tumor removed, and fortunately, the cancer had not spread to other organs. Brown eventually fell into depression and sought treatment to try to feel better. “I had never been to a psychiatrist, but I’m on medication,” she tells Dr. Amen in the episode. As Dr. Amen explains to her, 85% of psychiatric drugs are prescribed by non-psychiatrists—primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants—in brief, office visits. One study shows that 72% of antidepressant prescriptions are accompanied by no diagnosis in the medical charts. It’s no wonder these medications often fail, he says. Despite her newfound celebrity, Brown continues to be haunted by dark days. That’s part of what prompted her to visit Amen Clinics to get a brain SPECT scan. She was hoping it would give her clues to why she feels the way she does and why she acts the way she does.

THE BACHELORETTE’S BRAIN SCAN

Among the findings on Brown’s brain scan, which can be seen in the Scan My Brain episode, was a pattern of overactivity that is commonly seen in people who have experienced trauma. At Amen Clinics, this is referred to as the diamond pattern, and it is often associated with worry, anxiousness, and sadness. This helped Brown understand why she felt depressed. The good news for Brown and for anyone who has suffered from trauma or depression is that there are strategies that can help calm brain activity. Some beneficial strategies include: For Brown, balancing her brain is now a priority. In addition, becoming an advocate for mental health and sharing her story to help others and give them hope, is giving her own life purpose. She hopes that’s one step in the direction to greater happiness and fulfillment. Depression, trauma, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.