ARCHIVE

In 2019, for the first time in decades, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new type of drug for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The medication is an esketamine nasal spray that is derived from ketamine, a psychedelic drug that appears to have antidepressant properties and to be helpful for people with treatment-resistant depression. Only one-third of people with depression get complete relief from treatment with antidepressants, according to a 2014 study. 

Despite the FDA approval, ketamine still raises questions and cause for concern. How safe is it?

Psychiatry Goes Psychedelic

The current trend in treating psychiatric illnesses is to go beyond traditional pharmaceutical medications by using psychedelic drugs, especially ketamine, but also LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, ayahuasca, and ibogaine. 

First developed in the 1960s, ketamine was administered as an anesthetic and given to soldiers during the Vietnam War. Due to its hallucinogenic effects, ketamine has a reputation as a popular and illicit party drug, going by the nickname “Special K.” It dulls pain and users often feel detached or dissociated from their own body.

In 2000, researchers started studying ketamine as a treatment for depression and discovered that it improves mood much faster than traditional antidepressant medications, and sometimes works when other drugs have failed. 

Ketamine Shows Potential

More than 100 studies have shown that ketamine has antidepressant effects. For example:

Ketamine in the Brain

Unlike antidepressants, which work by enhancing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, ketamine is thought to change the way brain cells talk to each other—similar to a computer reboot or hardware fix. Basically, ketamine binds to receptors in the brain that trigger the production of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter that influences how neurons communicate. It is believed that this process has an impact on thinking patterns, moods, and more.

Although ketamine offers some promise, it is not a solo cure-all. Expecting a pill or nasal spray to provide a complete solution to depression is wishful thinking. To fully address any mental health condition, a comprehensive plan that factors in all the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of a person’s life is critical to any treatment plan.

The Downside of Ketamine

Ketamine is known to cause side effects, such as dissociation (out-of-body experiences), perceptual disturbances (feeling like time has slowed down, for example), high blood pressure, dizziness, and nausea. In addition, some research has found the drug may be addictive.

A 2018 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry argues for caution. It showed that the antidepressant effects of ketamine were eliminated with the opiate blocker naltrexone, meaning it worked by activating the opiate centers of the brain.

A review in Neurobiology of Stress that same year concluded that “both preclinical and clinical studies indicate that repeated treatment with low-dose ketamine infusions can have addictive properties and induce cognitive deficits.” 

And it remains unclear what happens when a person stops taking the drug.

In the long run, could it have similar damaging effects as other drugs of abuse and be causing more harm than good? Brain SPECT imaging has shown that opioids, benzodiazepines, and other drugs of abuse cause alterations in blood flow and activity in the brain that impair its function. More research on ketamine is needed to understand its long-term effects on the brain and to ensure its long-term safety.

At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging, which can reveal exposure toxins that are hurting the brain and impacting its function. Our brain imaging work has shown that some medications—such as benzodiazepines often prescribed for anxiety, as well as chemotherapy— have a harmful effect on the brain. We have helped many people overcome treatment-resistant depression using the least toxic, most effective therapies.

To learn more or to schedule your comprehensive evaluation, please visit us online or call 888-288-9834.

The search for effective ways to treat depression and other mental health conditions is expanding beyond typical pharmaceuticals. In particular, psychedelics are making waves as potential therapies for psychiatric disorders.

The hallucinogen ketamine made headline news in 2019 when it earned FDA approval as new drug therapy for depression. Another hallucinogen, psilocybin (the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms), was recently decriminalized in Denver and has also been gaining favor as a new approach for treatment-resistant depression and other mental health conditions.

But is taking a psychedelic trip on magic mushrooms safe for people with psychiatric issues?

What is Psilocybin?

Psilocybin is a natural hallucinogen that distorts perception and can cause profound visual and auditory hallucinations. People can have very different experiences form ingesting magic mushrooms.

Psychedelic effects can include:

Not everybody has such a magical experience. Some people have decidedly unpleasant reactions to the substance, including:

These positive or negative effects emerge about a half-hour after ingesting the substance and can last approximately 4-6 hours.

History of Psilocybin

People have been using psychoactive mushrooms for medicinal and religious purposes for thousands of years. In the 1950s, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, the man who gained notoriety for discovering LSD, synthesized the substance. This opened the door to clinical research using the drug as a potential therapy for a variety of psychiatric issues, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), substance abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression.

In 1970, the U.S. designated it as a Schedule I drug of the Controlled Substances Act, effectively criminalizing it and indicating that it has a high risk of abuse. This put an end to most clinical research until it resurfaced more recently.

How Do Magic Mushrooms Affect the Brain?

Scientists have long believed that psilocybin works by binding to serotonin receptors in the brain. This prevents the reuptake of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s involved with mood control, shifting attention, and cognitive flexibility. Antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) work in the same way to enhance serotonin.

A 2012 brain imaging study found that psilocybin also decreases brain activity in certain areas of the brain, including the thalamus, which is involved in the transfer of information.

“’Knocking out’ these key hubs with psilocybin appears to allow information to travel more freely in the brain, probably explaining why people’s imaginations become more vivid and animated and the world is experienced as unusual,” study author Robin Carhart-Harris told LiveScience.

Psilocybin as a Psychiatric Treatment

Some small studies suggest psilocybin may be helpful for treatment-resistant depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, addiction, cancer-related anxiety and depression, and more.

In spite of the growing body of research, a 2018 review of the existing scientific evidence claims our understanding of psilocybin’s effects is still in its infancy and suggests caution. “Progress needs to be made in explicitly understanding the cognitive and neural mechanistic process by which psilocybin works,” the authors say.

In addition, scientists have yet to determine if the use of psilocybin could have detrimental effects in the long run. We know that some pharmaceuticals prescribed to treat mental health issues can be harmful to the brain. For example, brain SPECT imaging studies have shown that some anti-anxiety drugs, such as benzodiazepines, have negative impacts on blood flow and activity in the brain.

More research on psilocybin is needed to know the lasting impacts on the brain and to establish whether it is safe on a long-term basis.

At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging, which can reveal exposure to toxins that are negatively impacting the brain. Our brain imaging work has shown that some medications—such as benzodiazepines often prescribed for anxiety, as well as chemotherapy— have a harmful effect on the brain. We have helped many people overcome treatment-resistant depression using the least toxic, most effective therapies.

To learn more or to schedule your comprehensive evaluation, please visit us online or call 888-288-9834.

Your brain is powered by electricity. At every moment of every single day, millions and millions of neurons in your brain are firing off electrical signals to communicate with other neurons to produce your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The signals that fly through your head create rhythmic brain waves that can be measured using a diagnostic tool called a Quantitative Electroencephalogram, or QEEG.

A QEEG is a form of “brain mapping” that can provide insight into the everyday functioning of your brain. This non-invasive tool can be helpful in assessing emotions, thinking patterns, stress and anxiety, impulsivity, and cognitive flexibility (or the lack thereof), as well as many other issues. A QEEG can show if brain activity is healthy, or if there are areas where there is too much activity or not enough activity.

Know the 5 Types of Brain Waves

There are 5 types of brain wave patterns that relate to various mental states.

  1. Delta brain waves are the slowest and typically occur while you’re sleeping.
  2. Theta brain waves are the next slowest and usually happen when you’re daydreaming when you’re in a state of deep meditation, or when you’re in that twilight stage between being wakefulness and sleep.
  3. Alpha brain waves are present when you’re feeling mentally and physically relaxed.
  4. Sensorimotor (SMR) brain waves occur when you’re awake and alert.
  5. Beta brain waves are the fastest and they occur when you’re problem-solving, actively learning, or otherwise involved in cognitive processing.

On any given day, we typically transition through all of these brain wave states at the appropriate times—slower patterns when we’re ready to go to bed and faster ones when we’re engaged in complex mental tasks. However, in some people, brain wave patterns don’t align with the desired mental state, which causes problems.

Brain Waves and Mental Health

What do brain waves have to do with psychiatry? Brain wave patterns have been associated with a range of mental health conditions.

For example, in a 2018 study appearing in the journal Cell, researchers looked at brain waves associated with communication between the amygdala and hippocampus, two brain regions known to be involved in emotional processing and mood. The researchers identified unique brain wave patterns that can be predictive of depression and anxiety. One of the study authors, Vikaas Sohal, says in a press release, “It’s really powerful to say to subjects that when you’re feeling down it’s due to communication between these two brain structures at a particular frequency. It helps everybody think about these things in a way that is destigmatizing and empowering.”

More than two decades ago, Dr. Joel Lubar at the University of Tennessee, spearheaded some of the earliest research on brain wave activity in children with ADD/ADHD. His findings showed that children with ADD/ADHD had excessive slow brain wave activity in the front part of their brain, which worsened when they tried to concentrate.

Brain wave patterns have also been noted in a variety of other mental health conditions, including anxiety and panic disorder, dementia, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, and schizophrenia. Distinctive patterns or brain waves have also been seen in traumatic brain injuries and sleep problems.

By measuring brain waves with QEEG, it’s possible to identify these patterns to get a more accurate diagnosis.

When QEEG and Brain SPECT Imaging Work Together

For some people, it’s beneficial to undergo both QEEG testing as well as brain SPECT imaging for a more complete picture of what is happening in the brain. SPECT measures blood flow in the brain and reveals areas with healthy blood flow, high blood flow, and low blood flow. Understanding both the electrical activity in the brain as well as blood flow levels can be especially helpful for people with memory problems, autism spectrum disorder, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.

Neurofeedback to Optimize Brain Wave Activity

Neurofeedback is a biofeedback technique that helps you gain control of your brain waves through self-regulation, so you can achieve a more desirable mental state. The ability to achieve and maintain a certain brain wave state is one of the keys to minimizing symptoms and enhancing cognitive and emotional health.

At Amen Clinics, we have performed over 10,000 QEEGs to help identify brain wave patterns associated with a variety of conditions. We can use the information from QEEG as a guide to determine the most effective solutions to help you change your brain and improve your memory, boost focus and attention, reduce depression, minimize anxiety, and enhance overall performance. 

For more information, call 888-288-9834 to talk to a specialist today or schedule a visit.

 

By Mark Filidei, DO

When patients present with anxiety, depression, attention problems, fuzzy thinking, irritability, insomnia, or other issues, most traditional psychiatrists simply dole out prescription medications to try to treat these problems. But these issues are just symptoms, and using a Band-Aid to mask symptoms without investigating and addressing their underlying causes will never work. Clinicians need to think like detectives and look at symptoms as clues to the real culprit.

Let’s look at two case studies.

Case Study #1

Joe was 65 years old when he came to see me with his wife Rita (not their real names) for couples counseling. Rita complained that Joe was “not himself anymore.”  He had abruptly changed two years earlier and started making very poor decisions. Rita was unhappy and wondered what had happened to the man she had married.

The traditional treatment route would have been to give Joe medication, such as Provigil, for his fuzzy thinking. But was it really cognitive impairment, the onset of Alzheimer’s, or something else?

Case Study #2

I met with 7-year-old Tyler (not his real name) and his mother, who complained about her son’s severe behavioral issues, filthy mouth, and extreme anger. Tyler had threatened to kill people, talked about violent acts, and had his parents worried that he would grow up to be a murderer. His mom was afraid Tyler would get kicked out of school and felt ashamed that she was raising a “sociopath.”

In traditional psychiatric care, Tyler may have been prescribed one or more drugs—such as stimulants, anticonvulsants, or antipsychotics—in an attempt to change his behavior. But were these medications the right answers to his problems?

Root Causes of Psychiatric Symptoms

At Amen Clinics, our brain imaging work has shown that many common “psychiatric” symptoms are actually related to biological causes. On brain SPECT scans, we often see evidence of encephalopathy (any abnormal condition of the structure or function of brain tissues) or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

Once again, abnormal brain scan results are often symptoms of another problem, clues that something else is in the body isn’t functioning optimally. In general, causes of encephalopathy fall into the following four categories:

To determine which one (or more than one) of these is causing the brain to look unhealthy, clinicians can perform specific lab tests, and they need to ask more probing questions.

Lab Workup for Encephalopathy

There are numerous lab tests available that can provide valuable information for the clinician. A lab workup for toxic encephalopathy may include the following:

Although these tests can offer critical data, they are only one portion of a comprehensive diagnostic process. Delving into a patient’s clinical history helps complete the picture.

Clinical History Questions

When encephalopathy is noted on brain scans, it should prompt you to ask patients a series of questions, including:

Combining the clues gleaned from the patient’s clinical history with the lab test results and the patterns seen on brain scans, the clinician can close in on what’s causing a patient’s symptoms. Let’s look at what the lab tests and clinical history questions revealed about our two case studies.

Case Study #1: Joe

Joe’s lab results showed off-scale high levels for toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies, as well as low testosterone levels. No amount of Provigil would have treated these issues.  In taking his clinical history, I discovered that the couple had gotten a cat a few years earlier, and Joe was tasked with changing the kitty litter. This is where he might have come in contact with toxoplasma gondii, a single-celled parasite that is often carried in cats and shed in their feces. With hormone replacement therapy (HRT), treatment for toxoplasmosis, and instructions to always wear gloves when changing the kitty litter, he is doing much better. His wife says she feels like she’s got her husband back.

Case Study #2: Tyler

Tyler, the 7-year-old’s lab tests showed abnormal results in his nutritional and metabolic panel. In particular, he had increased urinary excretion of 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl) 3-hydroxypropionic acid (HPHPA), an abnormal phenylalanine metabolite of Clostridium spp. found in the GI tract. Research in Nutritional Neuroscience shows that HPHPA has been found in higher concentrations in children with autism and also in people with psychosis related to schizophrenia. By enhancing Tyler’s gut health, it helped calm his aggressive behavior, and his mother was no longer afraid he would grow up to be a murderer.

In summary, clinicians must think of symptoms as clues to a deeper biological problem. Similarly, brain SPECT scans, lab tests, and a patient’s clinical history are other clues that help solve the mystery and lead to an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan.

About the Author: Mark Filidei, DO, Amen Clinics Orange County, CA

Dr. Mark Filidei is an Internal Medicine physician and is the Director of Integrative/Functional Medicine for Amen Clinics. Functional Medicine incorporates the latest developments in systems biology, genetics, and a deep understanding of human physiology to address complex medical and mental health issues. Dr. Filidei’s approach is to find the root cause of a person’s health problems including metabolic, genetic, and environmental factors, and to treat those problems in as natural a way as possible by using targeted nutritional supplements, correcting hormone and metabolic imbalances, improving lifestyle and diet, and detecting and treating toxin exposure and infections like mold and Lyme disease.

 

 

When you’re wracked with anxiety, filled with emptiness, or unable to stay focused, your family and friends may blame you for your problems and tell you that you just need to try harder. But no amount of willing yourself to be worry-free, forcing yourself to be happier, or trying to concentrate helps. It can make you feel like it’s all your fault and that your issues stem from personal weakness or character flaw.

When Feeling Bad Makes You Feel Worse

Sally was 40 years old when she was hospitalized for depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. She also had a short attention span, was easily distracted, couldn’t keep anything organized, and always felt restless. She had spent her entire life thinking she was lazy and felt bad about herself for not being as upbeat and carefree as her friends and colleagues.

She had dropped out of college because she couldn’t stay on top of her classwork even though she had an IQ of 140. Her marriage suffered because she tended to shut herself off from him when she felt down. And her son often got upset with her because she didn’t have it together like his friends’ moms. But she never sought help for her problems because she thought she had brought them upon herself. When she couldn’t simply “snap out of it” she started thinking she was worthless.

How Looking at Her Changed Everything

In the hospital, Sally continued to refuse treatment for her mental health issues. But when she was asked if she’d be interested in looking at her brain, she enthusiastically said yes. She was interested in getting more information to understand herself and why she was filled with anxiety and depression and sometimes thought about ending her own life.

Sally underwent two brain SPECT imaging studies—the first at rest and the second while she performed a concentration task. Her results were abnormal, and her brain showed patterns associated with anxiety and depression.

They also showed that at rest, she had good overall brain activity, especially in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), an area involved in planning, focus, follow-through, and organization. However, when she tried to focus, her brain actually dropped in activity, especially in the PFC. This is a classic pattern seen in ADD/ADHD whereas in people without the condition, concentration causes activity in the PFC to increase. This helped explain Sally’s lack of focus, inability to concentrate, and problems staying organized.

“You Mean, It’s Not All My Fault?”

When Sally saw the two brain scans in her hospital room and learned what they indicated, she started to cry and said, “You mean, it’s not all my fault?”  She finally realized that her issues weren’t simply psychological, and they weren’t a sign of some failure on her part. The problems she had suffered throughout her life had a biological basis—her brain wasn’t operating optimally.

Having ADD/ADHD—or any other mental health disorder—is just like needing glasses. People who wear glasses aren’t dumb, crazy, or stupid. Likewise, people who have ADD/ADHD aren’t dumb, crazy, or stupid. Their frontal lobes shut down when they’re supposed to turn on. And they need help to turn them back on so they can focus.

Brain-Body Treatment for a Biological Problem

This discovery helped Sally make sense of her life and finally opened her up to the idea of looking at her issues as biological problems that needed to be treated. But she didn’t want to simply take medication. She wanted to incorporate natural solutions as much as possible.

Her treatment plan was based on 4 Circles—biological, psychological, social, and spiritual—that influence mental health. From a biological standpoint, she agreed to start medication and also adopted a healthy nutrition plan, began exercising daily, and made sleep a priority. To help her psychologically, she began psychotherapy to help her deal with disappointments from her past. On a social level, she signed up for couples therapy and parent training. She also focused on developing a deep sense of purpose for her life to enhance her spiritual side.

In a short time, Sally felt calmer and more focused. She went back to school and finished her degree. Her relationship with her husband and son were better, and she no longer thought of herself as a failure, but rather as someone who needed help for a medical problem. When you understand mental health this way, you realize that not treating it really amounts to neglect. It’s like withholding glasses from someone who cannot see.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, or any other mental health issue, it’s time to stop blaming yourself. We use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to reveal signs of brain dysfunction so you can see the biological basis of your issues. The Amen Clinics Method takes an integrative approach to diagnosis and treatment includes looking at the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of your life to identify areas that can be optimized so you can start feeling better fast.

Take the first important step to a better life and call 888-288-9834 to talk to a specialist today or schedule a visit.

 

 

Multiple personality disorder, more commonly known as dissociative identity disorder (DID), is one of the most complex and misunderstood mental health conditions. Because it is shrouded in controversy and misinformation, it can be hard to know what’s real and what’s fake. For individuals suffering from the disorder, the prevailing myths can increase stigma and prevent you from seeking the help you need. It’s time to debunk the myths and get the facts about this condition.

Myth #1: Dissociative identity disorder is a fake condition.

Fact: DID is real.

Research has validated that dissociative identity disorder is a real condition. People with this disorder develop one or more alternate and distinct identities, known as “alters.” DID sufferers typically experience gaps in autobiographical memory and have issues with self-awareness and perception. It is one of a group of 3 conditions known as dissociative disorders. Having DID can seriously impact cognitive health and psychological well-being and can lead to trouble at work, at school, at home, and with friends and family.

Myth #2: DID is extremely rare.

Fact: This disorder isn’t as common as anxiety or depression, but it isn’t as rare as you might think.

Research shows that DID affects approximately 1% of the general population. That amounts to over 3 million people in the U.S. Signs and symptoms of the disorder emerge during childhood, but most people aren’t diagnosed until they reach about 30 years of age.

Myth #3: DID is really just borderline personality disorder with a different name.

Fact: Although a distorted sense of self is present in both conditions, DID and borderline personality disorder (BPD) are not the same.

Having borderline personality disorder makes people act impulsively and react with extreme, often inappropriate emotions. They tend to have very unstable relationships and wild mood swings. Those with DID are more likely to have memory loss, depersonalization (out-of-body experiences), derealization (feeling as though the people and things around you aren’t real), dissociative amnesia (losing time), and more.

One reason why people may confuse these two conditions is that it is not uncommon for them to co-occur. People with DID may also suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, substance use disorders, and suicidal thoughts.  

Myth #4: People with DID are violent.

Fact: People with this condition are no more likely to be violent than anybody else.

Most of what the general population believes about multiple personality disorder comes from the movies and TV. Horror flicks often depict people with DID as kidnappers or serial killers who terrorize others. That’s a patently false depiction. On the contrary, people who develop this condition are more likely to have been victims of violence. Chronic exposure to trauma, abuse, or neglect during childhood is seen in over 90% of those who develop the condition.

Having DID also makes people more likely to engage in self-harm or to attempt suicide. Research shows that more than 70% of outpatients with the condition have made at least one attempt to take their own life.

Myth #5: It’s obvious if a person has DID.

Fact: DID may be unidentifiable by a casual observer.

Most of the depictions we see of alternate personalities are extreme. Think of the 2016 movie Split, starring James McAvoy as a man with 23 distinct personalities who kidnaps 3 girls and imprisons them in a windowless room. His personalities include a prim and proper British woman, a 9-year-old boy, a sketch artist, a philosopher, a diabetic, and more.

In reality, alters can have different voices, ages, and genders, but they may not be so dramatically different that others would be able to notice them. A person’s alters often try to “blend in” to go unnoticed. Because of this, DID can go undetected for years.

Myth #6: The only way to diagnose DID is by symptom clusters.

Fact: DID is associated with a number of changes in the brain visible in neuroimaging studies.

Structural and functional changes in the brain related to memory, attention, and emotions have been documented in individuals with the condition. Specific areas that show abnormal activity or blood flow include:

Functional brain imaging studies offer more information to mental health professionals to aid in making an accurate diagnosis.

Myth #7: There’s no treatment for DID.

Fact: A number of therapies can help.

Contrary to popular belief, people can overcome DID by integrating alters into one cohesive identity. A variety of treatment options are available, and people tend to respond well to treatment. Although there aren’t medications specifically targeted to treating DID, drug therapy can help manage symptoms of co-occurring disorders. Some of the more common treatments outside of medication include psychotherapy, hypnosis, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR has proven to be especially helpful for those who have been exposed to trauma.

At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive assessment to identify areas of the brain that are working well and areas with abnormal activity or blood flow. Brain imaging allows us to detect co-occurring disorders that are commonly seen in DID. With this information, we are able to personalize treatment using the least toxic, most effective solutions to help you gain control of your identity and your life.

To learn more or to schedule your comprehensive evaluation, please visit us online or call 888-288-9834.

 

By Rishi Sood, MD, ABPN

Imagine waking up every morning feeling sad, exhausted and hopeless.  You go to the doctor and after a brief visit, you are prescribed a medication that is intended to increase serotonin (the “happy” chemical).  After 4 to 6 weeks you are told that you should see improvement, but your symptoms get worse.   You return to the doctor and are told to discontinue the treatment and over the course of several years go through several medication trials and all sorts of psychotherapy, which do not help.  More aggressive approaches are tried.  However, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, ECT, and Ketamine (used in treatment-resistant cases) fail to provide relief.  Over this time period, your marriage ends, you become unemployed and the only purpose to continue living is to see your children grow.  Unfortunately, this had been Kevin’s journey when he arrived at the Amen Clinics New York in September of 2017.

When I met Kevin for an initial consultation, he shared that we were his last hope.  We agreed that we needed to take a deeper look to determine what we were missing.  We began by taking a detailed childhood developmental history.

It was evident that Kevin was exposed to early childhood trauma. His earliest memories were of his parents arguing with the quarrels turning violent when his father would drink alcohol.  His older sister would intervene, while Kevin would avoid conflict altogether and use video games to escape reality.  Kevin was described by peers and teachers as a shy, introverted, well-behaved boy, but what no one could see is how much Kevin struggled with focus.  When teachers would lecture, he would zone out or, as he described it “my brain would shut down.”  Completing homework took more than four hours when it should have taken one to two hours to complete.  Kevin was able to get “average” grades but often felt inferior as his parents would compare him to Asian peers who were excelling in their tight-knit community.  His mother would tell him to work harder and berate him for being lazy.  During his adolescence, Kevin turned to marijuana to numb his feelings of inadequacy and decrease overall stress.

Hearing this, I began to think of Kevin’s poor brain.  I had an idea of what could be going on but needed to actually look at his brain to really have a clear picture.

When we scanned his brain, several subcortical structures were much more active as compared to healthy controls for his age group.  A “diamond pattern” was seen in both resting and concentration states.  We often see this pattern in individuals who have experienced emotional trauma and suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  It was as if Kevin’s brain was on high alert ready to defend against any threat when there was no threat. 

Initial SPECT scans showing high activity in subcortical regions.

It was also evident that Kevin had frontal lobe dysfunction which worsened when he concentrated.  The frontal lobe is the “Executive Center” of our brain and governs concentration and short-term memory.  This explained Kevin’s struggles in school and in his marriage where he reported: “not being able to keep up with daily responsibilities which led to severe disaccord between me and my ex-wife.” 

In order to effectively help Kevin, it was imperative that both systems (frontal lobe and subcortical) needed to be targeted.  Upon review of prior treatment plans, both systems were in fact targeted but never together.

The first phase of treatment involved quieting the subcortical circuitry without causing further frontal lobe dysfunction.  Our research has shown that a particular class of medications (SNRI-Selective Serotonin Norepinephrine Inhibitors) can drastically reduce depressive symptoms when dealing with these specific brain patterns.  We started Venlafaxine (SNRI) and within six weeks Kevin began to report less obsessional thinking, and agitation and was no longer in a constant “fight or flight state.” 

To help further decrease the high activity in the emotional trauma circuitry, Kevin completed several sessions of Eye Movement Desensitization Processing (EMDR). During the EMDR therapy, Kevin attended to emotionally disturbing material (i.e. witnessing his father physically abusing his mother). The EMDR therapy facilitated the accessing of his traumatic memory network so that information processing was enhanced, with new associations forged between the traumatic memory and more adaptive memories or information.  Kevin reported that the memories “no longer controlled me, it was as if I was free from the past.”

Despite his improvement, Kevin continued to report struggling with attention which made sense as we still had work to do on his frontal lobe.  Kevin and I agreed to take more of a natural approach, before adding more medication.  We started Omega 3 Power and L-Tyrosine to increase dopamine levels.  Within two weeks Kevin reported improved concentration and within three months read a novel cover to cover for the first time in his life. 

Kevin understood that taking the medication and supplementation provided the scaffolding to aid in recovery.  To take his brain health to the next level he would need to do more.  Now that the depression had lifted, he was motivated.  Kevin began to exercise (High-Intensity Interval Training 3 times per week) and eliminated processed sugar from his diet.  This further increased energy levels and enhanced sleep.

In just 6 months, Kevin’s condition had dramatically improved and he reported having a “new lease on life.”

As I reflect on Kevin’s case, I cannot help but wonder, “What would have happened to Kevin had we not looked at his brain?”   I do not believe we would have been able to help Kevin.  This case highlights how critical it is to understand the interplay of brain systems and how optimization in a specific sequence can lead to dramatic improvement.  

We continue in our quest in helping others, with the hope that one day everyone will have the opportunity that Kevin had.  When Kevin changed his brain by doing the things we recommended, he changed his life.

About the Author: Rishi Sood, MD, ABPN

Dr. Sood values working with adults and children across all age ranges. He is experienced in mood and anxiety disorders, addiction, ADD/ADHD, impulsive/disruptive behavior disorders, Autism Spectrum, psychotic disorders, OCD, and PTSD. He uses dynamic as well as cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, family psychotherapy and works to integrate pharmacotherapy and alternative therapies to optimize brain health and function. Behavioral change is a process and Dr. Sood incorporates a motivational interviewing approach into evaluations to support the client and meet them where they are at, offering client-centered care. He firmly believes that clients do well with continued support in their journey toward optimal brain health.

 

When you think about hypnosis, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? A stage act where some celebrity hypnotist makes you do stupid and embarrassing things in front of the audience just for laughs? You’re not alone.

Many people are unaware of what hypnosis can do for you, especially when it comes to using it as a mental health treatment or for medical conditions. The American Medical Association recognized hypnotherapy as a standard medical treatment back in 1958, and the American Psychological Association followed suit by endorsing it as a branch of psychology in 1960. Since then, it has been used to help people overcome a variety of symptoms and conditions, including:

1. Soothe anxiety

If you’re suffering from anxiety, hypnosis can help. Think of hypnosis as your body’s natural soothing power source. It can help you change your state of mind from anxious to calm.

2. Lose weight

Hypnosis can help you change the way you think, feel, and react to food. It can also alter the way you view exercise and other lifestyle habits that can contribute to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

3. Stop smoking

Smoking is highly addictive, but hypnosis can help you break the habit. Even people who have tried quitting several times without success have given up cigarettes through hypnosis.  

4. Conquer chronic pain

Research shows that hypnosis can help you take control of your thought patterns and breathing methods to manage and overcome chronic pain.

5. Get better sleep

Hypnosis and self-hypnosis can calm a busy brain, so you can fall asleep faster and get a better night’s rest.

In a 4-part series on The Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast with special guest Dr. Jeffrey Zeig, the founder and director of the Milton H. Erickson Foundation, who has studied with one of the world’s most famous hypnotists, you’ll discover more about the many benefits of hypnosis.

In this remarkable series, you’ll learn:

Listen to the 4-part series on hypnosis with Dr. Jeffrey Zieg on the Brain Warrior’s Way Podcast.

At Amen Clinics, we have used hypnosis as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to help thousands of people with mental health issues so you can minimize your symptoms and stick with a brain-healthy program. If you or a loved one might benefit from a brain-body approach to healing, call 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a special psychotherapeutic technique that can be a very powerful treatment for people who have been emotionally traumatized. EMDR therapy uses eye movements or other alternate hemisphere stimulation to remove the emotional charges of traumatic memories.

As part of EMDR therapy sessions, a therapist may direct you to hold specific memories in mind while tracking the therapist’s hand as it moves back and forth across your field of vision. Diverting your attention in this way while you recall a traumatic event has been found to minimize the emotional response connected to the memory. Researchers believe the therapy activates mechanisms in the brain that help you process the memory and distressing emotions.

Processing Traumatic Memories in the Brain

The brain is naturally wired to help us recover from traumatic events and distressing memories. The healing process involves communication between a variety of brain regions, such as the hippocampus (memory-making center), amygdala (fear center), and prefrontal cortex (behavior center). In some people, however, events can be so traumatic it disrupts the normal flow of neural communication and memories get stuck, making you can feel like you are frozen in time. EMDR helps you get unstuck by restoring the communication process.

What Research Shows About EMDR

Numerous studies show that EMDR therapy offers benefits for emotional trauma and PTSD that typically take years to achieve in psychotherapy alone. A 2014 review of the existing research indicates that 24 randomized controlled studies point to benefits from EMDR treatment for emotional trauma and adverse life events. This review also showed that in some studies, 84% to 90% of people who have experienced a single trauma found relief from PTSD symptoms after just 3 EMDR sessions that lasted 90 minutes each.

In a controlled study by Kaiser Permanente, 67 individuals who had experienced trauma were assigned either to standard care treatment or EMDR. Compared to standard care, the EMDR group showed significantly more improvement on measures of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. In a subsequent study from the same team at Kaiser Permanente, follow-ups on the original study participants at 3 months and 6 months showed that improvements from EMDR had been maintained. The authors concluded that long-lasting benefits can be achieved with relatively few EMDR sessions.

Based on this growing body of research, the American Psychiatric Association and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs have recognized EMDR therapy as an effective treatment for PTSD. A growing body of research on EMDR therapy shows promising results in its effectiveness for other conditions, such as depression, addictions, and more.

Who Can Benefit from EMDR?

EMDR is primarily used to treat people suffering from emotional trauma, but it may also be beneficial for people struggling with other problems. According to the EMDR International Association, practitioners currently use EMDR therapy to address a wide array of issues, including but not limited to:

What’s Involved in EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy involves 8 phases that incorporate a variety of elements. It includes looking at past memories, current triggers, and skills and behaviors that can help you in the future.

Phase 1:  History and Treatment Planning

A therapist will review your history, identify specific memories to target, and create a treatment plan.

Phase 2: Preparation

The therapist will share several techniques to help you cope with any emotional distress that may arise during treatment.

Phases 3: Assessment

During this portion of the treatment, you will be directed to identify 3 things associated with the targeted memory to be processed:

Phase 4: Desensitization

As you hold these things in mind, the EMDR processing begins. After the therapist performs the hand movements or other stimulation, you will be asked to let your mind go blank. Then you may either return to continue processing that same memory or move on to process other memories.

Phase 5: Installation

Here you replace the negative belief you had about yourself with a positive belief. For example, a victim of assault may go from believing “I am powerless” to believing “I am in control.”

Phase 6: Body Scan

During this phase, your therapist will work with you to resolve any remaining physical tension or bodily sensations related to the memory.

Phase 7: Closure

The therapist will ensure that at the end of each session, you feel better than when it started. Your therapist will also provide you with strategies to help you handle any distressing emotions that come up in between sessions and will ask you to maintain a journal where you write down any issues that arise.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At each session, you and your therapist will assess your progress so far and adjust your treatment plan as needed.

Steven’s EMDR Story

To help you understand how EMDR can work for emotional trauma like PTSD, take a look at Steven’s story.

Steven, a 33-year-old bicycle repair mechanic working in Santa Monica, California, took an early lunch on a summer day in 2003 and walked to the local farmer’s market. Within minutes, disaster struck when an 87-year-old man lost control of his car and barreled through the throngs of people at the market. The car was headed straight for Steven, who later said, “I thought he was going to run over my legs…I thought I would lose my legs.”

At the last possible moment, Steven was able to jump out of the way, but 10 people were killed and more than 50 were injured. Traumatized, Steven went back to work.  But for months, he couldn’t sleep, and he shook constantly. As in the case of most people who develop PTSD, the Santa Monica farmer’s market disaster was not Steven’s only trauma. He grew up in a severely abusive alcoholic home and also faced death as a tank commander during the Gulf War.

Steven decided to undergo an evaluation and EMDR therapy as a component of his treatment. As part of his assessment, Steven underwent 3 brain scans using brain SPECT imaging technology—before treatment, during his first EMDR session, and after 8 hours of EDMR treatments.

Initially, his brain scan showed a diamond pattern that is often seen in PTSD, with an overactive limbic area, basal ganglia, and anterior cingulate. Then with the help of a trained EMDR therapist, Steven began clearing out the traumas—one by one. His brain actually showed benefit during the first treatment and was markedly improved after only 8 hours of treatment. Steven’s shaking had subsided, and he felt significantly better. With EMDR, Steven was able to change his brain and change his life for the better.

PTSD, emotional 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.

Do you constantly worry about what people think of you? Do you feel nervous all the time? Do you get panicky in certain situations? Or do you have any of the following symptoms: • Headaches • Pounding heart • Panic attacks • A tendency to predict the worst • Bothersome fears • Being easily startled Everybody feels nervous from time to time, but if you are wracked with anxious thoughts and feelings, you may have anxiety. You’re not alone. Anxiety disorders are common and an estimated 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from the condition. And did you know that women are twice as likely as men to have anxiety? Our society tends to view anxiety as a character flaw or personal weakness, but is it really mental illness?

Anxiety Is Not a Mental Disorder, It Is a Brain Disorder

Brain imaging shows that anxiety is the result of a biological problem in the brain. These changes in brain function can be caused by several things, including hormonal imbalances, exposure to toxins, or nutritional deficiencies.

Why Anxiety Treatment Doesn’t Always Work

Unfortunately, less than 40% of people with anxiety seek treatment. When they do, treatment doesn’t always work. In part, this is because most doctors never look at the brain and many don’t run lab tests to see if there are other biological causes contributing to feelings of anxiety. For example, if the underlying problem is hormonal imbalance, no amount of psychiatric medication is going to help. And many anti-anxiety drugs actually harm your brain and make you vulnerable to other conditions. In addition, anxiety isn’t a simple or single disorder. One size does NOT fit all. Treatment that works for one person won’t work for everybody, and it could even make you worse!

7 Types of Anxiety

Brain scans reveal that there are different patterns within the brain associated with anxiety. In fact, brain imaging has identified 7 types of anxiety: Type 1: Pure Anxiety Type 2: Pure Depression Type 3: Mixed Anxiety Type 4: Over-focused Anxiety Type 5: Temporal Lobe Anxiety Type 6: Cyclic Anxiety Type 7: Unfocused Anxiety Knowing your type is important because each anxiety type requires individualized treatment. With an accurate diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan, you can heal from anxiety and start to feel better fast. At Amen Clinics, we use leading brain imaging technology to accurately diagnose anxiety types. In addition, we take a comprehensive brain-body approach to treatment that involves the least toxic, most effective strategies. This includes utilizing natural supplements, nutrition, exercise, helpful forms of therapy, and medication (when necessary)—all personalized for your specific type of anxiety. If you’re suffering from feelings of anxiety, don’t wait to seek professional help. Call 1-888-288-9834 or schedule a visit today.