As you can see, there are numerous ways that your brain and its function can be damaged—and many of them may have surprised you. BUT even if you have several on this list, there are still ways to help your brain get better!
Brain SPECT Imaging for Hurt Brains
How can you find out if you have damaged your brain? Looking at the brain with advanced imaging technology called SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) can help. SPECT looks at blood flow and activity in the brain and can show 3 very important things:
Areas of the brain that work well
Areas that don’t work hard enough (low activity)
Areas that work too hard (overactive)
Depending on what has harmed the brain, it can result in having areas of low activity, high activity, or both. Being able to see areas of the brain that aren’t functioning optimally can help determine what might be hurting the brain. This is an important step because knowing what caused (or is continuing to cause) damage to the brain is critical to healing the brain.
There’s Hope for Healing Your Brain
Although every brain is unique, all brains can benefit from being in a healing environment. Simply put, this means avoiding things that hurt your brain, such as toxins, more concussions, and a poor diet, while incorporating simple lifestyle changes that support your brain health, such as:
Learning to challenge your automatic negative thoughts that can otherwise ruin your mood and your day.
Your brain is the organ of you. It is involved with everything you do, feel, think, and decide, and when it works well, you work well. When it is troubled—for any of the reasons listed above or others—you are more likely to have trouble in your life. Even if your brain has been hurt, it can get better when you choose to do the right things to take care of it and help it heal.
Traumatic or toxic brain injuries, 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 (or a loved one) have ADD/ADHD, you may struggle with focus and attention, be easily distracted, feel spacey, or be a procrastinator. At some times of the day or on certain days of the week, you may notice that your symptoms seem more pronounced. You probably chalk it up to stress or bad sleep, but in many cases, it could be what you’re eating that intensifies your ADD/ADHD symptoms and makes it harder to get things done. Food can have a powerful effect—either positive or negative—on cognitive function, emotions, and behavior. The right diet can decrease the amount of ADD/ADHD medication needed. The wrong diet can exacerbate ADD/ADHD symptoms.
Food can have a powerful effect—either positive or negative—on cognitive function, emotions, and behavior. The right diet can decrease the amount of ADD/ADHD medication needed. The wrong diet can exacerbate ADD/ADHD symptoms.
At Amen Clinics, dietary interventions are an important part of a treatment plan for ADD/ADHD, a common mental health condition that affects over 6 million kids and 4.4% of adults in the U.S. However, not all people with this condition are alike. The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics has identified 7 types of ADD/ADHD and it’s important to eat for your type. (You can take the Amen Clinics quiz to discover your ADD Type here.) When patients begin to eat for their ADD Type they tend to notice better mood stability, focus, energy, and stamina as well as less distractibility and fewer sugar cravings. You can too by following these tips.
Think higher protein, lower carbs for most ADD Types.
In general, most people with ADD/ADHD do better on a higher-protein, lower-carbohydrate diet that enhances focus. People with ADD/ADHD tend to have low levels of dopamine, so it’s a good idea to eat foods that tend to increase dopamine such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, seeds (pumpkin and sesame), nuts (almonds and walnuts), cheese, protein powders, and green tea.
Special dietary recommendations for Type 3 Overfocused ADD.
The recommendation for a higher-protein, lower-carb diet isn’t the case for people with Type 3 Overfocused ADD. This ADD Type is associated with low serotonin, in addition to the low dopamine levels that are seen in the other types. The Overfocused ADD Type is often associated with excessive worry, moodiness, rigid thinking, and irritability. With this type, the problem isn’t that you can’t pay attention, it’s that you can’t stop paying attention, which means you get stuck on negative thoughts or behaviors. A higher-protein, lower-carb diet that improves focus may cause people with Overfocused ADD to focus even more on the things that bother them. Dietary interventions for this type need to include naturally increasing serotonin with smart carbs such as sweet potatoes, apples, blueberries, carrots, gluten-free steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa, and chickpeas.
Kick the caffeine habit.
A brain imaging study in Human Brain Mapping shows that caffeine decreases overall blood flow to the brain, which in turn will make ADD /ADHD symptoms worse over time in all 7 types. Based on over 30 years of clinical practice at Amen Clinics, caffeine decreases the effectiveness of medication and supplement treatments and increases the number of side effects people have from medication.
Rule out refined carbs: Simple carbohydrate foods zap concentration. Refined carbs are loaded with sugar or substances that are easily broken down into sugar in the body. They trigger a quick spike then a crash in blood sugar levels that leaves people feeling spacey, confused, tired, and inattentive. In addition, simple carbs spike serotonin levels in the brain, which make you feel temporarily happier and more relaxed. Sounds great, but serotonin can also give people a “don’t worry, be happy” attitude that drains motivation and drive. Not exactly the best mindset for work or school. Stick with smart carbs, such as those indicated above for people with the Overfocused ADD Type.
Focus on protein for breakfast.
When it comes to what we eat at mealtime, Americans have it all wrong. We tend to eat simple carbs in the morning and have more protein-based meals at night. But eating a typical breakfast of pancakes, waffles, muffins, bagels, or cereal can increase ADD/ADHD-like symptoms and set you up for a challenging day at the office or in the classroom. It’s better for people with ADD/ADHD to eat protein in the morning. Protein, found in meat, nuts, or eggs, boosts dopamine levels and helps us feel more driven, motivated, and focused. A better breakfast for most ADD Types would be hard-boiled eggs, nuts, chopped veggies, and fruit, or a protein drink like this Focus and Energy Smoothie.
Snack for success.
For many parents, the go-to after-school snack for their kids involves a few cookies and a soda—a nasty combo of refined carbs and caffeine. This is followed by a reminder to kids that it’s time to do their homework. In this all-too-common scenario, parents unintentionally sabotage their children’s ability to concentrate on their homework and complete it. Better snack options—for kids and adults—include an apple with almond butter or red bell peppers with hummus.
Avoid potential food allergens: A growing body of research shows that potential allergens—gluten, corn, soy, artificial dyes, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and dairy—may trigger ADD/ADHD-like symptoms in some people. Food additives and colorings, such as red dye 40, can cause hyperactivity in children with no history of the problem, according to a study in the prestigious journal The Lancet. Clinical practice at Amen Clinics suggests this may affect adult patients, too. In other research from the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands, 85% of children who followed an elimination diet showed an improvement of 50% or more and no longer met the criteria for ADHD.
ADD/ADHD and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. We are dedicated to using the most effective, least toxic solutions including dietary interventions, nutritional supplements, and more. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834or visit our contact page here. Are you struggling with the effects of a head injury, mental health conditions, cognitive issues, memory problems, or symptoms of long-haul COVID? There’s a natural brain rescue solution that may help—hyperbaric oxygen therapy. A 2021 review in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease analyzed results from 391 research studies on HBOT for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The authors concluded that “based on the outcomes of clinical and experimental studies, this review advocates the use of HBOT for the treatment of AD.” Clinical trials are underway to assess the effectiveness of HBOT for the treatment of long-haul COVID. The healing power of HBOT can be effective in a variety of other ways too.
Are you struggling with the effects of a head injury, mental health conditions, cognitive issues, memory problems, or symptoms of long-haul COVID? There’s a natural brain rescue solution that may help—hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a non-invasive therapy in which you breathe 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. With HBOT, your lungs can take in up to 3 times more oxygen than they do when breathing at normal air pressure. This is beneficial for the treatment of injuries because your brain and body need higher amounts of oxygen to heal damaged tissue. The increased oxygen from HBOT is transported to the brain and body via the bloodstream to accelerate the healing process.
HBOT FOR BRAIN RESCUE
Brain rescue in the time of COVID is based on one simple idea. If you want to keep your brain healthy or rescue it if it’s headed to a dark place, you need to prevent or treat the 11 major risk factors that steal your mind. What’s exciting is that HBOT has shown benefits for all of these risk factors, which are easy to remember with the mnemonic BRIGHT MINDS.
B is for blood flow.
Low blood flow is the #1 brain imaging predictor of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also associated with depression, ADD/ADHD, schizophrenia, and alcohol abuse. Anything that negatively impacts blood flow is bad for the brain. For example, if you have hypertension, as blood pressure goes up, blood flow to the brain goes down. A study in the Journal of Neurotrauma on 16 military personnel showed that blood flow increased after one single hyperbaric session, and it went up significantly after 40 sessions.
R is for retirement and aging.
Think about how your face ages—a few wrinkles when you’re 55 and a whole bunch more by the time you’re 85. That same process is happening in your brain, but it doesn’t have to. HBOT has been shown to reverse aging in a 2020 study from Israel in the journal Aging.
I is for inflammation.
When you have chronic inflammation in your body, it’s like you have a low-level fire destroying your organs. Inflammation is associated with depression, Alzheimer’s disease, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and more. A number of studies point to the anti-inflammatory properties of HBOT.
G is for genetics.
Genes are not a death sentence, they are a wake-up call. If you have one or more family members with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you’re at a higher risk of losing your mind. Look at Chalene Johnson, who has a family history of Alzheimer’s disease. When she had her brain scanned at Amen Clinics, her SPECT scan showed decreased activity in multiple areas, including the parietal lobe, meaning her brain was already headed to early Alzheimer’s disease. By doing HBOT, her brain improved as seen on a follow-up brain scan 2 years later.
H is for head trauma.
Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of psychiatric problems, but few people know it. The good news is that you can reverse the damage. If you put the brain in a healing environment, it can get better. That was the conclusion of a 2013 brain SPECT imaging study in Plos One on HBOT as a treatment for TBI. In this randomized prospective trial, 56 patients who were 1-5 years post-concussion did 40 sessions of HBOT. The results revealed improved cognitive function, attention, memory processing speed, and executive function, as well as enhanced quality of life, and better blood flow.
T is for toxins.
Most people know alcohol is not a health food. Many people don’t know marijuana is not innocuous. In an Amen Clinics brain imaging study on nearly 1,000 marijuana users, every area of the brain was lower compared to a healthy group. Other toxins that are harmful to brain health include smoking, mold exposure, carbon monoxide, cancer chemotherapy, radiation, and heavy metal exposure (mercury, lead, and aluminum). To decrease toxic load, limit your exposure to toxins and support the 4 organs of detoxification—kidneys, digestive system, skin, and liver. HBOT can help detoxify you as well.
M is for mental health.
Mental health issues, chronic stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), grief, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADD/ADHD skyrocketed during the pandemic. Meet Doug, who struggled with anxiety, depression, and brain fog. His brain scan at Amen Clinics didn’t look healthy. On a treatment program including supplements and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, his brain scan looked much better 3 months later. In the 2013 brain SPECT imaging study in Plos One mentioned earlier, HBOT helped with mood and trauma.
I is for immunity and infections.
Some scary news has been emerging about the potential long-term impacts of COVID-19 on brain health. For example, a recent brain imaging study from a team of researchers in the United Kingdom found that the coronavirus may cause lasting loss of brain tissue. The researchers compared pre- and post-COVID brain scans in 394 people and detected a significant loss of gray matter in regions of the brain associated with smell and taste. Your best defense against COVID-19 is your immune system, and hyperbaric oxygen has been found to boost immunity.
N is for neurohormone deficiencies.
One of the things many people don’t realize is if you’ve had a traumatic brain injury, it often hurts the pituitary gland, which is involved in hormone production. It can actually turn off or turn down production. In a 2020 documentary called Quiet Explosions, HBOT and hormonal therapy are discussed as therapies for healing the brain.
D is for diabesity.
Having diabetes and obesity can be detrimental to brain health and puts you at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, depression, and other conditions. How can HBOT help? A 2015 study shows that hyperbaric oxygen can improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.
S is for Sleep.
Did you know that 60 million Americans have sleep-related issues, such as chronic insomnia and sleep apnea? Sleep apnea makes your brain look like you have early Alzheimer’s disease. A growing body of research shows that HBOT improves oxygen saturation in sleep apnea as well as quality of sleep.
If you’re recovering from a concussion, struggling with memory problems or cognitive dysfunction, or dealing with mental health issues, don’t wait. Seeking a treatment plan that includes non-invasive, non-medication options such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be beneficial in the healing process.At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer HBOT, in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834or visit our contact page here. Intense emotions. Mood instability. Impulsivity. These are characteristic symptoms of borderline personality disorder… and bipolar disorder. Because they share some overlapping symptoms, these two psychiatric conditions are sometimes confused. Making things even murkier is the fact that they may be co-occurring, meaning a person can have both conditions simultaneously. Research in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience shows that approximately 1 in 5 people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) also has bipolar disorder (BD), and about 30% of those with BD were also diagnosed with BPD. But the two disorders are not the same. Here are the basics you need to know about each of them.
Intense emotions. Mood instability. Impulsivity. These are characteristic symptoms of borderline personality disorder…and of bipolar disorder. Because they share overlapping symptoms, these two conditions are sometimes confused.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a type of personality disorder that is associated with instability in moods, emotions, self-image, and relationships. Impulsivity and strong emotional reactions are also common in this condition, which affects an estimated 1.6% to 5.9% of the population. Women account for 75% of those diagnosed with BPD, but experts suggest that the disorder may be underdiagnosed in men. Males who report symptoms of BPD are more likely to be misdiagnosed with issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression.
WHAT IS BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by significant changes in mood, energy, and activity levels that shift in a cyclical pattern. The highs are known as manic episodes while the lows are called depressive episodes. An estimated 6 million American men and women are affected by the condition, which is also seen in kids and teens.
SYMPTOMS OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER
Borderline personality disorder is associated with a wide variety of symptoms, including:
Distorted self-image: These individuals often have a poor sense of self.
Extreme emotional reactions: People with BPD can have inappropriate or exaggerated emotional responses to stressful situations, ranging from anger to deep sadness.
Dramatic mood swings: Moods can change rapidly and often.
Impulsivity: People with BPD may engage in risky behaviors, such as substance abuse, having unprotected sex, unsafe driving, and overspending.
Instability in relationships: These individuals have a tendency to see people as all good or all bad, viewing them as either an ally or an enemy. And this perception can change quickly.
Fear of rejection: Having a sense of dread that they will be abandoned is commonly seen, but extreme emotional reactions and mood swings tend to push others away. This can worsen symptoms.
Self-harm: People with BPD are at increased risk of suicide with almost 80% of sufferers making a suicide attempt at some point during their lifetime. Up to 10% of those with the condition die by suicide.
Co-occurring disorders: Other conditions seen in people with BPD include bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, PTSD, eating disorders, and addictions. Co-existing conditions make it more challenging to diagnose BPD.
SYMPTOMS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER
People with the condition typically experience a broad range of symptoms.
During manic episodes, symptoms may include:
Abnormally elevated mood, energy, and self-esteem: This can make a person feel superhuman as if they can accomplish anything.
Grandiose notions, ideas, or plans: A sudden flurry of new goals and an interest in undertaking a slew of new projects is common.
Racing thoughts: People say it’s like they can’t turn their minds off.
Risky behavior: Poor judgment can lead to extreme impulsiveness, such as hypersexuality, gambling, and more.
Delusions or hallucinations: Some people experience characteristics of psychosis.
During depressive episodes, symptoms may include:
Low mood: People may feel persistent sadness and negativity.
Loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities: Feeling no joy from the things you typically like doing is common.
Low self-worth: Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness may be present.
Decreased energy: Feeling fatigued or “slowed down” is a common complaint.
Suicidal thoughts: A 2019 study shows that 20%-60% of people with BD attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime.
CAUSES OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AND BIPOLAR DISORDER
Research points to a number of factors that may contribute to the development of BPD or BD, including:
Genetics: Having a close family member with BPD or BD may increase your risk.
Exposure to trauma: Exposure to traumatic events or experiencing childhood abuse, neglect, or abandonment appears to be common in people with borderline personality disorder or bipolar disorder.
Environmental factors: Toxins (such as toxic mold), infections like Lyme disease, substance abuse, and other toxins can negatively impact brain function and contribute to changes in personality and moods.
BRAIN IMAGING IN BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AND BIPOLAR DISORDER
Brain SPECT imaging, which measures blood flow and activity, reveals abnormal brain activity in people with BPD and/or BD. On brain scans, borderline personality disorder is often associated with abnormal activity in the fear and emotional centers of the brain. In addition, SPECT reveals that mild traumatic brain injuries are a major cause of psychiatric symptoms, including many of the same changes in mood, personality, and behavior that are seen in people with BPD or BD. Brain scans are also helpful in detecting co-existing conditions.
TREATING BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AND BIPOLAR DISORDER
There is hope for people who are struggling with BPD and/or BD. With an accurate diagnosis and a comprehensive treatment plan that may include medication (as necessary), nutritional supplements, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes, people with these conditions can minimize and manage symptoms. Research in Archives of General Psychiatry found that 85% of people who sought treatment for BPD no longer met the criteria for the disorder 10 years later. A pair of studies from 2017 found that enhancing resilience and self-management in bipolar disorder improved treatment success.
Borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
July is BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color) Mental Health Awareness Month.
For BIPOC communities, racial trauma, or race-based traumatic stress (RBTS) is a common, yet often overlooked, factor that can complicate the clinical presentation. Symptoms can look very similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and can include depressed mood, hypervigilance, low self-esteem, and/or somatic symptoms such as headaches, GI distress, and insomnia. It is important to note that according to research from the American Psychological Association, unlike PTSD, RBTS is not a mental health disorder but rather a mental and emotional injury that can occur as the result of living within a racist system or experiencing events of racism.
As mental health professionals, it is imperative to be aware of the unique emotional health challenges that your BIPOC patients may bring into the treatment room.
Thinking in 3’s can help you become better equipped to address racial trauma in your clinical practice. These 3 factors are Context, Clarity, and Action:
Factor 1: Context
One of the best ways to help your patients is by educating yourself about the social, cultural, and systemic factors that influence wellness. This is not an instant fix, but a long-term commitment to self-study. Note that I said SELF-study. Although it may be tempting to ask your BIOPC patients to educate you about aspects of their culture that you are not familiar with, this really creates an added burden of emotional labor for individuals who are already in emotional pain. Your patients are coming to you for guidance in their most vulnerable moments—one of the best ways to honor them is by doing your own work.
Where to start: A great place to turn is Harvard University’s Resources and Reading on Racial Justice, Racial Equity, and Anti-Racism published by the Institutional Anti-Racism and Accountability Project (IARA) at the Shorenstein Center. The US Dept of Health and Human Services also has a host of resources available.
Factor 2: Clarity
Continuously engaging in critical self-reflection is essential to understanding your own personal blind spots and how those blind spots may be impacting how you engage with clients from communities that have historically been denied equal access to power and opportunity. This self-reflection can be difficult at times because our brains are wired to seek consistency in thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Any conflict results in discomfort. Leon Festinger, an American social psychologist termed this tendency “cognitive dissonance.
Where to start: Rather than avoiding discomfort, try altering your beliefs toward the discomfort by asking yourself the following questions:
Are my thoughts or beliefs about this topic productive?
Is there any way that this thought can cause harm?
Are my thoughts or beliefs about this topic factual?
Are my thoughts or beliefs about this topic as important as I’ve made them out to be?
What aspect of my identity is being threatened if I were to embrace a new belief or point of view?
If hearing words like “white supremacy,” “structural racism,” or “privilege” triggers feelings of anger or extreme discomfort, ask yourself why and be willing to understand the source of the dissonance.
Factor 3: Action
Become an agent of change. One key aspect of critical self-reflection is really getting clear about your values. Once you are clear, the next question to ask is “Am I moving through the world in a way that is in alignment with those values?” If you notice tension, that’s generally a pretty good indication that some bit of dissonance is present.
Where to start: Rather than running away from the discomfort, examine it, challenge it, and when it’s necessary, have the courage to change.
Dr. Reba Peoples is a functional psychiatrist at Amen Clinics who delights in appreciating those unique traits and qualities that make each of us who we are. She is board-certified in psychiatry and functional medicine and specializes in creating personalized treatment plans that are aimed at optimizing emotional health and well-being. Find out more about our services at AmenClinics.com. When you have lived through a traumatic situation, your brain has a natural way of preserving the experience in an effort to protect you from future occurrences that could be dangerous. All of us have this built-in survival system. It stems back to our cave-dwelling ancestors in prehistoric times who always needed to be on the alert to avoid becoming the dinner for a large creature, such as a saber-toothed cat.
When we are faced with a threat, this fight-or-flight system automatically kicks in and releases cortisol and other stress hormones into our brain and body. This causes our heart rate to go up and our muscles become primed to run away from whatever could hurt us. All of this is designed to increase our chances of surviving. Once the event passes, the fight-or-flight mechanisms naturally turn off.
What Happens in the Brain During a Traumatic Experience?
While this protective mechanism in our brain is largely a blessing, it can be troublesome for anyone who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), because it doesn’t know when to turn itself off. It’s as though your brain stays attuned to any sense of danger—whether real or imagined. During trauma, parts of your brain go offline in order for you to focus on escape and survival, and because of this, some of the memories about the traumatic experience can get stored in the non-cognitive areas of the brain, like the sensory system (i.e., certain smells, textures, and sights) or in your body.
Do you struggle with any of these unwanted symptoms of PTSD?
1. You panic during thunderstorms or when winds are high.
People who have survived natural disasters, sometimes by the skin of their teeth, have endured very traumatic and life-threatening situations. For example, imagine a family who stayed at home when a big hurricane hit and had to huddle together in the hallway of the house as all the windows blew out while the wind howled for several hours. After surviving a very threatening situation like that, the sounds of uncontrollable weather can understandably be a big trigger, even when there is no actual hurricane (or tornado or other threat) looming.
2. You need to sit near an exit or facing an entrance.
Because of the traumatic experience you had, such as being abused, assaulted, or stalked, you may feel too vulnerable when you cannot see everyone who is in the room. Therefore, you prefer sitting at a table where you can have your back to the wall, or right next to the entrance or exit to accommodate any urge you may get to leave immediately if you feel threatened.
3. You feel a sudden need to use the restroom when a traumatic memory gets triggered.
One of the reasons this could happen is because some of the stress hormones that are secreted by your fight-or-flight system affect your G.I. tract. Going back to prehistoric times again, it’s believed that this function caused our ancestors to expel their bowels to be lighter and increase their chances of escaping from a predator. Unfortunately, this automatic function now can make you feel like you don’t have control over your physical body.
4. You mentally check out in the middle of a conversation.
You’re physically present but feel removed from your mind and/or body and may not have any sense of what the other person is saying. This is known as dissociation and occurs when you get triggered by something that evokes a painful traumatic memory. It’s a coping mechanism that allows you to escape from something that is too difficult to think about. Dissociation is often momentary, but sometimes these episodes can last for a while.
5. You startle easily.
This kind of hypervigilance is common for people who have PTSD. It’s as though an alarm goes off in your head from unanticipated loud noises or movements—even when there’s no actual threat to your safety. Again, this is the result of a fight-or-flight system that has difficulty shutting down.
These symptoms and reactions can be very stressful. When cortisol and other stress hormones are constantly being released into your brain and body, they can lead people to rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as overeating or using alcohol and recreational drugs to feel calmer. Unfortunately, that relief is only short-lived and makes your problems worse.
PTSD Treatment Can Make a Positive Difference
A much more enduring way to get PTSD symptoms under control is by reaching out for professional help. The idea of working through your trauma may feel uncomfortable because it is something you don’t like to talk about. However, there are certain therapies that have been found to be quite successful for trauma survivors and typically involve less talking. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing—also known as EMDR—is one such modality.
By using eye movements or small hand-held devices that alternately stimulate the two hemispheres of your brain, EMDR helps to get the memories “unstuck,” so you can process them from the present, rather than being pulled back into the overwhelming traumatic moments of the past.
With the right treatment, it’s possible to heal from the symptoms of PTSD and work through your trauma so the distressing memories of your past don’t continue to limit and control your future.
PTSD 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 couplesFind out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Ever feel like you can’t keep things straight anymore? Like your mind is in a haze and you can’t concentrate, think quickly, or remember to complete important tasks? These are some of the signs of brain fog. You might be worried that it’s the onset of dementia, or you may be aware that certain everyday things are associated with brain fog—like poor sleep, some medications, or hormonal imbalances (hello, pregnancy brain or menopause!). But what you may not realize is that anxiety can also be at the root of brain fog.
You may be aware that certain everyday things—like poor sleep, some medications, or hormonal imbalances—are associated with brain fog. But what you may not realize is that anxiety can also be at the root of brain fog.
Anxiety takes up a lot of your brain’s precious resources. When anxiousness fills the corners of your mind with worrisome thoughts and fears, it’s akin to something researchers call cognitive overload. That’s when your brain is bombarded with too much information to be able to process it all effectively.
When stress and anxiety hit, your brain is so busy processing those nervous thoughts that it drops the ball on the other cognitive tasks you need to handle. It makes it hard to concentrate, difficult to pay attention, and gets in the way of memory formation. This leads to feeling spacey, being easily distracted, and being forgetful. And that’s a recipe for brain fog.
Brain SPECT Imaging, Anxiety, and Brain Fog
Brain SPECT imaging shows that people with anxiety tend to have a very busy brain with too much activity in areas such as the basal ganglia (the anxiety centers of the brain). Overactivity floods the emotional circuits in the brain diverting resources away from important mental processes.
In addition, being plagued by chronic stress causes the hippocampus—a brain region that is critically involved in memory formation—to shrink. In the healthy brain, about 700 new neurons, or nerve cells, are formed each day in the hippocampus. However, when your brain is under attack by a constant flood of stressful thoughts, this process can be disrupted, resulting in fewer new neurons. This is bad news for your memory and can be a major contributor to an inability to recall information.
Imaging the brain can be helpful in determining if worrisome symptoms of brain fog are a sign of dementia or related to anxiety, exposure to toxins, or other factors.
4 TECHNIQUES TO CALM ANXIETY TO CLEAR THE BRAIN FOG
1. Use hypnosis, guided imagery, or progressive muscle relaxation.
When stress and anxiety get out of control, hypnosis, guided imagery, or progressive muscle relaxation can quickly decrease the stress response. Here are the basic steps of you can do this on your own:
Sit in a comfortable chair and stare at a spot on the wall that is slightly above eye level. Let your eyelids close slowly.
Breathe deeply. With each inhale, imagine taking in peace and calmness, and with each exhale, blow out all the tension. Notice a calm come over you.
Squeeze the muscles in your eyelids, closing your eyes as tightly as you can. The let them relax and feel that relaxation travel down your face and body.
After the tension has left your body, imagine yourself at the top of an escalator and ride down while counting backward from 10. By the time you reach the bottom, you should be experiencing a sensation of relaxation.
Enjoy the tranquility for several moments, then ride the escalator back up counting from 1 to 10. When you reach the number 10, open your eyes, and enjoy feeling refreshed and alert.
2. Practice diaphragmatic breathing.
When people get anxious, their breathing typically becomes shallow fast, causing a decrease in oxygen to the brain and body and an increase in toxic carbon dioxide. This can lead to feelings of confusion and disorientation, which are associated with brain fog. Deep breathing—inhaling for about 4 seconds and slowly exhaling for about 8 seconds—reverses that, increasing oxygen to the brain and helping eliminate carbon dioxide to calm panic and restore clarity in the mind.
3. Say a prayer or meditate.
Prayer and meditation have been found to calm stress and quell anxious thoughts. But that’s not all. They also improve focus and memory, and brain imaging shows they enhance activity in the prefrontal cortex. There are many effective techniques, including reading, memorizing, or meditating on Scripture; writing out a personal prayer; reading classic spiritual writings; focusing on gratitude, or meditating.
4. Listen to soothing music.
Music can help you relax, calm anxiousness, and improve focus. In a fascinating study in the journal Brain and Cognition, research subjects rated Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos (K. 448) and Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata as happy and sad, respectively. Listening to happy music (Mozart’s piece) increased activity in the brain’s left hemisphere, associated with happiness and motivation, and decreased activity in the right hemisphere, often associated with anxiety and negativity. Beethoven’s piece did the opposite. Create your own playlist to counteract times of stress and anxiety and to increase focus and energy.
Anxiety, chronic stress, brain fog, and other 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, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834or visit our contact page here. Are you one of the many millions of people trying to cope on your own with symptoms of anxiety, depression, or another mental health challenge? Perhaps you have friends with whom you can talk about what’s going on—and they do their best to support you. But even when you feel better for a little while, the worries, sadness, out-of-control stress, and other issues always seem to come back around.
You know things aren’t right, yet you feel like you should be “strong enough” to deal with your problems. Even when those who are close to you have suggested you reach out for professional help, you always find a way to justify not doing so.
If this sounds familiar, there are plenty of other people who think the same way—and they continue to suffer unnecessarily too.
7 Reasons Why People Avoid Mental Health Treatment
Do any of these excuses or beliefs prevent you from reaching out for help?
1. It’s stigmatizing and embarrassing.
Do you think that going to therapy implies something is wrong with you and that people will look at you differently? First of all, having mental health issues is nothing to be ashamed of—they are not due to some kind of moral failing or character flaw. Needing help is much more about your brain being out of balance, and with the right treatment, you can greatly improve your symptoms. Furthermore, if you don’t want anyone to know you are getting help, don’t tell them. You have every right to keep your personal information private.
2. You’re too busy to see a therapist.
It’s easy to overbook your calendar, but chances are you have a little wiggle room to prioritize self-care. Generally speaking, most counseling appointments are less than one hour, once per week. Plus, many therapists and doctors are available through telehealth, which can be really convenient. You probably can give up a little time spent on social media or watching TV each week to attend an appointment that will help you work through the symptoms and problems that are holding you back.
3. You feel guilty because others have it worse.
In life, there will always be those who struggle more than you do, as well as people who struggle less. Professional help is there for everyone. There’s a reason you are struggling now but diminishing your own needs doesn’t help you—or anyone else—even if they seem to be having harder challenges. It’s OK to give yourself permission to reach out for the support you need. You deserve to take care of yourself.
4. People go to therapy to complain about their lives.
And you can’t stand people who complain. If you’re unhappy with things in your life, are burdened with painful memories, have constant anxiety, or are feeling hopeless about your future, these are not complaints. These are real issues that are interfering with your ability to feel better. Try to recall how you learned that talking to someone about your problems was akin to whining and that no one wants to hear it. It might be old messaging from your past.
5. Been there once, and it didn’t work.
If you have sought treatment for your issues before and it wasn’t helpful, you’re not the only one. At Amen Clinics, many of our patients had similar experiences until they were successfully treated by us. Before coming to one of our clinics, they have already gotten an average of 4.2 different diagnoses, failed 3.3 providers, and tried 5 medications—and still have symptoms. That is why Amen Clinics incorporates brain SPECT imaging as part of a patient’s evaluation. This technology lets the doctors actually see what is going on in the brain. Being able to identify the underlying biological cause of a patient’s symptoms allows the doctor to create an individualized treatment plan specific to each patient’s unique brain.
6. It’s too expensive to get treatment.
While yes, mental health treatment isn’t free, having untreated mental health problems can be far more costly in the long run. It can interfere with school performance, the ability to hold down a job, ruined relationships, physical health conditions, and substance abuse—all of which can be devastating financially. According to a study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, healthy respondents earned an average of $38,851 while those with serious mental illness earned just $22,545. So rather than being deterred by the cost, consider ways you can rearrange your budget and set aside the money for the treatment you need. For example, take your lunch instead of eating out and plan free activities to do with friends or family rather than going to places that cost money. Investing instead in your mental health and well-being is worth it!
7. You don’t want to be judged.
In reality, you’re probably the only person judging yourself for having some mental health challenges. One of the things you might not know is that most mental health professionals are very accepting and offer a non-judgmental environment to help you work through your issues. They provide a safe space for you to explore whatever it is that’s troubling you, and rather than being judgmental, most of them are compassionate and understanding.
Sometimes, it can be hard to take that first step to get the treatment that will help you feel better. It’s not uncommon to have some initial hesitancy—some people have concerns about feeling too vulnerable. However, a skilled mental health clinician knows how to work at a pace that makes you feel comfortable as you address your symptoms and issues and move forward toward your goals.
If you or a loved one is struggling with anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue, it’s important to get support and treatment. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Recently, Prince Harry has bravely been hitting the airwaves and opening up about mental health in a very personal and meaningful way. After stepping away from royal duties in 2020, Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have revealed intimate stories about their own psychological struggles. In the AppleTV+ television series “The Me You Can’t See” that he co-produced with Oprah Winfrey and in sit-down interviews with the media mogul and others, Harry has spoken from the heart about issues he’s faced.
In addition, he has shared the fact that he’s been going to therapy, and he’s discussed some powerful therapeutic techniques that he uses in his own life. Opening up about personal struggles in such a public way takes tremendous courage, and his efforts to bring mental health issues out of the shadows of our minds should be applauded.
In this new conversation about mental well-being, Amen Clinics would add one more element—the brain. Our brain imaging work—over 170,000 brain scans related to behavior—reveals that “mental health” is really “brain health.” SPECT, the brain imaging technology used at Amen Clinics, measures blood flow and activity in the brain and reveals 3 things: areas of the brain with healthy activity, too little activity, and too much activity. Abnormal activity in the brain is often associated with symptoms of mental health issues. The human brain is an organ just like your heart and all your other organs, and you can only be as mentally healthy as your brain is functionally healthy.
In light of the brain’s role in psychological, cognitive, and behavioral well-being, here are 5 takeaways from Harry’s recent revelations about mental health and how the brain is fundamentally involved in each of them.
5 Takeaways From Prince Harry’s Recent Revelations About Mental Health
1. Destigmatizing mental health
Harry has been championing the importance of talking about mental well-being for years since he and his brother, William, The Duke of Cambridge, and his sister-in-law Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, launched Heads Together. This initiative encourages people to stop feeling ashamed and start speaking up and asking for help when they are having issues related to emotional well-being. “Sharing your story in order to be able to save a life or help others is absolutely critical,” says Harry in the documentary series.
What’s happening in the brain: By labeling anxiousness, depression, and other issues as mental illness or psychiatric illness instead of brain health issues, people suffer in silence because of the shame they feel. No one is shamed for heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. No one should be shamed for anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Brain SPECT imaging helps destigmatize mental health issues. When people see a scan of their brain, it helps them view their problems as medical, not moral. This makes them more likely to talk openly about their struggles.
2. Addressing past trauma, grief, and loss
Harry shares that he was devastated by the death of his mother Princess Diana in 1997 in a car crash in Paris. Only 12 years old at the time, Harry recalls feeling “so angry with what happened to her.” But following his mother’s tragic demise, he wasn’t able to work through those feelings or discuss his grief with many people. He admits that in his 20s, he began drinking heavily and doing drugs as a Band-Aid to cover up the emotions that threatened to bubble up. “I would find myself drinking not because I was enjoying it but because I was trying to mask something,” he says, adding, “I was willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling.”
What’s happening in the brain: When we bottle up our grief, our emotional brain becomes inflamed. In order to heal from trauma, grief, and loss, people need to work through the pain rather than numbing it with alcohol or drugs.
3. EMDR therapy
In the third episode of the series, Harry reveals that he’s benefited from a psychotherapeutic therapy called EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). This technique can be a potent treatment for people who have experienced emotional trauma as well as those who have developed PTSD. During the episode, Harry allows viewers to watch him as he undergoes the treatment, which involves eye movements (or other alternate hemisphere stimulation) to dampen the emotional charges associated with distressing thoughts and upsetting memories about the trauma. Harry says, “For me, London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mom and because of what I experienced and what I saw.”
What’s happening in the brain: Research suggests that EMDR activates mechanisms in the brain that allow you to reprocess distressing memories and emotions in a healthier way. The human brain is naturally wired to overcome upsetting events. A number of brain regions—including the hippocampus (memory-making center), amygdala (fear center), and prefrontal cortex (behavior center)—communicate with each other to effectively process the memories associated with these events. For some people, trauma disrupts the healthy flow of communication between these brain regions and disturbing memories get stuck. EMDR restores the healthy neural communication process so you can get unstuck.
4. Havening to soothe anxiety
In one of the episodes, Harry demonstrates a self-soothing technique called havening that can be helpful when feeling nervous or experiencing a panic attack. Developed by Ronald Ruden, M.D., havening is surprisingly simple. You can slowly rub your hands together as if washing them, slide your hands down from your shoulders to your elbows as if hugging yourself, or run your fingers from your forehead to your chin as if washing your face.
What’s happening in the brain: From a neuroscience perspective, havening is a form of bilateral hemisphere stimulation, meaning it activates both sides of the brain while you mentally bring up a stressful thought or past trauma. This touch technique generates delta waves in the brain, the brainwaves that usually occur during sleep and that help calm anxious feelings. At the same time, special nerve endings in the areas of the body being touched sends signals to the amygdala (the brain’s fear center) that indicate safety and security.
5. Recognizing ancestral trauma
In an interview with Dax Shepard on the actor’s Armchair Expert podcast, Harry revealed that he faced trauma that was passed down to him. The Duke of Sussex assured that he wasn’t placing blame on his parents, but he says, “If I’ve experienced some form of pain and suffering because of the pain or suffering that my father or my parents had suffered, I’m going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don’t pass it on.”
What’s happening in the brain: Sometimes your mental health issues are not your own, but rather they have been passed down to you through the generations from your ancestors. These irrational fears, anxieties, and worries are “ancestral dragons” that breathes fire on the emotional centers of the brain. Recognizing these dragons and learning to tame them can calm the brain’s emotional centers.
Going Beyond Mental Health to Brain Health
Kudos to Prince Harry for tackling these important issues! What a magnificent ambassador for emotional health and well-being.
Here’s to delving even deeper to show people how the brain is the ultimate key to mental health. Reframing the discussion from mental health to brain health changes everything. It decreases shame and guilt and increases forgiveness and compassion from their families. Reframing the discussion to brain health is also more accurate and elevates hope, increases the desire to get help, and increases compliance to make the necessary lifestyle changes. Once people understand that the brain controls everything they think, feel, say, and do, they want a better brain so they can have a better life. In multiple studies, including one in BMC Psychology, improving the physical functioning of the brain improves the mind.
Get your brain right and your mind will follow.
Anxiety, depression, emotional trauma, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Most men would rather do anything—even cleaning the toilet or mowing the lawn—than go to the doctor. This is one of the findings of a 2019 Cleveland Clinics survey, which also showed that 65% of men who have health symptoms or an injury wait as long as possible to go to the doctor. We all know avoiding the doctor can negatively impact men’s physical health. But what many men don’t realize is that a routine blood panel can also reveal hidden causes of mental health symptoms like depression, anxiety, attentional issues, and memory loss.
Avoiding the doctor can negatively impact men’s physical health. Many men don’t realize a routine blood panel can also reveal hidden causes of mental health symptoms like depression, anxiety, attentional issues, and memory loss.
Here are 5 things the blood panel at an annual physical can tell you about men’s psychological and cognitive health.
1. High Blood Pressure
Hypertension has long been associated with an increased risk of stroke or heart disease, but that’s not the only downside. High blood pressure also impacts blood flow to the brain, and low blood flow on brain SPECT imaging has been seen with depression, suicide, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, hoarding, murder, substance abuse, seizure activity, and more. In fact, low blood flow is the #1 brain imaging predictor that a person will develop Alzheimer’s disease, according to neuroimaging research in Nature Communications.
2. Low Testosterone
Men may associate low testosterone levels with sexual dysfunction, such as a dwindling sex drive, problems getting or maintaining an erection, and low semen counts. But the effects of decreased testosterone levels can also impact a man’s mental health. Common symptoms like moodiness, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating may be related to low testosterone.
3. High Blood Sugar Levels
High blood sugar is an indicator of pre-diabetes or diabetes, which is associated with a vast array of physical ailments, including increased risk of stroke, heart disease, vision problems, and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. Less well-known is the fact that high blood sugar is associated with a smaller hippocampus, an important brain region associated with mood, learning, and memory. Blood sugar issues are linked to symptoms of depression, anxiety, irritability, anger, trouble concentrating, and schizophrenia. And diabetes puts people at greater risk of developing vascular dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, according to research in the journal Diabetes Mellitus.
4. Abnormal thyroid levels
The thyroid gland, which is located in the lower neck, plays an important role in keeping the body and brain healthy. When thyroid levels are abnormal, it can have a major impact on physical health, including fatigue and weight gain (hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid) or faster heartbeat and weight loss (hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid). Imbalanced thyroid levels also contribute to psychiatric and cognitive symptoms. For example, hypothyroidism has been linked to depression, difficulty concentrating, attentional problems, psychosis, and memory problems. Hyperthyroidism is associated with anxiety, irritability, racing thoughts, mania, psychosis, and more.
5. High C-Reactive Protein Levels
Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood are an indicator of chronic inflammation, which is associated with a wide range of physical illnesses, such as heart disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, persistent pain, and cancer. What men may not realize is that scientific research points to a link between systemic inflammation a host of psychiatric and neurological issues, including depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Research has also found a connection between elevated inflammation and suicidal behavior.
Treating Men’s Physical Health Issues for Better Mental Health
Getting a comprehensive blood panel at an annual physical isn’t just good for your physical health, it can also be beneficial for a man’s mental well-being. That’s provided you see a doctor who has a deep understanding of the links between bloodwork results and psychiatric and cognitive issues. Unfortunately, many traditional doctors and primary care physicians aren’t aware of the connection between biology and psychology. That’s where integrative medicine comes in.
Integrative medicine physicians, also known as functional medicine doctors or integrative psychiatrists, can be especially helpful in finding the biological root causes of psychiatric symptoms or cognitive problems. These highly trained healthcare providers are well-versed in knowing which diagnostic blood tests are the most valuable to order, and they are skilled in using the most effective and least toxic treatments. Addressing any biological contributors to psychiatric and neurological disorders can provide powerful help for a man’s mind, moods, and memory.
At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. Our integrative psychiatrists and functional medicine doctors can partner with men to optimize your physical health, mental health, and brain health. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834or visit our contact page here.
