Unlike traditional psychiatry, which rarely looks at the brain, Amen Clinics uses brain imaging technology to help identify underlying brain dysfunction that may be contributing to sports-related psychological issues.
Sports and recreational activities can be healthy outlets for people to participate in physical activity, teamwork, goal setting, and pushing oneself beyond the limits. But they can also be fraught with performance anxiety, personal conflict, depression while coping with injuries, post-concussion symptoms, eating disorders, and more. The Amen Clinics sports psychiatry program offers comprehensive brain-based solutions designed to help everyone involved in athletics overcome obstacles to reach their potential.
Read below to learn more or contact us at the button below to speak to one of our care coordinators to answer your questions and tell you more about the program.
Contact UsAt Amen Clinics, we believe in taking a comprehensive brain-body approach to treatment that involves the least toxic, most effective strategies. It all starts with a full evaluation, which includes brain imaging, neuropsychological testing, lab work (as needed), and an assessment of the other areas of your life that might be affecting your performance. Depending your specific needs, next steps may include helpful forms of psychotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), neurofeedback, hormone optimization, integrative medicine, natural supplements, nutrition, IV nutrient therapy, and medication evaluation and management (when necessary).
Sports psychiatry benefits a wide range of people at all levels of athletic participation and all ages—from Little League to AYSO soccer to the Super Bowl to the Olympics—as well as the many people on the sidelines. People we have helped at Amen Clinics include:
“With A Better Brain Comes A Better Life”
– Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
Athletes can experience a wide range of psychological and psychiatric issues. The treatment will be personalized based on our patient’s specific brain type. Some of the issues that effect athletes include the following:
Ready to learn more? Speak to a care coordinator today!
Contact UsBig wave surfer Shawn Dollar suffered an accident. While diving under a wave he hit a rock and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was no longer functioning mentally and he was no where near the way he was previously. After getting a brain SPECT scan at Amen Clinics, he could visually see the damage that was done to his brain. The diagnosis allowed him to get on a plan to heal. After making some lifestyle changes based on the recommendation from the doctor from seeing his scan, Shawn’s life has improved. He is closer with his wife and his family and he has his life back on track.
“Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries are a major cause of psychiatric problems, but very few people know it.”
Treating athletes requires expert care and consultation. At Amen Clinics, we provide careful medication management to choose psychotropic medications that have minimal impact on performance. And in some cases when medication contains prohibited substances, we can provide Therapeutic Use Exemptions giving an athlete authorization to take a necessary prescription.
In addition, we believe in using brain-directed nutritional supplements that reduce the need for medications while enhancing brain health, mental fitness, and physical performance. One major flaw in prescribing nutraceuticals, as well as medications, is that they are generally recommended in a cookie-cutter manner based on symptoms, rather than biology. In our experience, treatment is much more effective when we personalize nutraceuticals and/or medications based on the biological information from our brain imaging work and other testing.