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Double board-certified psychiatrist and ten-time New York Times bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen joins JJ in today’s episode to share how the end of mental illness begins with a revolution in brain health! Listen as Dr. Amen shares why labeling someone as having a “mental illness” is not only inaccurate but also harmful, as well as how reframing the discussion from mental health to brain health changes everything. Dr. Amen also reveals his revolutionary BRIGHT MINDS approach to treating brain health issues, including the eleven major risk factors that can steal your mind and what you can do to take back your health. Plus, find out how to get the first chapter of Dr. Amen’s new book, The End of Mental Illness, and his BRIGHT MINDS chart for free!
Freebies From Today’s Episode
Get the introduction and first chapter of Dr. Amen’s new book, The End of Mental Illness, plus his BRIGHT MINDS chart for free by going to jjvirgin.com/endofmentalillness.
Main Points From Today’s Episode
1. 85% of psychiatric drugs are prescribed by non-psychiatric physicians in 7-minute office visits. Once you start these drugs, they’re really hard to stop because they’re insidious.
2. Dr. Amen explains why labeling someone as having a “mental illness” is not only inaccurate but also harmful. His new book, The End of Mental Illness, explains how neuroscience is transforming psychiatry and helping prevent or reverse mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, addictions, PTSD, psychosis, personality disorders, and more.
3. If you want to keep your brain healthy or rescue it, you have to prevent or treat the eleven major risk factors that steal your mind. Dr. Amen shares his BRIGHT MINDS approach to treating brain health issues.
Episode Play-By-Play
[0:35] How Dr. Amen has helped JJ’s son, Grant
[1:11] Dr. Amen’s career briefing
[3:20] Listener shout-out
[4:34] Welcoming Dr. Amen to the show
[4:57] The inspiration behind Dr. Amen’s new book, The End of Mental Illness
[6:11] The stigma around mental illness
[7:21] What is the new hope for those who are suffering right now?
[8:15] 85% of psychiatric drugs are prescribed by non-psychiatric physicians in 7-minute office visits.
[9:11] How the pharmaceutical companies are creating chronic illness
[10:10] JJ shares a story about her son’s experience at the psychiatrist’s office.
[12:05] Dr. Amen asks, “Why aren’t we looking at the brain?”
[12:10] Why neurologists look at the brain and psychiatrists typically don’t
[13:25] The risk of depression and obesity in football players due to damaged frontal lobes
[14:38] You hit your head, you hurt your brain.
[15:13] Every year, 2 million new people in the United States have a brain injury.
[15:38] What are the frontal lobes in your brain and what happens when they get damaged?
[17:07] Why we need a new paradigm when it comes to mental health
[17:31] If you want to keep your brain healthy or rescue it, you have to prevent or treat the eleven major risk factors that steal your mind.
[18:05] Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS approach
[18:02] B is for blood flow. The link between low blood flow and conditions like Alzheimer’s schizophrenia, depression, and ADHD
[19:04] R is for retirement and aging. When you stop learning, your brain starts dying.
[19:34] I stands for inflammation. Dr. Amen talks a lot about omega-3 fatty acids and gut health in his book.
[20:17] G is for genetics, but we have genetics all wrong.
[20:47] H is for head trauma, which has been previously discussed in this episode.
[20:49] T is for toxins, including drugs, alcohol, mold, and more.
[21:49] M stands for mind storms, which means abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
[22:09] How would someone know if they were experiencing overfiring in the brain?
[22:41] I is for immunity and infection.
[23:20] Dr. Amen shares a story about a girl who experienced hallucinations and ended up being diagnosed with Lyme disease.
[25:08] N is for neurohormone issues.
[25:29] D stands for diabesity, As your weight goes up, the size and function of your brain goes down.
[26:37] S is for sleep. Children who sleep just an hour less on average than their peers have a higher incidence of depression and suicide.
[26:48] Why labeling someone as having a “mental illness” is not only inaccurate but also harmful
[28:48] The creation of mental illness in today’s American society
[30:41] The shift from “mental illness” to brain illness
[31:45] How to get the introduction and first chapter of Dr. Amen’s new book, The End of Mental Illness, for free, and what’s included
[33:32] JJ gives thanks to Dr. Amen for everything he has done for her son.
[34:21] JJ’s top takeaways from today’s episode and next steps
Mentioned in this episode:
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