Low Moods, Dark Thoughts? Why Your Brain Needs More Than a Pill
Feeling stuck in low moods, negativity, or the never-ending “blahs”? It’s not just in your head—it’s in your brain. Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen expose the hidden biological, psychological, social, and spiritual mood stealers that quietly hijack your happiness. Tana opens up about how a cancer diagnosis—and the wrong antidepressant—sent her spiraling into darkness, and the life-saving strategies that helped her fight her way back. Plus, find out how an everyday spice—saffron—could work as well as antidepressant medication, backed by decades of research. 00:00 Intro 00:57 Mood is a Brain Function 02:45 Your Physical Brain Function Affects Your Mood 05:48 The Physical Causes of Mood Disorders 09:00 Taking the Wrong Medication 11:50 Psychological/Social/Spiritual Factors 13:46 Mood Robbers 17:49 Sponsor 18:30 Mood Enhancing Fakers 24:53 Saffron 31:53 TMG/SAMe 35:16 Wrap Up https://brainmd.com
28/4/2025
36:43
Energy Robbers, Fakers & Enhancers: What’s Fueling Your Fatigue?
If you’re tired of being tired, this episode is for you. Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen break down the three biggest categories that affect your energy: what steals it, what fakes it, and what truly enhances it. From toxic people (known as “energy vampires”) to tech overload, caffeine crashes to clean supplements, you’ll learn what’s draining your spark and the best ways to boost lasting energy—without burning out. 00:00 Intro 00:58 Energy Robbers, Fakers, & Enhancers 03:11 Uncontrolled Thoughts 04:29 Energy Vampires 07:43 Poor Sleep Habits 10:00 Processed Foods & Sugar 13:43 Decision Fatigue 16:09 Sponsor 16:56 Caffeine 18:57 Adrenaline Addiction 19:51 Social Media 20:08 Breakfast/Nutrition 25:08 Sunlight/Movement 25:39 Cold Plunges/Boundaries 27:05 Peak Energy 32:28 Wrap Up Peak Energy and other brain-healthy supplements: https://brainmd.com
21/4/2025
33:20
Dave Asprey: Meditation Power, Dopamine Reset & the Truth About Triggers
In this mind-expanding episode, Dr. Daniel Amen sits down with biohacker and Heavily Meditated author Dave Asprey to explore how meditation—and a few unexpected brain hacks—can rewire your nervous system in real time. You’ll learn Dave’s go-to “reset process” to calm your brain and body within seconds of being triggered, why most relationship conflicts have nothing to do with your partner, and the two emotional concepts adults dread most. Plus, discover a rapid-fire breathing technique to instantly destress, a controversial one-minute trick to reset your dopamine, and how intimacy can become one of the most transformative meditations of all. https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated/ 00:00 Intro 00:38 Sponsor 02:03 The Father of Biohacking 05:08 Training Your Brain for Meditation 07:40 Our Inner States Don’t Have Words 10:40 Managing Alerts 12:21 What Meditation Does to the Brain 14:06 The Reset Process 19:19 Compassion 22:24 Joe Rogan Incident 24:52 Building Resilience 27:36 Connections/Removing Friction 32:08 Creating a Meditation Practice 33:47 Breathwork 36:18 Entrainment Methods 38:40 Gaining Control Over Your Nervous System 42:48 Conscious Loving Intimacy 45:21 Sponsor 46:35 Wrap Up
14/4/2025
47:01
Charles Duhigg: How to Instantly Connect—The Science of Supercommunication
Why do some conversations feel electric while others fall flat? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen sit down with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Charles Duhigg (The Power of Habit, Supercommunicators) to explore what really makes people connect. You’ll learn how brain scans reveal that during powerful conversations, people’s brains literally sync up. Duhigg breaks down the three types of conversations everyone has—and why knowing which one you’re in can instantly improve your communication. Discover the surprising myths we believe about connection, and why asking deep, meaningful questions is the real secret to becoming a “supercommunicator.” 00:00 Intro 01:24 Sponsor 01:47 Common Myths of Communication 03:38 The 3 Categories of Communication 08:04 Communication Skills 10:22 Alignment 15:03 Mismatched Conversations 18:02 Listening/Looking for Understanding 21:11 The Goals of Each Type of Communication 25:13 Connection When You Don’t Agree 32:19 Close Relationships 35:29 Digital Communication 39:50 Artificial Intelligence 40:48 Where to Start? 46:28 Sponsor 47:36 Wrap Up Super Communicators, by Charles Duhigg: https://charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators/
07/4/2025
48:00
Daniel Gokey on Past Trauma & His Battle with Scrupulous OCD (EXCLUSIVE)
In this powerful episode, singer and former American Idol finalist Daniel Gokey reveals what he calls his “deep, dark secret”—scrupulous OCD. For the first time publicly, he shares how obsessive religious thoughts convinced him he was beyond forgiveness. Dr. Amen explains this misunderstood OCD subtype and how Gokey’s brain scans uncovered the root of his terrifying thoughts—and helped chart a path to overcoming scrupulosity. 00:00 Intro 01:17 Sponsor 02:26 Daniel/Scrupulous OCD 05:22 OCD and Sin 08:36 Fear of Damnation 12:41 Compulsive Behaviors 16:14 Thought Discipline 20:40 The Concept of “Normal” 22:10 Medication & Supplements 23:55 Trauma 26:59 First Wife’s Death 30:16 ADD 31:21 The 4 Circles 37:56 Daniel’s SPECT Scan (Surface) 39:55 Daniel’s SPECT Scan (Active Interior) 44:47 Improving Daniel’s Brain 48:23 Sponsor 49:49 Wrap Up
New York Times bestselling authors, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are your personal Brain Warrior Guides to help you win the war for your health and defeat anxiety, depression, memory loss, ADHD, addictions, disease, and obesity. Learn how you can take control of your brain and body for the rest of your life.