Summary & Study Guide - Healing Anxiety and Depression

Understanding and Healing Anxiety and Depression

This book is a summary of Healing Anxiety and Depression, by Daniel G. Amen, MD, and Lisa C. Routh, MD.

Anxiety and depression are a huge problem for millions of people. Compounding the problem is the mistaken belief that these disorders result from bad character or weak will. Recent cutting-edge brain science has shown that they result from brain dysfunction, and if we can diagnose and treat them, we can improve the patient’s quality of life.

Dr. Daniel Amen has spearheaded the use of brain SPECT imaging to uncover the connections between the brain and behavior. These imaging studies have revealed the major anxiety and depression centers of the brain and helped him develop new, effective approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

This book summarizes these exciting discoveries and the treatment regimens used.

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Important Note About This Guide

This guide is a summary and not a critique/review of the book. The summary may not be organized chapter-wise but summarizes the book’s main ideas, viewpoints, and arguments. It is NOT meant to be a replacement, but a supplement to help you understand the book’s key ideas and recommendations.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Introduction

1. Determining Your Type

2. The Brain Systems That Underlie Anxiety and Depression

3. The Seven Types

4. Bio-Psycho-Social Assessment of the Seven Types

5. Effective Treatment for the Seven Types

6. Medication for the Seven Types

7. Supplements for the Seven Types

8. Dietary Interventions for the Seven Types

9. ANT Therapy

10. The Healing Power of Relationships

11. Focused Breathing

12. Gender Differences in Anxiety and Depression

13. The Darkest Side of Anxiety and Depression: Suicide, Cutting, and Violence

14. The Impact of Anxiety and Depression on Families

15. Sleep Issues

16. What to Do When Treatment Doesn’t Work

17. 32 Strategies to Overcome Anxiety and Depression

Appendix

Appendix 1: Type 1 Pure Anxiety

Appendix 2: Type 2 Pure Depression

Appendix 3: Type 3 Mixed Anxiety/Depression

Appendix 4: Type 4 Overfocused Anxiety/Depression

Appendix 5: Type 5 Cyclic Anxiety/Depression

Appendix 6: Type 6 Temporal Lobe Anxiety/Depression

Appendix 7: Type 7 Unfocused Anxiety/Depression

Index

About the Author

Title: Summary & Study Guide - Healing Anxiety and Depression

Author: Lee Tang

Publisher: LMT Press (lmtpress.wordpress.com)

Copyright © 2020 by Lee Tang

All rights reserved. Aside from brief quotations for media coverage and reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in any form without the author’s permission. Thank you for supporting authors and a diverse, creative culture by purchasing this book and complying with copyright laws.

First Edition: March 2020

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 9781988970349 (ebook)

ISBN 9781678705091 (paperback)

ISBN 9781078750882 (paperback)

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and author make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of these contents and disclaim all warranties such as warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. The website addresses in the book were correct at the time going to print. However, the publisher and author are not responsible for the content of third-party websites, which are subject to change.

To my wife, Lillian, who is the source of energy and love for everything I do, and to Andrew and Amanda: watching you grow up has been a privilege.

Introduction

Anxiety and depression are major public health problems that are reaching epidemic levels in the United States. Untreated anxiety and depression rob people of their lives through suicide and self-destructive behavior. Suicide is often the outcome of an untreated or ineffectively treated anxiety or depressive disorder. In 2015, it was the 7th leading cause of death for males and the 14th leading cause of death for females. It was the 2nd leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 34 and the 3rd leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10 and 14.

The embarrassment and stigma associated with having a mental illness often prevent people from seeking help. A 2001 UCLA study showed that fewer than one-third of people suffering from anxiety and depression receive medical treatment. The era of managed care has forced primary care physicians to treat illnesses for which they don’t have adequate training. These well-meaning doctors often take a simplistic approach to anxiety and depression, assuming that one treatment fits all, which leads to many ineffective treatments.

Until recently, psychiatrists diagnosed anxiety and depression based on symptom clusters rather than underlying brain dysfunction. Ignoring brain function limits their diagnostic accuracy and ability to treat these illnesses.

The Amen Clinics have pioneered the use of brain SPECT imaging to uncover the connections between the brain and behavior. These imaging studies have revealed the major anxiety and depression centers of the brain and helped them develop new, effective approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Their research shows that anxiety and depression disorders fall into seven major categories:

Pure Anxiety

Pure Depression

Mixed Anxiety/Depression

Overfocused Anxiety/Depression

Cyclic Anxiety/Depression

Temporal Lobe Anxiety/Depression

Unfocused Anxiety/Depression

This