This is My Brain on a Deadline!

For those of you who wonder where I've been, I am in hiding in my basement.

Literally.

Where, thus tucked away in solitude, I am determined to finish up the sequel to This is Your Brain on Joy which is slated to be titled This is Your Brain in Love.

It is due in on April 2 - YIKES!! -- and we hope to see it released around Valentine's Day, 2010.

So forgive me, but I have to put the blog and housekeeping, hot meals, clean laundry, make-up, and basic sanity on "hold" for the next week to meet the deadline. This is why the publishers call it a "deadline" -- it takes the life right out of you. Thankfully, I love what I'm working on with Dr. Henslin and that sure eases the pain of the work involved!

I will begin blogging regularly again the week of April 6th! (Giving me a 4 day recovery period where I will sleep, put on make up, attack the piles of laundry, cook a gourmet meal for my husband, enjoy my daughter who will be visiting from Texas, and apologize to everyone I will have neglected this past month to finish up the book!)

Until then, if you are inclined to pray for us, Earl and I would so appreciate your prayers that in the next 7 days, our thoughts would be clear, our writing would be God-directed , our words would be wise and thorough, warm and encouraging. That this book would give new hope and fresh insight that would strengthen the love between husbands and wives all over this land.

Until then, enjoy some sunshine and laughter, eat some blueberries and cream, hug a friend, pet a dog, kiss a baby -- and that should give you a few joy-boosts to tide you over until next time. (Did I mention that praying for the well-being others, like poor writers-on-a-deadline, also increases YOUR joy quota?)

"Will Walk for Dopamine"

(My Beautiful, Fit & Happy Daughter-in-Law, Amy, with her youngest son, Titus.)

How Exercise Helps Your Brain & Mood

While collaborating on This is Your Brain on Joy, I had the most fun doing research on the subject of the brain and happiness. In the process, I stumbled over some fabulous reads that go into a little more detail about some of the joy-boosters we recommend in our book.

One motivating volume that captured my attention is called, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. The author, John J. Ratey, MD writes about how exercise helps each of the following issues: Learning Problems; Stress; Anxiety; Depression; Attention Deficit Disorder; Addictions; Hormonal Changes (like PMS and menopause) and Aging. If you want to feel great about how your exercise routine is helping your brain and mood – this is a book to pick up and savor.

My daughter-in-law, Amy, has two little boys under age 3 (have I mentioned how adorable they are?) and she continues to astound me with both her level of energy and her level of happiness. As soon as she had each of her babies, she began walking, and before long she was jogging, and now that her baby is five months old, she’s about to run her first race (pushing a double stroller!) and also taking Spin Classes. (Am I the only mom on the planet who thought these were classes where you spun around in circles? I could not imagine how anybody could do this for an hour and not be crazy dizzy. Apparently you ride a stationary bike, not turn into a whirling dervish.) She often talks about how much she enjoys her life, and any mom knows that raising two little ones – however worthwhile – is not easy. (Today, Amy walked in the kitchen to find that her 2 ½ year old had “decorated” the cabinets with wet sticky oatmeal. And this before 9:00 a.m. My grandson is so creative. )

In the introduction to Spark, Dr. Ratey writes: “It was already known that exercise increases levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine – important neurotransmitters that traffic in thoughts and emotions.”

He goes on to say that most of us have, by now, heard about serotonin and its mood-boosting qualities; however, not even most psychiatrists realize this bit of news: High levels of stress (and Lord knows this has been a stressful year for many of us) “erodes the connections between the billions of nerve cells in the brain.” Chronic, even low-grade depression can actually shrink certain sections of the brain. (Another reason not to let even mild depression go untreated!)


But here’s the great news: “Exercise unleashes a cascade of neurochemicals and growth factors that can reverse this process , physically bolstering the brain’s infrastructure.” There is evidence that deep within the cells, in the genes, that the body’s activity -- exercise of any kind – is healing and restorative to the mind.


I am one of those women who would like to be in shape, would love to lose 20 pounds, but who apparently hasn’t wanted this badly enough to get to the gym or on the treadmill as often as I should. But I will tell you what motivates me: Feeling joyful. Preferably during, or shortly after, I do something. I’m a glutton for immediate reward.

So when I read that exercise gives an immediate mood boost (and by the way, walking in the sunshine for 20 minutes helps even more) --- I dusted off my tennis shoes and mounted my treadmill. Just thirty minutes of walking does amazing things for my mood and my clarity of thought. If I happen to lose a few pounds in the process, all the better! (Although I usually walk while watching the Food Network Channel, so who knows about the ultimate weight loss?) For now, I must confess, I am mostly walking for the natural high. In fact, I may put a sign on my treadmill that says, “Will Walk for Dopamine.”

I hope this encourages you to get out in the sunshine this spring and plant some flowers, or walk around the block, or mow the lawn with gusto. Before long you may be joining my daughter-in-law, Amy – and run a race for charity, or spin your way to a happier day!

Fish on the Brain

(Two of my sons, Zeke and Gabe, on a deep sea fishing trip!)


Perhaps it is no fluke that the happiest and most balanced people on our planet tend to live near the ocean where the supplies of fresh fish are abundant.

About ten years ago, I remember meeting a man in his mid 80’s from the Cayman Islands whose energy and joy seemed boundless. When I asked him the secret of his youth, he put his arm around me (he was also an outrageous flirt), winked and pointed to the ocean. “I’ve eaten enough fish oil over my lifetime to float a cruise ship!”

Little did I know that science would soon prove his statement to be true. The more research is done on fish oil, the more good news we seem to find. Recent findings have shown that fish oil taken by pregnant mothers and given to children (in safe amounts) may increase a child’s intelligence and also help calm and regulate hyperactivity.

Dr. Henslin shares this story from This is Your Brain on Joy:

By age seven, little Alissa was close to two years behind in school. Two years earlier she’d been diagnosed with childhood arthritis. Vioxx was the only anti-inflammatory that would bring her relief. (Little did anyone know that Vioxx would soon be removed from the market because of its harmful side-effects, increasing risk of strokes and heart attacks.)

In addition to the arthritis, Alissa would have panic attacks to such a degree that it was difficult for her to leave the house. She was also prone to outbursts of anger that were a sight to behold. With the combination of joint pain, panic, and temper outbursts, it was difficult for her to go to recess at school.

Going to an amusement park or an outing as a family was a struggle because her family never knew what might happen. Alissa’s parents struggled with guilt and shame because they could not control their own child, whose puzzling emotions were off the charts.

Very few friends came over to play with Alissa because of her physical limitations, but mostly because of her emotional instability.

Their church was highly supportive of a popular Christian parenting program at that time that defined anger as “a rebellious and defiant spirit.” Graduates of this program received a “whacker” to be used to administer discipline . Fortunately Alissa’s parents were willing to withstand the pressured advice of their well-meaning church friends, and began to search for possible underlying reasons for their daughter’s out-of-control behavior.

They contacted me, and I referred them for a SPECT brain imaging scan. Alissa’s scan showed what we call a “ring of fire.” This means that most of Alissa’s mood centers were all over-firing. She would experience fear, anger, obsessiveness and depression – all at the same time, almost all the time. In fact, when I saw the scan, I felt so much compassion for this little girl that I got tears in my eyes.

I encouraged Alissa’s parents to contact Dr. Renee Thomas (see www. kidsneedusnow.org), who has a clinic in Boston. The family went to the clinic, and the entire family went on the Zone Diet, popularized by Dr. Barry Sears. (Similar to what I recommend in the Joy Diet, with an emphasis on adequate protein with every meal and snacks as a key component.) In addition, we gradually worked Alissa up to 2 tablespoons of a pharmaceutical grade of fish oil per day. (She used Coromega, which tastes like orange pudding. Kids love it.)

Alissa’s mother decreased the Vioxx 50 percent with no return of the joint pain. Besides being calming to the brain, Omega 3s are powerful anti-inflammatories. One month later her mother took Alissa completely off the anti-inflamatory with no return of pain, and Alissa also had control of her mood swings.

Three years later we took another scan, and Alissa now has a much-improved brain! All this change from fish oil alone! Truly amazing. Some neurologists believe that when they find this “ring of fire” pattern in children, it can bloom into bipolar disorder in later life. Treated early, with high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil, this condition may be avoided. Scientists are also discovering that Omega 3 fish oil can work as well as medication in some cases of adults with bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder.

By the way, Alissa is now reading at college level! With her brain stabilized, she can cope with her learning disabilities and has great mood management—a miracle that took five years to accomplish!

*********


The ideal fish oil is high quality pharmaceutical grade. To avoid “fish burp” problems you’ll want to get “enteric coated capsules” (that smell like vanilla) or lemon flavored capsules also work well for me. For children, try the Coromega product that comes in little orange pudding- like squeeze packets.

Need more reasons to add fish oil to your diet? Here's a few areas where fish oil has proven helpful!


A Healthy Heart:
Reduce risk of strokes & heart attacks
Lower blood pressure
Reduce risk of blood clots
Reduce triglycerides (blood fat levels)
Protect against atherosclerosis

A Healthy Brain:
Alleviate Attention Deficit/HyperactivityDisorder (ADHD)
Alleviate Dyslexia
Alleviate Depression and aggression
Alleviate Memory problems, Alzheimers disease and dementia

A Healthy Body:
Reduce risk Rheumatoid arthritis
Reduce risk Inflammatory skin disorders
Reduce risk Inflammatory bowel diseases
A Lean BodyBurn fat faster and reduce excess body fat at the fastest possible rate.

Reduction in the risk of inflammation reactions caused by:
Rheumatoid arthritis
Inflammatory bowel disease
Kidney disease
Psoriasis
Eczema
Crohn'sdisease
Ulcerative colitis
Asthma
Kidney failure that occurs with aging

Protection Against Degenerative Conditions
Eyesight degeneration
Alzheimer disease and age related memory loss
Kidney failure that occurs with aging

Fear Not! (Because it isn't helping....)

(Scene of a favorite serenity spot in San Clemente, California. I see why Nixon loved it here...)

How many times in the last few months have you heard some newscaster or pundit ask a financial expert, “In light of the economical breakdown, should we be afraid?”

And I want desperately to break in and say, “In light of the economical meltdown, the LAST thing we need to be is afraid. We need to be wise, peaceful, diligent and courageous. But the last thing we need muddying our emotional waters is fear.”

Our nation as a whole seems to have GAD ( Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and it isn’t helping the situation at hand. Here’s a quote from coach, Martha Beck, that I love.

“Here’s one of the very few generalizations I believe unconditionally: There is not one useful thing we do that we don’t do better when we’re relaxed.”

The area of the brain where we can see“pure anxiety” is in the basal ganglia, which Dr. Henslin nicked named The Basement of Giant Fears. It’s the place in our brain where Chicken Little runs rampant, forever proclaiming, "The sky is falling!"

“Fears comes in all sizes: some come and go; some park themselves in your brain for a month or a year, and some for decades, " writes Dr. Henslin in This is Your Brain on Joy, "Some are based on reality and are normal responses to real threats; some are completely imagined; some are a little bit of both. ....When it comes to facing the giants in our brain’s basement, the best therapies all involve some kind of interruption to break up the looping thoughts that feed the monsters in our head.

"For example, if you are watching a scary movie, with the typical doomsday music playing and the shadow of the killer moving ever closer to the victim, your entire body goes on hyperalert. But if the scene is interrupted in any way, by someone opening the door and letting light in the theater, or munching popcorn and giggling, or someone’s cell phone playing the Chicken Dance song, your fears begin to subside, and fast. I use many techniques of pattern-interruption to help my clients who are fearful, adjusting my methods to their degree of trauma.”

Dr. Henslin goes on to a variety of ways to "interrupt fear patterns." In today's blog, I want to share three Anti-Fear Scriptures to help you combat the GAD growing in our country right now. In fact, if you are anxious, I suggest writing them on index cards and putting them on your fridge or car dash, perhaps even putting them to memory.

1. Combat FEAR with LOVE.
"God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. …There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love." (1 John 4: 16-28 The Message)

2. A great verse to sleep on, and I love the poetic quality of the King James version here:
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8 KJV)

3. A classic go-to verse when you are worried. Praying with gratitude has been shown to stop anxious thoughts in their tracks:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you
need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

How will you know when you are free from fear? Here’s what you’ll feel like when peace has subdued anxiety....

Symptoms of Inner Peace

Tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fear based on past experience.
An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
Loss of interest in judging other people.
Loss of interest in judging self.
Loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
Loss of interest in conflict.
Loss of ability to worry (a very serious symptom).
Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
Contented feelings of connectedness with others and with nature.
Frequent attacks of smiling through the eyes and heart.
Increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
Increased susceptibility to love extended from others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.
******

It’s amazing how many times that Jesus (or angels) enters a scene of panic by saying , “Fear not!” or “Peace be with you…” Let these higher voices of calm clarify, center and protect you in troubled times. Because there is “not one useful thing we do that we cannot do better when we are relaxed.” Including dealing with tightening budgets, dwindling savings and job loss. If ever there were a time for cool, serene minds to prevail this is it.

Peace be with you this week, my friends!

Master Level Lovers

(Becky's Parents, George & Ruthie Arnold.

Master Level Lovers after 50 years of wedded bliss!)

I'm a bit belated on blogging this week, waylaid by a virus, and not of the computer variety. So glad to be feeling better and blogging again!

Dr. Henslin and I are now working on the sequel to This is Your Brain on Joy. It is slated to be called This is Your Brain in Love. We will talk about "the blessed few" -- Master Level Lovers. Husbands and wives who are part of the small percentage, perhaps just 8% of couples who remain passionately in love (and not just "intact") until they draw their last breath. Here is a little preview from the book-in-progress, a story of Earl's that I found especially touching. Enjoy! And hug your Valentine close!

I was a sophomore in college when I began working as an orderly in a nursing home. I was the only male in Mankato, Minnesota, working in a nursing home. I can’t even remember how I got a job there, but in hindsight I look back on it as a wonderful privilege. Even then, as a young man, I thought it was an incredible experience to work with the elderly and attend to their needs at an age when they could no longer do so many things for themselves.

In the home was one couple I’ll never forget. Henry and Martha. I think they were the only married couple in the nursing home at that time. He was 98 and she was 96. They had been married for over 60 years. And this was both of their second marriages! Can you imagine that?

Henry would wait (from what I learned from the other nurses and the other staff) for the day I would be working. I worked the 3:00 to 11:00 shift, and as the clock inched closer 11:00 o’clock, Henry would buzz the nurses’ station and I would go down to his room.

Henry always wanted the same thing: for me to help him from his bed over to his wife’s bed. I think he was embarrassed to let one of the female nurses or aides help him into his wife’s bed. But since I was a guy, it felt okay for him to ask for my assistance.

Now Martha was mostly blind, but when I’d help him over to her bed, I’d see this wonderful smile come over her face. She could no longer see him, so she was responding to the sound of her husband coming near and crawling into bed beside her. She beamed when she felt his arms enfold her.

They were a part of the “blessed few” – Master Level Lovers.

I thought that scene was the sweetest, most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. After all these years, I still think that.

What are the secrets of Master Level Lovers? I hate to leave you hanging, but ..... that book will be out about this time next year!

Okay, two hints: A natural mingling of loving sexuality with healthy spirituality; and two people who bring their best brains to the table of marriage. For more details, you'll have to wait for the book! It should be out by next Valentine's Day, 2010.

But you can get a head start on a "more perfect union" by taking 100 % responsiblity to bring your best, most joyful brain to any relationship. And how to do that? It's all been written in This is Your Brain on Joy. (Did we mention what a great Valentine Gift the book makes? It's even got a bouquet of flowers on the front. :)

Have a love-on-the-brain kind of week!

This is Our Brain on Gratitude

"Halellujah!!" (Becky's grandson Georgie either doin' the wave or praisin' God...)

Yesterday was a day full of joyful gratitude, and in fact, both Dr. Henslin and I found ourselves in tears over some of the days happy events. Here's a few things that made flowers o' joy bloom in our heads!

1. Dr. Daniel Amen graciously sent out a newsletter to hundreds of thousands of his followers, promoting Dr. Henslin's book. This sent our Amazon ranking from 250,000 to 250 yesterday! We were, for at least one hour, #11 on the Christian bookseller list. Thank you to our dear friend and mentor, Dr. Amen, for this generous help.

2. Dr. Henslin has been booked for a full 30 minutes on the CBN show, Living the Life, and today, we received happy news that he'll be on the full hour with Janet Parshall's radio show. (We'll let you know the air dates soon.)

3. We have received some WONDERFUL reviews on Amazon this week. But the following review, from Cheri Hill... just overwhelmed us. Thank you so much Cheri. We do not know you, but you made our day:

from amazon.com This is Your Brain on Joy
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
OverJoyed!, February 3, 2009
By
Cherie Hill - See all my reviewsTwo things come to mind after reading this book, "It REALLY IS ALL in our head and we ALL need our heads examined!" Humor aside, it will be a thrill to see this book on the New York Times Bestseller list because that's exactly where it belongs. I have gotten truly tired of books published for profit-this book is written with purpose; its purpose is to help all of us understand ourselves better- how we think, why we feel, and how to live a more joyful life, in spite of our brain's sometimes less than perfect wiring. One of the great joys in reading a wonderful book is sensing the author's heart and soul pour out into the pages and then reach out and capture yours; Dr. Henslin does just that. Not only is he a Christian and a devoted follower of Christ, but he is not afraid to share his faith even through the study of science. Dr. Henslin has finally provided the bridge between Christianity and Psychology (and Science).

I must say, Dr. Henslin had me at: "I always grin when science finally catches up to scriptural truths."

Truthfully, I've gotten tired of reading nonfiction in the Christian genre that is nothing but a canned message of compiled sermons or teachings, meant to keep you filled with joy on nothing but hope and a prayer. What about when your body is depleted of what it needs to function properly? A scripture and a prayer will mean little to nothing if the part of your brain that controls your anger or fears is not functioning properly. This book provides you the opportunity to begin living a joyful life from the inside out.

Dr. Henslin brilliantly writes with humor and presents scientific evidence that will change your life, if you follow the path he lays out throughout the book. Dr. Henslin's choice of Scripture to coincide with his practice of psychotherapy is nothing less than fantastic. You will not only find this book an AMAZING resource in itself, but it is filled with an abundance of resources that will enable you to change your life with little effort on your part; Dr. Henslin has done the ground work for you. Okay, so you don't want to have a "brain scan" or you simply can't afford it....fine, Dr. Henslin provides the "Dr. Amen Brain System Checklist" that will allow you to venture into your brain without the scan. After taking the test, you will get a better idea of what areas of your brain are functioning properly and which ones need help. Not only that, but the book is divided into those five parts so that you can go right to where you, personally, need to go to get started. Dr. Henslin gives specifics as to how to supplement your body for optimal brain functioning and fantastic techniques by which to help you find balance in your life....and most of all, true joy.

Honestly, this is one of the most fantastic books I've ever read in regard to Psychology. Having majored in Psychology, I have longed for that moment when there would be a bridge between my faith and the study of the mind; now that Dr. Henslin has provided that bridge, I am "overjoyed" and you will be too, when you finally understand yourself (how and why you think, feel, and act the way you do) after reading this fantastic and brilliant book!

4. Then, Dr.Henslin got this lovely email from a woman who has found great success in helping her autistic child through some of the break-throughs in nutritional and brain therapies. Earl says, "I have seen remarkable improvement in children with a variety of mood/ brain issues using high quality fish oil. (There's at least one story about this in the book.) Way to go, Karen! Proactive parents who do not give up on their kids always make me want to stand up and cheer."

Karen Beauvais wrote at 1:48pm on February 2nd, 2009
" Dr. Amen has been a gift to the Autism community that has long suffered spiritual stigmas.Poor parenting, demons, refrigerator mothering etc. My son has had miraculous brain healing from stewarding well over his body (gluten casein diet,supplements like PC/PS, Omegas, and heavy metal removal.) Found through earnestly praying and asking God for answers, after the neurologist declared there was no hope. Today instead of a severely autistic son who often ran off, burned himself unaware and several times nearly drowned, we have a beautiful verbal kid in a normal classroom.Your work will be very important to the Christian community. I can not wait to get the book.God Bless and may many find the secret to joy and health."

For more of the latest information on helping autism in a variety of ways, Karen recommends this website http://www.generationrescue.org/action.html

5. I got this email from Earl yesterday, and I think it says why I count it such a privilege to be co-laborers together, along with so many others, to help get this information to as many hurting people as we can. Earl's tender heart is huge. He's the real deal.

Dear friends and family,

Thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement through the years...for some reason the emails that have come in today bring tears to my eyes....Maybe it is also the Michael Smith cd in the background where he is singing " Majesty"....

God is so kind and gracious to give a sinner like myself an opportunity to share about brain and heart health...to communicate hope, and life through Christ in a way that is different and will reach people that might not be usually reached...to have a chance to give hope for the hurting Christian...that there is no shame in seeking help...that there are causes that can be identified with a spect scan that make it real...that our spiritual health might be helped through the right change in diet, supplements, therapy, prayer....all the tools that God gives us..

These times are tough and scary economically for all of us...I would appreciate your prayersthat God uses it in a profound way...

You can help by....1. Praying for me...2. Those you receiving this that have good media experience and know me...do not hesitate to send me suggestions...Thank you so much for your friendship....love and support. Wanted you to share in the joy of this moment....Love,Earl

So, today's blog is just us being grateful to God, to you, for the privilege of meaningful work, loving family and friends. What's on your Gratitude List?

Fresh Hope for Sexual Addictions

As most of us know, the crazy numbers of men caught in the trap of internet porn has sent more than ripple of pain through marriages and ministries and men's own inability to escape its tangled and alluring web. Statistics of Christian guys -- even pastors who were allowed to respond anonymously -- getting caught and addicted are staggering.

And more discouraging is that traditional therapy and even ultra-specialized ministries to men who desperately want to break free, report that the recovery rate for these men is slow ( often 3 years or more), arduous (meaning they need weekly support groups) with a high rate of return to the addiction in spite of all that effort.

My heart aches for the men who cannot break the guilt-addiction-shame cycle and who have all but lost their hope that God can help them, and who cannot look into the eyes of the women and children they love so much because of the secret shame they carry. I also ache for the wives who feel so betrayed, their hearts torn assunder when they discover their husband is looking elsewhere for satisfaction. (And ladies, trust me, most often this has nothing to do with your attractiveness or your sensuality. )

Men & Women: I bring you good tidings of GREAT joy! Looking into a brain imbalance and correcting that first, can speed recovery from any addiction (including all kinds of sex addictions) and allow access to the "self-control" center that continues to allude many men caught in a trap. Once the brain is balanced, programs like Sexaholics Anonymous or Every Man's Battle have more than a fighting chance to work!

Here's an excerpt from This is Your Brain on Joy about one man's journey from bondage to freedom. I hope it suprises and infuses you with new hope, as it did me when I read it. Dr. Henslin has had wonderful success helping men to recover from sexual addiction. In our second book, This is Your Brain in Love, he will spend a full chapter on sharing what he's learned about how to heal a porn-addicted brain so that freedom and healing can reign.

(Excerpt from section "Toward a More Compassionate Church")

A forty-five-year-old man was referred to me by his couples’ Bible study class. He was the leader of the study, and the class members were concerned for him because of an ongoing battle with depression. The heavy cloud of gloom caused him to have trouble just getting up in the morning to go to work. In the initial session I asked, “Have you suffered any trauma to your brain as a child, teen, or adult?” Dr. Amen and I often have to ask this question in a variety of ways because people tend to forget head injuries from long ago or don’t consider them all that serious or significant. And yet, we’ve learned that even a minor head injury can damage brain tissue and affect behavior.
He shared that when he was in elementary school he was climbing on a jungle gym and fell. The impact of the fall resulted in his being hospitalized for four days as the doctors monitored the severe concussion. “How did that trauma impact your school performance?” I asked, but before he could fully answer, he began to sob.
He had not made the connection between the concussion and the change in school performance. Prior to the concussion he loved to read, and after the concussion it was a struggle to concentrate on pages full of words. Then he shared how he had felt such spiritual guilt, along with a general sense of shame, when he had to force himself to read Scripture or to keep his mind from wandering when he prayed.
I referred him for a SPECT scan, and the report showed that there was trauma to the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain involved in attention and concentration. Dr. Amen prescribed 10 mg of Adderall—a medication that improves perfusion, or blood flow, in the prefrontal cortex—for him to take twice a day. (Some background to blog readers: when blood isn't flowing to the PFC, the conscious is basically off-line. This, coupled with too much activity in the cingulate gyrus -- an area of over-focus or obessiveness -- is often the combination we see in men who get compulsively addicted to porn. During the time they are viewing sexual images, they feel no guilt, no stop sign that says, "Whoa, Buddy. Knock it off!")

I saw this man for a grand total of three sessions because, as his brain began to balance out, most of his other problems began to fade as well. He was especially excited about the joy he was discovering in his spiritual journey now that he could focus more easily. He was able to read without struggle for the first time in decades. He was able to enter into worship and prayer in a deeper manner.
Perhaps even more personally significant to him was that since puberty he had masturbated every night to calm himself in order to fall asleep—in spite of having a satisfying and fulfilling sexual relationship with his wife. This had been a burdensome secret that he had carried alone, for decades. Once he got his brain back in balance, there was no need to self-soothe or calm himself in that manner.

What a precious moment it was for me, as his therapist, to watch decades of sexual shame lift away. Talk about joy! To be able to help someone enter into a deeper relationship with the Lord he loved, to find freedom from an unwanted sexual impulse, and to see him smile, relax, and engage with life was such a privilege. It always is, no matter how many times I watch lives transform when they are accurately diagnosed and treated, whether it be through therapy, prayer, supplements, or medication.

What helped this good-hearted man get free?

It’s significant that his rather fast track to emotional health all began with a few close friends who cared enough to recommend he get some help. Without a brain scan, he might have gone to a general practitioner for his low moods and missed that his depression was stemming from a focus problem, not a mood disorder. The doctor would have begun the normal hit-and-miss prescribing of antidepressants, which in this case wouldn’t have helped much with his core brain issues.

Thankfully, someone in his Bible study had heard about our clinic and pointed the way to a door that held solid answers. When the couples saw the change in this man after he’d received our help, it sent a ripple effect through them all. Their compassion increased even more; their understanding grew in spades. Their love for one another expanded. They bonded more deeply as a group and thus became a living portrait of God’s love on earth.

It is my dream to see pockets of God’s children, all over the world, experience more compassion and more joy based on a solid understanding of the Bible integrated with what we now know about brain science.