Amen Clinics

What’s Driving Different Types of Eating Disorders?

Thrive Agency — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:27:38 +0000

August 21, 2026
Health and Wellness, Nutrition

What’s Driving Different Types of Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are too often misunderstood. While some may mistakenly think they are driven by vanity or a lack of willpower, they are actually serious brain-based conditions that distort how you think about food, your body, and yourself.

Unfortunately, they’re commonly reduced to stereotypes or surface-level conversations about dieting. But the reality is far more complex. For instance, research shows that the gut and brain are in constant communication. What you eat, how your body processes it, and the hormones and inflammatory signals involved all directly affect mood, impulse control, anxiety levels, and decision-making.

At Amen Clinics, brain SPECT imaging shows that eating disorders are linked to specific patterns of brain activity, especially in areas involved in anxiety, reward, and compulsive behavior. Eating disorders often co-occur with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse.

There are many different types of eating disorders. Some involve restriction and weight or health obsession. Others involve bingeing, purging, or chaotic cycles of both.

Here you’ll learn about the main types of eating disorders, and ways to identify them in yourself or a loved one. Additionally, you’ll discover what happens in the brain with eating disorders and treatment options.

Medically reviewed by Kandace Licciardi, MD, Medical Director, Amen Clinics

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Why Understanding the Different Types of Eating Disorders Matters

Eating disorders are behavioral disorders that affect emotional well-being, brain function, physical health, and daily life. If you (or someone you love) are struggling with an eating problem, you deserve compassion and understanding.

When you recognize that disordered eating has brain-based roots, it changes everything. Clinical experience shows this insight paves the way for more targeted treatment and lasting recovery without shame, blame, or simplistic explanations.

Understanding what is driving the behavior helps explain why compulsive eating patterns and intrusive thoughts can feel automatic or outside your control. True recovery focuses on supporting the brain and body together, not fighting willpower battles alone. With a clearer picture of the biological, psychological, and environmental factors involved, you can cultivate self-compassion and move toward lasting healing.

Eating disorders frequently co-occur with depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, trauma-related symptoms, and substance use disorders. Studies confirm high psychiatric comorbidity, reinforcing the need for integrated mental health care.

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What Are Eating Disorders? A Clear, Non-Stigmatizing Overview

Eating disorders are mental health conditions that involve disruptive eating behaviors and distressing thoughts related to food, body image, or weight. These are not lifestyle choices or phases someone can simply “snap out of” whenever they want. Instead, they often reflect deeper challenges with anxiety, emotional regulation, rigid thinking patterns, or impulse control.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, more than 30 million Americans will have an eating disorder (ED) in their lifetime. While young women are the most likely to develop an ED disorder, they affect people of all ages, genders, cultures, or backgrounds.

Eating disorders often co-occur with other mental health conditions. A 2023 review consistently shows strong overlap with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and substance use concerns, highlighting that these are whole-person health conditions rather than isolated eating problems.

Types of Eating Disorders: An Overview

There are several clinically recognized types of eating disorders, each with distinct behavioral and emotional patterns, though symptoms can overlap or shift over time.

Here are five different types of eating disorders:

Anorexia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa
Binge eating disorder
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
Other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED), including atypical anorexia and orthorexia-like patterns

Understanding these categories can help you recognize warning signs earlier and seek appropriate support.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a severe restriction of food intake, intense fear of weight gain, and a distorted perception of body image. Beyond eating behaviors, it often involves deep psychological distress and rigid self-evaluation, which can be difficult to overcome without support. Surprisingly, anorexia nervosa has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder. According to research, individuals with anorexia have nearly a six-time greater risk of mortality than those without anorexia.

The good news is that anorexia is treatable. While it is a serious disorder, according to data, 70 percent of people recovered from anorexia nervosa who participated in follow up for a decade or longer post treatment.

Behavioral patterns

Rigid food rules and extreme control around eating are common. Neurocognitive research suggests heightened cognitive control and inflexible decision-making in anorexia, linked to altered frontostriatal circuitry.

Common emotional traits

Perfectionism, anxiety sensitivity, and fear of mistakes frequently co-occur when dealing with anorexia nervosa. Longitudinal studies show anxiety disorders often precede the onset of anorexia and obsessive-compulsive disorders, which frequently overlap. This suggests a shared vulnerability among all three disorders.

Brain-based considerations

A 2025 study indicates anorexia is associated with overactive control networks and altered reward processing, helping explain why restriction can feel reinforcing despite deprivation and health risks. Indeed, anorexia’s caloric restriction and frequent exercise trigger an increase in dopamine that rewards that makes weight loss behaviors feel good. However, when a caloric deficit becomes chronic and long-term, it leads to a reversal in dopamine function, which tends to increase inflexibility, anxiety, and compulsive and ingrained behaviors.

Note: Atypical anorexia, where restrictive behaviors occur without low body weight, can be equally serious and medically risky, underscoring the importance of looking beyond appearance alone.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa involves recurrent binge-eating episodes followed by counter-balancing behaviors such as purging or excessive exercise. These cycles are associated with significant emotional distress, shame, and feelings of loss of control. Population studies link bulimia to elevated medical risk and increased mortality compared with the general population.

Neuroscience findings show bulimia linked to altered impulse control and emotional regulation networks, particularly in frontolimbic pathways. Research shows that patterns help explain why behaviors feel driven rather than chosen, which suggests neurobiological influences rather than lack of discipline.

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common ED in the United States. It involves recurring episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food in a short period of time, without engaging in compensatory behaviors such as purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. If you’re concerned you may have BED, the following signs can help you better recognize the patterns, as well as communicate your symptoms more clearly to your doctor:

Recurrent binge episodes: Defined by consuming unusually large amounts of food with loss of control, a large, cross-sectional study suggested these episodes are becoming even more common.
Emotional triggers: Stress, sadness, anxiety, and overwhelm frequently come before episodes, which are typical emotional regulating coping patterns.
After-effects: Growing feelings of guilt, frustration, or emotional numbness are common as well.
Brain mechanisms: Research highlights heightened reward sensitivity and reduced inhibitory control in neural reward circuits.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a condition that often goes unrecognized because it does not involve a fear of weight gain or body shape. It can emerge from food sensitivities, anxiety around eating, or past negative experiences with food, which makes each case unique. As a result, it may be overlooked or mistaken for other mental health challenges.

It can also present as:

Sensory sensitivities to taste, smell, or texture
Fear of choking or vomiting
Low interest in eating

Although more common in children, ARFID affects adults as well and is linked to anxiety traits, sensory processing differences, and neurodevelopmental features. Recent research highlights significant nutritional and psychosocial impairment despite the absence of weight-related concerns.

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED)

OSFED includes people whose symptoms do not fully meet criteria for other ED diagnoses but still cause serious distress or health consequences.

Research shows that people with OSFED often face emotional distress, depression, and daily life disruption similar to those with full eating disorder diagnoses. revealing that the risks are just as real and deserve equal attention. Examples can include:

Atypical anorexia
Subthreshold bulimia or binge eating
Orthorexia-like rigid “clean eating” patterns

Because OSFED is often minimized or misunderstood, recognizing its legitimacy is a vital step toward healing. Naming the experience can validate those difficult emotions and serve as a powerful beginning to your recovery. When struggles with any ED are acknowledged, meaningful healing can follow.

The Brain’s Role in Eating Disorders

Brain imaging research, including functional and perfusion-based approaches, shows differences in reward processing, impulse control, anxiety circuitry, and emotional regulation among people with eating disorders. Understanding these patterns can help tailor treatment strategies rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions.

Eating disorders also frequently co-occur with depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, trauma-related symptoms, and substance use disorders. Epidemiological studies confirm high psychiatric comorbidity, reinforcing the need for integrated mental health care. SPECT imaging can be helpful in discerning co-occurring disorders in complex cases. Yet, brain imaging alone does not diagnose eating disorders. Rather, it is utilized as one tool that provides brain function data among many data sets in a comprehensive clinical evaluation.

How Eating Disorders Affect Behavior and Daily Life

Living with an eating disorder can completely disrupt your daily life. Everything from routines to relationships to your emotional well-being can feel unstable. These changes can appear in your daily habits and behaviors, which signal internal distress rather than a personal shortcoming. For example, someone might:

Avoid meals or social gatherings involving food
Follow rigid routines that create anxiety when disrupted
Experience mood swings or emotional volatility
Struggle to concentrate at work or school
Withdraw from relationships or hobbies
Feel persistent anxiety or irritability
Isolate in order to binge or out of shame of bingeing or weight gain

These behavioral shifts are important signals that something deeper is happening. It might indicate an untreated mental health disorder. Or there may be external conditions causing stress or a brain health issue. Whatever the underlying causes are, an individual needs the right support that’s tailored to their personal needs and brain type. Eating disorders are serious conditions requiring understanding, compassion, and professional guidance.

When to Seek Professional Help For An Eating Disorder

Reaching out for help can feel intimidating, but you’re not alone. This is a powerful step toward stability and healing, and your first towards feeling better. Professional support may be important when you have:

Distress around food or eating becomes persistent
Noticeable mood or behavior changes emerge
Physical health symptoms appear
Attempts to change feel unsuccessful alone
Loved ones expressing concern

Early intervention has been shown to improve recovery outcomes, making timely support essential. Accessing care early can also help prevent complications, reduce the severity of symptoms, and support long-term emotional and physical health.

With the right guidance, treatment, and support network, you can regain control over your relationship with food and build resilience for sustainable recovery.

How Comprehensive, Brain-Focused Care Can Help

Thorough evaluations that integrate mental health assessment, medical insight, nutrition guidance, and lifestyle factors allow for treatment to match the human rather than the label. How you feel matters as does how your body responds to treatment. Keep in mind that personalized care may include:

Evidence-based therapy
Nutrition rehabilitation
Medical monitoring
Stress-reduction and lifestyle strategies

For example, someone experiencing binge eating alongside untreated anxiety and attention difficulties may improve when those underlying brain patterns are addressed. Learning how your mental health influences your eating habits can give better insight to meaningful change without promising quick fixes that won’t last.

Eating Disorders Are Treatable, and Help Is Available

It can be difficult to figure out what are the different types of eating disorders on your own because each affects the brain, emotions, and behavior in distinct ways. Understanding these differences, early and without stigma, can lead to more effective, compassionate care.

Recovery is rarely linear, but evidence-based treatment and supportive guidance make healing possible. With the right evaluation and personalized plan, individuals and families can move toward steadier ground, renewed health, and a more peaceful relationship with food and self.

Amen Clinics offers treatment for eating disorders that address both the emotional and neurological factors behind these conditions. Through personalized evaluations, evidence-based therapies, and integrated support, individuals can receive the guidance they need to restore balance, improve mental clarity, and build a healthier, more sustainable relationship with food and themselves.Empty heading

FAQ About Eating Disorders

What are the different types of eating disorders?

Best Sports for Mental Health That Boost Your Mood

Thrive Agency — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:00:06 +0000

August 19, 2026
Anxiety and Depression, Brain Health Problems, Health and Wellness, Sleep, Stress and PTSD

Best Sports for Mental Health That Boost Your Mood

TL;DR

Playing sports is one of the most effective natural ways to support brain health and mental well-being.

Physical activity boosts mood, reduces stress, improves sleep, and enhances brain function. Team sports offer added benefits through social connection and a sense of belonging.

While exercise can help with anxiety and depression, it works best as part of a broader, personalized mental health plan that may include professional support when needed.

Medically reviewed by Kandace Licciardi, MD, Medical Director, Amen Clinics

Ever notice how much better you feel after moving your body?

The connection between sports and mental health is powerful. Indeed, regular physical activity strengthens brain health, boosts mood, and helps regulate stress, research shows.

In fact, many experts consider movement one of the most effective ways to support emotional well-being without relying solely on medication. Studies show that exercise increases blood flow to the brain, stimulates mood-regulating chemicals, and improves sleep.

Together, these benefits help support emotional stability and reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.

But what are the best sports for mental health?

While many forms of exercise are helpful, some stand out more than others. Research suggests that team sports, in particular, offer added benefits through social connection, shared goals, emotional support, and a sense of belonging.

In this blog, you’ll learn the science behind sports and mental health, the best sports activities to boost mental well-being, and when it’s important to seek additional support.

How Are Sports and Mental Health Connected?

Sports can be effective in supporting your mental health because they improve mood-regulating neurotransmitters, reduce stress hormones, increase social connection, and enhance overall brain function. Together, these effects support cognitive performance, emotional balance, and resilience with time.

One crucial factor that is often overlooked is the role of coordination-based activities in supporting brain health. Sports such as ping-pong, tennis, and dancing require rhythm, timing, and complex movement patterns that actively engage multiple brain regions.

This kind of stimulation supports neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections. With coordination sports, in particular, overall brain function improves. Individuals may begin to experience sharper thinking, a stable mood, and better memory.

Here are key biological and psychological processes that can help explain the role of sports in supporting emotional well-being:

Endorphin release: Engagement in physical activities stimulates the release of chemicals that can help reduce discomfort to promote a sense of well-being (endorphins).

Regulation of dopamine – Participating in sports regularly can help regulate dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is involved in focus, motivation, and reward. When your dopamine levels are balanced, you experience improved emotional stability and mood.

Reduction of cortisol – Exercise can help in lowering your cortisol levels. This is your body’s primary stress hormone. Lower cortisol production may translate to reduced feelings of stress and tension over time.

Improved sleep – When you engage in physical activity regularly, you get to experience healthier sleep patterns that are important for emotional regulation, brain function, and overall mental health.

Increased self-efficacy – Taking part in sports, especially those that involve setting and achieving goals, can strengthen your personal confidence in your abilities. That is linked to greater resilience and improved emotional well-being.

Exercise is linked to increased blood flow to the brain, which delivers nutrients and oxygen to support thinking, focus, and mood. Physical activity is also associated with enhanced neuroplasticity, helping the brain form new connections, essential for memory and learning.

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Why Playing Team Sports Can Improve a Person’s Mental Health

Team-based activities have been identified as some of the best sports for mental health by experts. They don’t just support your physical health. Team-based sports are also effective in supporting emotional and brain health.

Although there are important benefits offered by individual sports, team sports create an environment that combines movement with structure, shared purpose, and social connection.

Team-based activities offer built-in social support. When people are part of a team, they interact regularly and encourage each other. Teams provide a sense that other people are invested in your well-being. This can be very meaningful to people who are experiencing social isolation and loneliness, which are risk factors for mental health issues.

Teams have shared goals. It may be improving performance, achieving a common outcome, or simply working together during a game. Having a shared purpose increases motivation and provides a sense of meaning, which enhances emotional well-being.

Accountability is the other factor. When people know that others are relying on them to show up and participate, they develop a sense of consistency and commitment. Such a structure can partially benefit someone who struggles with maintaining routines, and that includes those who are managing symptoms of anxiety.

Team sports create a strong sense of belonging, whereby people who feel part of a certain group experience emotional security and higher self-esteem. Both enhance overall mental health.

Team sports involve structured play, which enhances emotional regulation. The routines, rules, and physical engagement can offer a healthy outlet for stress and frustrations and also help people control their emotional responses in a better way.

What Happens in the Brain During Physical Activity?

Physical activity has a direct effect on how the brain functions. Studies suggest that exercise is connected to changes in the brain that enhance emotional regulation, overall mental health, and cognitive performance.

Exercise is linked to increased blood flow to the brain. This blood delivers nutrients and oxygen to support thinking, focus, and mood. Physical activity is also associated with enhanced neuroplasticity, helping the brain form new connections, essential for memory and learning.

Additionally, research links exercise to improved prefrontal cortex function, your brain’s executive center. This supports better decision-making, emotional control, and attention. Exercise can also help calm the brain by reducing overactivity in the amygdala, which is usually connected with anxiety and stress.

Experts believe that engaging in physical activity may create room to regulate the body’s stress system, which could help the brain and body to respond to stress more effectively.

Best Sports for Mental Health (And Why They Help)

Some sports stand out when it comes to supporting emotional well-being and brain health. Many of them not only offer physical activity, but they also enhance social connection, neuroplasticity, and coordination.

However, it’s important to prioritize safety when participating in these sports, as some carry risks.

Basketball

As a fast-paced sport, basketball challenges decision-making, focus, and quick thinking. Throughout the game, strong team communication is needed, which encourages collaboration and social connection, while the fast movements help in engaging different regions of the brain.

Tennis (Singles or Doubles)

Tennis is known to challenge strategy and coordination. It actively engages multiple regions of the brain, which supports neuroplasticity. Playing doubles can add social interaction, which further promotes emotional well-being. Tennis is recommended for brain health because it combines movement with cognitive stimulation and connection.

Swimming

Swimming is about rhythmic full-body movement. It ensures the brain stays engaged while also regulating breathing and promoting calm. This repetitive controlled motion helps reduce stress and supports emotional balance.

Soccer

As an aerobic team-based sport, soccer keeps the body in constant motion, supporting cardiovascular and brain health. The teamwork supports social bonding and promotes a sense of community. However, soccer carries a risk of head-butting, which may impact brain health, so caution is advised.

Running Clubs

Taking part in running clubs offers both aerobic exercise and a sense of community. Through the structured goals, participants develop motivation and self-efficacy. Group runs encourage social connection and help boost mood through the release of endorphins.

Martial Arts

Martial arts are important for the development of discipline, emotional control, and confidence. They help participants manage stress and frustration. They also improve coordination and awareness. That said, some forms of martial arts are linked to the risk of brain injury, which makes it important for participants to prioritize safety and choose styles that are less combative.

Strength Training Groups

Strength training groups build confidence as those who are participating strive to reach personal goals. While at it, they also offer neuroprotective benefits for the brain. Community engagement gives social support that contributes to resilience and emotional well-being.

Team Sports vs Individual Sports | Which Is Better for Mental Health?

Both team sports and individual sports have special mental health benefits. The best choice depends on the preference and lifestyle of the individual.

For instance, with team sports, participants get the added benefits of social connections and reduced feelings of loneliness. When you are part of a group, you experience shared accountability and a sense of belonging. This encourages participants to stay consistent with their activity while also developing social bonding through teamwork.

With individual sports, there is self-regulation and personal focus. Activities such as swimming, running, or yoga promote mindfulness, which can help individuals to stay present and attuned to their mind and body. These sports can also encourage personal mastery since participants can track progress and achieve their goals independently. This can boost confidence and self-efficacy.

The best sport is the one you can consistently maintain. Whether you prefer a team environment or you thrive in a solo practice, what matters most is that you are engaged on a regular basis to support your brain health and enhance your emotional well-being.

Can Sports Help With Depression or Anxiety?

Exercise is linked to enhanced mood and improved overall emotional well-being. Engaging in physical activity regularly can help in stress regulation, support your brain function, and promote the release of chemicals associated with positive mood.

Sports can also help to reduce the mild to moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Any activity that involves structure, movement, and social interaction, like group-based exercises or team sports, provides a sense of connection, routine, and purpose.

Together, these benefits are a boon to mental health, especially for people with feelings of stress, low mood, or disconnection.

Even so, it’s important to understand that exercise and sports activities cannot replace treatment from a mental health professional. Conditions like anxiety, depression, or trauma usually require comprehensive care, and that may include medical evaluation, other evidence-based evaluations, and/or therapy.

Physical activity is a valuable part of a broader mental health plan. When it is combined with the right kind of support, it can help individuals improve their resilience, strengthen their emotional regulation, and support recovery with time.

When Sports May Not Be Enough

While there’s no doubt that sports activities support brain health and emotional well-being, they are not a replacement for mental health treatment.

If you have mental health symptoms that have become persistent or even more severe, seeking mental health support is essential. For example, if you have had feelings of sadness that have not improved with time or are experiencing panic attacks that interfere with your daily life, you may need to see a professional who can conduct an evaluation.

Severe withdrawal from relationships or social activities can also be an indicator that additional support is needed.

In some instances, people may experience trauma-related symptoms like heightened stress responses or difficulty feeling safe. These may require specialized care. Changes in memory, thinking, or even focus, which are sometimes described as cognitive decline, are also important to address with qualified professionals.

If you or someone you care about experience suicidal thoughts, it’s critical to seek help from a qualified mental health professional or hotline (call or text 9-8-8) as soon as possible.

How Amen Clinics Approaches Sports and Mental Health Differently

Amen Clinics relies on a brain-first approach, grounded in the understanding that better brain function contributes to better mental health. As part of a broader whole-body approach, the focus goes beyond symptoms to evaluate how an individual’s brain is functioning and how lifestyle factors, including exercise, can support it.

A comprehensive evaluation at Amen Clinics includes the use of brain SPECT imaging. This is a type of brain scan that is used to evaluate blood flow and brain activity patterns. It reveals brain function in various regions of the brain, showing where there’s too much activity, too little, or normal function.

These insights, combined with neuropsychological testing, and a detailed personal history provide the basis for our clinicians to use precision medicine to create a tailored treatment plan for your brain and body.

We practice holistic psychiatry, which combines cutting-edge neuroscience with natural ways to treat mental health conditions. Plans usually include exercise and other lifestyle factors like diet, nutrition, relaxation, sleep, and nutritional supplementation, as well as therapy and medication, when needed.

Our approach is differs from traditional models that often treat symptoms in isolation.

The methods we use are backed by a large brain imaging database and decades of clinical experience. Our clinicians are committed to providing personalized care plans that are tailored to each individual.

Tips for Starting a Sport to Support Mental Health

If you want to feel better, you can begin playing a new sport today. But when starting a sport, it’s important to approach it in a sustainable way. Ensure that it’s also enjoyable and aligned with your overall health needs.

Here are important tips to consider:

Start Small

To avoid injuries or feeling overwhelmed, start with small, manageable goals. It’s important to understand that even short sessions of physical activity can support your mood and brain function over time.

Choose an Enjoyable Activity

When deciding on which sport to start with, select one that you will genuinely enjoy. This will increase the likelihood that you will stay engaged and consistent.

Prioritize Consistency

Remember, regular participation benefits individuals more than putting in intense effort occasionally. Establish a routine to help you reinforce both physical and mental health benefits.

Combine with Sleep and Nutrition

As you plan to start engaging in sports, have in mind that physical activity works best when combined with balanced nutrition and healthy sleep patterns. These are important for optimal brain function.

Avoid Overtraining

Pushing very hard without taking enough time to recover can increase stress and negatively affect your physical and mental health. It’s important to balance activity with rest.

Seek Medical Clearance if Needed

If you have an underlying health condition or concern, it can be helpful for you to consult a medical professional before you start a new exercise routine.

The Importance of Personalized Brain Health Planning

Depression and anxiety manifest differently for every individual, which means what may benefit one person may not benefit the other.

SPECT scans reveal differences in the way an individual’s brain functions. This highlights why a one-size-fits-all mode of treatment is often ineffective. Each brain has a unique pattern of dysfunction associated with symptoms, which requires individualized treatment.

As mentioned earlier, sports and physical activities are powerful in enhancing mood and supporting brain health; however, they can be more effective if they are incorporated into a personalized brain health plan.

By tailoring interventions to align with an individual’s unique brain patterns, lifestyle, and symptoms, nutrition, therapy, sleep, and the other approaches can work in harmony to enhance emotional balance and promote lasting mental wellness.

Get Active, Get Support

Taking part in sports enhances both your physical and mental health. It helps your body to stay active while it promotes your emotional well-being. Team sports especially provide specific social benefits like shared goals, connection, and a sense of belonging. They enhance your mood, also reducing the feelings of isolation.

Regular exercise also supports your brain function. It supports cognition, memory, and emotional regulation. Although sports can be of great benefit, it’s important for you to remember that support is available when you are faced with intense or persistent symptoms.

If your symptoms persist despite making lifestyle changes, consider a comprehensive evaluation. Your provider will assess your brain function and also the underlying contributors to come up with a personalized plan for your long-term mental health.

FAQ About Sports and Mental Well-Being

What are the best sports for mental health?

What Is Amen WHOLE-4? Where Brain Science Meets Scripture

Thrive Agency — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 14:58:04 +0000

August 17, 2026
Health and Wellness

What Is Amen WHOLE-4? Where Brain Science Meets Scripture

If you’re a pastor, ministry leader, or counselor, you see it every week. The anxiety behind the smiles. The exhaustion in people stretched too thin. The loneliness, the broken relationships, the quiet wavering of faith. You long to help the people in your care flourish—in body, mind, and spirit—but you may not always know where to begin, or wish you had a clear, proven path to guide them.

That’s exactly why Amen WHOLE-4 was created. It’s a groundbreaking wellness journey that unites two things often treated as opposites—cutting-edge brain science and timeless biblical truth—into one transformative experience designed for faith communities. The conviction at its heart is simple and hopeful: when the brain heals, the whole person heals, and when people heal, communities flourish. Let’s explore what Amen WHOLE-4 is, how it works, and who it’s for.

What Is Amen WHOLE-4?

Amen WHOLE-4 is a faith-based, brain-health program that blends neuroscience and Scripture to renew four essential areas of life: mind, body, relationships, and spirit. It was created by Dr. Daniel Amen—double board-certified psychiatrist, founder of Amen Clinics, and one of the world’s leading voices for treating mental health as brain health—and is offered through Amen University.

What makes the program so credible is its foundation. It draws on more than 45 years of clinical practice and the insights gathered from nearly 300,000 brain SPECT scans—the world’s largest database of its kind—woven together with the wisdom of Scripture. It is not a quick fix or a fad diet. It’s a path to lasting transformation, built for churches and faith-based organizations that want to bring real, science- and faith-backed hope to the people they serve.

Where Brain Science Meets Scripture

For too long, faith and science have been framed as rivals. Amen WHOLE-4 reveals that, when it comes to human flourishing, they’re actually telling the same story.

Consider the brain’s remarkable ability to change. Neuroscientists call it neuroplasticity—the brain’s capacity to rewire and renew throughout life. Scripture described this truth two thousand years earlier: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). And the harmony goes deeper:

A landmark body of research links religious and spiritual involvement with less depression and anxiety and greater well-being.
A 2025 systematic review found that heartfelt prayer is associated with greater well-being and lower anxiety and depression.
Research suggests that practicing gratitude strengthens the brain’s emotional-regulation centers and calms its threat response.

In other words, the spiritual disciplines that have nourished believers for millennia are also, quite literally, good for the brain. Amen WHOLE-4 brings these two streams together into one integrated approach—a deeper exploration of the same vision shared in Where Brain Science Meets Scripture: Inside Amen WHOLE-4.

The Four Circles of Whole-Person Health

The “WHOLE-4” name reflects the program’s core insight: lasting health requires tending to the whole person across four interconnected circles. Struggles like anxiety, fatigue, and broken relationships are rarely separate problems—they’re often symptoms of the same strain, and they share the same path to healing.

Brain/Body — Restore energy and vitality by caring for the physical foundation of health: nutrition, movement, sleep, and the kind of brain-supportive habits and nutrients that help the brain function at its best.
Mind — Renew thinking by combining Scripture with neuroscience to overcome negative thought patterns and cultivate a positive, hope-filled mindset.
Social — Heal and strengthen relationships, breaking free from unhealthy patterns and building the life-giving connections God designed us for.
Spiritual — Walk more closely with God, rediscovering purpose, meaning, and a faith that anchors every other area of life.

When all four circles are cared for together—rather than one in isolation—transformation becomes not only possible, but sustainable.

How Amen WHOLE-4 Works

One of the most practical strengths of Amen WHOLE-4 is its flexibility. It can be delivered however best fits your community—as a sermon series, classes, or small groups—making it adaptable for congregations of any size.

The journey begins with six transformative foundational sessions:

Kick-Off: A New Beginning — See today’s health crises as one problem with one hope-filled solution.
BRIGHT MINDS, Strong Bodies — Discover the key risk factors that steal health, and how to overcome them.
Renew Your Mind — Overcome negative thinking and build a positive, faith-filled mindset.
Social Circle Healing — Break free from toxic patterns and strengthen life-giving relationships.
Healing the Soul — Reconnect with God, discover purpose, and find lasting fulfillment.
Make It Last — Build daily habits and a mindset that protect health and faith for life.

For communities ready to go deeper, an extended Mastery track continues the journey over twelve additional sessions. And because busy leaders need support, the program is fully turnkey—giving pastors, counselors, and ministry leaders everything they need to launch and sustain it:

Ready-to-present slides, scripts, and videos for each session
A Leader’s Guide and small-group curriculum with discussion prompts
A participant study guide, journal, and devotional
BRIGHT MINDS risk-factor posters and pocket cards
The Brain Health Assessment for personalized goals and strategies

Who Is Amen WHOLE-4 For?

Amen WHOLE-4 is highly adaptable, making it a fit for nearly any faith community or mission-driven organization. It works especially well for:

Churches and worship communities
Counseling centers, schools, and faith-based businesses
Family and marriage ministries
Organizations seeking faith-and-science transformation
Community and outreach initiatives

This isn’t a theoretical model—it’s proven at scale. Amen WHOLE-4 grew out of the same vision behind The Daniel Plan, the program Dr. Amen co-created at Saddleback Church, where 15,000 people joined in the very first week and participants collectively lost more than 250,000 pounds in a single year, with major improvements in energy, mood, and overall health. When a whole community embraces whole-person health together, the results can be extraordinary.

Why It Matters Now

The need has never been more pressing. Anxiety, depression, burnout, loneliness, and a growing sense of lost purpose are touching families and congregations everywhere—roughly one in five U.S. adults lives with a mental illness, and the strain reaches far beyond any single diagnosis. People are searching for hope that addresses the whole person, not just isolated symptoms.

Faith communities are uniquely positioned to offer exactly that. They already gather people, build relationships, and speak to the deepest questions of meaning and purpose. Amen WHOLE-4 equips them with the brain science to match their spiritual wisdom—so they can guide their people toward genuine, lasting flourishing. You can explore more of that vision in Find a New Path to Whole-Person Healing with Amen WHOLE-4.

Bring Amen WHOLE-4 to Your Community

If your heart is stirred to bring real, lasting hope to the people you lead, Amen WHOLE-4 was made for this moment. Created by Dr. Daniel Amen and built on more than four decades of brain-health research and the timeless truth of Scripture, the Amen WHOLE-4 gives churches, counseling centers, and faith communities a complete, ready-to-launch path to renew mind, body, relationships, and spirit—together.

Imagine your congregation with sharper focus, deeper rest, stronger families, freedom from toxic habits, and a closer walk with God. That’s the transformation Amen WHOLE-4 is designed to spark. The program is currently welcoming faith communities into its pilot, so there’s no better time to get involved. Apply to bring Amen WHOLE-4 to your community today, and help the people you love flourish in every circle of life.

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What Is Amen WHOLE-4? Where Brain Science Meets Scripture

The post What Is Amen WHOLE-4? Where Brain Science Meets Scripture first appeared on Amen Clinics.

ADHD Symptoms in Women Are Easy to Miss

Thrive Agency — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:17:28 +0000

August 14, 2026
ADD / ADHD

ADHD Symptoms in Women Are Easy to Miss

TL;DR

ADHD symptoms in women are often subtle and easy to miss, showing up as overwhelm, distractibility, emotional intensity, and difficulty staying organized rather than obvious hyperactivity. Because these symptoms overlap with conditions like anxiety, depression, and hormonal changes, many women go years without a clear diagnosis.

A comprehensive, brain-based evaluation can help uncover what’s really driving these challenges. With the right combination of lifestyle strategies, therapy, and personalized care, many women can improve focus, manage emotions, and feel more in control of their daily lives.

Medically reviewed by Kandace Licciardi, MD, Medical Director, Amen Clinics

Do you ever feel like your brain is running in a dozen different directions at once, yet nothing actually gets done? Are you overwhelmed, behind, and exhausted, even though you’re trying harder than everyone else just to keep up?

For many women, this isn’t just stress or a busy life. It’s ADHD.

ADHD symptoms in women often look different than the hyperactive stereotype. Instead, they may show up as distractibility, disorganization, forgetfulness, poor follow-through, chronic overwhelm, emotional intensity, and difficulty managing time or routines.

Because these symptoms are often internal, they’re easy to miss or misinterpret. Many women feel anxious, scattered, or like they’re constantly falling behind without realizing there may be an underlying cause.

At Amen Clinics, clinicians frequently see women who have spent years trying to understand why life feels harder than it should. These symptoms often overlap with conditions like anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and hormone changes, which can delay an accurate diagnosis. For some, the realization only comes after a child is diagnosed and the pattern starts to make sense.

A comprehensive, brain-focused evaluation can help uncover what’s really happening and guide more personalized, effective care.

In this blog, you’ll learn what ADHD symptoms in women look like and how to find the right support.

Studies show that internalized ADHD symptoms contribute to delays in diagnosis and frequent mislabeling of women as “anxious, scattered, or overly emotional."

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What Are the Symptoms of ADHD in Women?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects attention, focus, and impulse control.

But in adult women, ADD can show up in subtle ways that are easy to miss or misinterpret, particularly if they don’t align with common expectations.

Common ADHD symptoms in women may include:

Chronic disorganization
Forgetfulness
Procrastination
Restlessness that feels internal rather than obvious
Poor follow-through
Trouble focusing on boring or repetitive tasks
Impulsivity
Mental clutter or feeling overwhelmed
Chronic lateness or time blindness
Emotional reactivity
Frequently losing items
Trouble prioritizing
Starting projects but not finishing them
Difficulty switching tasks
Feeling exhausted from overcompensating

Why Is ADHD in Women So Often Missed?

ADHD in women is often overlooked because it doesn’t always match the common expectation of hyperactivity.

Girls and women are typically less outwardly disruptive than boys, so their struggles may go unnoticed at home or in school. Inattentive symptoms are often mistaken for daydreaming, lack of motivation, stress, or even personality traits rather than signs of a neurodevelopmental condition.

Many women also develop coping strategies to manage daily responsibilities. While these can help them function, they may mask underlying difficulties for years, delaying recognition of a deeper pattern.

In addition, overlapping conditions such as anxiety or depression often receive more attention, leaving ADHD unrecognized and leading to treatment that addresses symptoms rather than root causes.

Hormonal changes can further complicate the picture. Transitions such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause may influence brain function, sometimes intensifying symptoms or making them more noticeable at different stages of life.

How Do ADHD Symptoms Look Different in Adult Women?

Many ADHD women appear to be high functioning on the surface, while they quietly struggle with focus, organization, and mental overload. This can go on for years.

As a way of coping, they may mask symptoms through overworking, perfectionism, or people-pleasing. Although these strategies may help them to keep up with life, they come at the cost of burnout and exhaustion.

As responsibilities in adulthood grow, such as work demands, parenting, scheduling, household management, and finances, these symptoms may become noticeable and more difficult to manage.

Studies show that these internalized symptoms contribute to delays in diagnosis and frequent mislabeling of women as “anxious, scattered, or overly emotional.”

Could ADHD Symptoms in Women Be Confused with Something Else?

In some cases, ADHD symptoms in women may present like other medical or mental health disorders.

It’s not uncommon for ADHD symptoms to overlap with symptoms of depression, anxiety, or trauma.

Difficulties with motivation, emotional regulation, and focus can also be connected to sleep, thyroid, other hormone-related issues, or reproductive hormonal changes during pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause. Indeed, studies indicate that hormonal fluctuations can exacerbate ADHD-like symptoms, complicating accurate diagnosis.

Sometimes, a history of head injury, or even ongoing brain fog, can cause similar challenges with mental clarity, memory, and attention. Some patterns, such as intense focus on particular thoughts or tasks, can also resemble OCD-like tendencies even when the underlying cause is different.

Symptoms of ADHD are likely to overlap with other medical and mental health concerns, which is among the reasons why self-diagnosis can miss the bigger picture.

It’s crucial for a qualified medical doctor or mental health professional to carefully evaluate underlying medical causes and consider other mental health conditions before settling on any diagnosis.

Are There Different Types of ADHD Symptoms in Women?

With a database of nearly 300,000 brain scans, our imaging work at Amen Clinics has revealed seven types of ADD/ADHD. Each type is linked to different brain blood flow and activity patterns in the brain and associated symptoms. The diagnosis of ADHD can present very differently from one individual to another, even if they have some shared symptoms.

Four of the seven types of ADD/ADHD are more common in women:

Inattentive ADD: The second most common ADD type, this involves normal activity at rest, but during concentration there tends to be decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. This type is not hyperactive and tends to be perceived as daydreamy, spacy, or slow.

Over-focused ADD: This type has increased activity at rest and during concentration in the anterior cingulate gyrus, as well as decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. Women with this type tend to get stuck in negative thinking patterns, become hyper-focused, and have difficulty shifting attention. They can be hyperactive, but more likely are not.

Anxious ADD: This type combines low activity in the prefrontal cortex and overactivity in the basal ganglia. Women with this type are frequently anxious, tense, and conflict avoidant. They fear being judged, predict the worst, and can be hyperactive, but more often are not.

Temporal lobe ADD: This type shares the hallmark findings of reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia during concentration in addition to decreased or increased activity in the temporal lobes. This type may occur with a head injury and often involves issues with learning, memory, mood instability, and aggression. Hyperactivity may or may not be present.

Although these types may share some overlapping symptoms, they are connected to different underlying patterns of brain blood flow and activity.

When our clinicians can identify these distinct types of ADHD, common in women, using SPECT, it helps guide them to create more targeted, personalized care instead of more traditional, one-size-fits-all approaches.

When Should You Consider a Professional Evaluation for ADHD Symptoms?

If your ADD symptoms persist or begin to interfere with your daily life, you may need to seek professional intervention. Research shows that adults with untreated ADHD often experience significant functional impairment in work, relationships, and daily responsibilities.

Here are clear signs that it may be time to seek a comprehensive evaluation:

You’ve been feeling overwhelmed for years, and you don’t have a clear explanation for it.
You suspect that your teachers or parents may have missed your symptoms during childhood.
Your symptoms have been affecting your work, relationships, or parenting.
You’ve been having ongoing difficulties with follow-through, time management, and organization across different areas of your life.
ADHD symptoms have worsened after hormonal changes, a concussion, or poor sleep.
You need clarity and a better understanding before you begin your treatment process.

If your symptoms are severe or you have concerns about your well-being or safety, it’s crucial to seek prompt attention from a medical professional.

How Does Amen Clinics Approach ADHD Symptoms in Women Differently?

Traditional approaches to diagnosing and treating ADHD usually depend on symptom checklists and medication management, which may not fully uncover or treat root causes.

Our clinicians at Amen Clinics focus on a brain-health-first approach that goes much deeper than conventional evaluations.

Our comprehensive evaluation includes brain SPECT imaging, a detailed personal health history, and neuropsychological testing.

The personal health history documents significant factors like stress, sleep, hormones, inflammation, past trauma, nutrition, toxins and a history of head injuries together with other biological contributors that may be affecting brain function. Sometimes additional lab work is added to the evaluation in order to rule out underlying biological factors.

As part of our broader commitment to precision medicine, our clinicians use this collection of data to more clearly understand the root causes of symptoms and make more accurate diagnoses and targeted, personalized treatment plans.

Practicing holistic psychiatry, our clinicians develop treatment plans that may include a mix of lifestyle recommendations (exercise, sleep optimization, dietary supplements, relaxation techniques, etc.), supplements, therapy, and medication, when appropriate.

What Can Brain SPECT Imaging Add to the Evaluation Process?

Brain SPECT imaging shows our clinicians how your brain is functioning, whereas MRI and CT scans primarily look at brain anatomy. SPECT measures blood flow and activity patterns in different regions of the brain.

Clinical studies suggest that integrating functional brain imaging with symptom assessment improves diagnostic accuracy and helps guide personalized treatment.

Indeed, SPECT imaging can help reveal patterns associated with attention problems, impulsivity, anxiety, overfocus, and other overlapping concerns. When symptoms are complex or resemble other mental health conditions, this functional information can provide added clarity during the evaluation process.

SPECT imaging also reinforces an important concept: ADHD is not a one-size-fits-all condition. Two people may share similar symptoms, yet the underlying brain patterns driving those symptoms can be very different.

That distinction matters when it comes to treatment. An approach that helps one person may be ineffective or even make symptoms worse for another. By combining brain imaging with a comprehensive clinical evaluation, our clinicians can develop more personalized recommendations based on your unique brain function and symptom profile.

What Kinds of Treatment Support May Help Women with ADHD Symptoms?

The best support for women struggling with ADHD symptoms addresses both daily habits and brain health.

Some helpful approaches may include:

Coaching and psychoeducation: Learning about the effects of ADHD on the brain and creating practical daily life strategies.
Therapy: Addressing stress, emotional patterns, negative thinking, and co-occurring concerns such as low mood or anxiety. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps manage ADHD by identifying negative thought patterns, building organizational skills, and improving impulse control.
Nutrition support: A diet that focuses on balanced nutrition and brain-healthy foods can be very effective in supporting mental energy and focus. For example, consuming protein strongly supports dopamine production and enhances focus. Additionally, eliminating foods that disturb gut health can go a long way in reducing ADHD symptoms.
Sleep optimization: Improving the quality of sleep to support mood, focus, and overall brain function.
Exercise and brain-healthy habits: Regular routines and physical activities that support effective brain function and boost dopamine levels naturally.
Stress reduction: Using relaxation strategies, breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices can all help to keep stress levels in check.
Structure and routine tools: Building schedules, systems, and reminders that support organization and follow-through.
Supplements: Quality nutritional supplements with clinically studied ingredients can help support brain health and focus, sleep, and calm.
Medications: When appropriate, medication can be an effective part of a comprehensive individualized treatment plan.

With these strategies, many women can become better at managing their symptoms and gain more control of their daily lives. Research indicates that individualized, brain-focused interventions can significantly enhance executive function, organization, and emotional regulation in women with ADHD.

What Should Women Do if These Symptoms Sound Familiar?

It can be a great relief to understand that the ADHD symptoms you may have been struggling with for years are not reflective of any personal deficiency or character flaw, but rather a sign of a brain that works differently.

It can be helpful to track your symptoms, taking note of when they are better or wors. For example, do your symptoms worsen during periods of poor sleep, stress, hormonal changes, or mental overload? Do they improve with better nutrition or exercise?

It may be useful to also reflect back on your history. Did you have trouble or did you do well in school? What were your family life experiences like? Sometimes long-standing patterns will start to reveal themselves.

This kind of information can be very helpful when seeking a comprehensive evaluation with a qualified medical or mental health professional

Final Takeaway on ADHD Symptoms in Women

ADHD symptoms in women are often overlooked, especially when they show up as overwhelm, distractibility, or emotional intensity instead of obvious hyperactivity.

Unfortunately, because these patterns can be subtle and overlap with other conditions, many women go years without clear answers.

However, the bright news is that a comprehensive evaluation can help identify what’s really driving these challenges and guide more effective support. With the right strategies, many women can improve focus, regulate emotions, and feel more in control of their daily lives.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, which is why a personalized, brain-based approach matters. If you’re looking for deeper answers, Amen Clinics offers comprehensive evaluations designed to understand your brain and create targeted, individualized care.

FAQ About ADHD in Women

What are the symptoms of ADHD in women?

What Is a Mental Health Crisis? Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

Thrive Agency — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:08:51 +0000

August 12, 2026
Anxiety and Depression, Health and Wellness, Stress and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

What Is a Mental Health Crisis? Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

TL;DR:
A mental health crisis occurs when emotional or psychological distress becomes so severe that it threatens safety or the ability to function. Warning signs may include extreme mood changes, withdrawal, impulsive behavior, or thoughts of self-harm. Immediate support and stabilization are critical, but lasting recovery depends on identifying and addressing underlying causes.

Looking at the brain, including patterns of brain activity, can help uncover what’s driving symptoms and guide more effective, personalized care. With early intervention and a whole-person approach, long-term healing and stability are possible.

Medically reviewed by Kandace Licciardi, MD, Medical Director, Amen Clinics

Have you ever wondered, what is a mental health crisis? It’s a phrase that gets used often, but it’s important to clearly understand what it really means.

A mental health crisis is a situation in which a person’s emotional or psychological state poses an immediate risk to themselves or others or severely impairs their ability to function. Understanding what constitutes a mental health crisis is the first step in recognizing when someone needs urgent support.

Moments of crisis can overwhelm both the brain and body, making it difficult to regulate emotions, think clearly, or make safe decisions.

Mental health crises can look very different from one person to another. Some happen suddenly and feel intense, while others build gradually over time until reaching a breaking point.

For some, a crisis may involve confusion, panic, or withdrawal. For others, it may show up as deep despair, impulsive behavior, or thoughts of self-harm. Symptoms, severity, and triggers can vary widely.

No matter how it appears, a mental health crisis requires attention and care. Recognizing what’s happening can put you or a loved one in a better position to get the right support.

In this blog, you’ll learn how to identify the signs of a mental health crisis, understand its causes, know what to do in the moment, and support long-term brain health and recovery.

A mental health crisis is a situation in which a person’s emotional or psychological state poses an immediate risk to themselves or others or severely impairs their ability to function.

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What Is Considered a Mental Health Crisis?

A mental health crisis occurs when someone experiences overwhelming emotional distress or behavioral instability that requires immediate intervention to ensure safety.

Research shows that in such a situation, the person may be struggling to regulate their emotions, think clearly, or engage in basic responsibilities of the day. Depending on the individual, crises can present in various ways. However, there are common scenarios that indicate a crisis, such as the following:

Severe manic episodes that are characterized by risky behavior, reduced need for sleep, or impulsivity

Psychotic symptoms like delusional thinking or hallucinations

Self-harm behaviors like cutting themselves or inflicting other forms of injury

Suicidal thoughts, especially those that are accompanied by a plan or intent

Behavioral or verbal threats of harming other people

Intense feelings of disconnection or panic attacks

Being unable to take care of basic needs like personal hygiene, sleeping, or eating

Warning Signs of a Mental Health Crisis

When you are able to recognize the early warning signs of a mental health crisis, you are better equipped to prevent the situation from escalating. The symptoms below can indicate that someone may be approaching or is experiencing a mental breakdown:

Extreme irritation, restlessness, or agitation

Expressing feelings of having no reason to live or hopelessness

Mentioning wanting to die

Engaging in impulsive or risky behaviors

Withdrawing from family, friends, or the usual activities

Sudden or noticeable shifts in mood, behavior, and personality

Severe or rapidly shifting mood changes

Fearfulness, suspicion, or paranoia

Disorganized thinking or having a challenge making sense of reality

It’s important to note that not all signs of emotional distress rise to the level of crisis. However, if you or your loved one experiences these signs, especially if the signs are new, worsening, or occurring together, there’s a need for prompt attention and professional evaluation.

What Causes a Mental Health Crisis?

Usually, mental health crises result from a combination of biological factors, life circumstances, and underlying conditions that affect how an individual’s brain functions or responds to stressful situations.

Research shows that disruptions in brain activity, especially in areas involved in mood regulation, impulse control, and stress response, can increase vulnerability to mental health crises.

Some of the most common contributors may include:

Bipolar disorder, mostly during depressive or manic episodes

Missed doses or recent changes in medication

Underlying anxiety or depression

Exposure to unresolved past experiences or trauma

Ongoing sleep deprivation that can disrupt mood regulation

Medical conditions that affect brain health

Hormonal changes that include those related to pregnancy and childbearing postpartum, or thyroid imbalance

Major stressors in life, such as relationship conflicts, financial strain, or loss

Substance use or withdrawal from alcohol or drugs

Mental health crises are not a sign of character weakness. They are a reflection of the changes that occur in brain function or overall health. It’s important to understand that such situations deserve compassionate, evidence-based care.

What Should You Do During a Mental Health Crisis?

If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, staying as calm as possible and taking practical steps can help reduce immediate risk and support safety. Creating a stable, supportive environment is key while you seek appropriate help.

Studies show that early intervention and a compassionate, steady presence during a crisis can significantly improve outcomes and lower the risk of harm.

Here are some helpful steps to take during a mental health crisis:

If it’s safe to do so, stay with the distressed person to offer presence and reassurance.

Speak to them in a calm and steady voice.

Listen without judgment.

Remove access to items that are potentially harmful, like sharp objects, medication, or other means of harm.

If there’s immediate danger to the distressed person or other people around, it’s important to contact emergency services.

Call 988 (U.S. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) for support and guidance.

If the situation requires urgent psychiatric or medical care, seek care at the nearest emergency room.

When Is Hospitalization Necessary?

Hospitalization may be necessary when a person’s safety cannot be maintained in a less intensive setting, even with support in place. It is typically considered in the following situations:

The individual is unable to meet basic daily needs, such as eating, sleeping, maintaining hygiene, or functioning safely.

There is an imminent risk of harm to themselves or others.

They are experiencing medical instability related to mental health symptoms, co-occurring conditions, or substance use.

Severe psychosis is present, including hallucinations or delusions that significantly impair awareness or judgment.

In these situations, hospitalization provides short-term stabilization in a structured and supervised environment. Care may include medication management, continuous monitoring, and therapeutic support to help regulate thinking, mood, and behavior.

The goal of hospitalization is to restore safety, reduce risk, and to prepare for follow-up care that is appropriate, such as therapy or outpatient treatment.

Crisis Stabilization Is the First Step | Not the Whole Solution

The main focus of crisis stabilization is immediate safety. Stabilization helps to lower risk of harm, reduce acute symptoms, and ensure the individual is in a more stable state to think more clearly and start the next phase of care.

This is a very important step, especially for someone who is in danger or is overwhelmed, and it usually involves structured, short-term support.

While it’s important, stabilization alone doesn’t address the entire challenge. There is still a need for careful evaluation to address the underlying factors that led to the crisis, like trauma, mood disorders, medical conditions, chronic stress, and substance use. If the root causes are not properly identified and treated, symptoms can persist over time.

For some people, it can develop into a pattern of repeated crises. Not fully understanding the drivers of distress would mean that care would only focus on managing the urgent episodes instead of preventing them from recurring.

With a comprehensive approach, professionals look beyond immediate stabilization to assess lifestyle factors, brain health, and the contributing conditions.

This creates room for more targeted support that is focused on reducing future crises as well as improving overall well-being. At the same time, it recognizes the crucial role mental health stabilization and hospital care play in keeping people safe in critical moments.

How Amen Clinics Approaches Mental Health Crises Differently

Amen Clinics approaches mental health crises with a brain health-first philosophy. While our clinics do not handle acute crisis care, our team is skilled at providing care after stabilization, hospitalization, or in-patient program. Our methods are geared to treating root causes, supporting long-term mental health, and reducing the likelihood of future mental health crises.

Unlike traditional mental health providers, Amen Clinics’ comprehensive evaluation does much more than focus on symptoms. Our whole-body approach includes brain SPECT imaging, collecting a detailed personal history, and neurocognitive testing (as well as additional lab work, if necessary).

Our clinicians look at the whole person, as well as brain function. They take time to evaluate lifestyle habits and rule out biological causes that may be playing a role in symptomology. Factors like past head injuries, thyroid dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, or inflammation can all influence mental health as well as increase an individual’s vulnerability to crises.

In terms of examining brain function, brain SPECT imaging reveals blood flow and activity patterns in the brain, which help reveal underlying causes driving mental health symptoms. Clinical experience has shown that various symptom clusters, for instance, depression, anxiety, or impulsivity, may reflect distinct brain patterns.

With close to 300,000 brain scans performed, our imaging work has revealed nuanced differences in disorders such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD. These conditions can share symptomology, which can lead to misdiagnosis through traditional methods. But our clinicians can see what is happening in the brain, which helps them more accurately identify conditions. In fact, our imaging work has revealed seven distinct subtypes of anxiety and depression, and seven subtypes of ADHD.

This kind of thorough and detailed data not only helps to inform more accurate diagnoses, it helps our clinicians to practice precision medicine in creating effective, tailored treatment plans for individuals rather than relying on “one-size-fits” all treatment that may fall short, especially in complex cases.

Our individualized treatment plans are also integrative, reflecting a whole-body approach that considers both brain and physical health, usually combining multiple approaches that include the following:

Sleep optimization so that patients can improve their regulation and recovery
Therapy to support patients as they process their emotions and develop coping skills
Nutrition strategies to optimize brain function
Medication when it is clinically indicated
Targeted supplements when appropriate

This is a different approach from the traditional model, which tends to focus on crisis management with little follow up. Once a patient is stabilized, our care time at Amen Clinics conducts a deep investigation into the root causes to support overall mental wellness and help reduce the likelihood of a future crisis.

After a Crisis | What Recovery Can Look Like

After a mental health crisis, the process of recovery focuses on restoring stability while building a stronger foundation that supports long-term wellness. With effective support, many individuals are able to regain clarity, control, and direction.

Follow-up care is a crucial first step after a crisis. It’s important to have regular check-in appointments with a qualified mental health professional to monitor progress, adjust treatment, if necessary, as well as lower the risk of getting into another crisis. A thoughtful review is important when medication is part of the care plan. Medication needs to be accurately tailored to the needs of the individual.

For individuals impacted by past experiences, trauma-focused therapy can be effective in helping process unresolved stressors that may be contributing to emotional overwhelm. Additionally, stabilizing daily routines like improving stress management, nutrition, and sleep can help optimize areas of brain function impacted by trauma.

Healing may also include social or family support. Educating loved ones to build a dependable support system can reduce isolation, improve communication, and strengthen resilience.

Recovery is possible. The right intervention supports the whole person, which includes brain and body function, emotional well-being, building healthy social connections, and finding meaning in life. When care is consistent and personalized, many people are able to move beyond crisis toward lasting stability and better quality of life.

When to Seek Professional Evaluation (Even If It’s Not an Emergency)

Not all mental health concerns are emergencies, but some patterns signal that there is a need for professional evaluation before symptoms worsen. Seeking professional support early is key.

If you or your loved one is experiencing the following, it may be time to get a comprehensive evaluation from a qualified mental health provider:

Unpredictable emotional changes or ongoing mood instability

Recurrent panic attacks that could be interfering with your daily functioning

Persistent depression that doesn’t improve with time

Substance misuse that includes reliance on alcohol or even drugs to cope

Increasing isolation from friends, family, or usual activities

Noticeable cognitive changes, for instance, memory problems, confusion, or difficulty concentrating.

Early intervention helps providers identify the root causes of mental health symptoms sooner. When addressed promptly, treatment can improve outcomes and, in some cases, prevent a crisis altogether.

Personalized Treatment Matters

There is no single cause of a mental health crisis. Similar symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, or impulsivity, can stem from very different underlying factors. That’s why a one-size-fits-all approach does not always lead to lasting results.

Brain imaging research shows that distinct patterns of brain activity are linked to different symptom clusters. This helps explain why two people with similar experiences may respond very differently to the same treatment.

In many cases, biological factors also play a role. Past head injuries, hormonal imbalances, genetics, inflammation, and other medical conditions can all influence brain function and contribute to a crisis.

Because of this complexity, personalized care is essential. When treatment takes into account a person’s brain function, biology, history, and lifestyle, it allows for more targeted support and better long-term outcomes.

A Call for Healing

A mental health crisis is serious, but with the right care and support, it is treatable. In the moment, the priority is always safety, ensuring the person is protected and stabilized.

But that is only the first step. Lasting recovery requires action after the crisis has passed. It involves understanding the factors that contributed to it, whether psychological, biological, or lifestyle-related, so care can be more targeted and effective.

The good news is that healing is possible. With a thoughtful, comprehensive approach, you or a loved one can improve brain health and build lasting mental well-being.

FAQ About Mental Health Crises

What is a mental health crisis?

What Causes Autism in Children? What Researchers Know Today

Thrive Agency — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:57:38 +0000

August 7, 2026
Autism, Child Psychiatry

What Causes Autism in Children? What Researchers Know Today

TL;DR:

Autism does not have one single cause. Current research suggests it develops from a combination of genetic influences and environmental factors that affect early brain development. Some prenatal and medical factors may increase risk, but no single factor explains every case. Autism is not caused by parenting, discipline, or character flaws. Because autism affects each person differently, personalized evaluation and support are essential. At Amen Clinics, brain SPECT imaging and comprehensive assessments help uncover underlying brain patterns and co-occurring issues to guide more individualized care.

Medically reviewed by Kandace Licciardi, MD, Medical Director, Amen Clinics

Many parents and caregivers want a simple answer to what causes autism. The truth is more complicated. Autism is not caused by one thing, and for many families, there is no single explanation that fully accounts for why a child is on the spectrum.

Researchers do not know one single cause of autism. Current evidence suggests autism is linked to a mix of genetic factors and environmental influences that affect early brain development. Some risk factors begin before birth, but risk factors are not the same as direct causes, and in many cases, no single cause can be identified.

Instead of looking for one answer, experts encourage a broader understanding of how different factors may work together to influence brain development. This perspective helps reduce blame and supports a more balanced, science-based view of autism.

This article explores what current research says about the cause of autism, what may increase risk during pregnancy or early development, what assumptions are not helpful, and how Amen Clinics takes a different, brain-focused approach to understanding and supporting individuals with autism.

Researchers do not know one single cause of autism. Current evidence suggests autism is linked to a mix of genetic factors and environmental influences that affect early brain development.

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What is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism is a developmental condition affecting social interaction, behavior, and communication. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the autism diagnosis rates are increasing, with recent estimates indicating that about 1 in 36 children are identified on the spectrum.

What Causes Autism?

Researchers do not know the exact cause of autism. Major medical sources suggest that autism likely develops from a combination of genetic influences and environmental factors that affect early brain development, rather than from one single cause.

Autism is a developmental condition that involves differences in how the brain develops and functions. Because of this, the idea of a single “cause” is often too simple to explain a condition that is highly complex and varies widely from person to person.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that there is no one factor that explains every case of autism. Instead, different combinations of influences may play a role in each individual. This is why autism is considered a spectrum condition, with diverse presentations and needs.

Autism is best understood as a complex developmental condition with multiple possible contributing factors, rather than a single-cause condition.

Related: The Many Faces of Autism

What Causes Autism in Children?

Autism in children is not thought to come from one single cause. Research suggests that a child’s genes and aspects of their early environment may affect development in ways that increase the likelihood of autism. Some children also have known genetic conditions linked with autism.

Autism begins very early in development, even if signs and symptoms are only noticed later in childhood. For this reason, the question of “what causes autism in children” is really about how early brain development unfolds before and shortly after birth.

It is important to be clear that autism is not caused by parenting style, lack of discipline, or a child’s behavior or character. These are outdated misconceptions that are not supported by scientific evidence.

Autism Begins with Differences in Early Development

Symptoms of autism often appear within the first two years of life, even though a formal diagnosis may come later. These early signs reflect differences in developmental pathways rather than something that develops after birth.

Genes Appear to Play a Major Role

Genetic factors are strongly involved in autism, although there is no single gene responsible in every case. Many different genes may contribute, and the genetic picture can vary widely from child to child.

Environment May Also Influence Risk

Researchers are still studying how prenatal and early-life factors may interact with genetic susceptibility. These influences do not act alone but may contribute in combination with underlying genetic factors.

What Causes Autism During Pregnancy?

Researchers do not point to one single pregnancy-related cause of autism. Instead, studies suggest that some prenatal factors may be associated with a higher likelihood of autism in certain children, especially when combined with genetic susceptibility. These are risk factors, not guarantees, and should not be seen as direct causes.

During pregnancy, autism is understood as the result of complex interactions between genes and early development rather than a single cause-and-effect event. Experts have found associations but not causes.

Having older parents and having very low birth weight are two factors associated with increased likelihood of ASD, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Studies from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) say genes and environment may interact, and note that certain experiences, such as infection or chemical exposures, may matter in genetically susceptible individuals.

It is important to emphasize that association does not mean certainty. Most pregnancies with these risk factors do not result in autism, and many children with autism do not have a clearly identifiable prenatal cause.

Genetic Susceptibility May Begin Before Birth

Some children may already have genetic differences that influence early brain development and increase sensitivity to other influences.

Some Prenatal Factors May Increase Risk

Experts have linked factors such as older parental age and certain pregnancy or birth-related conditions with a higher likelihood of autism in some studies.

Risk Factors Are Not the Same as Direct Causes

Having a possible risk factor does not mean autism will occur, and many cases of autism cannot be traced to a single prenatal event or exposure.

What Role Do Genetics Play in Autism?

Genetics appear to be one of the strongest contributors to autism risk. NIH-funded research reported by the NICHD estimates that inherited genetic factors may account for a large proportion of autism risk in some study populations, although this does not mean genes alone explain every case of autism.

Some individuals with autism have identifiable genetic differences, including known genetic conditions that are also associated with developmental and medical differences. The CDC notes that autism can occur alongside specific genetic conditions in some people.

In addition, the NIMH identifies having a sibling with autism spectrum disorder and having certain genetic conditions as factors associated with an increased likelihood of ASD. While genetics play a significant role, autism is not caused by a single “autism gene.” Instead, many different genes may be involved, often interacting in complex ways that influence early brain development.

Genes matter a great deal in autism, but autism cannot be explained by one specific gene or a single genetic cause.

What Environmental or Prenatal Factors May Affect Autism Risk?

Researchers are still trying to understand how prenatal and environmental factors might shape early brain development in regards to autism, particularly in children who already have some genetic vulnerability. The NICHD describes this as gene-environment interaction, where inherited traits and early life influences may work together rather than acting as a single cause.

Certain factors have been associated with a higher likelihood of autism, but they are not direct causes.

For example, older parental age is associated with a higher risk of autism. A 2020 study in Autism Research found that women over 35 have a roughly 30 to 40 percent higher risk of having a child with ASD compared to younger mothers, with the risk increasing further for women over 40. Still, the overwhelming majority of children born to mothers over 35 do not develop autism, with prevalence remaining under 2 percent, even for mothers up to age 45.

Other associations with higher risk of autism include very low birth weight, and certain genetic conditions.

Many children who are exposed to these factors do not develop autism, and many individuals with autism do not have any clear prenatal or environmental explanation. This reflects how varied autism can be from one person to another.

Taken together, prenatal and environmental factors are better understood as possible influences that may increase risk alongside genetics, not as clear-cut causes.

What Does Not Help When Talking About Autism Causes?

When discussing the causes of autism, simple explanations may be misleading. Autism is a complex condition, so describing it as having one cause or a simple cause-and-effect link does not match what current research indicates. It’s misleading to point to one study as the final answer as research is still ongoing.

It’s important to be mindful about how you frame conversations around autism. There’s too much room for blame and/or shame. Autism is not caused by discipline, personal choices, or parenting. Suggesting this can unfairly place blame on families, and there is no evidence to support that view.

Assuming that every child with autism has the same cause is unhelpful and inaccurate. Autism may look different from one person to another, and the influencing factors are not always the same. Breaking it down to a single explanation, like a “chemical imbalance,” makes a complex condition seem much simpler than it is.

Balanced and clear information matters a lot. Mental health and developmental conditions are not character flaws, and families deserve a better understanding that informs them without adding blame or fear.

Why Is Autism Not One-Size-Fits-All?

Autism is defined as a spectrum mainly because it affects individuals in different ways. Some people can struggle with social situations, but they have strong communication skills, while others might need a lot of support in their daily life.

The NIMH reports that autism may affect how individuals communicate, behave, learn, and interact, but the way the condition impact’s any one individual’s thinking and behavior is entirely unique.

Because of this variation, there isn’t one standard or typical way autism appears. Each individual can show a different mix of support needs, challenges, and strengths. Two people with the same diagnosis but may have different experiences in how autism manifests in their life journey.

Our work at Amen Clinics has made clear that autism is not just one thing and that different patterns of brain dysfunction may be involved. There’s not just one but multiple suspected factors that can influence abnormal brain function in ASD.

Different symptom clusters may reflect different underlying brain patterns, which is one reason personalized evaluation matters.

Could Something Else Be Contributing to Autism-Related Symptoms?

An adult or child with ASD can frequently have other developmental, mental health, or medical conditions that affect how they function daily. At times, they may overlap with or worsen autism-related behaviors, making things more complicated.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder can also experience disorders such as anxiety, ADHD, sleep disturbance, depression, gastrointestinal issues, or depression. These co-occurring problems may significantly affect learning, mood, overall well-being, and behavior.

Due to this overlap, it is very important to recognize that symptoms are not always caused by autism alone. Ruling out or identifying underlying factors may help create a clearer understanding of what drives some behaviors or difficulties. This helps to ensure more accurate support and intervention that are better suited to the individual.

Attention and Learning Concerns

ADHD and learning difficulties commonly occur alongside autism, and they may influence attention, focus, and school performance.

Sleep, Medical, and Gastrointestinal Issues

Sleep disturbances, digestive problems, or other medical concerns may impact energy levels, behavior, and emotional regulation.

Anxiety or Mood Symptoms

Anxiety and depression may also be present and add to the complexity of symptoms. They should be carefully considered and addressed.

These co-occurring conditions can overlap with or intensify autism-related traits, making it more challenging to understand the full picture and identify the most effective support strategies.

How Does Amen Clinics Approach Autism Differently?

Traditional approaches to autism often focus mainly on observable behaviors and may rely on brief evaluations or symptom-based treatment plans. While these methods can be helpful, they may not always explore deeper biological or neurological factors that could be contributing to a person’s challenges.

At Amen Clinics, the approach is different. Care is centered on a “brain health first” philosophy, with an emphasis on understanding underlying brain function and identifying possible root causes rather than focusing only on symptoms.

We use brain SPECT imaging as part of our comprehensive evaluation process to help identify what is happening in the brain. Because autism is complex and can appear very differently from one person to another, SPECT imaging can provide insights that go beyond surface-level symptoms by revealing underlying patterns of brain dysfunction that may be contributing to specific behavioral, emotional, cognitive, or social challenges.

SPECT can also help identify co-occurring conditions, such as ADHD, anxiety, mood disorders, or sleep problems, that may overlap with or intensify autism-related symptoms. This allows our clinicians to develop more accurate diagnoses and more targeted, personalized treatment plans. Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach, brain imaging helps guide precision medicine strategies designed to support healthier brain function and improve overall quality of life.

Our whole-body approach to holistic psychiatry combines cutting-edge neuroscience with natural ways to treat mental health conditions. Treatment plans may include targeted nutrition, supplements, lifestyle strategies, therapy, and medications when necessary.

We believe brain function can improve with the right, individualized interventions, which helps to better manage ASD.

What Can Brain SPECT Imaging Add to Understanding Autism?

Unlike an MRI or CT scan, which focus on brain structure, SPECT brain scans show how the brain is working by measuring blood flow and activity across different regions of the brain.

As mentioned, SPECT is used as part of a comprehensive evaluation, not as a stand-alone test for diagnosing autism. The data collected in a SPECT scan can sometimes give extra clues about how different areas of the brain are functioning, especially when there are other challenges like ADHD, anxiety, or mood symptoms happening at the same time.

Over time, clinicians have seen that people with autism don’t all show the same brain activity patterns. This is one of the reasons autism is understood as a spectrum, with a lot of variation from person to person.

The scan is used alongside other clinical information and a large database of previous cases to help guide more personalized treatment decisions. The idea is to better understand what is going on in that individual’s brain, so support can be more targeted.

SPECT doesn’t replace a full clinical evaluation — it simply adds another piece to the overall picture.

When Should You Seek a Professional Evaluation?

Occasionally, worries appear in your life that don’t go away. You may notice your child starting to have difficulties with learning, communication, or behavior that become clearer with time. In some situations, parents can feel that certain expected developmental milestones are not happening or are being missed.

Things may feel more confusing when there are other problems happening simultaneously, like sleep issues, anxiety, ADHD, and medical concerns. And when symptoms occur together in this way, it is not easy to tell what’s causing each factor.

If basic strategies at home or support at school are not making a difference, and if worries keep increasing, then it may be time to seek professional evaluation. Studies also state that early support can improve development in children with autism. This is why it’s very important not to wait if concerns persist.

A thoughtful evaluation can help clarify whether autism, a co-occurring condition, or another medical issue may be contributing to the challenges you are seeing.

ASD: Many Influences, No Single Cause

Autism does not have one simple cause. Current research points to a mix of genetic influences and environmental factors that shape early brain development. Some risks may begin before birth, but this does not mean autism can be traced to one factor or explained by a single cause.

Rather than focusing only on what caused autism, it can be more helpful to understand the individual person. This includes recognizing their strengths, identifying any co-occurring challenges, and finding the kind of support that fits their specific needs.

If you are trying to better understand autism and what may be affecting your child’s brain function, a comprehensive evaluation may offer clearer, more personalized answers.

ASD: Many Influences, No Single Cause

If you are trying to better understand autism and what may be affecting brain function, a comprehensive evaluation may offer clearer, more personalized answers.

FAQ About Causes of Autism in Children

What is believed to cause autism?

The Superager Brain: New Study Reveals Why Some Minds Stay Sharp

Thrive Agency — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 13:19:04 +0000

August 5, 2026
Brain Health Problems, Brain SPECT Imaging, Health and Wellness, Memory Issues

The Superager Brain: New Study Reveals Why Some Minds Stay Sharp

Why do some people stay mentally sharp well into their 80s and beyond, while others experience memory decline?

Scientists have been trying to answer this question for decades. A breakthrough new study published in Nature may offer an intriguing clue: the brains of older adults with exceptional memory, called superagers, continue to generate significantly more new neurons than their peers, and even much younger individuals. This discovery highlights a unique form of neurogenesis that may help explain why some brains stay resilient during aging. This discovery may actually be one of the superager brain secrets scientists have been hunting for.

Although researchers are still piecing together the full story, the findings could represent an important step toward understanding how the brain maintains cognitive health over time.

Medically reviewed by Kandace Licciardi, MD,  Medical Director, Amen Clinics

A new, breakthrough study found that the brains of older adults with exceptional memory, called superagers, continue to generate significantly more new neurons than their peers, and even much younger individuals.

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What Are Superagers?

Superagers are individuals typically 80 years or older whose memory performance rivals people in their 50s and 60s. Structurally, their brains look younger as well with less shrinkage and fewer Alzheimer’s disease-type changes. Superagers are rare, accounting for less than 10 percent of the elderly population.

Northwestern University has been studying superagers for more than 25 years in their Northwestern University Superaging Research Program. Scientists have noted biological and behavioral differences in this group, including slower cortical thinning, greater gray matter volume, and stronger social engagement.

Superagers have better mental health, with less self-reported depression and anxiety, and fewer complaints of poor sleep than their peers, research has found.

Related: Healthy Brain at Every Age

New Study Focused on Hippocampus

In the study, led by scientists at University of Illinois Chicago, researchers examined post-mortem brain tissue from several groups:

Young adults
Older adults with typical cognitive aging
Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease
And superagers with extraordinary memory ability

The scientists focused on the hippocampus, a brain region essential for learning and memory. Using advanced genetic and molecular analysis techniques, they studied hundreds of thousands of cells from the hippocampus to understand how brain cell development differs between these groups.

A Surprising Discovery: More New Neurons

One of the most striking findings involved neurogenesis.

For years, scientists debated whether the human brain continues producing new neurons during adulthood. Evidence has gradually suggested that it does, particularly in the hippocampus. This study provides new support for that idea and suggests that superagers may have a unique pattern of neurogenesis.

Researchers identified neural stem cells, neuroblasts, and immature neurons in the hippocampus. (One expert likens neural stem cells to babies, neuroblasts to teenagers, and immature neurons to near adults.) These indicate the early stages of brain cell development that eventually become mature neurons. Compared with typical aging brains, superagers showed a distinct neurogenesis profile, which the scientists described as a possible “resilience signature” in the brain.

Overall, superagers showed substantially more new neurons in their hippocampi. They had more of these immature neurons than young adults, roughly twice as many as normal adults their age, and about two and a half times more than those with Alzheimer’s disease.

In simple terms, superager brains appeared better able to generate new neurons and support their survival.

Why New Neurons Matter for Memory

The hippocampus plays a major role in forming and storing memories.

In animal studies, newly generated neurons help integrate new information into memory circuits and support learning. When neurogenesis declines, memory function often declines as well. The new research suggests that in humans, maintaining neurogenesis may help preserve memory and cognitive abilities with age.

By contrast, the study also found that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease had fewer immature neurons, as well as disrupted neurogenesis pathways. This difference hints that the brain’s ability to generate new neurons could be an important factor in cognitive resilience.

A Molecular “Resilience Signature”

Another key discovery involved the molecular signals that regulate neurogenesis.

The researchers examined neurogenic cells and found differences in gene activity and chromatin accessibility, which are mechanisms that control which genes turn on or off. These changes were found in two types of neurogenic cells: astrocytes and CA1 neurons.

These molecular patterns appeared to distinguish:

Healthy aging
Cognitive decline
And the exceptional resilience seen in superagers

These findings suggest that these immature neurons have unique genetic and epigenetic characteristics that may make them resilient to aging, which may protect memory as people age.

What This Could Mean for Brain Health

The study does not mean scientists have discovered the secret to staying mentally young forever.

But it does suggest that ongoing neuron growth may be one important piece of the puzzle.

Understanding how the brain maintains neurogenesis could eventually lead to new strategies aimed at:

Supporting memory
Protecting brain cells
Slowing cognitive decline

Researchers note that identifying the biological mechanisms behind this resilience could help guide future therapies designed to preserve brain function in aging populations.

The Bigger Picture

Healthy aging is influenced by many factors, including genetics, lifestyle, brain health, and environmental exposures. There are many actions you can take to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. This can include simple things like diet, improving social connections, and using methods to boost recollection.

This study offers an encouraging insight: some brains maintain the ability to renew themselves even in later life. If scientists can better understand how superagers’ brains achieve this, it could help unlock new ways to protect memory and cognitive function for more people as they age.

The research adds to a growing body of evidence that the brain remains more dynamic and adaptable than once believed. And that is good news for anyone interested in keeping their brain healthy for the long run!

FAQ About Aging and Memory

What is a Superager?

New Genetic Study Could Transform Approach to Mental Health

Thrive Agency — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:11:16 +0000

July 31, 2026
ADD / ADHD, Anxiety and Depression, Brain SPECT Imaging, Health and Wellness, Stress and PTSD

New Genetic Study Could Transform Approach to Mental Health

A massive new genetic study is challenging the way we define mental illness, and confirming that the brain is where the real story begins. The groundbreaking study, published in Nature, analyzed data from more than six million people and found that many psychiatric disorders share deep biological roots.

Researchers examined a total of fourteen conditions, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, autism, OCD, and substance use disorders. Instead of operating in isolated categories, these disorders appear to cluster together based on shared genetic patterns, particularly those related to brain development and synaptic function.

Significantly, the research suggests that mental illnesses are not simply a collection of siloed psychological symptoms, but overlapping biological systems that start in the brain, often as early as in utero.

For decades, psychiatric diagnoses have been based on symptom checklists rather than biology. This study reinforces what the brain-imaging work at Amen Clinics has shown for years: the current system of diagnosing mental health conditions is incomplete because it does not look directly at the organ it treats—the brain.

Medically reviewed by Rishi Sood, MD, Amen Clinics

New groundbreaking, genetic research suggests that mental illnesses are not simply a collection of siloed psychological symptoms, but overlapping biological systems that start in the brain, often as early as in utero.

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The Genetic Study’s Findings

The Nature study, published in December 2025, analyzed genetic data from more than six million people, including over one million individuals diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder. Researchers examined fourteen conditions, ranging from depression, anxiety, and PTSD to ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, and substance use disorders.

Instead of finding completely separate genetic pathways for each diagnosis, the team discovered that many of these disorders share common genetic risk factors. These shared risks clustered into broader biological groupings tied to brain development and synaptic function (how brain cells communicate with one another).

In other words, the same genetic variants can increase vulnerability to multiple mental health conditions. The study also found that certain traits, such as suicidality and loneliness, were genetically linked across several disorder clusters.

The findings suggest that psychiatric conditions may be better understood as overlapping brain-based systems rather than isolated categories, which counters the way mental illness has traditionally been classified.

Why Our Current Diagnostic System Falls Short

The DSM-5, psychiatry’s diagnostic manual, groups conditions by clusters of symptoms. But symptoms don’t always tell the full story.

This new research identified genetic clusters that do not neatly align with traditional diagnostic labels. That means conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may share overlapping biological systems that begin affecting the brain very early in life.

In clinical practice, this mismatch happens frequently, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, founder of Amen Clinics, who was recently interviewed by Fox News regarding the new genetic study.

“We’ve had patients come in with the same diagnosis—say, depression—but when we scan their brains, we see wildly different patterns. One may have overactivity in the limbic system, another underactivity in the prefrontal cortex, and another damage from trauma or toxic exposure. They all feel depressed, but their brains tell different stories, and they each need a different approach to heal,” Dr. Amen told Fox News.

Dr. Amen explained further that diagnosing depression without looking at the brain is like diagnosing chest pain without examining the heart. Depression is a symptom, not a root cause.

Genetics Is Just Part of the Whole Picture

This genetic mapping is an important step toward what many call “precision psychiatry.” It helps identify shared vulnerabilities and may eventually lead to earlier screening and prevention strategies.

However, genetics alone cannot determine outcomes. Association is not causation. Just because a gene is linked to a disorder does not mean it causes it, or that altering it will change the result.

Environment still matters. Your daily habits play a role in whether those genes are turned on or turned off. Genetics may load the gun, but stress, trauma, poor diet, infections, toxins, substance use, and head injuries often pull the trigger. On the other hand, a healthy lifestyle geared to support brain health can help reduce the risk of many mental health conditions.

That’s why a comprehensive brain health approach must look beyond DNA. SPECT imaging, which Amen Clinics uses in a comprehensive evaluation, bridges the gap between genetic risk and what is actually occurring in the brain.

“Genetics tells us what might happen. Imaging tells us what is happening right now,” Dr. Amen explained. Understanding what is happening in the brain leads to more accurate diagnoses, customized treatment plans and prevention programs, and better outcomes.

What This Means for Patients Today

In the near future, genetic research may help refine subtypes of psychiatric disorders and improve early identification of risk. But it is not yet ready to guide day-to-day treatment decisions on its own.

Personalized psychiatry, however, is already possible. Brain SPECT imaging evaluates blood flow and activity patterns in the brain. Instead of guessing based on symptoms, imaging provides objective biological data that can be taken into consideration along with neuropsychological testing and clinical evaluations. Treatment can then be tailored to the individual brain pattern, not just the label written on a chart.

This approach moves mental health care from trial-and-error prescribing toward targeted, brain-based strategies that may include:

Nutritional and lifestyle interventions
Targeted supplements
Psychotherapy matched to brain patterns
Medication when necessary
Treatment of underlying biological drivers

When care is personalized, outcomes improve.

The Future of Mental Health Care

If genetic research continues to advance alongside brain imaging, digital tracking tools, and neuroscience, the next couple of decades could dramatically reshape psychiatry.

“We’ll no longer be diagnosing based on symptoms alone. We’ll be diagnosing based on objective, biological data. Instead of calling someone ‘bipolar,’ we might say they have prefrontal cortex underactivity and temporal lobe instability with a genetic vulnerability in synaptic development, and then treat that specific pattern,” Dr. Amen commented further.

It’s possible that mental health care could shift from being reactive to proactive and preventive. “Imagine screening a 7-year-old for risk, optimizing their brain health early, and preventing future suffering,” Dr. Amen added.

And perhaps most importantly, stigma would decrease. That’s what happens naturally when mental health struggles are clearly understood as brain-based conditions, not character flaws. “If it’s your brain—not your fault—then there’s no shame, only opportunity for healing,” Dr. Amen explained.

A Brain Health Revolution

This large-scale genetic study confirms something critical: mental health conditions share biological foundations rooted in brain function.

The future of care lies in combining genetic insights with real-time brain imaging and personalized treatment plans. That’s what Amen Clinics is already doing.

FAQ About New Genetic Study and Mental Health Conditions

What Did the New Genetic Study Reveal About Mental Illness?

What Is CTE? How Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Impacts the Brain

Thrive Agency — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:08:05 +0000

July 29, 2026
Brain Health Problems, Brain SPECT Imaging, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

What Is CTE? How Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Impacts the Brain

In the last decade, the question “What is CTE?” has been asked and searched online more than ever before. With a mix of curiosity, concern, and fear, this surge in interest in chronic traumatic encephalopathy has been fueled by gripping headlines about professional athletes, especially in contact sports, whose later-life struggles with mood, memory, speech, and behavior were linked to repeated head trauma. In fact, a landmark 2023 study showed that over 40 percent of young contact sport athletes who died before the age of 30 had evidence of CTE.

Rightfully so, everyone from parents and coaches to former players and clinicians want more clarity on this complex condition. Unfortunately, misinformation continues to make understanding what we know of CTE feel overwhelming. Many are forced to wonder what’s real, what’s speculation, and what truly matters to protect their brain.

This blog aims to cut through the noise and clarify what CTE is, what it isn’t, and how it truly affects the brain. By understanding CTE more accurately, you can take meaningful steps toward reducing risk, seeking appropriate evaluation, and accessing supportive care.

Medically reviewed by Kabran Chapek, ND, Amen Clinics

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), is a progressive neurodegenerative condition linked to repeated traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including both immediate concussive and not-so-immediate subconcussive hits. People with histories of contact sports participation or military service are at high risk.

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What Is CTE? A Clear, Medical Definition

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), is a progressive neurodegenerative condition linked to repeated traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including both immediate concussive and not-so-immediate subconcussive hits. It has been most often identified in people with histories of contact sports participation (especially football and boxing), military service, or other repetitive head impact exposure.

It’s important to know CTE is not simply a concussion. While concussions are a type of brain injury that may contribute to CTE risk, they are only one piece of a larger pattern of repeated head trauma believed to be an underlying cause of this condition.

CTE was first described in boxers in the early 20th century as “punch drunk” syndrome, and later brought into public awareness through high-profile neuropathological studies about former athletes. Today, it’s better understood as a condition characterized by abnormal changes in the brain that may progress over years or even decades.

Blog: Common Problems in Mild, Moderate, and Severe TBI

What Is CTE Disease and How Does It Affect the Brain?

So, what is CTE disease? At its core, CTE is a neurodegenerative tauopathy; essentially, a disease involving abnormal accumulation of the tau protein, a structural protein normally found inside neurons. In CTE, that protein becomes misfolded and accumulates around small blood vessels in the depths of the brain’s folds. Research shows that, over time, these deposits disrupt neural networks, which can block communication between cells and trigger inflammation.

Brain Regions Commonly Affected

The following three areas of the brain are impacted by CTE:

Frontal lobes – involved in judgment, planning, impulse control, and social behavior
Temporal lobes – crucial for memory and emotional regulation
Limbic system – connected to mood and emotional responses

These changes can gradually interfere with cognitive processing, mood stability, behavior, and motor skills. The effects of these may show up as symptoms years after the initial injuries and trigger other neurological issues.

What Is CTE in Football and Other Contact Sports?

Football has been central to emerging CTE research. One shocking neuropathological study published in JAMA found rates of CTE as high as 99 percent in brains donated by former NFL players, where repeated collisions over seasons contribute to cumulative trauma. However, football is not the only sport where players experience CTE. The following sports have also shown significant impact on players’ brain health due to frequent head injury:

Ice hockey – frequent body checks and head impacts
Soccer – repetitive heading of the ball
Rugby – rough movements and head trauma
Boxing and combat sports – intentional and severe impacts to the head

A 2022 study showed that military personnel exposed to blast injuries and physical abuse also had patterns consistent with CTE. This has helped researchers identify that risks are tied to repetitive trauma in general, rather than one sport or profession.

It’s critical to note that not everyone who plays football or other contact sports develops CTE. The relationship between exposure and disease is not absolute. Many factors, including genetics, age at the first exposure, and recovery time all influence the outcomes. If you have personal concerns about CTE risk for yourself or loved one, it’s important to talk to your doctor or medical professional about them.

Common Symptoms Associated With CTE

CTE can only be formally diagnosed at autopsy. People found to have CTE often had histories of behavioral, cognitive, and mood changes during their life. However, since diagnosis happens post-mortem, symptoms are reported and associated with, not definitively caused by, CTE in living human beings. Reported CTE symptoms may include:

Memory difficulties
Mood changes such as irritability or depression
Impulsivity or poor judgment
Difficulty with focus or organization
Challenges with emotional regulation

These experiences can feel deeply distressing, and they can also overlap with many treatable conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and post-concussion syndrome. For individuals suspecting CTE, it’s critical to get a full professional evaluation to rule out other conditions or diagnose co-occurring disorders.

How CTE Is Different From Concussions, TBI, and Dementia

CTE, concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and dementia are all distinct neurological issues with some overlapping features. That’s why misunderstanding them can lead to unnecessary fear and delaying the right treatment. Here’s how to discern one from the other.

Concussion vs. CTE

A concussion is an acute injury to the brain that typically resolves within days or weeks. On the other hand, CTE is thought to result from a snowball effect of repeated injuries over time, with symptoms emerging even years later.

Traumatic Brain Injury vs. CTE

A single moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) has lasting effects on your brain health, but it does not necessarily lead to CTE. Research shows that CTE is most strongly associated with repeated impact rather than isolated events.

Alzheimer’s vs. CTE

A 2019 study showed that both Alzheimer’s disease and CTE involve abnormal proteins (tau and others) and can affect memory and thinking. The differences show in the patterns and locations of protein buildup.

PTSD and Depression vs. CTE

Research shows that symptoms like emotional dysregulation or mood shifts may occur in PTSD or depression, which can also show up with CTE. These conditions are often clinically treatable, so there is a need for targeted evaluation rather than assuming CTE.

Can CTE Be Diagnosed in Living People?

Recent research confirms that there are no diagnostic tests that can definitively confirm CTE in someone who is alive, although some protein biomarkers hold promise. Until more advancements are approved safe for human evaluations, the gold standard remains post-mortem examination of brain tissue. That being said, the research is evolving fast.

Scientists are studying these biomarkers and advanced imaging techniques could one day offer strong indicators of CTE pathology for the living. New approaches to brain imaging are supported by a study in the Frontiers in Neurology about PET scans targeting tau proteins, as well as diffusion MRI, and functional scans like SPECT. These are helping researchers spot changes linked to repeated head injuries, offering hope for earlier understanding and support. Many people with symptoms related to a history of head injuries may have other identifiable and treatable conditions, including:

Post-concussion syndrome
Mood disorders
PTSD
Sleep disorders
Metabolic or vascular brain changes

These conditions are detectable and manageable with current clinical tools.

What Brain Imaging Can and Cannot Show

Advanced imaging, including single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), can reveal functional brain patterns. This includes areas with reduced or excessive blood flow that correlate with history of head trauma, mood disorders, and cognitive symptoms. These insights can help guide personalized treatment plans based on how an individual’s brain is functioning rather than a clinician having to reference static images instead.

Unlike structural imaging (such as an MRI), which visualizes the anatomy of the brain, research shows that functional imaging, like SPECT, shows how your brain is working, not just what it looks like. That’s particularly helpful when structural scans appear normal despite significant symptoms.

Note: What imaging cannot do at the present moment is diagnose CTE with certainty in living human beings. A definitive diagnosis still requires post-mortem confirmation.

What Increases the Risk for CTE?

The seriousness of CTE underscores the need to understand risk; however, risk factors are not destiny. They should be used as a signal that it’s probable, not inevitable. Here are a few risk factors to keep in mind:

Duration of exposure to head impacts

Spending years in activities like sports or combat that involve repeated head contact can increase the brain’s total exposure to injury over time. The longer this exposure continues, the more cumulative stress the brain may experience.

Number of injuries

Research shows that for each concussion or repeated head impact, there is additional strain on brain cells and their connections. Over time, multiple injuries build on one another and raise the stress and risk level for lasting changes in brain function.

Age at first exposure

Starting contact sports at a young age can lengthen the period during which your brain is exposed to repeated impacts. Because the brain is still developing in childhood and adolescence, early exposure carries added vulnerability.

Genetics (Under Study)

A 2025 study continues exploring whether certain genes related to inflammation and brain repair might influence who is more susceptible to long-term effects of CTE. While this science is still evolving, genetics may help explain why the outcomes differ from person to person.

Lack of recovery time

Your brain needs adequate time to heal after any head injury, even a mild one. When impacts happen too close together, recovery is incomplete and increases the chance of ongoing damage and long-term issues.

When Someone With Head Injury History Should Seek Help

If someone with a history of head trauma experiences persistent or worsening symptoms, it’s time for a professional evaluation. Early care for your concussion can make a measurable difference in quality of life. Here are some ways you can recognize when to seek help:

Persistent mood or behavior changes

Ongoing irritability, depression, or anxiety can signal treatable brain or mental health concerns.

Memory or focus problems

Any difficulties with concentration or memory that you find repetitive or did not happen before should be followed up immediately.

Sleep disruption

Research shows that sleep issues are an often overlooked but directly influential symptom of head trauma, so it deserves attention to promote healing.

Personality changes noticed by family

Your loved ones can often detect shifts before you do, so take those cues and conversations seriously.

Difficulty functioning at work or home

When everyday life becomes hard to manage where it wasn’t before, it’s time to partner with clinicians for support instead of relying on self-diagnosis.

How Amen Clinics Helps People With Head Trauma Histories

At Amen Clinics, comprehensive evaluations include functional brain imaging, a thorough personal history, and clinical assessments to uncover patterns associated with past trauma, mood disorders, cognitive changes, and other treatable issues. These insights inform personalized treatment plans tailored to support brain function, improve mood, and enhance clarity, even without a definitive CTE diagnosis.

For example, our clinicians have often observed that individuals with a history of repeated head impacts show low blood flow in parts of the frontal lobes linked to impulse control and planning. A customized plan might address sleep, nutrition, stress, and brain stimulation strategies that support and optimize this area of the brain. In cases treated in this manner, our clinicians have observed improvements in symptoms and functional imaging over time. A holistic approach can make a meaningful difference.

What to Remember About CTE

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a complex, progressive brain condition associated with repeated head trauma, most commonly studied in athletes and individuals who experience repeated head injuries. While definitive diagnosis requires an autopsy confirmation, ongoing research into imaging and biomarkers will help accelerate understanding and intervention.

Any persistent symptoms deserve thorough evaluation from medical professionals because many underlying causes can be treatable, and early care has been shown to improve quality of life.

Remember that not all hope is lost. With personalized strategies, lifestyle adjustments, and professional support, you can strengthen your brain resilience and support your own well-being across your lifespan.

FAQs About Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

Does everyone with multiple concussions develop CTE?

Inattentive ADHD: Why It’s Often Missed in Women and Adults

Thrive Agency — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:04:45 +0000

July 24, 2026
ADD / ADHD, Anxiety and Depression, Brain SPECT Imaging

Inattentive ADHD: Why It’s Often Missed in Women and Adults

TL;DR

Inattentive ADHD is a commonly overlooked subtype of ADHD marked by distractibility, disorganization, mental fog, forgetfulness, and difficulty following through. Often mistaken for laziness, anxiety, or lack of motivation, it reflects differences in brain function and attention regulation. With personalized, brain-based treatment strategies, it’s possible to improve focus, clarity, and daily functioning.

Medically reviewed by Larry Momaya, MD, Amen Clinics

You sit down to pay your bills and tell yourself it will only take 10 minutes. But before you know it, you’ve noticed a pile of papers on the counter, started organizing your desk, checked a text message, and somehow ended up researching something completely unrelated online.

Hours later, the bills are still unpaid and now you’re frustrated, overwhelmed, and wondering how such a simple task became so hard to finish.

If this feels familiar, inattentive ADHD may be part of the picture. Unlike the hyperactive stereotype many people associate with ADHD, inattentive ADHD is a quieter subtype of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also called attention deficit disorder (ADD). It’s marked by difficulties with focus, organization, mental clarity, and follow-through.

Inattentive ADHD is often overlooked, especially in adults and women. Common symptoms of this subtype may be chronic forgetfulness, procrastination, distractibility, mental fog, or trouble completing everyday tasks, even when you genuinely want to stay on track.

This guide breaks down what inattentive ADHD really looks like, what may be driving inattentive ADHD symptoms in the brain and body, and how science-backed, personalized treatment approaches can help individuals with this type of ADHD move forward with greater clarity, focus, and confidence.

Unlike the hyperactive stereotype many people associate with ADHD, inattentive ADHD is a quieter subtype that is more common in females, girls, and adults and is marked by difficulties with focus, organization, mental clarity, and follow-through.

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Common Signs of Inattentive ADHD

If your days feel scattered or mentally foggy, you’re not the only one. Research suggests ADHD affects about 5 to 7 percent of adults worldwide, which is nearly 600 million people at any given time, with inattentive presentations often underdiagnosed.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. The challenges of inattentive ADHD reflect differences in how the brain regulates attention and executive function.

At its core, inattentive ADHD involves persistent difficulty sustaining attention, organizing tasks, and following through, even despite genuine effort and hard work.

Difficulty Sustaining Attention

You may begin a task fully intending to finish it, only to find your mind drifting a few minutes later. Internal distractions, like wandering thoughts, or external interruptions, like notifications or background noise, can quickly pull your focus away. As a result, staying engaged, even with tasks that are important, interesting, or meaningful to you, can feel frustratingly difficult.

Disorganization and Forgetfulness

Do your most important thoughts seem to disappear at exactly the wrong moment? Maybe deadlines sneak up on you, paperwork piles up, or everyday essentials like keys, wallets, or appointments are constantly slipping through the cracks. These challenges aren’t always a sign of carelessness. They may reflect deeper difficulties with organization, working memory, and consistently keeping track of details.

Trouble Following Through on Tasks

You may start projects with plenty of motivation and good intentions, only to lose momentum before they’re finished. Tasks with multiple steps, too many details, or unclear starting points can quickly begin to feel overwhelming, making it harder to stay consistent and follow through. Over time, this can lead to unfinished projects, missed opportunities, and frustration with yourself.

Mental Fog or Slowness

At times, you may feel mentally “checked out,” as if your brain is buffering while the rest of the world keeps moving. Even when you genuinely want to be productive, it can be hard to access the mental energy needed to get started or stay engaged. Processing information, making decisions, or recalling details may feel slower and more effortful than expected, leading to frustration and self-doubt.

Poor Time Management

Time can feel surprisingly difficult to track when you have inattentive ADHD. You may underestimate how long tasks will take, lose a sense of time while focusing on something else, or struggle to stay aware of deadlines and schedules. This pattern, often called “time blindness,” can lead to chronic lateness, rushing at the last minute, and unnecessary stress that gradually chips away at confidence.

How Inattentive ADHD Shows Up in Daily Life

Inattentive ADHD shapes how you move through your day, your relationships, and your responsibilities. A 2025 review in Clinics and Practice found that adults with ADHD experience significantly higher impairments in occupational and social functioning compared to neurotypical peers.

In School or Work

You may notice a pattern of missed details, incomplete assignments, or difficulty prioritizing tasks. Over time, this can affect your job satisfaction, confidence, and career progression, especially when your effort doesn’t match the outcomes.

In Relationships

Inattentive ADHD can create challenges in relationships, even when you deeply care about the people in your life.

Forgetting plans, missing important details, zoning out during conversations, or struggling to stay mentally present may unintentionally come across as disinterest or lack of effort. Over time, these misunderstandings can lead to frustration, guilt, or self-criticism.

But these patterns are not character flaws. More accurately, they often reflect difficulties with attention regulation, working memory, and mental overwhelm.

In Daily Responsibilities

Managing routines, paying bills, or making timely decisions can feel overwhelming. Small tasks pile up, creating a sense of constant mental clutter.

Why Inattentive ADHD Is Often Overlooked

Unlike hyperactive ADHD, inattentive ADHD doesn’t always look disruptive. There are no easy-to-recognize, visible signs of restlessness. Instead, inattentive ADHD may seem like a more subtle internal struggle with focus and follow-through.

Too often symptoms are mistaken for laziness, low motivation, anxiety, or depression. Research shows high rates of misdiagnosis and comorbidity between ADHD and mood disorders, complicating accurate identification.

Unfortunately, individuals with ADHD attribute their symptoms to a lack of discipline, especially if they are undiagnosed. But ADHD is not a character flaw. Inattentive ADHD brains simply regulate attention differently than neurotypical brains.

What Causes Inattentive ADHD?

The causes of inattentive ADHD are complex, multifaceted, and rooted in brain function, biology, and environmental influences. Once an ADHD individual understands what may be causing inattentive symptoms, it can be a relief to learn there are solutions too.

Brain Function Differences

Your brain is a powerful organ that’s constantly adapting and responding to both internal and external stimuli shaped by your lived experiences. Neuroimaging studies on ADHD show differences in brain regions responsible for attention and executive function, particularly in the prefrontal cortex and attention networks.

Genetics

Research shows that ADHD is highly heritable, with genetic factors accounting for up to 70 to 80 percent of risk. Put more simply, certain genes you inherit affect how your brain manages attention, focus, and motivation.

Environmental Factors

Prenatal exposure to toxins has been linked to increased ADHD risk, according to a 2023 study. Additionally, early life stress and environmental adversity can shape how the brain develops, particularly in areas related to attention, mood regulation, and stress response.

Sleep

Sleep deprivation can mimic or worsen inattentive ADHD symptoms, which also negatively affects appetite and energy. A 2025 study in Cureus shows that poor sleep quality impacts your memory, hunger cues, concentration, and emotional regulation.

Nutrition

What you eat impacts brain function too. A 2023 study highlights that deficiencies in nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and zinc have been associated with attention difficulties.

Other Health Influences

Hormonal imbalances, thyroid dysfunction, and even brain injuries can contribute to symptoms that resemble or exacerbate ADHD. These factors don’t necessarily cause ADHD directly, but research shows they influence attention, mood, and cognitive functioning in ways that may intensify inattentive ADHD symptoms.

What Inattentive ADHD May Look Like in the Brain

Inattentive ADHD is unfortunately often mistaken as a behavioral issue, but brain imaging shows that it is associated with dysfunction in the following key areas of the brain:

Prefrontal Cortex Underactivity

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for planning, focus, and decision-making, which studies suggest often shows reduced activity in people with ADHD. This can make it harder to initiate tasks and stay organized.

Attention Network Regulation

Your brain’s attention networks may struggle to regulate focus efficiently, filter distractions, or sustain attention. A 2019 study in Psychological Research suggests this can lead to hyperfocus, which may involve time blindness and a tendency to neglect other tasks outside of whatever you are intensely focused on.

Variability in Brain Activity Patterns

Rather than consistent underperformance, research suggests ADHD is better understood as a mix of shifting and uneven attention control. People often experience different levels of focus depending on the situation, which reflects fluctuations in the brain’s executive attention systems rather than a constant or uniform deficit.

It’s important to remember that imaging studies suggest patterns, not stand-alone diagnoses. They offer insight into how the brain functions, helping you and your clinicians customize a more personalized approach in how to treat inattentive ADHD.

Why ADHD Is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Not all inattentive ADHD looks the same because not all brains function the same. Different symptom patterns can reflect different underlying brain activity.

Some people primarily experience low activity linked to inattention, while others may have mixed patterns that include anxiety or emotional regulation challenges. This kind of variability is why precision medicine matters.

Conditions That Can Look Like Inattentive ADHD

Sometimes, what looks like inattentive ADHD may overlap with, or stem from, other conditions.

This may include, but is not limited to the following conditions:

Anxiety: Chronic worry can impair concentration and memory.
Depression: Low energy and brain fog can mimic inattentive symptoms.
Sleep disorders: Poor sleep significantly impacts cognitive function.
Hormonal imbalances: Fluctuations can affect attention and mood.
Thyroid issues: Thyroid dysfunction can cause cognitive slowing.
Brain injury: Even mild traumatic brain injury can affect attention networks.

Ruling out medical causes is essential before making a diagnosis. A skilled clinician will look for other contributing medical causes to inform both an accurate diagnosis and targeted course of treatment.

How Is Inattentive ADHD Evaluated?

At Amen Clinics, evaluating inattentive ADHD involves much more than simply checking off symptoms on a questionnaire. Our clinicians look at your behavioral history, symptom patterns over time, and how attention challenges are affecting important areas of your life, including work, school, relationships, and daily responsibilities.

Conventional ADHD evaluations often rely heavily on self-reported symptoms alone, which can overlook underlying biological or brain-based factors. Because symptoms like distractibility, brain fog, and poor focus can overlap with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, hormonal imbalances, or other medical issues, a more comprehensive evaluation is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

How to Treat Inattentive ADHD: Practical Strategies

The good news is that you’re not stuck with these patterns. There are evidence-based strategies that can help you work with your brain chemistry and not against it.

Build Structured Routines

Consistent systems reduce cognitive load. Creating predictable daily rhythms helps your brain conserve energy for focus and decision-making. Research shows that structured routines improve executive functioning in ADHD, particularly when implementing routines with children.

Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps

Large tasks can overwhelm the brain systems responsible for your attention. Neuropsychological research shows that breaking that large to-do list into smaller, actionable steps reduces avoidance and increases follow-through.

Use External Supports

Calendars, reminders, and visual systems act as “external memory” to reduce cognitive load, according to a 2022 systematic review. Digital or physical tools like this can help compensate for working memory challenges for children and adults.

Optimize Sleep and Nutrition

Sleep and nutrition go hand-in-hand to form the foundation for optimal cognitive function. Research published in Nutrients found that sleep quality and nutrient intake through whole foods and natural supplementation can significantly enhance attention and mental clarity.

Address Underlying Brain Health

Whether through therapy, lifestyle changes, or clinical care, personalized strategies can improve brain function over time. ADHD symptoms can improve with the right support.

How Amen Clinics Approaches ADHD Differently

At Amen Clinics, we believe mental health begins with brain health. That’s why our clinicians practice precision medicine by gathering a wide range of information to better understand what may be contributing to your symptoms. This often includes brain SPECT imaging, a detailed personal and medical history, neurocognitive testing, lifestyle assessments, and laboratory work when appropriate.

Rather than taking a standard ADHD treatment protocol for each individual patient, we use this information to create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique brain patterns and health needs.

SPECT imaging measures blood flow and activity in the brain, helping identify patterns commonly associated with ADHD and other mental health conditions. When combined with your clinical history and cognitive testing, this approach helps our clinicians arrive at a more precise diagnosis. It can also provide deeper insight into potential root causes, as well as help guide more targeted care with better outcomes.

A Whole-Body Approach to Treating Inattentive ADHD

Your brain does not function separately from the rest of your body. Because attention, mood, sleep, hormones, nutrition, and stress are all interconnected, our whole-body approach to inattentive ADHD addresses more than symptoms; it supports overall brain and body health.

At Amen Clinics, treatment plans are designed to be comprehensive and individualized. We practice holistic psychiatry. That means, depending on your needs, recommendations may include a brain-healthy diet, targeted nutritional supplements, sleep optimization, exercise, behavioral strategies, therapy, stress management techniques, and medication when appropriate.

Our clinicians focus on supporting long-term brain health and improving daily functioning, which goes beyond simply treating symptoms medication. While conventional treatment approaches often center primarily on medication, we believe lasting improvement is more likely when the whole person is considered.

When to Seek Professional Help

If your symptoms are interfering with your ability to function on a daily basis, it’s a strong indicator that professional help is needed. If you notice persistent attention challenges, ongoing struggles despite effort, or concerns about misdiagnosis, ask about an evaluation to know what you can do to start feeling better. The right support can provide clarity and a path forward.

Why Personalized Care Matters for ADHD

No two brains or ADHD symptoms are identical. Our work at Amen Clinics has revealed seven different subtypes of ADHD. Each subtype responds to a different treatment protocol. What works for one type may make another type worse.

Personalized care recognizes these differences and tailors your treatment to your unique brain patterns, lifestyle, and health factors.

When treatment is tailored to your brain and ADHD type, outcomes improve.

Clarity Over Chaos: A New Way to Understand ADHD

Inattentive ADHD is too often misunderstood, overlooked, or dismissed, especially in adults and women. Struggling with focus, organization, memory, or follow-through does not mean you are lazy, careless, or unmotivated. These challenges are real, and they often reflect underlying differences in brain function, not personal failure.

When your thoughts feel scattered, routines fall apart, or brain fog makes everyday tasks feel harder than they should, the impact can be deeply frustrating and isolating. The good news is that when you understand what’s happening in the brain, you can begin to take meaningful steps toward improving it.

At Amen Clinics, we take a brain-based, whole-person approach to inattentive ADHD because it works. By looking beyond surface-level symptoms to better understand the biological, psychological, and lifestyle factors affecting attention and mental clarity, we treat root causes.

With the right strategies and personalized support, it’s truly possible to strengthen focus, improve daily functioning, and regain confidence in yourself and your abilities.

If you’ve been searching for answers, consider a comprehensive evaluation that looks at your brain, body, and mind together so that you experience lasting relief.

FAQ About Inattentive ADHD

What is inattentive ADHD?

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