The End of Mental Illness? Dr. Daniel Amen on Brainhealth, Tiny Habits & Hope

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Could the secret to mental health be linked to brain health rather than what’s inside a pill bottle?



In this illuminating episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with world-renowned psychiatrist, brain health expert, and bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen. With over 200,000 brain scans and decades of research, Dr. Amen is on a mission to end the stigma around mental illness by reframing it as brain health. Together, they dive into the real causes of depression, the daily habits that heal your brain, and the tiny shifts that can transform your life. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, negative thoughts, or burnout, this conversation will change how you see yourself—and your future.

Is Mental Illness Really a Brain Health Issue?

Dr. Amen challenges the outdated way psychiatry diagnoses mental illness and shows us how brain scans, nutrition, movement, and mindset can unlock the healing we’ve been searching for.

(00:00) Rethinking Mental Illness: It Starts with the Brain

• Why psychiatric diagnoses haven’t evolved since the 1800s and what needs to change
• Depression is like “chest pain”: why we must ask why before we treat
• How Dr. Amen divides depression and anxiety into seven different types
• The four “circles” of health: biological, psychological, social, and spiritual

(05:28) What Brain Scans Reveal That Doctors Miss

• The difference between brain structure scans (MRI, CT) and SPECT scans
• Why PTSD and traumatic brain injury need different treatments, and how scans show the difference
• The danger of misdiagnosing a “busy brain” vs. a “sleepy brain”
• Why more information is always better when it comes to treatment

(08:22) Brain Health Habits Anyone Can Start Today

• Dr. Amen’s three essentials: brain envy, avoiding what hurts, and doing what helps
• Why alcohol and marijuana are not brain-friendly, despite cultural messaging
• The shocking truth about body weight and brain size/function
• How media and marketing feed mental illness

(13:37) Social Media, Sleep & The Digital Brain Drain

• How social media thins your brain’s cortex and lowers self-esteem
• Why more online “connection” often leads to greater loneliness
• Sleep as one of the most underrated brain health tools
• How Dr. Amen balances his social media presence with mental wellness

(15:59) Tiny Habits, Big Shifts: Healing Your Brain Daily

• The simple nightly practice that rewires your brain for positivity
• Why accurate self-talk beats blind positivity
• The “ANTs”: automatic negative thoughts and how to kill them
• Meditation and chanting as proven brain boosters

(24:56) Hydration, Food & Loving What Loves You Back

• Why just 2% dehydration can wreck your focus and coordination
• The story of Nancy, who transformed her life by starting with hydration
• No more fruit juice, and what to do instead
• Secret #4 from You, Happier: Love food that loves you back

(30:11) A Mission Too Big for One Person

• Dr. Amen on founding the Change Your Brain Foundation
• Why infectious diseases like Lyme may play a role in schizophrenia
• Karena shares how changing her mother’s diet extended her life by five years
• Why the fight for brain health is a mission for all of us

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