Change Your Brain Every Day Breaking Your Doom Loop Right Now
13 snips
Nov 24, 2025 Chronic pain, whether physical or emotional, is rooted in brain circuits, and shifting focus can transform your experience. The discussion introduces the concept of the doom loop, perpetuating these pain cycles. Personal stories reveal how MRIs can show abnormalities in those without pain. Insights into calming the brain showcase its role in managing suffering. They explore how muscles, stress, and emotions amplify pain, stressing that the doom loop can be broken, leading to new pathways for relief.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Pain Lives In The Brain First
- Chronic pain is processed in the brain and often persists due to brain circuits, not just tissue damage.
- Daniel G Amen emphasizes that MRIs often scare people even when many have abnormalities without pain.
Try Conservative Care Before Surgery
- Try conservative treatments first: physical therapy, Pilates, diet change, and meditation often match surgery outcomes with far fewer side effects.
- Daniel G Amen recommends avoiding surgery as a first-line unless clearly necessary.
Sam: From Suicidal To Law School
- Daniel G Amen recounts Sam, a police officer with multiple back surgeries who attempted suicide and scanned with an overactive anterior cingulate.
- After targeted interventions his pain persisted but he stopped thinking about it constantly and rebuilt his life.
