Change Your Brain Every Day

Sex addiction isn't just about bad behavior—it's destroying relationships, hijacking brains, and feeding a cycle of guilt and secrecy. In this powerful episode, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen sit down with leading expert Dr. Doug Weiss to expose what's really driving unhealthy sexual behavior—from childhood trauma to modern porn culture. Discover the six types of sex addicts, how to know if you or someone you love is in trouble, and what real recovery looks like. Whether you're struggling, in a relationship with a sex addict, or just want to understand the growing crisis no one talks about—this conversation is for you. 00:00 Intro 01:27 Sponsor 01:50 Doug Weiss 05:27 What is Sexual Addiction? 07:27 The Evolution of Sexual Addiction 09:59 The Arousal Template 13:37 The Battle for Sexuality 15:22 The 6 Types of Addicts 18:04 The Effects of Sexual Trauma 21:29 Recovery 25:40 Help for the Partners 27:41 Bordeline Personality Disorder 31:27 Finding Support 33:28 Infidelity vs Sexual Addiction 35:26 Intimacy Anorexia 28:12 More About Dr. Weiss 39:13 Sponsor 40:01 Wrap Up drdougweiss.com sexaddict.com Dr. Weiss' new book, Forgiveness for Everyone: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Everyone-Dr-Doug-Weiss/dp/1881292592

"Flip or Flop" star Tarek El Moussa seemed to have it all—hit TV shows, fame, fortune—but behind the scenes, his life was falling apart. In this deeply revealing episode, Tarek opens up to Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen about the hidden brain struggles that shaped his life: birth trauma, multiple mental health diagnoses, alcoholism, cancer, toxic self-talk, and a near breakdown at the height of his career. After a revealing brain scan and emotional conversation, he begins to understand why he's struggled for so long—and what he can do to finally heal. This is a relatable story of turning pain into passion and rebuilding from within. 00:00 Intro 00:44 Sponsor 01:08 Chance Encounter 05:45 Why I Am the Way I Am 08:13 Your Brain is Hurt 13:23 Coming Off of Meds 16:09 Turning Pain into Fuel 18:03 The Birth of the "Flip" Empire 24:04 The Brain's Rejection of Success 26:06 The Last Day as a Family 31:46 Self-Medication 34:32 Tarek's Brain SPECT Scan (Surface) 36:30 Neuropsychological Testing 42:04 Mental Hygiene 48:48 Parents/Self-Talk 51:33 The Plan 57:48 Sponsor 58:36 Wrap Up

Heather Rae El Moussa has spent years in the public eye—becoming a star on Selling Sunset and launching a successful beauty brand. But after giving birth to her son, Heather faced a new set of challenges: crashing energy, mood swings, and a worsening thyroid condition that left her feeling like she was dying. In this deeply personal episode, Heather joins Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen to share how motherhood reshaped her body, brain, and priorities. She opens up about being diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, the toll stress and hormones took on her mental health, and why she turned to brain imaging to understand what was really going on inside. Find out what her brain reveals and what she's doing to stay sharp, centered, and thriving. If you've ever felt off after a major life shift, this episode is a must-listen. 00:00 Intro 00:44 Sponsor 01:08 Chance Encounter 05:45 Why I Am the Way I Am 08:13 Your Brain is Hurt 13:23 Coming Off of Meds 16:09 Turning Pain into Fuel 18:03 The Birth of the "Flip" Empire 24:04 The Brain's Rejection of Success 26:06 The Last Day as a Family 31:46 Self-Medication 34:32 Tarek's Brain SPECT Scan (Surface) 36:30 Neuropsychological Testing 42:04 Mental Hygiene 48:48 Parents/Self-Talk 51:33 The Plan 57:48 Sponsor 58:36 Wrap Up

What if the key to becoming your best self… is already inside you—waiting to be activated? In this inspiring episode, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen talk with performance coach and bestselling author Todd Herman about the proven mental strategies used by Olympic athletes, Super Bowl champions, and top executives to crush self-doubt and perform at the highest level. Drawing on decades of coaching experience and insights from his bestselling book The Alter Ego Effect, Todd shares how stepping into a powerful identity—like Kobe Bryant's "Black Mamba" or Beyoncé's "Sasha Fierce"—can help you overcome fear, unlock confidence, and tap into your hidden strengths. Whether you're chasing a big goal or trying to heal from past pain, this episode will show you how to bridge the gap between who you are and who you need to be. 00:00 Intro 00:45 Sponsor 02:11 The Alter Ego Effect 04:37 Origin Story 09:09 Olympic Redemption 12:30 Creating an Alter Ego 17:57 Death of a Persona 22:17 The 5 Steps to Create an Alter Ego 26:12 Positive vs Negative Motivation 31:05 Defining the Conditions 41:57 The Uniform 45:30 Todd's Work 54:38 Sponsor 55:52 Wrap Up For more on Todd's work: https://alteregoeffect.com

Strength isn't just for looks—it's protection for your brain, body, and longevity. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen reveal why building muscle is one of the best ways to prevent dementia, depression, and frailty. Learn how strength training boosts memory, mood, and focus—and why it's your body's insurance policy against life's unexpected setbacks. Tana shares her personal story of trauma and healing through fitness, and the science behind real brain-healthy enhancers like creatine, protein, and sleep. Whether you're recovering from injury or just want to stay sharp, this episode will inspire you to get stronger—inside and out. 00:00 Intro 01:10 The Connection Between the Physical Strength & the Brain 03:56 Clearing the Cobwebs 06:31 What Robs Your Strength? 08:21 Strength Enhancing Fakers 13:38 Healthy Ways to Build Strength 14:06 Sponsor 14:46 Diet & Lifestyle 16:37 Creatine 23:01 Brain & Body Reserve 27:07 Wrap Up Smart Creatine, Brain T-Max, and other brain-healthy supplements: https://brainmd.com

Feeling stuck in low moods, negativity, or the never-ending "blahs"? It's not just in your head—it's in your brain. Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen expose the hidden biological, psychological, social, and spiritual mood stealers that quietly hijack your happiness. Tana opens up about how a cancer diagnosis—and the wrong antidepressant—sent her spiraling into darkness, and the life-saving strategies that helped her fight her way back. Plus, find out how an everyday spice—saffron—could work as well as antidepressant medication, backed by decades of research. 00:00 Intro 00:57 Mood is a Brain Function 02:45 Your Physical Brain Function Affects Your Mood 05:48 The Physical Causes of Mood Disorders 09:00 Taking the Wrong Medication 11:50 Psychological/Social/Spiritual Factors 13:46 Mood Robbers 17:49 Sponsor 18:30 Mood Enhancing Fakers 24:53 Saffron 31:53 TMG/SAMe 35:16 Wrap Up https://brainmd.com

If you're tired of being tired, this episode is for you. Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen break down the three biggest categories that affect your energy: what steals it, what fakes it, and what truly enhances it. From toxic people (known as "energy vampires") to tech overload, caffeine crashes to clean supplements, you'll learn what's draining your spark and the best ways to boost lasting energy—without burning out. 00:00 Intro 00:58 Energy Robbers, Fakers, & Enhancers 03:11 Uncontrolled Thoughts 04:29 Energy Vampires 07:43 Poor Sleep Habits 10:00 Processed Foods & Sugar 13:43 Decision Fatigue 16:09 Sponsor 16:56 Caffeine 18:57 Adrenaline Addiction 19:51 Social Media 20:08 Breakfast/Nutrition 25:08 Sunlight/Movement 25:39 Cold Plunges/Boundaries 27:05 Peak Energy 32:28 Wrap Up Peak Energy and other brain-healthy supplements: https://brainmd.com

In this mind-expanding episode, Dr. Daniel Amen sits down with biohacker and Heavily Meditated author Dave Asprey to explore how meditation—and a few unexpected brain hacks—can rewire your nervous system in real time. You'll learn Dave's go-to "reset process" to calm your brain and body within seconds of being triggered, why most relationship conflicts have nothing to do with your partner, and the two emotional concepts adults dread most. Plus, discover a rapid-fire breathing technique to instantly destress, a controversial one-minute trick to reset your dopamine, and how intimacy can become one of the most transformative meditations of all. https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated/ 00:00 Intro 00:38 Sponsor 02:03 The Father of Biohacking 05:08 Training Your Brain for Meditation 07:40 Our Inner States Don't Have Words 10:40 Managing Alerts 12:21 What Meditation Does to the Brain 14:06 The Reset Process 19:19 Compassion 22:24 Joe Rogan Incident 24:52 Building Resilience 27:36 Connections/Removing Friction 32:08 Creating a Meditation Practice 33:47 Breathwork 36:18 Entrainment Methods 38:40 Gaining Control Over Your Nervous System 42:48 Conscious Loving Intimacy 45:21 Sponsor 46:35 Wrap Up

Why do some conversations feel electric while others fall flat? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen sit down with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Charles Duhigg (The Power of Habit, Supercommunicators) to explore what really makes people connect. You'll learn how brain scans reveal that during powerful conversations, people's brains literally sync up. Duhigg breaks down the three types of conversations everyone has—and why knowing which one you're in can instantly improve your communication. Discover the surprising myths we believe about connection, and why asking deep, meaningful questions is the real secret to becoming a "supercommunicator." 00:00 Intro 01:24 Sponsor 01:47 Common Myths of Communication 03:38 The 3 Categories of Communication 08:04 Communication Skills 10:22 Alignment 15:03 Mismatched Conversations 18:02 Listening/Looking for Understanding 21:11 The Goals of Each Type of Communication 25:13 Connection When You Don't Agree 32:19 Close Relationships 35:29 Digital Communication 39:50 Artificial Intelligence 40:48 Where to Start? 46:28 Sponsor 47:36 Wrap Up Super Communicators, by Charles Duhigg: https://charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators/

In this powerful episode, singer and former American Idol finalist Daniel Gokey reveals what he calls his "deep, dark secret"—scrupulous OCD. For the first time publicly, he shares how obsessive religious thoughts convinced him he was beyond forgiveness. Dr. Amen explains this misunderstood OCD subtype and how Gokey's brain scans uncovered the root of his terrifying thoughts—and helped chart a path to overcoming scrupulosity. 00:00 Intro 01:17 Sponsor 02:26 Daniel/Scrupulous OCD 05:22 OCD and Sin 08:36 Fear of Damnation 12:41 Compulsive Behaviors 16:14 Thought Discipline 20:40 The Concept of "Normal" 22:10 Medication & Supplements 23:55 Trauma 26:59 First Wife's Death 30:16 ADD 31:21 The 4 Circles 37:56 Daniel's SPECT Scan (Surface) 39:55 Daniel's SPECT Scan (Active Interior) 44:47 Improving Daniel's Brain 48:23 Sponsor 49:49 Wrap Up