Schizophrenia affects 1 in 300 people or 24 million people worldwide (2.6 million in the U.S.) It remains the most treatment resistant psychiatric condition. 

In this newsletter, using the story of John Nash (Beautiful Mind) as a reference point, I’ll discuss:

* Theories attempting to explain schizophrenia.

* How the belief that all people with schizophrenia have the same biochemical disorder has resulted in lack of effective treatment and problematic side effects for many.

* Research from the Walsh Research Institute, which has identified three distinct biotypes for schizophrenia (undermethylation, overmethylation and pyrroluria), each with different predominant symptoms and biochemical needs.

* How those of us trained by the Walsh Research Institute assess and treat schizophrenia. 

* The real story of John Nash’s life not shared in the movie.

To receive the weekly newsletter (text and audio) in your mailbox, subscribe at: https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack:

https://CourtneySnyderMD.substack.com

Medical Disclaimer:

This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.

If you don’t identify with one of the labels in the title, you likely know someone who does. As with all labels, however, they don’t completely define us. Those of us who have these patterns are not the same, nor struggle to the same extent.  Still, this psychological construct has been repeatedly recognized in the mental health field. Perhaps because it is so common, you won’t find it included as a condition or personality disorder in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders).  Nonetheless, this way of being in the world can be painful and stressful. At the very least, these tendencies can keep us from enjoying the full potential of our lives. 

In this episode, I discuss:

* Overlapping definitions from attachment theory, family systems theory and 12-step programs

* Common early experiences

* Cultural messages

* Suspected genetic variants

* Difficulties with boundaries

* Communication style

* Common behaviors

* Common emotions

* Education and resources

* Parenting our inner child

To receive the newsletter (text and audio) in your mailbox each week,

subscribe at: https://www.courtneysnydermd.com or

on Substack:

https://courtneysnydermd.substack.com/

Medical Disclaimer:

This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.

Misalignment of the upper part of the spine is an often overlooked problem for those with brain symptoms, chronic complex illness and/or mysterious health issues.  In these modern times with cell phones and laptops, we look down A LOT.  This raises our likelihood of having problems that originate in our neck.  A previous neck injury and/or a tendency to be flexible can make us even more vulnerable.  Flexibility is especially common in those with brain related or psychiatric conditions. 

In this episode, I’ll discuss:

* The very important role of the atlas, our first vertebrae, and why is can easily become misaligned.

* The many neck structures, including the vagus, which can be impacted when we misalignment.

* The importance of ligaments holding the atlas in place and how hypermobility can contribute laxity of this joint.

* The activities beyond injury that contribute to the atlas becoming misaligned. 

* Forward Head Posture, which results from having our head down too much and for too long, such as when we use a cell phone, laptop, poorly positioned computer or even read a book or write for extended periods.

* The role emotions can play in shifting the atlas out of place.

* The many symptoms associated with misalignment or upper cervical instability.

* A simple was to evaluate if vagus might be impacted and the types of imaging that is used to diagnose this problem.

* Types of treatment and specialists.

* The role of posture in keeping our head on straight.

Links mentioned:

The Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve in Brain Disorders (Part 1 of 2)

https://courtneysnydermd.substack.com/p/the-healing-power-of-the-vagus-nerve-33d

The Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve in Brain Disorders (Part 2 of 2)

https://courtneysnydermd.substack.com/p/accessing-the-power-of-the-vagus-bde

To receive the newsletter (text and audio) in your mailbox each week, subscribe at:

https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack:

Medical Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical and psychiatric issues that you may be having.

In anticipation of the new year, I’m previewing some of the topics I look forward to sharing in the coming months. 

* Topics that I briefly comment on in this episode:

* How Having Our Head On Straight Impacts Our Mental Health

* The Relationship Between Hypermobility (Flexibility, Being Double Jointed, Etc) and Brain Health

* The Many Root Cause Intersections Of Mast Cell Activation

* Common Root Causes for Specific Brain Disorders

* Recognizing and Managing High Dopamine States Such as Hyper-focus and Addictive Tendencies

* Managing Our Energy and Our Focus Throughout the Day

* Codependency - An Invisible Chronic Stress That Can Prevent Healing & Thriving

* Neuroplasticity of Spiritual Growth

* Getting Okay With Uncertainty 

* Learning to Listen to Ourselves

I’m also sharing a poem I wrote for my daughter when she was four, called “Follow the Energy”. For those interested in checking out a couple of samples of the midweek paid newsletter, I’ve un-paywalled a couple of my favorites.

A Different Kind of Goal Setting for the New Year

Essentialism in Health & Healing

To receive the newsletter (text and audio) in your mailbox each week, subscribe at:

https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack:

Medical Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical and psychiatric issues that you may be having.

In this episode, I discuss winter solstice, themes of darkness and light, winter, the Dark Night of the Soul, radical gratitude, and the rhythms of the natural world and of our lives.

To receive the newsletter (text and audio) in your mailbox each week, subscribe at:

https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack

Medical Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical and psychiatric issues that you may be having.

Though both brain hemispheres are continuously working together in complex ways, there are attributes which are more strongly associated with each side. In this episode, I describe the traits and perspectives most commonly associated with the left and right hemispheres. I’ll focus on the differences in attention, relationship to the body, others and objects, emotions, problem solving and relationship to the future. I also briefly comment on the seeming relationship between methylation and hemispheric differentiation.

Much of what I am expounding upon, comes from a great book about the right and left hemispheres, titled - “The Master and His Emissary - The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World” by Iain McGilchrist, MD, a Scottish Psychiatrist.

For illustrations, the newsletter associate with this episode can be found at

https://courtneysnydermd.substack.com/p/left-and-right-brain-knowing-when

To receive the newsletter (text and audio) in your mailbox each week, subscribe at:

https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack:

Medical Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical and psychiatric issues that you may be having.

"Part of any healing journey is to be at peace in our body. Our ability to feel embodied is a job for our brain’s right hemisphere. Our left hemisphere sees our body as a thing or rather a sum of things. Left unchecked (and fueled by cultural standards), our left brain has us judging, seeking perfection, disturbed by aging and/or relentlessly fixing our bodies."

In this episode, I discuss why we are so detached or at odds with our body and attempt to answer - "How can we grow those neuronal connections of the right brain, so we can return home to our bodies?"

I list 10 ways we can start to find peace in our bodies.

If you would like to learn more about the root causes of brain related symptoms or to receive this newsletters with text and audio in your mailbox each week, subscribe at:

https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack:

Medical Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical and psychiatric issues that you may be having.

In the last episode, I addressed the causes, symptoms and conditions associated with high copper. In this episode I address:

* Testing and why if copper overload is so prevalent, is it not being identified in conventional or allopathic medicine and how those of us trained by the Walsh Research Institute evaluate for copper overload.

* 10 treatment considerations including lowering exposure, optimizing zinc, augmenting nutrients, addressing occurring nutrient imbalances, addressing oxidative stress, addressing added estrogen, and further supporting metallothioneins (which regulate copper and zinc).

* Comments by Dr. William Walsh, PhD on the future of nutrient based psychiatry

* Clinical Resources: https://www.walshinstitute.org/resources.html

If you would like to learn more about the root causes of brain related symptoms or to receive this newsletters with text and audio in your mailbox each week, subscribe at: https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack:

https://courtneysnydermd.substack.com/

Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.

In this podcast episode, I review how high copper affects dopamine and norepinephrine, how copper can become elevated and the conditions or situations in which I suspect copper is causing or contributing to brain symptoms.

High copper should be considered in anyone with worsening of brain symptoms after starting birth control pills or a cooper IUD.

In the next podcast I will discuss testing and treatment.

If you would like to learn more about the root causes of brain related symptoms or to receive this newsletters with text and audio in your mailbox each week, subscribe at: 

https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack:

Facebook -  ⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/courtneysnydermd/ 

Instagram -  ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/holistic_ps...

Medical Disclaimer:

This podcast is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.

In this podcast episode, I share my favorite 10 Right Brain books - books that have been particularly helpful in my own healing process. By right brain, I mean books that help us see the bigger picture of our lives, relationships and the world and that help us find peace and meaning in the present moment.

To learn more about traits associated with the right and left brain:

https://www.courtneysnydermd.com/blog/undermethylation-strengthening-the-right-brain-in-a-left-brain-world

To learn more about the root causes of brain related symptoms or to receive my newsletters with text and audio in your mailbox each week, subscribe on my website 

https://www.courtneysnydermd.com

or on Substack at

Facebook -  ⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/courtneysnydermd/ 

Instagram -  ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/holistic_ps...

Medical Disclaimer:

This podcast is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.