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Dr. Amin Salek

@dr_salek

2.3K

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Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Health psychology, Chronic Pain
☎️949-312-1276📍Orange County, CA
Founder of @ihealthpsychology

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⁨ نفش دارو در روان‌درمانی کودکان:
علم چه کمی‌گوید؟⁩

✅
بایدها (Do’s)
قبل از برچسب زدن، مشاهده کنید.

رفتار کودک را در زمینهٔ خواب، تغذیه، محیط مدرسه و رابطه با شما ببینید. هر بی‌قراری الزاماً اختلال نیست.

اگر عملکرد تحصیلی یا خواب و اشتها مختل شده، ارزیابی کنید.

در این موارد مراجعه به روان‌شناس یا روان‌پزشک ضروری است؛ زودتر یعنی درمان ساده‌تر.

درمان را تیمی ببینید.

بهترین نتایج زمانی حاصل می‌شود که روان‌شناس، روان‌پزشک و خانواده با هم کار کنند، نه جدا از هم.

از دارو نترسید، اما بی‌دلیل هم استفاده نکنید.

دارو دشمن نیست؛ هدفش باز کردن پنجره‌ای از آرامش است، اما همیشه باید با هدف مشخص و ارزیابی دوره‌ای همراه باشد.

به جای کنترل، ارتباط بسازید.

کودک مضطرب یا پرتحرک بیش از هر چیز به حس دیده‌شدن و درک‌شدن نیاز دارد، نه تذکر و تنبیه.

سبک زندگی را تنظیم کنید.

خواب، تغذیه، بازی، حرکت و زمان بدون صفحه‌نمایش تأثیر مستقیمی بر تنظیم مغز دارند.

با مدرسه و معلم‌ها هماهنگ باشید.

گاهی محیط مدرسه (سروصدا، رقابت، انتقاد) خودِ عامل تهدید است.

به علائم جسمی هم توجه کنید.

دل‌درد، سردرد یا خستگی‌های مداوم در کودکان اغلب پیام‌های روانی‌اند، نه فقط فیزیکی.

🚫
نبایدها (Don’ts)
کودک را با دیگران مقایسه نکنید.

هر مغز منحصر‌به‌فرد است و سرعت رشد و یادگیری متفاوت دارد.

از دارو به‌عنوان «کنترل رفتاری» استفاده نکنید.

دارو باید برای کمک به تنظیم سیستم باشد، نه برای «آرام کردن» کودک در خانه یا مدرسه.

احساسات را کوچک نشمارید.

جملاتی مثل «چیزی نیست»، «بزرگش که بشی می‌گذره» باعث می‌شود کودک یاد بگیرد احساساتش خطرناک‌اند.

مشکلات را فقط به مغز نسبت ندهید.

گاهی محیط خانه، شیوهٔ ارتباط یا حتی رفتار والدین عامل اصلی فشار است.

از اطلاعات ناقص فضای مجازی استفاده نکنید.

دارو و درمان باید توسط متخصص ارزیابی شود؛ هر تجربه‌ای برای همه یکسان نیست.

به خودتان احساس گناه ندهید.

هدف درمان، یافتن مقصر نیست؛ هدف، بازگرداندن احساس ایمنی به سیستم خانواده

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Avoidance feels good in the moment. It brings relief. But in the long run, it makes both anxiety and pain worse.

Think about an infant left alone without touch, without someone holding them. At first, they cry out of fear, out of a sense that something’s not safe.
When the parent comes, hugs them, and the crying stops, the brain learns: “Yes, I was in danger, now I’m safe because the caregiver came.”
That lesson doubles down on the crying. Next time, the child feels even more threatened when alone, and the brain drives a louder tantrum, because it worked last time, it led to survival.

Anxiety works exactly the same way.
When we avoid something that makes us anxious, we get short-term relief. But the brain logs that avoidance as proof: “I was in danger. I survived because I escaped.”
That strengthens the alarm system, so the next time, the anxiety is louder and harder to ignore.

The same applies to chronic pain. Avoiding movement or rushing to eliminate pain tells the brain: “This was dangerous. My body is broken.” That belief wires the pain pathways even deeper.

The real work isn’t avoiding, it’s approaching.
When we stay present, face the discomfort in safe, manageable steps, and let the brain see that nothing catastrophic happens, the alarm system quiets down.
This is how we retrain the nervous system to move from survival mode back to safety.

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Have you ever noticed how stress or emotional pain shows up in your stomach? Or how digestive discomfort can make your mood spiral?
Science now shows this isn’t just in your head — it’s a real, measurable connection between the stomach and the brain.

In a groundbreaking 2025 study published in Nature Mental Health, researchers measured brain and stomach activity simultaneously in 243 participants.
They used electrogastrography (to track the stomach’s electrical rhythms) and fMRI scans (to measure brain activity at rest).

The striking finding:
The stronger the synchronization — or “coupling” — between stomach and brain, the higher levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and fatigue people reported.
In other words, when the stomach and brain were tightly locked together, the body was more likely to stay in a defensive, threat-sensitive state.

This has huge implications for psychology and therapy:
Trauma, anxiety, and depression aren’t just “mental” — they are embodied experiences. The gut continuously sends safety or danger signals to the brain.
When those signals say “threat,” the brain keeps the body in high alert, reinforcing symptoms of distress.

But here’s the hopeful part: this same pathway can be used for healing.
Breathwork, body-focused mindfulness, gut relaxation practices, and even lifestyle interventions can signal safety from the stomach up to the brain.
When the body feels safe, the brain can finally update its predictions and release its grip on stress and pain.

Mental health isn’t only in your mind — it’s also in your gut.
And this new science is showing us just how deeply connected they are.

Citation:
Banellis, A., Rebollo, I., Nikolova, L., & Allen, M. (2025). Increased stomach–brain coupling indexes a dimensional spectrum of symptoms spanning from fatigue to depression. Nature Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00475-7

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ترس از نادیده گرفتن شدن/بی توجهی ریشه در چی داره؟؟

ترس از دست دادن، دوست داشته نشدن، طرد شدن و حس ناکافی بودن در روابط عاطفی، ریشه‌ای عمیق در فرایند تکاملی ما دارد.
از دیدگاه فرگشتی، «پذیرفته شدن» و «دوست داشته شدن» از نظر اجتماعی، برای بقا ضروری بوده است. نوزاد انسان ـ بر خلاف بسیاری از نوزادان حیوانات ـ بدون مراقبت و علاقه‌مندی والدین و اطرافیان، شانسی برای ادامه حیات ندارد. همین نیاز بنیادین به پذیرش، با ما به بزرگسالی می‌رسد و شکل رفتارها، انتخاب‌ها و حتی احساس ارزشمندی ما را تعیین می‌کند؛ تا جایی که به نوعی «قطب‌نمای رفتاری» ما تبدیل می‌شود.

این سازوکار در زنان و مردان به یک اندازه وجود دارد، اما هرکدام به شیوه‌ای متفاوت آن را تجربه و بیان می‌کنند. نکته جالب این است که هرچه بیشتر تلاش کنیم این ترس را از بین ببریم، خودِ ترس قوی‌تر می‌شود.

مغز انسان برای محافظت در برابر خطرِ دوست داشته نشدن ـ که به معنای تهدید بقاست ـ همواره به دنبال راهکارهای پیشگیرانه است. از آن‌جا که این راهکارها، از نگاه مغز، تضمین بیشتری برای بقا ایجاد می‌کنند، تمایل دارد با پررنگ کردن این ترس، مسیرهای پیشگیری بیشتری پیشنهاد دهد. نتیجه این چرخه، گرفتار شدن ما در ترس‌هایمان است؛ ترس‌هایی که گاهی به وسواس، فوبیا، اضطراب و حتی نشخوار فکری تبدیل می‌شوند.

@pezeshki_zehn_badan @dr_salek @ihealthpsychology

#پزشکی_ذهن_بدن #pezeshki_zehn_badan #ihealthpsychology #ترس_از دست دادن #سروناز_جهانزاد #امین_سالک #فرگشت #روانشناس #بدن #مغز #درمان #سلامتی #زن #مشکلات_عاطفی

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Have you ever wondered if what you believe about your body can actually change your health?

Well… it can. And Harvard researchers proved it.

In a now-famous 2007 study, Dr. Alia Crum and Dr. Ellen Langer recruited 84 hotel room attendants across seven different hotels.

These women had physically demanding jobs — cleaning dozens of rooms a day, changing sheets, scrubbing bathrooms, pushing carts up and down long hallways.
But when asked, the majority of them said they didn’t think they were getting any real exercise.

So the researchers did something brilliant.

They told half of the participants that their daily work — vacuuming, lifting, walking, bending — actually meets the Surgeon General’s recommendations for physical activity.
In other words: “You’re already exercising — you just didn’t realize it.”

The other half? No intervention. Business as usual.

Now here’s the crazy part:

Four weeks later, the women who had simply been told their work counted as exercise showed significant physiological improvements —
• Lower blood pressure
• Reduced weight
• Decreased body fat
• Improved BMI

All without changing their actual behavior. They didn’t work more. They didn’t eat differently.
The only difference?
They believed they were doing something good for their body.

This is the placebo effect in its purest form — not through pills, but through meaning.

The brain doesn’t just respond to what we do.
It responds to what we think it means.
And when the brain perceives the body as safe, healthy, and “on the right track,” it stops sending out defense signals.
That shift alone can allow the body to restore, regulate, and rebalance.

So no — it’s not magic.
It’s neurobiology shaped by belief.

What you believe about your body… changes your body.

Citation:
Crum, A. J., & Langer, E. J. (2007). Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect. Psychological Science, 18(2), 165–171

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In a landmark study, patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to receive either real arthroscopic surgery or a sham procedure — where doctors made incisions but performed no actual surgical repair.
The results shocked the medical community: both groups improved equally.
How is that possible?
Because pain is not always a sign of damage — it’s a danger signal generated by the brain.
When the brain receives a strong message of safety — through reassurance, ritual, and belief — that danger signal can quiet down.
Placebo doesn’t mean “fake”; it means the brain got the message: “You’re safe now.”
And when the danger lifts, pain often follows.

Citation:
Moseley, J. B., O’Malley, K., Petersen, N. J., Menke, T. J., Brody, B. A., Kuykendall, D. H., … & Wray, N. P. (2002). A controlled trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. New England Journal of Medicine, 347(2), 81–88

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Depression is not a sign that your brain is broken
For years, we were told that depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance” — but new research challenges that idea.
There’s no strong evidence that low serotonin causes depression.
So if your brain isn’t broken… what is depression?
In many cases, depression is a defense strategy — a way for the brain to conserve energy, withdraw from danger, and protect you until the threat passes.
Your brain isn’t malfunctioning. It’s trying to help you survive.
And like any defense, it can shift — especially when we understand the message it’s trying to send.

Citation:
Moncrieff, J., Cooper, R. E., Stockmann, T., Amendola, S., Hengartner, M. P., & Horowitz, M. A. (2022). The serotonin theory of depression: A systematic umbrella review of the evidence. Molecular Psychiatry, 27, 2401–2413.

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🧠 Is Your Brain Predicting Pain?
What if your brain isn’t just experiencing pain… it’s predicting it?
New research shows that chronic pain may be less about tissue damage and more about the brain’s expectations.
When the brain becomes conditioned to expect pain in certain situations — like sitting, walking, or stress — it can activate real pain without any injury.
This is called pain prediction error — and it’s why breaking the cycle of fear and avoidance can actually retrain the brain.

You’re not broken. Your brain is just trying to protect you.

🧠 That’s the good news: If the brain can learn pain, it can also unlearn it.

Citation:
Zhang, S., Mano, H., Ganesh, G., Robbins, T., & Seymour, B. (2016). Dissociable learning processes underlie human pain conditioning. Current Biology, 26(1), 52–58.

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Why do we instantly reach for our phones, food, or distractions the moment we feel something uncomfortable?
Because our brain is doing exactly what it’s designed to do—protect us.
But sometimes, that protection keeps us stuck.

In this video, Dr. Salek explains how avoidance becomes a trap, how mindfulness is actually a form of exposure, and how small moments of presence can help the brain rewire for safety and calm.

💭 Avoidance might feel like relief in the moment—but over time, it teaches your brain that your thoughts and feelings are dangerous.
🧠 Mindfulness is how we teach it the opposite.
And it starts with just one pause.

👇 Tell us in the comments:
What’s one way you avoid uncomfortable thoughts or feelings?
And what happens if you just stay—even for a few seconds?

Ready to begin your healing journey?
Visit iHealthPsychology.com and follow for more brain-based tools for emotional wellness.

#Mindfulness #AvoidanceTrap #AnxietyRelief #EmotionalHealing #SelfAwareness #RewireYourBrain #Neuroscience #MentalHealthMatters #ExposureTherapy #CBT #TraumaHealing #InnerPeace #PsychologyTools #SelfRegulation #SomaticHealing #PainReprocessingTherapy #MindBodyConnection #MentalHealthAwareness #TherapyWorks #iHealthPsychology #DrSalek #HealingJourney #PresentMoment #AnxietySupport #EmotionalIntelligence #ThoughtsAndFeelings

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Have you ever wondered if your chronic pain isn’t just about your body—but also about the story your brain keeps telling?

Chronic pain is real. But in many cases, it’s not a sign that your body is broken—it’s your brain stuck in protection mode. Always scanning for danger. Always sounding the alarm.

Whether it’s back pain, migraines, fibromyalgia, or IBS, the science is clear: Pain is a danger signal. And when the nervous system stays on high alert due to past trauma, chronic stress, or negative beliefs, the pain becomes the alarm that never shuts off.

But here’s the hopeful part—pain can be unlearned.
Your brain can change.

Through therapies like CBT, Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), mindfulness, and trauma-focused care, you can teach your brain:
“I’m safe now.”
“This pain doesn’t have to define me anymore.”

I’m Dr. Salek. If you’re ready to finally understand your pain—and start healing—follow me here and visit www.iHealthPsychology.com.
It’s time to rewrite your story.

#ChronicPain #MindBodyConnection #PainReprocessingTherapy #Neuroplasticity #ChronicPainRecovery #CBT #PRT #Mindfulness #BackPainRelief #MigraineRelief #FibromyalgiaSupport #IBSRecovery #TraumaHealing #PainManagement #MentalHealthAwareness #NervousSystemRegulation #iHealthPsychology #YouCanHeal #PainIsReversible #therapy #psychology #painrelief #mindfulness #neckpain #backpain #migrain

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Have you ever felt real, physical pain after being rejected? Like a tightness in your chest, a lump in your throat, or even a deep ache in your body?

It’s not just in your head. It’s in your brain.

Research from UCLA shows that social rejection activates the same areas of the brain as physical pain—specifically the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Your brain treats emotional pain like a physical injury.

But here’s the real problem…
Your brain doesn’t know how to move on from that rejection. It holds onto the story:
• “I’m not enough.”
• “I don’t belong.”
• “Something’s wrong with me.”

And because the brain doesn’t timestamp these beliefs, every new challenge feels like the same old threat. You stay stuck in protection mode. And that’s when anxiety, chronic pain, and even depression show up.

But here’s the GOOD NEWS:
Your brain is plastic. It can unlearn these stories. It can heal.

That’s why therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Pain Reprocessing Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness practices are so powerful. They help the brain rewrite the story—and finally feel safe again.

Your pain is real. But it’s not permanent.

If this resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And let me know in the comments—what story did rejection write in your nervous system?

You’re not alone. And you can heal.

Visit www.iHealthPsychology.com to learn more.

Hashtags:
#rejectionhurt #emotionalpain #chronicpainrelief #traumahealing #mentalhealthawareness #cbt #painreprocessingtherapy #traumatherapy #mindbodyconnection #socialrejection #nervoussystemhealing #emotionalhealing #psychotherapyworks #neuroplasticity #healingjourney #anxietyrelief #depressionhelp #ihealthpsychology #traumainformedcare #selfhealers #chronicpainrecovery

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