Your brain is always listening to you

Tame the Hidden Dragons That Control Your Happiness, Habits, and Obsessions

Author Name: Dr. Daniel G. Amin

While writing this book in March 2020, I received a call from Miley Cyrus. I could tell from her voice that something was terrifying her. I've been her doctor since she was 18, when she first came to me racked with anxiety and fear. She used to constantly worry that she or her mom might get sick. She thought about all the terrible things that could happen if she didn't have a girlfriend and thought she'd soon die if she didn't get a man. As we worked together, Miley learned some powerful strategies to help her control these negative thoughts, but that day, the fears came flooding back, and I knew why. The coronavirus (COVID-19), which had killed thousands in China, was spreading like wildfire around the world and was beginning to hit the United States hard. On the phone, Miley asked me tons of questions about the things that scared her—like, "How long does the virus live on surfaces and objects?" I could barely speak; With so many questions and a follow-up, I finally got Miley to take a few deep breaths to calm down. It became clear to me that this new pandemic had unleashed Miley's past dragons. These long-hidden dragons had been igniting her fear centers, fueling anxiety, stress, and negative thought patterns. I told her that in this unprecedented situation, she needed to become a dragon tamer to calm the ravenous beasts within. As we worked to tame Miley's dragon, using the strategies I share in this book, Miley went from feeling scared and powerless to feeling powerful and in control. She couldn't wait to share what she learned in an Instagram Live series with her 105 million+ followers. I named this series Bright Minded, inspired by my own Bright Minds program for improving brain health, which I discuss in my book The End of Mental Illness. I was honored to be Miley's first guest, and we talked about coping with the rampant stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness, as well as feelings of grief and loss, which have been on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on comments from her followers, such as, "This made me feel so much better" and "I had no idea how helpful these strategies would be," it became clear that Miley wasn't the only one unleashing the dragons of her past. People were forced to stay home, and the virus began to paralyze our economy and kill our citizens. Everyone was in shock and overwhelmed with the grief of loss; whether it was the loss of a job, a sense of safety, or the loss of the ability to go about their daily routines, participate in or even watch games, go to their favorite restaurant, or freely approach and hug people, as well as the loss of a family member.