Dr. Shawna Freshwater

06/02/2025

Broken Heart Syndrome

Yes, a bad break up or loss of loved one can break your heart.
If you’ve been through a sudden romantic breakup or the surprising loss of a loved one, you know what a broken heart feels like. But can these experiences actually—literally—break your heart?

Only love can break your heart?
Broken heart syndrome often occurs at times of acute emotional stress, such as the sudden death of a loved one.
Yes, they can, and they do.
The condition is called broken heart syndrome. Also known as stress cardiomyopathy, neurogenic stunned myocardium, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and apical ballooning syndrome, it can occur at times of acute emotional stress, such as the sudden death of a loved one—hence the “broken heart” description.

The pathogenesis of heartbreak?
Broken heart syndrome is most prevalent in older, postmenopausal women, and usually resolves after a month or upto a year.
Mimicking acute coronary syndrome, broken heart syndrome is accompanied by reversible left ventricular apical ballooning of no apparent cause with an absence of angiographically significant coronary artery stenosis. It can be easily misdiagnosed as a heart attack because patients typically present with classic myocardial chest pain and moderately increased cardiac enzymes (particularly troponins). It’s also characterized by electrocardiographic abnormalities, such as ST-segment elevation and/or T-wave inversion.

The syndrome was originally identified
by Japanese scientists in 1991, who thought the unusual apical ballooning appearance on echocardiogram resembled a traditional Japanese “takotsubo”—a round fishing trap used for catching octopus. Researchers initially considered it a rare phenomenon, but more recent data indicate that the syndrome accounts for more than 2% of all patients presenting with suspected acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation.

The pathogenesis of broken heart syndrome has yet to be determined, but the three proposed mechanisms include coronary vasospasm, microvascular spasm, and catecholamine-induced neurogenic stunning of the myocardium.
An unequivocal link
Regardless of the etiology, something occurring in the brain 🧠 affects the ❤️ heart.

There is an unequivocal link between the state of mind and the development of takotsubo syndrome.

The frequent association of broken heart syndrome with sudden and intense emotional stress suggests that the mechanism of transient ventricular myocardial dysfunction might be sympathetically mediated adding that an emotional or a physical stressor is reported in more than two thirds of these patients.
A more poetic way to look at it: Every heart has two parts, the part that pumps and the part that loves.

05/23/2025

I get a kick out of people who demand unequivocal proof before they'll change an opinion that was formed for them with absolutely no proof whatsoever.

05/20/2025

~ The Art of Peace ~

"The Art of Peace" by Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido - The Way (道) of Harmonious (合) Spirit/Energy (気) The following quotations come from his collected talks, poems, and calligraphy. There are 114 quotes, here are the first four.

ONE: The Art of Peace begins with you. Work on yourself and your appointed task in the Art of Peace. Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are here for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment. Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter.

TWO: One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.

THREE: All things, material and spiritual, originate from one source and are related as if they were one family. The past, present, and future are all contained in the life force. The universe emerged and developed from one source, and we evolved through the optimal process of unification and harmonization.

FOUR: The Art of Peace is medicine for a sick world. There is evil and disorder in the world because people have forgotten that all things emanate from one source. Return to that source and leave behind all self-centered thoughts, petty desires, and anger. Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything.

Additional quotes can be found here:

http://omlc.ogi.edu/aikido/talk/osensei/artofpeace/

05/18/2025

The more you organize your inner world, the more successful you can be in the outer world.
and feel what it’s like to inhabit yourself in a powerful new way.

05/14/2025

05/05/2025

Classical Music Alters the Brain 🧠

The “Mozart effect”

Neuropsychologists and other neuroscientists have used Mozart and other classical music in various experiments on on animals and humans confirming results: Listening to classical music or learning to play an instrument leads to higher school grades and stronger spatial reasoning skills, reduces the risk of brain atrophy, and slows neuropsychological decline. Increases the “feel good” neurotransmitters. Read On 👇🏼

Certain types of classical music not only enhance cognitive abilities but are also used to treat brain disorders such as epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease. “The Mozart effect” is clear evidence that you can alter the brain function and abnormalities with music 🎶

Sometimes, epilepsy is more difficult to control with medication, and using carefully selected and edited classical music to “train” the brains of epilepsy patients can normalize their brain waves and electroencephalographic (eeg) abnormalities.

What the Brain Wants👇🏼
From the perspective of positive impact on the human brain, the brain responds to classical music complexity and structure: proportion, balance, and harmony.

The human brain likes the rules of classical music. There are certain musical sounds that are deeply embedded within the ability of our nervous system to be moved by music.

Music contains natural rules and mathematical logic, especially classical music, where the connection to mathematics is robust. Therefore, it is universally recognized and accepted by the brain. Classical music carries rich information and allows the brain ample time to process it.

* 50 percent increase in brain function
* Increased Gray Matter
* Gray matter, consisting of neurons, has been observed to increase in volume following musical activities.
* connections between the neurons become stronger.
* white matter ~ brain’s communication network
* the network becomes more efficient and oriented
* Additionally, the hippocampus—a deep brain structure—Activates
* hippocampus plays a critical role in cognition, learning new information, consolidation of memory storage, and emotion.
* Classical music is closely linked to emotion
* Classical music can be more effective than other music for reducing stress and anxiety, as it typically includes moments of relaxation and calmness.
* Classical music induces stress-relieving and pain-reducing effects.
* Classical music evokes a sense of sacredness, inspiring gratitude and reverence.
* Classical Music promotes the brain’s secretion of endorphins, enkephalins, dopamine, and serotonin. Each has varied biological effects, from inducing pleasure and relaxation to alleviating physical discomfort and promoting sleep.
* Beautiful music can also increase oxytocin, a love hormone.
* The release of dopamine induces happiness and ignites the brain’s cognitive and reward systems.

ॐ

03/26/2025

Nervous system is calmed. Nature🌱☀️ is an incredible healer. Create the Space.

03/10/2025

It's Brain Awareness Week! 🧠
In honor of Brain Awareness Week, we're shining a light on National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) initiatives that promote brain health and education. From our BE COOL Program, which brings brain health education to young students, to our ongoing efforts in raising awareness about brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases, NAN is committed to advancing knowledge and improving brain health for all.

Join us as we continue to educate, advocate, and inspire through research, outreach, and collaboration. Let's work together to raise awareness and create healthier futures! National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN)

It’s Brain Awareness Week! 🧠

In honor of Brain Awareness Week, we’re shining a light on NAN’s initiatives that promote brain health and education. From our BE COOL Program, which brings brain health education to young students, to our ongoing efforts in raising awareness about brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases, NAN is committed to advancing knowledge and improving brain health for all.

Join us as we continue to educate, advocate, and inspire through research, outreach, and collaboration. Let's work together to raise awareness and create healthier futures!

03/08/2025

I integrate neuroscience knowledge of the Brain with the science of the Mind.
100% science
100% soul-searching
100% life-changing

03/05/2025

Do not lose the complexities of the person in the process of helping the patient. Psychodynamic thinking in the Neuropsychoanalytic Dyad.

03/04/2025

A typical psychological evaluation consists of a very thorough clinical interview, review of records (if there are any), (and when relevant interviews with collateral sources if you have provided consent), the administration of psychometric valid and reliable evidenced-based scientific psychological tests, scoring of the raw test data, statistical conversions of the data, and scientific analyses of the data profile, and interpretation of all of the collected data into a comprehensive psychological profile, a comprehensive report is produced, and recommendations as to the best scientific backed treatments options. To learn more about Psychological Testing, please read article

👇🏽🌸

Psychological testing provides valuable information: personality, symptoms, root causes to symptoms,diagnosis, science based treatment options

02/09/2025

Under stress, people tend to revert to methods of coping that characterized an earlier developmental challenge that felt similar to their current situation: they regress to a point of fixation. There is a more or less tactic assumption in psychoanalytic theory that the earlier a person has been faced with neglect or abuse or other overwhelming experiences, the more vulnerable he or she is, and the more catastrophic and eventually cumulative are the effects of the traumatic circumstances.