LOS ANGELES — Daniel Amen, MD, double board-certified psychiatrist, neuroscientists and ten-time New York Times bestselling author responds to what former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel shared with Good Morning America yesterday, regarding his desire to return to the field after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder about a year ago following his “huge downfall.”

Dr. Amen, who has published 4 scientific studies on professional football players and served as a consultant on the film Concussion featuring Will Smith, issues the following statement:

“Bipolar disorder often devastates careers, relationships, and lives and must be taken very seriously. It is often associated with increased substance abuse, which is often turned to by those suffering from the disorder as a form of self-medication. Many people with brain injuries, secondary to contact sports, are misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder.

“Anyone diagnosed with bipolar disorder, their case will only be made worse by returning to the football field, because it will expose his brain to more violent collisions, which will in turn increase the likelihood of worsening the disorder. The best thing Mr. Manziel and others diagnosed with bipolar disorder or other mood disorders can do for their brain’s long term health is to avoid the football field altogether and deal directly with their mental health issues with a mix of medical strategies along with diet and lifestyle changes.  We published a study showing that 80% of our football players showed significant improvement on a brain rehabilitation program, I discuss in my new book Memory Rescue.” 

“For any of my bipolar disorder patients, I treat them by first scanning their brains and seeing how much of the condition was the result of traumatic brain injuries and how much was part of a bipolar process; then treat them accordingly.”

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Dr. Daniel Amen MD, is a double board-certified psychiatrist, professor, and ten-time New York Times bestselling author and founder of Amen Clinics. He is one of the world’s foremost experts on using brain-imaging tools to help optimize and treat his patients. His research was listed as one of the Top 100 Stories in Science for 2015 by Discover magazine, and he has written and hosted twelve highly popular shows about the brain for public television. His work has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post, Men’s Health and on The Dr. Oz Show and Dr. Phil. His latest read “Memory Rescue” (on stands now) expands on a proven program to help you change your brain and improve your memory.

Website | http://danielamenmd.com/