In this episode of the Holistic Psychiatry podcast, I discuss panic attacks, exploring their physiological, neurological, and emotional underpinnings. I discuss the heightened sensitivity of the brain’s alarm system, the role of neurotransmitters, hormonal influences, and the impact of inflammation and biotoxins. I’ll emphasize the importance of being curious about the nature of panic attacks..
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Understanding Panic Attacks 03:07 Physiological Factors Behind Panic Attacks 06:00 Neurotransmitters and Panic Disorder 08:52 The Role of Hormones in Panic Attacks 12:07 Inflammation and Panic Attacks 14:53 Mast Cells and Panic Responses 18:06 Biotoxins and Their Impact on Panic 21:00 Limbic System Dysfunction and Panic 24:11 The Autonomic Nervous System’s Role 26:45 Emotional Stressors and Panic Attacks As always, I welcome your thoughts and questions. Until next time, Courtney
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In this episode, I explore mold-related illness, with a particular focus on mold toxicity and mold colonization.
I discuss:
In the next episode, I’ll review research exploring the connection between mold and brain-related conditions, and address the question: “Can mold enter the brain, even in individuals who are not immunocompromised?” It’s important to recognize that mold toxicity rarely occurs in isolation. It often contributes to or exacerbates other underlying conditions, such as mast cell activation, electromagnetic hypersensitivity, multiple chemical sensitivity, pyrrole disorder, copper–zinc imbalance, low methylation, and increased susceptibility to microbial infections or autoimmunity. As always, I welcome your thoughts and questions. Until next time, Courtney
The impact of our early attachment experience on the development of our limbic system, autonomic nervous system, and right and left brain differentiation.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the growing use of the term “dysregulated.” It’s a powerful word that captures what happens when we struggle to find calm in the body and brain after facing stress. When we talk about nervous system regulation, it’s easy to forget that its foundation is mostly laid down in the earliest years of life. Even though we don’t consciously remember those first experiences, they continue to shape our patterns and responses well into adulthood. The encouraging part is this: even if our early attachment experiences weren’t ideal, it’s absolutely possible to move toward greater attachment security. This shift allows us to experience healthier emotional regulation, more positive beliefs about ourselves and others, and stronger, more connected relationships. In this episode, I explore:
For me, this conversation is never about placing blame on parents- it’s about understanding the deep influence of those early years, which are arguably the most important time in our lives. It’s also a reminder that it’s never too late to become a more responsive and compassionate caregiver to ourselves. If you have a specific situation, concern or question that you would like me to react to in a future newsletter/episode, please email that to [email protected]. Names will never be shared. Until next time, Courtney 
Passive & Active "Bottom Up" Approaches to Relax, Improve Mood, Focus & Sleep, Decrease Pain & Muscle Tightness, Improve Social Communication, Lower Inflammation & More
The vagus nerve is truly remarkable. It helps us relax, focus, engage socially, and maintain a positive mood. By countering the body’s stress response, it lowers inflammation and communicates with key organs in the digestive, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. The vagus nerve also plays a crucial role in social interactions, unconsciously assessing the safety of others. Ever feel uncertain about someone you just met, without knowing why? That’s your vagus nerve—your "sixth sense"—sending signals your conscious mind might miss. The best part? We can actively support our vagus nerve. If you’re dealing with stress, mood issues, trouble focusing, sleep problems, or chronic pain, you can tap into the power of the vagus. This also applies to psychiatric conditions, headaches, autoimmune diseases, heart and lung issues, digestive problems, and even cancer. In last week's paid newsletter, I covered how to recognize vagus nerve dysfunction and why it might not be functioning optimally. In this edition, I’ll explore ways to stimulate and "exercise" the vagus nerve, offering immediate calming effects and long-term resilience. Regular practice can raise stress tolerance and help us recover from stress more quickly. 
By Courtney Snyder, MD
I look forward to the day when reducing exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) becomes as standard as other basic health practices, such as getting enough sleep and exercise, managing stress, and limiting or avoiding sugar. In the meantime, I hope to convince you in this newsletter why reducing EMF exposure is a smart choice for your improving and maintaining your health. I’ll cover:
As you’ll see, these vulnerabilities often overlap with those associated with brain conditions and chronic complex illnesses.
When I refer to “EMF,” I’m focusing on the more concerning types: radio frequencies, magnetic and electric fields, and dirty electricity. For simplicity, I’ll discuss these collectively, though much of the latest research emphasizes radio frequencies (such as those from cell phones, WiFi, and SMART or wireless technology). 
By Courtney Snyder, MD
Mold toxicity is a surprisingly common and significant factor in brain-related symptoms. While you won’t find it frequently mentioned in research on psychiatric conditions, those of us who treat mold toxicity recognize it as a very common cause of these issues: 
Mold toxicity is not the only cause, but it often triggers or interacts with other underlying factors, making it the "root of the roots.
“Seemingly 25% of people are unable to make antibodies to mold toxins. Add to that the 50%* of buildings that have water damage, and you have a lot of people who are unknowingly becoming toxic while spending time in affected homes, schools, workplaces, cars, dorms, and nurseries.” (from my 2019 blog post)
Mold-literate doctors now estimate that around 75% of buildings have some form of water damage, though many inspectors believe it could be closer to 100%.
Mold toxins can affect the brain in numerous and often profound ways. Given its prevalence and the substantial improvement in symptoms we typically see with treatment, I recommend testing for mold toxicity in most (but not all) of the individuals I treat. 
Whirling Dervishes (Accessing Their Vagus Nerves) Cut paper, ink and acrylic on wood panel by Courtney Snyder
Courtney Snyder, MD
The proper functioning of the vagus is one of the most important determinants of physical and mental health, social communication, compassion and even creativity. If you have a psychiatric condition or a complex chronic illness (or your child does), understanding the vagus may help demystify what has likely been a confusing and demoralizing experience. In this post, I'll discuss the many roles of the vagus nerve, the many body systems it influences, and the many seemingly unrelated symptoms it can impact when it’s not working well. My hope is that the vagus will become as awe inspiring for you, as it has for me, and that you’ll want to help it help you. There are many ways to improve vagal "tone" to access healing and well-being. Perhaps because they're fun and life affirming, they’re often not taken seriously. In my own journey, I spent years trying to dominate my biochemistry, improve my microbiome and avoid and remove toxins. This narrow attention held me (and my daughter) back. If this is where you’re at, then I write this for you. |
Courtney Snyder, MDFor anyone experiencing brain symptoms. This blog (and weekly newsletter) is your guide to demystifying root causes and learning about surprising paths to healing. From a holistic - functional adult and child psychiatrist dedicated to helping people heal and thrive. Categories
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