Kate Hudson Unfiltered: Undiagnosed ADHD, Trauma & the Brain Behind Her Spark (Part 1)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Change Your Brain Every Day Episode: Kate Hudson Unfiltered: Undiagnosed ADHD, Trauma & the Brain Behind Her Spark (Part 1)
Release Date: July 21, 2025
Hosts: Dr. Daniel Amen & Tana Amen
Guests: Kate Hudson & Oliver Hudson

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of Change Your Brain Every Day, New York Times bestselling authors Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen engage in an insightful conversation with Hollywood superstar Kate Hudson and her brother Oliver Hudson. The discussion centers around undiagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), the impact of trauma on the brain, and strategies to enhance brain health and personal success.

Undiagnosed ADD: Personal Experiences and Recognition

Dr. Daniel Amen opens the discussion by addressing Kate and Oliver's struggles with ADD, emphasizing that their challenges are not a reflection of their intelligence or capabilities.

Dr. Daniel Amen [00:00]: "Do you have ADD? Absolutely. You do, right? It's not a question in my mind."

Oliver Hudson echoes the sentiment, highlighting the importance of acknowledging and understanding one's unique brain rather than self-diagnosing or stigmatizing differences.

Oliver Hudson [00:23]: "Kids need to examine who they are before they start over. Medicating their brain and saying they have something or diagnosing themselves. It's okay to have a different brain than other people."

Brain Imaging Insights: Understanding the Undiagnosed ADD

Dr. Amen delves into the brain imaging scans of Kate and Oliver, revealing significant findings that elucidate their ADD symptoms. He explains how ADD affects brain function, particularly in areas related to focus and impulsivity.

Dr. Daniel Amen [12:10]: "When you try to concentrate, your brain drops an activity. The harder you try, the worse it gets."

Oliver shares his personal experiences with fluctuating focus and the necessity of stress to trigger productivity, which ironically perpetuates chronic stress.

Oliver Hudson [17:51]: "I need somebody to be mad at me. I need stress in order to get stuff done. But the chronic stress is bad for me."

The Impact of Trauma on the Brain

A significant portion of the conversation addresses the role of trauma in exacerbating ADD symptoms. Dr. Amen introduces the concept of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and their long-term effects on brain health.

Dr. Daniel Amen [22:05]: "ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences. So on a scale of 0 to 10, how many bad things happened when you were growing up?"

Kate Hudson shares her traumatic childhood experience, which has left a lasting imprint on her brain's functioning.

Kate Hudson [23:56]: "Her first, one of her first memories was she's 4 years old and her mother and grandmother falling to the floor, floor screaming because her uncle had just been murdered and a drug deal. Oh, God."

Treatment Approaches: Medication, Supplements, and Neurofeedback

Dr. Amen discusses various treatment modalities for ADD, emphasizing personalized approaches over one-size-fits-all solutions. He advocates for the use of brain imaging to tailor treatments effectively.

Dr. Daniel Amen [30:30]: "I have one called Focus and Energy. I have another one, Peak Energy. Peak Energy, that I think is just so helpful. But if they don't work like you hope."

Oliver and Kate explore the potential benefits of ADD medications, supplements, and innovative treatments like Hyperbaric Chambers to enhance brain function and reduce trauma-related stress.

Dr. Daniel Amen [21:08]: "Plus, as we get in the chamber, as we age, this doesn't get better. And so six months from now, a year from now, ten years from now, your brain can be way better than it is now. How exciting is that?"

Personal Stories and Anecdotes: Overcoming ADD and Trauma

The Hudson siblings share their journeys of living with undiagnosed ADD and the transformative impact of finally acknowledging and addressing their condition. They discuss how understanding their brain's mechanics has unlocked new levels of personal and professional achievement.

Tana Amen [31:04]: "I was already successful, but I was working way harder than I needed to."

Oliver Hudson [35:00]: "It's so interesting because I have these moments where, like, it's like, I'll have a day where it's like, my brain is completely functioning perfectly... but the next day, it's literally like my brain's like, I can't function."

Strategies for Enhancing Brain Health and Efficiency

Dr. Amen outlines practical strategies for optimizing brain health, including exercise, nutrition, sleep, and cognitive training. He underscores the importance of a holistic approach to mental health, integrating physical and psychological well-being.

Dr. Daniel Amen [38:09]: "Genetics. Just be serious about preventing any problems. Like I have obesity and heart disease in my family. Not overweight. And I don't have heart disease because I'm on a prevention program."

Conclusion: Embracing a Better Brain for a Better Life

The episode concludes with an optimistic outlook on the possibilities that come with understanding and improving one's brain health. Kate and Oliver express their newfound awareness and commitment to leveraging this knowledge for continued success and personal fulfillment.

Oliver Hudson [35:06]: "I feel pretty good about where I'm at right now."

Dr. Daniel Amen [35:33]: "You have the perfect brain for it and you know, and if it doesn't work, it's like you try it for a couple weeks and it's like there."

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Key Takeaways

• Recognition and Diagnosis: Acknowledging ADD is crucial for personal growth and unlocking potential.
• Impact of Trauma: Early traumatic experiences can have profound effects on brain function and mental health.
• Personalized Treatment: Utilizing brain imaging and tailored treatments can significantly enhance brain efficiency and quality of life.
• Holistic Approach: Combining medication, supplements, neurofeedback, and lifestyle changes offers a comprehensive strategy for managing ADD and trauma.
• Empowerment through Knowledge: Understanding one's brain fosters resilience, better relationships, and greater professional success.

This episode serves as an enlightening exploration of undiagnosed ADD and trauma, offering valuable insights and practical solutions for listeners seeking to transform their brain health and overall well-being.

Transcript

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Do you have add? Absolutely. You do, right? It's not a question in my mind. Given your history, you're very successful with the brain you have. I wonder how successful you could be with even a better brain.

[Kate Hudson]

Today on Change youe Brain, it's Kate.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Hudson, the Hollywood superstar famous for movies like how to Lose a guy in 10 days and bride Wars.

[Oliver Hudson]

Because I've had success young and I've had wonderful people assisting, I'd have had an executive for functioning for you. Yeah, but for those who don't have that, you know, I couldn't imagine. Kids need to examine who they are before they start over. Medicating their brain and saying they have something or diagnosing themselves. It's okay to have a different brain than other people. It's okay to struggle a little bit more in school.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I just did this post. The one question people with ADD should ask but never do, which is every day you are making your brain better or you are making it worse. Stay with us to learn how you can change your brain for the better every day. Are you a doctor or mental health professional who's tired of one size fits all care? Are you passionate about helping people heal the root causes of their issues, but frustrated by the limitations of standard care? What if you didn't have to guess what's going on with your patients because you could see it? At Amen Clinics, we do psychiatry differently. We use brain imaging to improve diagnoses and guide personalized treatment because mental health is really brain health. If you're ready to be a leader in the future of mental health care, we're looking for you. When you join Amen clinics, you don't just make a difference, you own it. With our employee stock option plan, you become an owner in the mission, a stake in every life. We change. This is your invitation to be a healer, a brain health warrior, a pioneer. Join us. Let's end mental illness by creating a revolution in brain health together. Welcome. Change your brain Everyday podcast. Tana and I are so excited. With us in studio is Kate and Oliver.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah. And.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I was on their podcast. Kate wasn't there.

[Oliver Hudson]

I wasn't able to make it.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Holly was there and we had a great time and we talked about maybe you should get scammed.

[Kate Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Then I had a chance to chat with Kate and I'm like, absolutely. Would you do our podcast and could we reveal what we see? Of course. Within reason. On the podcast. Want to pay attention because today is going to be so fast.

[Kate Hudson]

By the way, we haven't seen anything. We haven't so this is a reveal to us.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yes.

[Kate Hudson]

Yes.

[Oliver Hudson]

I'm so intrigued. I'm like, especially because we did it together, so it's so fun.

[Tana Amen]

That's so fun.

[Oliver Hudson]

You know, I.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And you guys are two years apart.

[Kate Hudson]

Two and a half.

[Oliver Hudson]

Three. Yeah.

[Tana Amen]

Yeah. I think one of the things we've noticed is it. It explains so much of your life when you get to see family members together. At least it did for me when I saw my mom and my uncle. It's like, oh, this is why my life was so screwed up. I get it.

[Kate Hudson]

You know what's interesting as well is that you have siblings who have been through the same traumas as my sister and I have, and to see sort of from a visual standpoint, how that has actually affected us differently, because I'm sure it's not the same. Right.

[Oliver Hudson]

Can you see trauma?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

You can. We do see trauma, and I actually see more of it in your brain than an always br. Yes.

[Kate Hudson]

Oh, an. Nuts.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Terrible.

[Tana Amen]

But isn't that common? So isn't that common, though, that women tend to, like.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Women have busier brains, so we tend to process.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah. We also deal with. It's a lot more of a traumatic existence being female.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Well, having five sisters and five daughters. I take some issue with that. Wow. That's like. I don't know if God loves me. When I first met Tana, because today we're going to talk about add. I'm sorry.

[Oliver Hudson]

Which we both have.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Which you both have. It's not even like, a little. So be so fun. When Tana and I first met, our first conversation, she goes, you think I have A.D.D. don't you?

[Tana Amen]

I'm like, why are you shrinking me? You think I've got ADD Stop it.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

She almost canceled her first date. Yeah.

[Kate Hudson]

Really?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

When she found out I was a psychiatrist, she thought I was a neurologist. When she found out, I was getting like, no.

[Tana Amen]

Nope.

[Kate Hudson]

Why? Because you just didn't want to be analyzed.

[Tana Amen]

I didn't want him to shrink me, and I didn't have a. There were so many things about the profession in general that I thought they guessed, and they just. I'm. I was a trauma nurse. And so it just. It didn't sort of fit my idea of how medicine sort of should work. But then when I started talking to him, I was fascinated because I'm like, wait, why don't. Why don't all psychiatrists do this? I mean, that actually makes sense to me. You're actually looking. I don't understand why everyone's not doing this. And so it was then it became really intrigued.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah.

[Tana Amen]

Yeah.

[Kate Hudson]

Then he became very attractive.

[Oliver Hudson]

Then you were. Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And then I looked at her brain. Her even more so if we go to your goals, you want to know about your brain, and I think you've actually never formally been diagnosed with add, but you've had suspicions.

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh, my God, yes. Many. Forever suspicions.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And so, you know, when I read your history, some of the things I saw was perhaps your family had. There's some ADD in your family and perhaps Ollie had it worse than you do.

[Tana Amen]

Perhaps.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And sometimes your brain shuts down. This is me, this is you.

[Oliver Hudson]

Okay?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah, yeah. And nobody sees this part but us. Okay? But you can struggle with focus and not hyperactivity. But in school you're procrastinator huge. Everything was the last minute and school was harder than perhaps it should have been.

[Oliver Hudson]

So hard.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And impulsivity and your short term memories, not as good as it could have been. And recently you have been through trauma with the Palaces fire.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yes.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Um, yeah.

[Oliver Hudson]

Awful.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Awful. Yeah. Truly terrible. Um, so I like to think of people always in four circles. Um, so I never go, oh, you have add, take Ritalin, right? No, no, no, it's what's the biology? Which is why we look at your brain, right? What's this psychology? What was your development like? And I bet there's stories there with both of your development. What's the social circle, which is like, how are your relationships? How is work? How's your money? What's going on with the kids? Social circle and then the spiritual circle, which most psychiatrists never talk about, but it's. Why do you care? Why, why do you think you're on the planet? What's your deepest sense of meaning and purpose? And so if we started there, how would you answer that?

[Oliver Hudson]

If we started there, what's mine?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah.

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh, God. I think about this all the time. This is like something I've, I, I love to think about, to connect. I think my. I, I think about, like the thing I love to do the most is to connect with people, whether it be through art or through conversation or connect, like actual connection, you know, and, and I am incredibly optimistic. And I find that because even through things that are challenging, I seem to deal with them in ways that are optimistic, that people that I know or people that I'm close to are drawn to me, to sort of try to understand how, how I get through life the way I get through life. And so sometimes I feel like maybe my purpose is to help people, like, feel better about their own purpose. Like and so connection. I would say connection is always the big word for me.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Awesome.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah. Yeah. And to create. I think I have some things to create that I don't even know have happened yet that can have impact.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

If you had a more efficient brain.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

How would your life be different?

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh, my God. I'd probably be a billionaire.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I would.

[Oliver Hudson]

If I had a more efficient brain, honestly, I'd be. It would be leaner. I think my life would be leaner. Things would feel leaner. It would feel like a tight, lean ship. I think I would actually finish the things that I start. I hardly finish the things that I start. And I think I would create more. I would have more things that I would have created. It's like, why did it take me to be in my 40s to make my first album? I think part of that is. Is fear, but also is just getting things done.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I love that.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

For my ADD patients, I always have them practice in the mirror. When someone asks them to do something. I have to think about it, because too often, because they don't have enough activity in their frontal lobes, they just impulsively say yes. And so they say yes ultimately to too many things so they don't get the things they really care about. That's done. But if you say, I have to think about that and then go back. Another exercise I love to do with my patients called the One Page Miracle. One piece of paper, what do you want? Relationships, work, money, physical, emotional, spiritual. What do you want? And so then everything is about, does my behavior get me what I want? But if you don't have the break in your brain to go, don't do that, because it doesn't fit what you want. You end up with chaos. Yeah, that makes sense.

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh, yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So we also did a computerized test that you did for us, Total Brain. And it said you're really good at recognizing faces. You tend to recognize positive faces a little better than negative faces.

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh, interesting.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

But if you get your feelings hurt, it can sort of stick around a little bit.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Some stress. Clearly not anxious or depressed. Your memory, long term, short term, could be better. Flexibility could be better. That just means sometimes it's hard to shift attention.

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh, yeah, big time. I need, like. I need, like, an hour in between meetings.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Your planning is freaking phenomenal.

[Oliver Hudson]

Thank you.

[Kate Hudson]

Oh, my God.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Your processing speed.

[Kate Hudson]

She can go home now. Like, she's.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

She's happy. Your processing speed is unbelievably good as far as negativity bias because you're just talking about being positive.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

That protects you so much. Actually, always better.

[Oliver Hudson]

Really?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

He scored higher.

[Tana Amen]

Wow.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Their resilience. Maybe not as good as it could be. We'll talk about why that might be.

[Oliver Hudson]

Okay.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

All right, let's talk about your scans. Okay, so this is a healthy scan. No, this is not even.

[Kate Hudson]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

This is our goal.

[Oliver Hudson]

Okay.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Now, full disclosure. There are not many healthy people in the world.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Make a list of 20 of your friends. And half of them should see me. Probably Right. So the images on the left, we're looking at the outside surface. They're going to become the most important for us. And it just should be full, even symmetrical activity. The images on the right, we're looking at the most active parts of the brain. And it's so blue is average activity. Red is the top five, 15%. White's the top 8%. So white's like super active parts of the brain.

[Oliver Hudson]

Cool.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And it should be in the back bottom part of the brain called the cerebellum. So you see all the white and the. If you look at the top left, red, white and blue image and see at the bottom of it, all that white, that's the cerebellum. Now both of you need to play rocket sports. I'm like, not kidding.

[Oliver Hudson]

Really.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Both of you have very sleepy cerebellum.

[Kate Hudson]

I'm terrible at racket sports.

[Oliver Hudson]

I know I them.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

But the more. I'm not good at pickleball.

[Kate Hudson]

I'm a good athlete too, but the.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

More you do them.

[Kate Hudson]

Great athlete.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So tennis, table tennis, pickleball, it's just good.

[Oliver Hudson]

That's so weird.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

To help turn on. Yeah.

[Oliver Hudson]

Tennis, the rest of your.

[Tana Amen]

Do you play them often?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah. Good. The more you do it, the better it is.

[Kate Hudson]

Interesting.

[Oliver Hudson]

Okay.

[Kate Hudson]

Okay.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Okay. So this is Kate scan. So here you can look at here with me. You actually have a pretty healthy looking brain, except you had concussions. You can actually see right here. These are your temporal lobes. At some point, your brain got jostled. Yeah, tell me about that.

[Oliver Hudson]

Well, it might be a couple. I played a lot of soccer, so there's that. And then I had one hit to the brain in like a pool where somebody jumped on my. Jumped on me. And it really hit my head in the back of my head here, I think. Or maybe it was here. And I remember thinking, like, oh, that was intense. But I didn't like, go out. Go out or. No, I was. It was. It was. Just hit me hard. It was the only time I've ever felt any, like, brain head hit other than that.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So tell me about soccer.

[Oliver Hudson]

I was very. I mean, since like I was a little girl to, like 11th grade and like, very intensely.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And how many times? Like an soccer ball with your head?

[Kate Hudson]

Palisades also, you know, it's big time.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

How many times did you hit a soccer ball with your head?

[Oliver Hudson]

That's a lot.

[Kate Hudson]

That's the other.

[Oliver Hudson]

A lot.

[Kate Hudson]

Right?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

That's it. There you go.

[Oliver Hudson]

A lot.

[Kate Hudson]

That's it.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Your brain is soft, about the consistency of soft butter. Your skull is really hard and has sharp bony ridges. We have a model. Yeah, let me grab the model.

[Kate Hudson]

I mean, have you scanned, you know, like David Beckham or so I'm saying, or just soccer players?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Taylor Twelman know that name?

[Oliver Hudson]

No.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

He's one of the American soccer stars. I have Taylor's brain.

[Kate Hudson]

We have lots of soccer because I can imagine. I mean, they spend a life heading.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So look inside the skull. Do you see these sharp bony ridges? And the brain isn't anchored in the skull. It floats in water.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And so just one. Hit the soccer ball with your head, it's like, boom, boom. And these guys, the part of your brain that was hurt, sit right behind these sharp bony ridges. Oh, now, God. And I've discussed this. Why didn't you put sock. Why didn't you put bumper guards there? These need bumper guards. And he's like, who knew people would hit soccer balls with their heads? That's ridiculous.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah, well, that's definitely probably where it comes from. Because, you know, I was a very aggressive soccer player too, and I had a lot of, like, run ins and, you know, so, yeah, like, with people, like, I would, like, you know, get hurt all the time. I got ball like, she like to hold on my head. Girl kicked her right on my head one time.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So here's the money. Here's the money. Picture. When you try to concentrate, your brain drops an activity.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

What does that mean? The harder you try, the worse it gets.

[Oliver Hudson]

That's right. That's right. That makes sense.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah.

[Oliver Hudson]

I have to really, really figure out how to focus.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And you need, like, last minute. You need somebody to be mad at you. You need stress.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

In order to get stuff done. But the chronic stress is bad for you.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yes, that's right. Like. Like if I try to read a script, like just. Let's just say a script. If I. So if someone's like, you have to read this script, and I'm like, okay. And then there's a million other things, then I never get to it. Then I'm like, oh, my God, I forgot to Read the script. And then next year it's like, you have to read the script by tomorrow. And I'm like, okay. And then I'll sit down and finally read it. But I have, I. I've gotten better at this in the last, I'd say four years. Starting to get a little bit better because I'm finding tools like Speechify.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So you see these holes? You don't have holes in your brain. What that means is there's less blood flow.

[Oliver Hudson]

Okay.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

When you try to use your brain. Oh. So it's sort of like people who need glasses. You know, people need glasses. Aren't I'm crazy or stupid.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Their eyeballs are shaped funny and they wear glasses so they can focus. People have add, aren't dumb, crazy, or stupid. Their brain shuts down when it should turn on. Interesting. So we have to figure out what are the right glasses for your brain. And then really we see your temporal lobes just got whacked when you were young. And it shows up much clear when you concentrate.

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh, interesting.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So one of the things I think you should go in a hyperbaric chamber about 40 or 50 times.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Kate Hudson]

It's not that. It's not that bad.

[Tana Amen]

No, I love it.

[Kate Hudson]

Meaning it's.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

It's.

[Kate Hudson]

The cylinder's not like right here.

[Tana Amen]

It feels like a cocoon to me.

[Oliver Hudson]

There's one.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I'll show you ours before.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah, yeah, I saw yours. That's like. That's like. I went in the limits. I was like, oh, my God. You there. They have these new ones that you sit in that are all glass. I think I can handle that. You know where you sit in there and you do work and does it.

[Kate Hudson]

Put you into a certain atmosphere?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

You saw the one we have here or the one in Encino, I think it was.

[Oliver Hudson]

I walked by some chambers here. Yeah. And I was like. Cuz I could hear him like. I was like, oh my God.

[Tana Amen]

That's funny for me. I got one put in my house during co. And I'm like, I can't hear you. Everyone keep trying to bug me. I'm like, I can't hear you.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

As long way to escape, everybody.

[Kate Hudson]

How long do you have to stay in procession?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

What's like an hour, hour and a half? Right. It just helps to heal.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And that's why I love it so much.

[Tana Amen]

You can go in there and meditate. You can go in there and read your script. You can like.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And with the new chambers, you can bring in your phone if you have to.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah, right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So do you have add. Absolutely. You do okay, right? It's not a question in my mind. Given your history and given what I see on your scans, you're very successful with the brand you have. I wonder how successful you could be with even a better brand.

[Oliver Hudson]

Exciting possibilities.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah. Plus, you know, as we get in the chamber, as, as we age, this doesn't get better.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And so six months from now, a year from now, ten years from now.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Your brain can be way better.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Than it is now. How exciting is that?

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah, that's great. I'm into it now.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

If you look at the active part of your brain. Wow, you're sleepy. Brain is really sleepy.

[Oliver Hudson]

Wow.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Your emotional brain is busy. And here it's like a diamond pattern.

[Oliver Hudson]

Explains everything.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And that's past emotional trauma.

[Oliver Hudson]

Interesting.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And many people have add, have a lot of past emotional drama just because of some of the decisions they made or they were raised by people who have add.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And so there's some chaos that could go with the. Some of the decisions perhaps that were made. But again, when you concentrate, it drops. So for whatever you could talk about, does that resonate at all?

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're right on the money. Clearly you know what you're doing, doctor? Yeah, no, yeah, completely. I mean, explain this again, like so.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So I published a very large study on post traumatic stress disorder and adverse childhood experiences. So on a scale of 0 to 10, how many difficult things happened to you when you were growing up?

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And I think you were three and you were four, if I remember right. We'll look.

[Oliver Hudson]

What does that mean?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Well, actually, I can look right now.

[Kate Hudson]

Three and four. When two and four, three and four.

[Oliver Hudson]

I was eight.

[Tana Amen]

So it scales zero to ten.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So you're four. ACE stands for adverse childhood experiences. So on a scale of 0 to 10, how many bad things happened when you were growing up? Whether it's physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, losing a parent through divorce, having a parent struggle with mental health problems, addiction, whatever. And people who have four or more have an increased risk of seven of the top 10 leading causes of death. So the early childhood stress can have a long term impact. 10 is an 8. She actually wrote a book about it called the Relentless Courage of a Scared Child.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Her first, one of her first memories was she's 4 years old and her mother and grandmother falling to the floor, floor screaming because her uncle had just been murdered and a drug deal. Oh, God. Oh, wow. So she and I on the podcast, we talk about adverse childhood experiences and I just published a huge study and we Saw this diamond pattern when there's early trauma. So here you like things a certain way. That's called the anterior cigula gyrus, sort of the brain's gear shifter. And when it's busy, things can loop in your head. If you get upset, they can loop. And these are an area called the basil ganglia. They can go with anxiety. And when we see that pattern altogether we go. Oh. And so emdr, have you ever done emdr?

[Kate Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Psychological treatment for past trauma.

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

In fact, we have a non profit foundation called the Change your brain foundation. And we just donated a hundred evaluations for firefighters because of the la. Every day?

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Is somebody. Every day they work, they're with somebody's worst day of life.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Right. So they have a lot of trauma and then they have the toxic experience. Exposure from all the chemicals and smoke and so on. But EMDR might be really helpful to you just to sort of calm that down.

[Oliver Hudson]

Okay.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And then when you concentrate, just like your other scan, it drops an activity or you try, the worse it gets. And so our goal should be to prevent that from happening. Sort of balance your brain and then stimulate it. When you try to use it, we can try to do it naturally. There's things like neurofeedback can help, where you can actually train your brain. Medication can help.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Have you ever tried ADD medicine?

[Oliver Hudson]

Never. Never. I mean, I've had a million people tell me, my wife's like, have you ever tried that? I'm like, I, you know, I'm a very natural person, you know, so.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah, but you wear glasses.

[Oliver Hudson]

But I wear glasses, yes, but.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And I own a supplement company. So I'm always thinking, is there supplements I can do? And we'll try them.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I have one called Focus and Energy. I have another one, Peak energy. Peak Energy, that I think is just so helpful. But if they don't work like you hope. I just did this post. The one question people with ADD should ask but never do, which is because if I go, maybe Concerta or Ritalin or Adderall would be helpful for you. And they'll go, what are the side effects? Could lose some weight, decreases your appetite for some people, makes them anxious for some people they get headaches or tummy aches for some people it keeps them up, they take it too late.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

The question they don't ask is what are the side effects of not taking it?

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And they're things like divorce.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Incarceration, chronically low self esteem, because you know you should be farther than you are.

[Kate Hudson]

You just told me who I am.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Kate Hudson]

Yeah, I get that.

[Oliver Hudson]

Entirely interesting. Right, right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Does that make sense?

[Oliver Hudson]

Yes, it does.

[Kate Hudson]

So we need you on meds and get in the chamber.

[Oliver Hudson]

So what do I like that? So basically I am the perfect candidate for medication is what you're saying. Like there's things to try, but I would, I would maybe be the kind of brain that you would see that said that if that's something that absolutely would really benefit from.

[Kate Hudson]

From.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yes, interesting. Like if it was really getting in the way of my life. Correct, yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So my first spec scan 35, 34 years ago was on a woman who, she came to the hospital with a suicide attempt and it was a drama suicide attempt because she got in a fight with her husband the night before and she had an 8 year old son who had ADD. That's one of the first clues for women because they don't have the hyperactivity that a lot of boys have. And, and as I was listening to her, she had an IQ of 144 but never finished college because it was last minute. She goes, well, I'd have a test and I wouldn't realize till the night before. And I just come home from a day and that's 11 o' clock at night. I put on a pot of coffee. That's how I did college. And I'm like, I think you have abdominal. She goes, our adults can't have add. And I just gone to my first lecture on brain spec imaging. I'm like, let me look at your brain. And she had a brain virtually identical to yours, really. And when I explained it to her, she started to cry and she said, you mean it's not my fault?

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah. Oh.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Then she went back, finished college and was nicer to her husband.

[Kate Hudson]

It's interesting because back then too, things were not nearly as diagnosed or studied as they are now. And I've heard some similar stories where once people discover that they actually have add, then there is some relief and they take it off of themselves. Now I feel like we are so in tune with sort of what ADD is it. Seemingly everyone has it based on social media, you know what I mean? Like all or inundated with it in my algorithm, anyways. Add, adhd. My wife is constantly sending me stuff, you know.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

But that'll change your algorithm.

[Kate Hudson]

Oh, 100%.

[Tana Amen]

She sends you something.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Of course, yes. And there is more because of social media and because of our devices and our addictions, but you can tell is that societal induced ADD, that really in school, 35 years ago, you did fine. Then it's societally induced ADD. If it was like, no, school was really hard for me, and I didn't live up to my potential. And you can see ADD in your family. It's like. And then we see it on your scans. It's like, that's really.

[Oliver Hudson]

It's so interesting because I have these moments where, like, it's like, I'll have a day where it's like, my brain is completely functioning perfectly. Like, I'm reading well, I'm focused, I'm getting everything done. But the next day, it's literally like.

[Tana Amen]

Almost like a hangover.

[Oliver Hudson]

It's like a hangover. It's like my brain's like, I can't function.

[Tana Amen]

So clearly, you guys are both very successful. And I remember when I met him, and I'm like, you think I have add? And he's like. And because he's kept asking me these questions, he's like, so let me get this straight. You have to drink almost two pots of coffee a day. I was a trauma nurse. He's like, you have to exercise for two hours to clear the cobwebs. He's going through this whole thing. And I'm like, oh, stop it. Like, ADD is an excuse to fail. I thought it was an excuse to fail. I thought it was what people said when they didn't want to do something or they were lazy. And what I didn't realize is that after I finally did buy into this ADD idea and realized that I actually, indeed did have it, it's. I was already successful, but I was working way harder than I needed to.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I.

[Tana Amen]

And I didn't know it. Like, you don't know what you don't know.

[Oliver Hudson]

It's just.

[Tana Amen]

It can be so much easier than you think. And then all of a sudden, you start meeting your potential, and I'm like, I didn't even know I could do that.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Right.

[Tana Amen]

You know, I didn't know I could write books and.

[Kate Hudson]

Yeah.

[Tana Amen]

You know, so.

[Oliver Hudson]

So interesting.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah. And you said, if you think I'm bad, you should see my mom. Which then explain.

[Kate Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Why she's an 8 out of 10.

[Kate Hudson]

Yeah.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Because I think undiagnosed, untreated add explain my leads to trauma in generations of people.

[Tana Amen]

And I was determined not to have that happen with my kids. That was my big reason for, like, looking into it.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So I want you to send me your labs. We have a supplement all of us here love called Peak Energy. It really helps with focus. Give you that.

[Kate Hudson]

Really?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Neuralink is made with 5 HTP to help you be more flexible. GABA to sort of calm down that diamond. And L tyrosine, which is the amino acid building block for dopamine. So I think for your brain that could be really helpful just to help you feel more balanced. Okay. I think if you wanted to try ADD medicine, I'd be for it. You have the perfect brain for it and you know, and if it doesn't work, it's like you try it for a couple weeks and it's like there.

[Kate Hudson]

Are different designs of ADD medicine.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Right.

[Kate Hudson]

I mean, there's the Adderalls and there's, you know, the Vyvanse and blah, blah, blah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Bladder on Vyvanse are actually cousins to each other. They're actually basically the same thing. That's just in different preparation.

[Kate Hudson]

Okay.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I think of Adderall based medicines and then methylphenidate or Ritalin based medicines. They're very similar. I tend to like Concerta because I think it's just very effective but less harsh and sort of smooth on and smooth off. So I know all ADD doctors have their own thing.

[Kate Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

It's just my experience and. But if it doesn't work, like we hope, try Adderall or slow release Adderall or Bypans. But I think you've been operating at like half efficiency.

[Oliver Hudson]

Wow.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And when. Now this is very important.

[Tana Amen]

It's kind of exciting though, right?

[Kate Hudson]

I mean, it is and it's not. She might not have a family. If she's like, everyone might leave. Everyone might leave. It's like, oh, she's at 100% now.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Well, no, we're not trying to make you mad or.

[Oliver Hudson]

So funny.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yes. No, we don't want many, but this is very important.

[Kate Hudson]

Visual.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Many women, especially when they get diagnosed at 46, they get really excited, they get more effective and then they get depressed and the depression comes from what would have happened if I would have known this earlier.

[Oliver Hudson]

Oh.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And they begin to more the loss of what could have been.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

That's not a medicine issue.

[Oliver Hudson]

I won't have.

[Kate Hudson]

I don't think so.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah, I feel pretty good about where I'm at right now.

[Kate Hudson]

Yeah.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah. It's like, you know, I mean, the.

[Kate Hudson]

Way you look at life in general.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kate Hudson]

Psychological, I think.

[Oliver Hudson]

I think it'll be fascinating because, I mean, I look forward to it, you know, because I've done so much in my 46 years. So it's like I don't even know how much I could have had more on my plate, you know.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

You know, it's not more on your plate. It's just, it's how hard it is done in a. More efficient.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right.

[Tana Amen]

I just remember looking back and going, right, that didn't need to be quite that hard.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right. Oh, so interesting.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And the chatter in your head tends to become nicer too. Yeah. And then there's some other supplements I really like either Bright Minds Powder. If you like shakes, you should also be an omega 3 fatty acid. If you're not, you should be.

[Oliver Hudson]

Okay, I'm on an Omega 3.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Good.

[Oliver Hudson]

But you know, it's so funny because I, I, I've been taking all these supplements and doing all this stuff and then, and then lately.

[Kate Hudson]

Fawn's dead.

[Oliver Hudson]

Lately I've just stopped taking all my supplements. I don't know why. It's like, you know, I do know why. But yeah, I'll go back on all my supplements.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Well, let me, I'll design a program.

[Tana Amen]

Yeah.

[Oliver Hudson]

Okay, great. Because I've had success young and I've had people, wonderful people assisting. It's like I've had an, I'd have had an executive functioning team for you.

[Tana Amen]

Yeah.

[Oliver Hudson]

So I, I have it there. I, you know, and so I've been able to like, lean on it. So I've been very lucky that I've been able to have that. But for those who don't have that, you know, I couldn't imagine.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Well, many women who have ADD become business owners.

[Oliver Hudson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And they, because they have so many ideas, they're like so bright and they have so much energy and so many ideas and they're much more successful if they hire someone to help them that doesn't have add. If they hire.

[Oliver Hudson]

I learned that.

[Tana Amen]

That's what I do.

[Oliver Hudson]

I always say, I always say I'm gonna, I, I just need an operator. Just like give me a great operator who can get it. Executor can get it done from now on.

[Kate Hudson]

First you're going to see Dr. Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

You have to have OCD before scan to see.

[Kate Hudson]

Make sure you don't have a heating.

[Oliver Hudson]

Exactly.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I love that. So looking at Bright Minds, the interventions are similar. Right. Blood flow, exercise, which you do. Right. The supplements that we'll talk about you always. The R is retirement and aging. You always want to be involved in new learning and yes. You love that.

[Oliver Hudson]

Love it.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Inflammation. How are your teeth? Are you good at taking care of them? Make sure you don't.

[Oliver Hudson]

I'm obsessed with my water.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Good.

[Oliver Hudson]

Love my water pick. Love my flossing.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Genetics. Just be serious about preventing any problems. You have in your family. Like I have obesity and heart disease in my family. Not overweight. And I don't have heart disease because I'm on a prevention program.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Every day of my life.

[Oliver Hudson]

Right?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Protect your head, avoid exposure, limit the alcohol. Think dirty is. I love that app. You know that?

[Oliver Hudson]

Yes, yes.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Saunas. Avoid toxic food, toxic products. The mental health I always call killing the ants automatic negative thoughts that steal your happiness. Rebuilding Dopamine centers Fame wears out the pleasure centers in your brain because it's like cool thing, cool thing, cool thing. Then pretty soon the cool things are not as cool right anymore because your dopamine centers begin to get worn out. There are days when I need to be at my best, whether it's back to back clinic sessions, long writing days, or just keeping up with life. That's when I take peak energy from Brain md. It gives me clean, steady energy without jitters or crashes. And I'm not the only one who loves it. It just won a 2025 Nextie Award, beating over 500 other supplements. If you want real energy that lask, check it [e-mail] and use the code podcast. 20 for 20% off.

[Tana Amen]

Well, that was just so interesting and so much fun. Thank you so much. You've been listening to the Change youe Brain Everyday podcast with Kate and Oliver Hudson and we're just like fascinated by the sibling brains here. So we're going to do a second episode, so stay tuned.