THE FLIP SIDE with Andy Mai
TFS#225 - Dr. Steven Storage, Meth Addicts & Phone Addicts Have The EXACT Same Brain Activity

Dr. Steven is a mental health expert specializing in brain health, ADHD, trauma, and burnout. With a focus on innovative treatments like SPECT imaging, he helps people understand the root causes of mental health challenges and optimize their well-being. Through his research and clinical practice, Dr. Steven shares practical insights on focus, resilience, and achieving peak mental performance.
Connect with Dr. Steven!
https://www.instagram.com/drstevenstorage
https://www.instagram.com/amen_clinics
0:00 - Introduction
0:56 - Meet Dr. Steven
1:07 - What does FEMA funding cover for wildfire evacuees?
2:05 - Steven explains his clinic’s method of linking mental health to brain health
3:40 - How does Steven’s clinic method differ from traditional psychiatry?
4:53 - What is SPECT imaging, and how does it help diagnose mental health issues?
5:40 - What does a depressed brain look like on a SPECT scan?
7:03 - Root causes of abnormal brain activity
8:58 - How much do technology and social media contribute to ADHD and depression?
10:53 - How people like Elon Musk, Kanye West, Nikola Tesla are geniuses despite being on the autism spectrum
13:20 - How can you tell if a child is born with ADHD or if excessive screen time has rewired their brain?
15:30 - Factors beyond genetics that contribute to ADHD
17:30 - Evolutionary theory of why ADHD exists
18:24 - How does finding the right environment help optimize brain health of people with ADHD
19:25 - How to prevent brain burnout
21:16 - The 3 pillars of brain health: sleep, exercise, and nutrition
23:53 - How to learn to enjoy parts of your job that you dislike
26:48 - The importance of connecting your work to a strong "why"
28:31 - Andy's 7-year entrepreneur cycle
33:20 - How tracking priorities can prevent burnout cycles
36:35 - How should goals be structured: specific deadlines vs. broader intentions?
39:31 - Living in the gap vs. living in the gain: Celebrating progress while working towards goals
41:15 - Why it's not great to set tight goal deadlines: "The by-30-years-old goal"
43:12 - Andy's partner goal: Someone who makes him feel seen and understood
45:59 - How to take effective breaks without ruining focus on your work
49:09 - How Steven prevents burnout during workdays by breaking tasks into manageable chunks
50:54 - Why does being present with others drain energy?
53:48 - How different attachment styles affect relationships
57:23 - As a psychological expert, does Steven experience stress and anxiety?
59:31 - How to release stress and trauma from our bodies
1:01:09 - How trauma manifests in the body if not processed properly
1:02:46 - Conscious negativity bias: Can too much positivity suppress real emotions?
1:05:09 - The "baby tiger" analogy for suppressed trauma
1:07:02 - How some people rationalize trauma without fully processing it
1:09:22 - What is dissociation, and how does it affect people such as war veterans?
1:12:27 - What SSRIs are and how they affect the human brain
1:14:58 - Why most people use SSRIs
1:16:44 - Are religious people less prone to stress and depression?
1:18:43 - Parenting in a tech-driven world: Managing screen time effectively
1:23:01 - Naval Ravikant's hypothesis of giving unlimited freedom to his children
1:26:07 - Steven shares his approach to raising his kids
1:29:14 - Nature vs. nurture: Can parents shape their kids’ career paths?
1:32:48 - Andy's parenting approach: Helping kids earn their own rewards
1:36:23 - Methamphetamine addicts and cellphone addicts show similar brain activity
1:38:15 - Steven's thoughts on watching porn
1:40:19 - Dopamine regulation: Setting intentions for meaningful interactions
1:44:15 - Introverts vs. extroverts
1:47:20 - 80/20 rule for mental and brain health: sleep, exercise, nutrition
1:51:19 - 3 sleep principles from cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia
1:56:28 - Steven's recent life discoveries
1:58:14 - Steven shares his goal to spend more time with his wife
1:59:18 - Connect with Dr. Steven
1:59:54 - Outro
- Broadcast on:
- 01 Apr 2025
Dr. Steven is a mental health expert specializing in brain health, ADHD, trauma, and burnout. With a focus on innovative treatments like SPECT imaging, he helps people understand the root causes of mental health challenges and optimize their well-being. Through his research and clinical practice, Dr. Steven shares practical insights on focus, resilience, and achieving peak mental performance.
Connect with Dr. Steven!
https://www.instagram.com/drstevenstorage
https://www.instagram.com/amen_clinics
0:00 - Introduction
0:56 - Meet Dr. Steven
1:07 - What does FEMA funding cover for wildfire evacuees?
2:05 - Steven explains his clinic’s method of linking mental health to brain health
3:40 - How does Steven’s clinic method differ from traditional psychiatry?
4:53 - What is SPECT imaging, and how does it help diagnose mental health issues?
5:40 - What does a depressed brain look like on a SPECT scan?
7:03 - Root causes of abnormal brain activity
8:58 - How much do technology and social media contribute to ADHD and depression?
10:53 - How people like Elon Musk, Kanye West, Nikola Tesla are geniuses despite being on the autism spectrum
13:20 - How can you tell if a child is born with ADHD or if excessive screen time has rewired their brain?
15:30 - Factors beyond genetics that contribute to ADHD
17:30 - Evolutionary theory of why ADHD exists
18:24 - How does finding the right environment help optimize brain health of people with ADHD
19:25 - How to prevent brain burnout
21:16 - The 3 pillars of brain health: sleep, exercise, and nutrition
23:53 - How to learn to enjoy parts of your job that you dislike
26:48 - The importance of connecting your work to a strong "why"
28:31 - Andy's 7-year entrepreneur cycle
33:20 - How tracking priorities can prevent burnout cycles
36:35 - How should goals be structured: specific deadlines vs. broader intentions?
39:31 - Living in the gap vs. living in the gain: Celebrating progress while working towards goals
41:15 - Why it's not great to set tight goal deadlines: "The by-30-years-old goal"
43:12 - Andy's partner goal: Someone who makes him feel seen and understood
45:59 - How to take effective breaks without ruining focus on your work
49:09 - How Steven prevents burnout during workdays by breaking tasks into manageable chunks
50:54 - Why does being present with others drain energy?
53:48 - How different attachment styles affect relationships
57:23 - As a psychological expert, does Steven experience stress and anxiety?
59:31 - How to release stress and trauma from our bodies
1:01:09 - How trauma manifests in the body if not processed properly
1:02:46 - Conscious negativity bias: Can too much positivity suppress real emotions?
1:05:09 - The "baby tiger" analogy for suppressed trauma
1:07:02 - How some people rationalize trauma without fully processing it
1:09:22 - What is dissociation, and how does it affect people such as war veterans?
1:12:27 - What SSRIs are and how they affect the human brain
1:14:58 - Why most people use SSRIs
1:16:44 - Are religious people less prone to stress and depression?
1:18:43 - Parenting in a tech-driven world: Managing screen time effectively
1:23:01 - Naval Ravikant's hypothesis of giving unlimited freedom to his children
1:26:07 - Steven shares his approach to raising his kids
1:29:14 - Nature vs. nurture: Can parents shape their kids’ career paths?
1:32:48 - Andy's parenting approach: Helping kids earn their own rewards
1:36:23 - Methamphetamine addicts and cellphone addicts show similar brain activity
1:38:15 - Steven's thoughts on watching porn
1:40:19 - Dopamine regulation: Setting intentions for meaningful interactions
1:44:15 - Introverts vs. extroverts
1:47:20 - 80/20 rule for mental and brain health: sleep, exercise, nutrition
1:51:19 - 3 sleep principles from cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia
1:56:28 - Steven's recent life discoveries
1:58:14 - Steven shares his goal to spend more time with his wife
1:59:18 - Connect with Dr. Steven
1:59:54 - Outro