Tracey Marks, MD

Removing stigmas related to mental health starts by educating and enhancing one mind at a time. To that end, I create education videos.

Hi I'm Dr. Tracey Marks and I'm on a mission to make education about mental health accessible to all.

06/03/2026

Your brain detects social patterns faster than conscious thought.

That ability can guide you — or mislead you — depending on your past experiences.

The pause between reaction and interpretation is where clarity appears.

Share this with someone who relies heavily on “first impressions.”

06/02/2026

Shutdown can feel quiet enough that people mistake it for peace. Paying attention to what your body is doing—not just what your mind is telling you—is where clarity begins.

06/02/2026

A study led by psychologist Jim Coan shows this on a brain scan: facing a possible shock alone, threat circuitry lit up. Holding a stranger’s hand, it eased. Holding a trusted partner’s hand, it dropped much further.

The threat never changed — only who was nearby.

That’s social baseline theory. Your brain is built to assume help is coming, so a safe person lets it spend less energy on guard.

Save this one.

06/02/2026

Signs your childhood was more stressful than you think:
• Few childhood memories
• You normalize dysfunction: “It wasn’t that bad”
• Adult patterns you can’t explain
• Your body flinches at things your mind says are fine

Minimization is how the brain survives. You don’t have to call it trauma. But if your body tells a different story than your mind, listen.

Send this to someone who says “it wasn’t that bad.”

Signs You Didn’t Know You Had series — Part 14. Follow for Part 15.

06/01/2026

Some people leave you steadier. Others leave you foggy and tired — and it’s not a character flaw on either side. It’s how much work your nervous system does in their presence.

Safe, predictable people let your brain conserve energy. Unpredictable ones keep it switched on.

Notice who helps you lower your guard.

Save this for the next time you feel drained and can’t explain why.

06/01/2026

Intrusive thoughts happen to almost everyone—even disturbing or out-of-character ones.

The difference isn’t the thought. It’s the reaction.

With OCD, the brain treats the thought like it means something dangerous, triggering anxiety and compulsions.

But here’s the truth: a thought is not an intention. It’s not a prediction. It’s just noise.

Power comes from how you respond—notice it, and let it pass.

05/31/2026

The blankness isn't a deficit—it's a defense. Your brain decided the emotional cost was too high and pulled the breaker before you were even aware of it.

Save this if that reframe changes something for you.

05/31/2026

Moving your eyes while recalling trauma sounds strange, but EMDR is one of the most effective treatments for PTSD.

It helps your brain reprocess memories so they feel like something that happened in the past—not something still happening now.

The memory stays. The emotional intensity doesn’t.

EMDR isn’t just for trauma. It’s also used for anxiety, phobias, and more.

If talk therapy hasn’t been enough, this is another option.

05/30/2026

Self-trust is the foundation external trust is built on. If that foundation was undermined, the repair starts inside, not outside.

Save this for when you need it.

05/30/2026

What happens in your brain the first week on an SSRI:
Extra serotonin initially activates anxiety receptors and can cause GI symptoms. Autoreceptors try to counteract the change. That’s why you can feel worse before you feel better.

Weeks 2–3: receptors begin to desensitize.
Weeks 4–6: full effect stabilizes.

The first week is not the final answer.

Send this to someone who just started medication.

What Your Psychiatrist Wants You to Know series — Part 7. Follow for Part 8.

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Location

Atlanta

Telephone

+14043275194

Website

http://markspsychiatry.com/

Address

Atlanta, GA