What we are going through now is unprecedented, at least in our times…hopefully, we will get over this and will not encounter another one of this magnitude (of COVID-19, of course…).
photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash
Today, I’d like to talk a little bit about our mental health. It is such a broad topic that has so many important aspects. But with limited space and for the reader’s time and interest, I will limit the discussion and rather focus on holistic side approaches and a few things that might give insights on what we can do on a personal level. Although our society has been dealing with issues of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and a few others, it is obvious that the severity of these conditions is haunting many people all over the world. Here are some stats that help us understand the depth of it.
Here are great links where you can read more about detailed facts and statistics about anxiety and depression
- Anxiety & Depression Association of America – Anxiety Facts & Statistics
- Anxiety & Depression Association of America – Depression Facts & Statistics
Etiology (Causes)
There are many causes including but not limited to loss of loved ones, stress, trauma (physical, emotional, sexual), certain medications, physiological (hormone imbalances, lifestyle choices, lack of sleep, toxins, metabolic disorders), to name a few. It is particularly important to consider muti-facet care as the conditions are contributed by many different and complex layers of causes.
Diagnosis
There is no definitive diagnostic test for anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. Certain tests such as blood tests, hormone tests, imaging such as CT scan or MRI to rule out traumatic injuries to the brain but mostly to rule out other serious medical conditions. The diagnostic process is rather heavily dependent on the categorization process based on DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition).
There is a neurotransmitter test (urine specimen) that can reveal the health of major neurotransmitter levels and other related nutrients in their pathways. Organix test (organic acid test) is also a useful test to check the nutritional status of certain elements that are important in brain health. Please, check the link below to see sample reports of these tests.
Treatments
The conventional treatments typically consist of medications and therapy by a psychiatrist and/or psychologist. The optional and holistic treatments can include lifestyle correction with a balanced diet, regular exercises, providing the missing nutrients, correcting the metabolic issues, normalizing the functional gut-brain axis, etc). The existing problems can be seen using certain panels of blood tests, hormone tests, neurotransmitter tests, and organic acid tests mentioned above. If you’d like to discuss the holistic options, reach out to us!
The physiological pathway below shows which nutrients might be compromised. This can be shown with the tests mentioned above revealing the details of potential issues of neurotransmitter chemistry.
Self Care/Homecare
Here are some basic principles that may help cope with positive outcomes daily.
- Follow a schedule routinely and regularly – this may bring some sense of accomplishment and enhance the resilience to keep up with the businesses at hand.
- Have goals – When focusing to reach goals, our mind gets renewed with motivations.
- Have hobbies – This is for pure joy. Everyone needs to find and do something that brings them joy and happiness. Our brains are designed to respond to this in a very positive manner.
- Be part of a group(s)/Have meaningful relationships/friendships – Humans are social beings. We thrive when we interact with others.
- Be positive, seek a higher purpose – Our mind is trainable, just like our body. This mind and spirit practice will surely strengthen our mental and spiritual health.
- Have a balanced diet and exercise regularly – this will fix a lot of hidden and yet important physiological problems!
- Take necessary nutrients/supplements – It is often difficult to replenish all the necessary nutrients that our bodies are missing. Supplying what is needed will help immensely.
It is such a broad and difficult topic to discuss but an immensely important one as well. We shall visit this topic again when we have a chance to. I hope this will give you a chance to think about and consider natural, holistic, and personal approaches while pursuing conventional treatments with your caregivers.
Please, let us know if you have any questions by using social media, website contact, or leave a comment here on this blog.
Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The content in this blog should not be used as a substitute for the professional advice and/or recommendation of qualified healthcare practitioners or licensed physicians. The content presented in this blog is intended for information purposes only. Consult your doctor or healthcare practitioners for your current conditions.
I do all the above though find myself drawn to sweets which I believe has to do with that feeling of comfort when growing up though my metabolism and inflammatory disease processes do not always fair well with such choices. Though the aftereffects of such intake definitely give me incentive to think twice on alternative choices.
Nancy, Thanks much for your comment! Yes, the right choices go a long way although it is hard at the moment. Building the right habit will certainly bring good health along with a healthy mind and spirit!