Article archive / January 1, 2013
Originally published: . Volume 4, No. 5. Source pages: 10.
The recent Newtown Connecticut mass murder forces us to reexamine our approach to mental illness in this country. Depression is one of the top three most highly medicated conditions in the US and suicide is the 8th leading cause of death in the US. About one in 10 Americans aged 12 and over takes antidepressants. However, antidepressants alone may not lead to long-term resolution of symptoms because they do not address the underlying causes of mental illness.
Important biochemical, nutritional, and dietary factors for patients with mood disorders include neurotransmitters, amino acids, fatty acids, allergenic foods, and cortisol. These biomarkers can be measured, are easily modifiable and treatments have little to no adverse effects. Clinicians who address the patient’s biochemistry as a foundational treatment to mood disorders are seeing remarkable clinical improvements including a decreased reliance on antidepressants. Underlying causes of depression must be investigated and addressed as part of a comprehensive strategic plan for decreasing the prevalence of depression, and associated violence, in the United States.
1. Andrews, P.W., et al., Primum non nocere: an evolutionary analysis of whether antidepressants do more harm than good. Frontiers in psychology, 2012. 3: p. 117. 2. CDC. NCHS Data Brief. Antidepressant Use in Persons Aged 12 and Over: United States, 2005-2008 2011 [cited 2012 6/20/2012]; Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db76.htm. 3. Andrew, L.B. and B.E. Brenner. Depression and Suicide. 2011 [cited 2012 12/31/2012]; Available from: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/805459-overview#a1.
LAP academy online webinar “Nutrition and Mood” recorded June 27, 2012
5 Causes of Depression that You Need to Know About
http://www.metametrixinstitute.org /post/2008/11/15/Six-Causes-of- Depression-that-You-Need-to- Know-About.aspx
Brain Biochemistry: Using the Triad Panel to Treat Neurological Disorders
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= zLqNsf61Uds&feature=youtu.be
Sharing Paths to Health with Functional Testing http://www.metametrixinstitute.org/
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.