Holistic Mental Health

Today, in conjunction with the use of science, a reawakening of ancient medicinal theories is occurring, which many call alternative medicine. These theories are based on the interrelations of the mind, body, and spirit. Alternative medicine is generally influenced by eastern philosophies, and since the early 1960s there has been a merging of alternative and conventional medicines. Scientific research linking mind and body has brought about this resurgence of attention towards holistic medicine. Research concludes that people who seek out alternative therapies are at least partly motivated by the desire to take responsibility for their own mental health.

A holistic approach to mental-health care is one that emphasizes the interrelationship between mind, body, and spirit. Although some alternative approaches have a long history, and many remain controversial, people are finding alternatives can work better, have fewer side effects, and be more cost effective.

Most doctors who treat patients suffering from mental-health issues such as depression and anxiety use conventional medicines to treat the symptoms. However, we are learning that the use of pharmaceutical compounds to help stabilize moods can possibly lead to significant side effects, causing many patients to find themselves having to choose between living with unpleasant side-effects or discontinuing the medication. Others find that despite an exhaustive trial-and-error process involving different combinations of drugs, their symptoms continue to present major problems, leading them to seek alternative methods of treatment.

You see, depression is not is not a deficiency of medication and that our body is deficient of an antidepressant. Depression is a warning sign that something isn’t right—physically, mentally or spiritually. Maybe our diet is off and we have a food allergy to something, or getting too little or too much of something else. Maybe we are lacking some sort of spiritual balance or maybe our neurotransmitters just aren’t working correctly. The truth is our frame of mind can be caused by anything. But clearly it isn’t just one thing. So why do we need to treat it as one thing?
Holistic mental-health alternatives treat the body as a whole. These methods look for alternate explanations for what psychiatrists may have missed such as:
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Lack of exercise
• Hypo or hyper thyroidism
• Poor adrenal function
• Hormonal disorders
• Hypo or hyper glycemia (low-blood sugar)
• Food allergies
• Menopause, or PMS
• Sleep disturbances
• Infections
• Certain medications
• Somatic disorders
• Chronic pain

With so many health factors that can cause mental-health concerns, one should first consider having a complete physical exam to eliminate any possible health problems. Unfortunately, in our society, many doctors treat mental-health issues with medication before performing a full physical evaluation. Part of the reason for doctor’s quick action towards medicating is insurance protocol. It is far cheaper to medicate, let’s say, a depressed person than spend thousands of dollars running a series of tests and procedures. It’s good to know we can use our own resources to help not only alleviate but cure some mental-health issues and concerns.
Holistic mental health considers that traditional medicine or psychology has a limited understanding and knowledge about the role of body chemistry in mental health and the impact of diet, nutrition, and chemicals in the environment on the brain. Mental health is extremely affected by issues such as food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, hypoglycemia/low blood sugar, and thyroid.

Traditional medicine also overlooks the powerful roles that spirituality plays on the emotional body and aspect of soul, our connection to spirit should be taken into consideration in the process of healing. A good sense of spirituality promotes healthy self-esteem, better motivation, and helps people come to terms with powerful inner experiences. Medical studies indicate that spiritual people exhibit fewer self-destructive behaviors such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and risk-taking behaviors.
Addressing mental-health issues holistically means being able to look at the system as a whole. People have options in holistic mental health and are empowered with the fact that they have a choice in their treatment.