Mental Health Issues

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I was asked a couple weeks ago about my stance on mental health issues. Tonight I'll explain. I think this post is very timely because some have felt that I am not compassionate towards those who are ill. So, before I explain my stance, I'd like to say that I have a lot of compassion for individuals who are ill, from any disease or situation. I don't, however, have a lot of compassion for a nation who is getting sicker and sicker and choosing to use drugs instead of seeking to take responsibility for their own health. I think in a lot of cases people are unaware of alternatives, are unaware of how to achieve good health, and I do feel compassion for them. But that's part of why I write this blog: to inform people that, in a lot of cases (not ALL!), they don't have to be sick. There is something they can do. I am very passionate about health issues, and I really would LOVE to go to medical school someday and practice alternative medicine, or do research into these issues I feel passionately about. But with two small children and more to come, it's just not in the cards right now. So, I settle for reading everything I can get my hands on and sharing with my readers here. :)

Now, on to mental illness. I really believe mental illness falls into three categories, and each category should be treated differently:

Psychotic Illnesses (Schizophrenia, etc.)
Mood Disorders (Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, etc.)
Learning/Behavioral (ADHD, etc.)

The first category, I believe, is best medicated. A lot of people who develop psychotic illnesses do so because of hereditary reasons or life situations beyond their control. Many of them become completely out of touch with reality and even potentially dangerous to themselves or others. In these individuals, brain chemistry is truly disturbed, and there is not anything we can do (to my knowledge) to actually heal them. So, medication is necessary as a first step in order to bring them back to reality and control any dangerous urges (and perhaps counseling can help as well). I don't believe that any of these conditions are very common, but when they occur, they require the care of a licensed, experienced psychiatrist.

The second category is usually best helped by a combination of talk therapies and diet, depending on the exact illness in question. A lot of people suffer from depression, I believe, because their brain chemistry and hormones are out of balance. A lot of this is caused by low-fat diets. Fat and cholesterol (especially saturated fat) regulate hormone production and use in the body. As our society has shifted towards a lower and lower fat diet, depression has become much more prevalent. It seems especially prevalent in a subset of people who believe that the lowest fat, lowest calories will keep them healthiest, leading me to believe that a more appropriate diet would alleviate some of the symptoms of depression (I think this is a MUCH better solution to the problem than SSRIs). However, I think a lot of depression and mood disorders are caused by unfair pressure or expectations or other situations. This is why I believe therapy can help -- journalling, group therapy, individual therapy, etc. I think therapy can be VERY helpful. I believe that anti-depressants and other drugs should be an absolute last resort. SSRIs block the brain from producing serotonin by providing synthetic serotonin, so when a person stops taking them, they are likely to "crash." Taking SSRIs daily for the rest of one's life does not seem like a solution to me at all. I also know that they are WAY overused. I knew someone who was mildly depressed, and when she went for an initial evaluation by a psychiatrist, she was told "I cannot even begin to counsel you unless you start taking Prozac." There was no attempt to begin therapy, and she was under 18 at the time. Frankly, I don't think she's been the same person since.

The third category is tricky. I think that there are some people (a very small number) who truly have ADHD or some other behavioral disorder. Perhaps they are just immature for their age, their brain chemistry isn't right, or they have been "trained" by life circumstances and so they are suffering from something they truly need help with. These people are best helped, in most cases, with some type of therapy. A classroom aide would help children to remain on task in a lot of cases (if that is possible), and medication, again, should be a last resort. However, I think these are GROSSLY overdiagnosed. One in three children is diagnosed with ADHD or a similar disorder now. That can't be right. Most of those children would be "cured" simply with basic diet changes (no high fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes, for example), or even by meeting with a better doctor!

Many children are referred for diagnosis by a teacher and when the parent takes the child to the doctor and says "My child's teacher says he has ADHD" the doctor says "Let me write you a prescription for Ritalin." There is no evaluation or formal diagnosis. I KNOW this happens, has been happening for 15 years, because that's what happened when my brother (now 22) was said to have ADHD back in the second grade. Thankfully, my mom said "No thanks" to the drugs and he is now one of the calmest, most laid-back people I know, and has no trouble concentrating. He's a pilot, actually. That doctor is no longer practicing, or at least not in this state. It is my opinion that many children, upon a formal evaluation by a qualified psychiatrist, would be found NOT to have ADHD at all. I was referred for diagnosis, too...but upon formal evaluation, the doctor said "No, she just marches to her own drummer," meaning that I was avoiding work in the classroom deliberately, because it bored me, not because I actually could not concentrate. I also believe that a lot of children are very intelligent and are bored by busywork and they, like most adults, have trouble concentrating on things that bore them. In that case, the solution would be accelerated classes, if possible, or working at home on projects that specifically interest them, like building models, visiting museums, writing stories, etc. I've been against the overuse of ADHD drugs since I was just 15, long before I was ever against any other (legal) drug use. (I've always been against illegal drugs and have never tried or even personally seen them, for the record.)

So, do people have mental illnesses? Yes. Are drugs the answer in some cases? Yes. I would even venture to say that drugs may be MORE useful for (true) mental illness than any other type because personally, I wouldn't mess around with someone who is psychotic or is a potential danger to themselves or others. I also do think, for more minor issues, that diet, alternative medicine (herbs, acupressure, etc.) and counseling can play a huge role. Only a qualified team of experts (psychiatrists, psychologists, nutritionists, pediatricians, etc.) can properly diagnose a person and recommend a proper treatment. (And please remember that that means your child's teacher is NOT qualified to make a diagnosis, only a recommendation, and that you should follow up with your child's doctor.)

**EDIT: We have received some sarcastic comments about our views on natural health. We believe that everyone is responsible for their own health and that the choices they make affect health, good or bad. There is NO choice that you make that does not have some type of consequences. If you choose to take drugs or to follow a different course, that is your choice. But everyone is ultimately responsible for their own choices and their own health. If you do not believe the way we do, that's fine, but you probably shouldn't keep reading the blog, as it will only make you unhappy. Take responsibility for yourself!!**

What do you think about mental illness? Do you know anyone who suffers from one?

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