Mental health is one component of overall health and wellness. Other components include physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual health. These are all interconnected and it is important to nourish each category on your journey to wellness.
While mental health has grown as a health issue over the last few decades, events that have been occurring throughout the last two years have really amplified mental health issues. Isolation and fear that have come along with the virus are two big factors contributing to worsening mental health, not only in adults but also in teens and young children. To put this in perspective, between January-June 2019 about 11% of adults reported feeling symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. As of January 2021, that number increased to 41%.
Conventional medicine practitioners will typically prescribe medication and/or provide a referral for counseling. While medication may be helpful, it is a band-aid for anxiety/depression symptoms. And medication isn’t always the best option as it alters neurotransmitters in the body, there are potential side effects, and most antidepressant medication can take up to 8 weeks to have a full effect. In October-December 2019, about 19.3 million antidepressant prescriptions were prescribed. In the same three months of 2020, 20.5 million antidepressant prescriptions were prescribed. My question to you is, if antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication are the answer, then why is our country so depressed and anxious?
The honest answer to that question involves many factors and can vary from person to person. Just because it is a common solution for anxiety and depression, doesn’t mean it’s a responsible solution to the problem. This is why it is so important to find a healthcare provider that is willing to investigate alternative causes of mental health conditions. With functional medicine, the goal is to identify and treat the root cause and this does not spare common mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. There can be one or several root causes contributing to your mental health which is why it is important to find a healthcare provider that is willing to help you address the root cause. Some root causes may include gut dysfunction, micronutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalances, or a combination of these.
At REVIV, Dr. Erin looks at the global picture of an individual’s health but also focuses on the root of the issue. Part of our mission is to help you live a happy, healthy life, and addressing your mental health is part of the process. Dr. Erin also has the ability to refer clients to Cereset. Cereset is a brain technology that assists the brain in re-balancing itself.