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Antidepressants

Antidepressants are pharmaceutical drugs used in the treatment of mood disorders, which are commonly defined as psychiatric or psychological abnormalities of emotional state, not caused by an organic abnormality. But, if they're not organic--which means caused cuased by bacteria, viruses, chemical changes in the nerves or glands, structural or other physical impairments or changes--what are they caused by?

Society at large is familiar with the concept that poor diet leads to heart disease and many other physical ailments. Less well known is that poor diet can cause mood disorders, and that moods can indicate problems long before physical symptoms present themselves.

Vitamin depletion from poor choices (eating too much of the wrong foods, or not enough of the right foods) can clearly result in various psychoses. In the early part of the last century, 100,000 people were released from Southern Institutions when it was found that they suffered only from pellagra, a dietary deficiency disease that causes skin lesions and insanity, and is completely cured by sufficient niacin^1,2.

Everybody knows you should have the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins. However, today's RDA is set at a level just

Clients who wish to get off antidepressants will begin by seeing an Orthomolecular Psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with a special license to practice psychiatry. An Orthomolecular Psychiatrist is a doctor who seeks to achieve optimum brain functioning by allowing the brain to receive the naturally occurring substances it uses in the correct amounts. Naturally means with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other things often found in high quality foods rather than with drugs. Naturally also means orchestrating a diet that compliments good brain function.

     Society at large is familiar with the concept that poor diet leads to heart disease and many other physical types of ailments. But it is also true that poor diet is associated with mood disorders. Vitamin depletion from poor food choices can clearly result in various psychoses. In the early part of the last century, 100,000 people were released from Southern Institutions when if was found that the reason for thier insanity and skin lesions was a diet lacking Niacin¹. Todays RDA is set at a level just barely high enough so as to not develop this disease, or in the case of vitamin C, scurvy, and in the case of vitamin D, Rickets. According to a 3 day study of 21,500 people, none one achieved even the RDA². This means extra vitamins are necessary, in addition to quality food. Diets with high sugar content lead to depression, ADHD, aggression and lack of energy. Our moods can indicate problems long before the physical problems occur.

     Once a nutritional program is established by the doctor, the client begins to taper their medication down. The stepdown is approximately 10% per week. As the medication levels come down, the natural alternatives levels go up. The allows the clients neurology to adjust to each level.

     Lab tests are often ordered based upon the doctor suspicions. Often these will include a full battery of thyroid tests, Catecholamines, blood Serotonin, Serum copper Zinc, CBC with differential, blood sugar (FSB) and others if further indicated. More can be learned about this from the Lab Testing on the home page.

     Many books are written about the treatment of mood disorders with nutrition. Julia Ross wrote the Mood Cure Diet, Dr. Michael Lesser's Brain Chemistry Diet, Michael Murray's Natural Alternatives to Prozac, Dr. Michael Norden's Beyond Prozac, and Dr. Richard Brown's Stop Depression Now, just to name a few. It is clear from the work of these authors that natural alternatives are at least as effective as medications, without the toxicity and undesirable side effects.

     Nothing on this Web-site is intended to be taken as medical advice, and always consult with your doctor before altering your medications.

1 Dr. Lesser Brain Chemistry Diet. Pp 10
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