When Mental Illness isn't Mental Illness

Over the years, though, I’ve seen quite a lot of people in practice who seem to have or have been formally diagnosed with some form of mental illness, who actually turn out to have their problem rooted in issues that fall, strictly speaking, outside the brain.

Here are a few examples:

1. people with mood swings caused by fluctuation in blood sugar levels
2. people with depression who have low thyroid function
3. people with low mood who have iron deficiency and/or anaemia
4. people with low mood/depression who have weakened adrenal gland function
5. people who have low mood/depression as a result of food sensitivity issues (often wheat, by the way)
6. people who have the symptoms of bulimia nervosa (binging and purging) as a result of blood sugar fluctuation
7. people who have anxiety/depression as a result of a deficiency in omega-3 fats
8. people who have anxiety/insomnia as a result of low levels of magnesium

The important thing is that when the underlying nature of these issues are rectified, the mental state of individuals usually takes on a completely different complexion.