Anxiety, ADHD, and Depression - Observing the Trees through the Forest

Not Pictured: Brain, Body, Soul-Connection

Depression, Anxiety, and ADHD are 3 of the most common and most disruptive mental health and mood/attention disorders/imbalances that I see in my practice.

No, there is not a single silver bullet for these mental health impediments of our modern society.

Yes, some therapies both allopathic and naturopathic can be effective and ineffective. Most pertinently, this is an area where the DSM-V, Standards of Care, and Pharmacological Psychiatry can be quite heavy-handed and cause much greater and prolonged suffering(i.e. side-effects, dependence, and lack of non-pharmaceutical treatment plan) than if they had just spent more time with a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, first, to better understand whats going on from a holistic perspective, both biochemically, physiologically, mentally/emotionally, and how those overlay on-to an individuals unique personal and family history.

More and more doctors and patients are recognizing the importance of being able to "see the trees through the forest". Being able to observe and investigate both the details and apply them to the bigger picture. This is exactly what integrative, functional, Naturopathic Doctors/Physicians are trained to do; it's literally the structure in which they build their medical/health education. From pharmacology, to nutrition, to herbal medicines, to nutraceuticals, to chiropractic/physical medicine, to counseling, to homeopathy; they learn all of these modalities(therapeutic tools) to address a vast array of complex health issues. We have a rich philosophy, and strong principles to guide how and when those should best be applied. Naturopathic Psychiatry is a passion of mine and an area that needs our attention; given that as of 2020 16.5% of the US population is on at least 1 psychiatric medication.

My Top 4 Areas of Focus for Treating Anxiety, ADHD, & Depression:

1. Diet:

   • Ketogenic Diet

   • Anti-Inflammatory Diet

   • Low-FODMAP Diet (if SIBO is present)

2. Lifestyle: (Start with 1 or 2 and add another every 30-Days)

   • Consistent Sleep and Wake Cycle

   • Trial of Eliminating Alcohol/Cannabis

   • Properly Managing Psychiatric Meds if already on-board

   • Blood Sugar Regulation(Protein/Healthy Fat with every Snack/Meal)

   • Daily Exercise or Intentional Movement

   • Relationship with self(Journaling, Therapy, Community)

   • Organizing House/Room/Daily Routines(Adding Structure, less multi-tasking/screening or social media)

   • Daily Reading.

3. Herbal/Nutraceutical Support:

   • Saffron

   • 5-HTP

   • Fish Oil

   • Vitamin D3

   • Phosphatidylserine

   • Ginkgo biloba

   • Adaptogens(Stress/Adrenal Resilience):

     • Milky Oats

     • Holy Basil

     • Siberian Ginseng

     • Asian Ginseng

     • Licorice root

     • Ashwagandha

     • Astragalus

     • Cordyceps

     • Rhodiola

4. Functional Therapies:

   • Neurofeedback

   • Biofeedback

   • Counseling

   • Micro-dosing

   • HBOT

   • Breathe-work

   • Yoga

   • Correcting Underlying Imbalances:

     1. Poor Nutrition:

     2. Sleep Apnea/Mouth Breathing: James Nestor "Breath"

     3. Hormonal Imbalances

     4. Digestive Disorders/Issues

     5. Cardio-Metabolic Conditions

     6. Infections (Bacterial,Viral, Black Mold, Yeasts)

     7. Auto-Immune Conditions

     8. Inflammation/Allergies

     9. Detox/Methylation Abnormalities

     10. Environmental Toxins/Xenoestrogens

     11. Dysautonomia/Nervous System Dysregulation/Trauma:

     12. Spiritual/Soul Evolution Stagnation - Bill Plotkin " Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and the Psyche"

   
   

Come See Dr. Danny Dowling, ND at Nomadic Naturopathic in Fort Collins, CO for more information, resources, references, and tailored guidance in your journey through and out of crippling anxiety, depression, and/or ADHD.