Millions of Americans struggle with depression and anxiety, with antidepressant use increasing in the general population.
Dr. Joseph Yi, a holistic psychiatrist in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, has treated patients with depression and anxiety for over 17 years using a more natural approach. “Western allopathic medicine looks at mental health disorders from one angle, whereas holistic psychiatry looks at the person as a whole,” Dr. Yi told The Epoch Times.
The Problem With Depression and Anxiety Medications
Medication can be a necessary tool to help individuals experiencing severe symptoms of anxiety and depression, such as panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, or trauma.The problem with these medications is that when people get to a place where they’re doing well, it can be difficult for them to stop, explained Dr. Yi. “SSRIs slow down the breakdown of serotonin, which indirectly and artificially raises your serotonin levels. When you taper off the medication slowly, serotonin levels begin to drop, which is why people really struggle with coming off of SSRIs.”
Improving Mental Fitness
“I have a saying that most of the people that come into my practice for mental health are not mentally ill; they’re mentally unfit. For someone to become mentally fit, they need to sleep, eat, and move their body properly,” Dr. Yi said.Many Americans consume a standard American diet with processed foods and seed oils, which Dr. Yi advises patients to avoid, as these contribute to inflammation in the body and brain.
Without the proper nutrients, the brain is unable to synthesize neurotransmitters. Tryptophan, tyrosine, vitamin B complex, and magnesium are needed to produce critical neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. “If you’re not eating clean, then your body is not able to produce enough of these key neurotransmitters,” explained Dr. Yi.
How Relationships Impact Mental Health
While often overlooked, the people you interact with can significantly impact your health.“A social psychologist taught me that a relationship is an exchange of value. A relationship is like a business, where two people are gaining something from one another. You wouldn’t want to spend time with someone who does not make you feel good,” said Dr. Yi.
When observing those succeeding in life versus those struggling, Dr. Yi said that those doing well tend to surround themselves with goal-oriented people. In contrast, those struggling with their mental health often find themselves with people who are negative influences.
Navigating relationships is something all people struggle with, particularly when it comes to handling a toxic relationship. Toxic relationships can occur in families, workplaces, and even in friend groups. For people with depression and anxiety, setting and maintaining boundaries and self-advocacy can be very challenging.
Those who find themselves in a toxic relationship contributing to their anxiety and depression, such as an unpleasant boss at work, have three healthy options: changing their thought process about the person, confronting them, or leaving.
Retrain Your Mind for Success and Wellness
According to Dr. Yi, a key difference between individuals struggling with anxiety and depression and those doing well in life is their thought processes.“People struggling with these mental health conditions chronically focus on the things that they don’t want, whereas people who are soaring in life are relentlessly optimistic, focusing on the things they do want,” said Dr. Yi.
Further, the thought processes of individuals with depression versus those with anxiety differ. “When you think about someone who’s depressed, you think about someone with a dark cloud over their head. It’s like their energy is sucking them dry, like a black hole. With anxiety, you feel that nervous energy, which is a byproduct of a person constantly worrying about certain things that haven’t really happened yet. They’re thinking about the worst possible outcomes,” explained Dr. Yi.
Depending on the individual, some therapeutic techniques may be more beneficial than others. Dr. Yi cautions that overanalyzing and constantly talking about a problem may keep an individual in a negative frame of mind instead of helping them take action and move into a more positive mental state.
To reshape a person’s thought processes, Dr. Yi has his patients perform the following five-minute exercise that anyone can do:
“For five minutes, practice deep breathing and go for a walk. Then, think of three things that you are truly grateful for, to the point where you can feel it inside you. Next, think of someone, focus on them, and genuinely wish them happiness, peace, and love. Take the time to get outside yourself. Lastly, focus on what it is that you’re moving toward in life. Visualize this goal and believe that it’s already been achieved. Observe how you feel. This short exercise allows you to feel fulfillment and helps to retrain your mind to cultivate better energy, better vibes.”