Mental

Disorders:
Pharmacologic versus Nutritional Approach
to Therapy
Presented by
Sarah Lindsey
 Mental Disorders:
Pharmacologic versus
Nutritional Approach to
Therapy

How many teens and adults struggle with a

Mental Disorder known as Anxiety and Major
Depressive Disorder?

 Over 300 plus million people worldwide are

afflicted by Major Depressive Disorder
(MDD)
 Making 16% in the U.S. with psychiatric
conditions the most know disorder. (Perna)
How can psychologists and psychiatrists use a Nutritional approach to therapy to improve a

patient’s lifestyle versus a Pharmacologic approach to Mental Disorders? The first line approach to

Mental Disorders is a Pharmacologic therapy but a Nutritional therapy can be considered as an

overall treatment approach to become a new factor to help improve a patient’s lifestyle, health and

well-being.

Anxiety and major

depression are two out of
hundreds of forms of
Mental Disorders that are
known and diagnosed
today.
Greek physician Hippocrates once quoted: “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”
(Smith)

Hippocratic Oath
 Father of Medicine
 Contributions of modern clinical
medicine
 Many books written on diseases and
their treatments after detailed
observation
 Believed in by medicine of choice:
a. Fruits
b. Vegetables
c. Plant-based foods
d. Exercise

 Hippocrates was also famous for the Hippocratic Oath

that Medical professionals take when they graduate
from school, “to first do no harm”.
I. Trephanation was defined as removing a small part of the
skull
II. 1600’s used bloodletting and purging
III. 17th century medieval times were known for isolation and
insane asylum.
IV. Insulin coma therapy was introduced in 1927
V. 1960’s electroconvulsive therapy was introduced as a safer
alternative.
VI. Metrazol drug therapy induced seizures and later pulled by
the FDA in 1982.
VII. Lobotomy gained population in the forty’s and fifty’s,
used in the most severe cases of psychiatric cases termed
very controversial. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Forms of mental illness treatments

over 7,000 years ago
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
 Pharmacologic therapy with antidepressant
augmentation
 Approximately one-third of people with (MDD) that are treated with medication
fail to report a complete remission to antidepressant.
 Various treatment strategies, including augmentation with additional agents,
have evolved to help effectively treat individuals who fail to respond to a single
1st or 2nd line medication. (Perna)
 It takes an average length of treatment to get relief from disorder symptoms 6-8
weeks.
 A patient will see a therapist at 12-week intervals and continue drug therapy for
6-8 months to prevent relapse.
 Patients with severe depression are encouraged to continue Pharmacologic
therapy for 2 years. (Organization)
 A Nutritional approach to Mental Disorders

An alternative that psychologists

and psychiatrists are using when the
patient doesn’t want to take
medications because of side effects,
drug response resistance, or basic
lack of taking medication during
course of therapy, is a therapy
involving a nutritional approach to
treatment in aiding the patient’s
Pharmacologic therapy.
 The ‘Smiles” trial
 A study done in Australia and New Zealand did a randomized controlled 12-week study.
 Out of 166 individuals, 56 completed the study in the full 12 weeks.
 Two groups, a dietary support and social support control group were formed.
 The results were more compliant with the dietary support group with greater
improvement from change of diet and sticking with it versus the second support control
group.
 Parts of social support control group were an uncompleted study and had secondary fall
backs from eating other foods with fats and sugar.
 Evidence from the SMILES study suggested that plant-based diets associated with
Mediterranean type food diets can greatly minimize the symptoms of depression while
foods that are processed and loaded with sugary substances can do more harm by
increasing depressional symptoms (Jacka)
 Food=Mood A documentary about
a functional medicine approach to
anxiety and depression.

A YouTube documentary look at two patients

who suffer from anxiety and/or depression. Patient
one had no previous therapy before seeing Dr.
Michael Gruttadaura. Patient two was on a
Pharmacologic therapy of Prozac for 6 weeks and
tried to commit suicide. Patient two stopped taking
the Prozac and started a Nutritional therapy that Dr.
Michael Gruttadaura put her on. Both patients are
now on a Nutritional therapy and don’t plan to
make any changes to go back to the way they were
before they saw Dr. Michael Gruttadaura.
 22 million adults in the U.S. suffer from
depression.
 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from anxiety.
 123 people in the U.S. die by suicide every day
(Gruttadauria).
Can an overhaul in lifestyle change really save
their lives?
 Nutritional therapy
as an overall
treatment approach
Dr. Anne Procyk author of
“Nutritional Treatments to Improve
Mental Health Disorders” quotes
“How do I convince someone to eat
healthily when they have the option
to just take a pill?” My answer is, “If
the pill is working as well as they
want it to tell them to thank their
lucky stars. If it is not, and they
want to feel better they do, help
them address the issues that there
is no pill to fix” (Procyk)
Sources of Diet and Nutrients
 Good and bad fats
a) Good fats like Omega-3s found in fish and
nuts, help with the brain.
b) Bad fats like Trans, Saturated, and
Monounsaturated can be found in cooking
oils (vegetable, soy and corn) can cause
an imbalance of health problems.
 Proteins
a) Animal proteins like beef, chicken, fish,
eggs and turkey, help enhance the brain
and body, and balance blood sugar.
 Vitamins
a) B vitamins help with stress and most B
vitamins can be attained through foods or a
B vitamin complex supplement tablet.
b) B12, Folic Acid and Vitamin D are
important in helping with anxiety,
depression and fatigue.
 Pharmacologic versus Nutritional
Therapy Comparisons
Pharmacologic Therapy
 Patients are placed on antidepressant or anxiety
drug by a prescribed Doctor.
 Medications can take an average of 6-8 weeks
treatment to get relief from disorder symptoms.
 Patients must continue drug therapy for 6-8
months to prevent relapse and one’s with severe
depression are encouraged to continue therapy
for 2 years.
 Cost of medications can over exceed amounts
patients cannot pay.
 Patient may not like the side effects of the
medication, therefore stopping therapy or another
medication may be prescribed in place of it.
 Relapse can occur if patient stops taking the
medication, result of depression symptoms worse
and possible suicidal tendencies can occur.
Nutritional Therapy
 A food plan that is plant-based foods specifically
vegetables (leafy greens), fruits, legumes, nuts,
whole grains, lean meats and dairy like eggs and
cheese.
 Exercise in moderation and instructed by a Doctor
 Course of therapy with a psychologist or
psychiatrist
 Cost effective
 No side effects unless one discontinues the
therapy.
 Most nutrients a body needs to reduce symptoms
of anxiety or depression are in the good foods that
we eat.
 Any nutrient deficiencies one may have may be
replaced by an over the counter vitamin
recommended by a Doctor.
 How can psychologists and psychiatrists
use a Nutritional approach to therapy to
improve a patient’s lifestyle versus a
Pharmacologic approach to mental
disorders? When asking this question to
myself, what can a teen or adult do to
improve their health, well-being and the
Conclusion goal to not carry the weight of the world on
their shoulders, the answer I came up with:
The first line approach to mental disorders
is a Pharmacologic therapy, but a
Nutritional therapy can be considered as
an overall treatment approach to become a
new factor to help improve a patient’s
lifestyle, health and well-being.
 Works Cited
Altun, Areni, et al. "The Mediterranean dietary pattern and depression risk: A systematic review." Neurology, Psychiaty and Brain Research 33 (2018): 1-10. 28

February 2020. <http://rave.ohiolink.edu/ejournals/article/369027270>.

Artist, Unknown. Bloodletting instruments, 18th century. Bloodletting instruments, 18th century. Wellcome Images, 2018. 14 April 2020.

<commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bloodletting_instruments_18th_century_Wellcome_L0008495.jpg>.

Artist, Unknown. Hippocratic Oath. UI Here . Hippocratic Oath Organization Physician Medicine Primum nom nocere, heterosexual PNG clipart. UI Here, n.d. 14

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content/uploads/2014/02/Lobotomy-tools-8x6.jpg>.

Artist, Unknown. Make-up Examination Week Schedule for the Fall Semester 2016/2017. University American College Skopje. Make-up Examination Week

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Creelman, Paget Michael. Mental Disorder Silhouette. A neutral profile silhouette composed of the words "mental disorder" and various mental disorders. 2018.

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 Works Cited Continued..
Gruttadauria, Dr. Michael. Food=Mood. A documentary about a functional medicine approach to anxiety and depression. YouTube, 20 February 2019. 28 february 2020. <www.youtube.com>.

Jacka, F.N., O'Neil, A, Opie, R et al. "A randomized controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the 'SMILES' trial." BMC Medicine 15.23 (2017). 26 February 2020.

<https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y>.

Mediterranean Diet Illustration. Dreamstime. Mediterranean Diet Illustration. Megapixl, n.d. 14 April 2020. <megapixl.com/mediterrean-diet-illustration-26891331>.

Middleton, George. Understanding the Pyramid. Oldways. Understanding the Pyramid. Boston: Foods Alliance, 2012. Illustration. 31 March 2020. <https://communitycancercenter.org/wp-

content/uploads/2019/01/Mediterranean-diet-NewMedKit_Oldways_Page_02.jpg>.

Organization, World Health. "Long-term treatment with Antidepressants." Pharmacological Treatment of Mental Disorders in Primary Health Care. World Health Organization, 2009. P24. 27 March 2020.

<https://books.google.com/books?

hl=en&lr=&id=SivywJrqqfQC&oi=fnd&pg=PR6&dq=pharmacological+treatment+of+mental+disorders&ots=GvgwrAey3C&sig=9LHF0C3ePoy1tuKCBDOJIC3sxdc#v=onepage&q=pharmacological

%20treatment%20of%20mental%20disorders&f=false>.

Perna, Robert R.N., Ph.D. "The Tablet- Antidepressant Augmentation: Evidence-Based and Clinically Driven Polypharmacy." November 2013. American Psychology Association. Ed. Ph.D., MSCP James D.

Calvert. Publication. 2 March 2020. <www.apa.org>.

Procyk, Anne ND. "Specific Nutrient Deficiencies that Commonly Contribute to Mental Health Symptoms." Procyk, Anne ND. Nutritional Treatments to Improve Mental Health Disorders Non-Pharmaceutical

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Smith, Richard. "Let food be thy medicine." British Medical Journal 328 (2004): 7433. 27 March 2020. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC318470/>.