Mental health concerns continue to be one of the primary health challenges we collectively face in the 21st century, and treatments involving medication and talk therapy alone aren’t always enough to provide long-term relief.
That’s where functional medicine comes in.
It’s an approach that views health problems holistically, and by doing so can provide more personalised care and help patients make the lifestyle changes needed to improve their mental wellbeing in the long run.
So if you’re interested in exploring fresh approaches to mental health care in the UK, I invite you to join me on this journey of discovery.
What Is Functional Medicine?
So, what exactly is functional medicine?
Functional medicine is a “whole body” approach to healthcare that aims to find the root cause of disease, rather than just treating symptoms.
When applied to mental health care, this considers the interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding and treating mental health issues.
This approach recognises that mental health involves more than just the brain and takes into account lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management.
Additionally, functional medicine practitioners may use specialised testing and nutritional counseling to create personalised treatment plans for their patients.
How Does Functional Medicine Differ From Modern Mental Health Care Models in the UK?
In order to understand how these two models differ, let’s take a look at what modern mental health care in the UK entails:
Modern Medicine:
Modern medicine often relies heavily on treating symptoms rather than tackling the root cause of the issue. The focus is on providing immediate relief and stabilisation for those experiencing mental health issues.
Despite the limitations, there have been significant advancements in recent years in areas such as psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and neurostimulation techniques.
Although there are benefits to this approach, such as providing quick relief to those who are suffering, it is crucial to understand that this method of treatment is not always effective in the long run. Mental health concerns can have complex and multifaceted origins, and treating only the symptoms can lead to inadequate care.
Functional Medicine:
This might sound a bit repetitive, but it’s crucial in understanding how these two methods of mental health treatment differ.
While traditional modern medicine approaches focus on prescribing medications, functional medicine takes a more holistic approach to treating mental health issues.
The functional medicine approach emphasises the connection between the mind, body, and soul, and aims to identify and treat the core causes of mental health problems. This includes examining a person’s diet, lifestyle, and overall health habits as potential contributors to their mental health.
The goal is to create a personalised treatment plan that addresses the whole person, not just their symptoms.
Exploring The Benefits of Functional Medicine In Mental Health Care:
By addressing the underlying causes of mental health issues, rather than just masking symptoms, functional medicine offers an innovative and integrative approach to mental health care.
Let’s discuss a few benefits:
Functional Medicine Creates Sustained and Balanced Emotions:
While medication may have its benefits, it can typically only go so far in treating mental health issues. Rather than solely relying on medication as a “crutch,” functional medicine takes a more comprehensive approach to treatment.
By exploring the core reasons why emotions may be imbalanced, this approach can lead to long-term emotional sustainability.
Functional care thus provides a more sustainable solution for individuals who struggle with their mental health, ultimately leading to a higher quality of life.
Functional Medicine Focuses on Prevention:
When it comes to mental health care, many modern medicine approaches focus on treating the symptoms that arise once a problem has been identified. While this can be helpful in the short term, functional medicine takes a different approach.
Rather than simply treating the symptoms of an issue, this approach works to identify potential risk factors and be proactive in preventing them from becoming more serious.
By looking at the entire person and their lifestyle choices, practitioners can help patients make changes to their diet, exercise routine, and other aspects of their life in order to stay healthy and prevent future mental health issues from emerging.
This preventative approach is a major benefit of functional medicine and has the potential to greatly improve the overall well-being of those seeking mental health care.
Functional Medicine Focuses On The Entire Person:
Imagine sitting in a doctor’s office discussing your mental health concerns, only to have them focus solely on one aspect of yourself. It’s frustrating, to say the least.
This is where functional medicine comes in.
By taking a holistic approach to mental health care, professionals using functional medicine address all areas of a patient’s growth and development. This means social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and past experiences are all considered when creating a treatment plan.
By treating the individual as a whole person, rather than just an isolated symptom or issue, functional medicine offers new hope for successful treatment and recovery.
Treatment Options Offered By Functional Mental Health Care:
Taking care of our mental health is just as important as taking care of our physical health. Thankfully, there are various functional medicine treatment options available in the UK that cater to the needs of individuals struggling with mental health concerns.
Let’s look at a few:
- Nutritional Therapy: Functional medicine practitioners believe in the impact that nutrition has on our mental health. To support your mental well-being, they provide personalised dietary recommendations that optimise nutrient intake and address nutritional imbalances. This could mean identifying and correcting deficiencies or sensitivities that could contribute to symptoms of mental health.
- Lifestyle Modifications: Lifestyle factors as cornerstones to our overall mental well-being. Providers offer guidance on stress management techniques, invigorating exercise routines, sleep optimisation and the reduction of environmental toxins, all of which can help strengthen our mental resilience.
- Herbal Medicine: Incorporating herbal remedies into functional medicine to address mental health concerns is becoming increasingly popular. Practitioners can even personalise the herbs prescribed based on individual needs. St. John’s Wort, passionflower, or ashwagandha are some of the herbs known for their calming or mood-stabilising properties.
- Mind-Body Practices: Mind-body practices often promote mental well-being, incorporating activities such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and deep breathing exercises. By reducing stress, increasing self-awareness, and promoting relaxation, these techniques can have a profound and positive impact on your mental health.
- Functional Testing: To gain a better understanding of factors like hormone imbalances, gut health, nutrient status, or genetic predispositions that can affect mental health, functional medicine practitioners may use specialised tests. With valuable insights gleaned from these tests, personalised treatment plans can be effectively tailored to provide maximum relief.
- Supplement Support: Practitioners often suggest targeted supplements to boost mental health. These can include omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, magnesium, and other nutrients that contribute to brain function and emotional well-being. It’s worth noting that dosages and formulations are typically personalised to your unique needs.
Key Takeaways:
Functional medicine is an approach to mental health care that focuses on treating the root cause of a condition rather than just managing the symptoms.
Unlike modern medicine, which often relies on prescription medications and quick fixes, functional medicine takes a more holistic approach, looking at a person’s entire lifestyle, diet, and environment to identify the underlying factors contributing to their mental health issues.
This type of approach can be incredibly beneficial to those struggling with mental health conditions, as it empowers them to take control of their health and make meaningful changes to improve their overall well-being.
Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue, exploring functional medicine could be a life-changing decision.
Start your recovery journey today by contacting Orchestrate Health.
