Common Etiologies
By skimming through the legion of pages found in DSM-IV you will quickly notice the diverse variety of possible symptoms and diagnoses. However, just because there are so many options to choose from when making a diagnosis it doesn't mean that there is a corresponding mechanism for each one of them. In fact there might be a considerable overlap when searching for the sources of a mental illness and an adequate treatment. Lets say one suffers from depression and the other from anxiety, sure there will be some differences in what is causing the symptoms just because of the individual heterogeneity, (one might have a hormonal problem, the other a vitamin deficiency) but there might be a potential overlap as well such as elevated glucocorticoid levels. Therefore it is difficult to postulate what exactly defines a disorder from a biological point of view. The tags (such as bipolar, major depression, schizophrenia etc.) for a set of symptoms are only broad categorizations and often subject to selection error. Diagnoses are set just to group several symptoms into a single word and so make In summary: Various mental disorders can share common sources and responses to treatment thus a single method assigned to alleviating depression can work with a similar efficacy for anxiety and vice versa.
The following list serves as a guideline of what might be the main or auxiliary culprit behind a mental disorder, be it anxiety or psychosis:
The following list serves as a guideline of what might be the main or auxiliary culprit behind a mental disorder, be it anxiety or psychosis:
1. Avitaminosis - Vitamins play an important role in the body as they take part in many major processes including cellular respiration which is the core of our existence. Vitamins are used as co-enzymes which drive the cellular respiration, but their influence extends beyond that. B vitamins have been associated with cognitive functioning and therefore it is no wonder that a slight deficiency may lead to major cognitive disruptions including depression, irritability, brain fog and in severe cases even psychosis (Korsakoff's syndrome). B vitamins are among the most influential vitamins in terms of psychiatry and therefore should be abundant in a diet of a patient. Their water soluble properties make them readily available and hard to overdose on or cause any major difficulties upon excessive ingestion due to their quick elimination. Because they are not stored in fats such as vitamin A,D,E or K they can quickly run out. Therefore it is recommended to take B-complex (sub-lingual drops if accessible because of greater bio-availability) on a daily basis.
2. Elements - Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc although found in trace amounts in our body can lead to significant aberrations in psychology if not balanced properly. Calcium ions are involved in the initiation of synaptic neuro-transmission, by binding to proteins in the pre-synaptic neuron they facilitate the vesicular merging with the membrane followed by the release of neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft. Zinc as well has recently been pronounced to harbor in neurons promoting neural signaling. Zinc along with copper are found in a brain region known as hippocampus where they reside in a certain ratio. The actual levels of these two metals is not as important as the ratio itself. A low zinc to copper ratio has been associated with schizophrenia, anxiety , depression, hyperactivity and other behavioral disorders. High intake of copper (chocolate contains copper) and/or depletion of zinc (food dyes containing hydrazines deplete zinc) can easily be the reason behind many psychiatric complaints. Therefore avoiding copper exposure and supplementing yourself with zinc will allow you to restore a proper ratio. Remember the ratio can be altered to your favor by either lowering copper or increasing zinc levels or making both changes at the same time, however getting rid of copper (by interfering with its protein carrier ceruloplasmin for example) would be more complicated than just simply raising the zinc levels through the consumption of a wide spread supplement.
3. Regional malfunctions of the brain - although the proper function of various brain regions is defined by the presence and levels of the above mentioned compounds and elements it does not hurt to be able to comprehend the association of different brain regions with corresponding behavioral influences. The major fear factory is amygdala consisting of two almond shaped nuclei located deep within the brain's structure. Emotions of fear arise here and over-stimulated left amygdala has been commonly associated with many psychiatric disorders. Excessive stimulation of this region often leads to depression and anxiety while, on the contrary, lack of stimulation or a total absence of activity within the amygdala can leave one fearless in the better cases or utterly emotionless (autistic,psychopathic personalities). Amygdala size has also been associated with emotional intelligence, those who are enclosed by a socially diverse acquaintances and ergo have to be more socially flexible show enlargement in the structure and the opposite holds true for the less socially successful. Consolidation of new information into long term memory is another aspect which amygdala may regulate. Generally the more profound the emotional connection to a certain event the better one is at recalling the information pertaining to the event later on. Anxiety is notorious at fogging minds and making recalling memories difficult and malfunctioning amygdala might just be the source. Another psychiatric villain, known as insular cortex, can be attributed to perceptual disturbances and cognitive dysfunctions. Because this region is involved in processes such as self-awareness, consciousness, motor functioning and interpersonal experiences an abnormality or malfunction could express itself through depersonalization, depression, confusion and other symptoms familiar to anxiety sufferers.