A New Day for Mental and Metabolic Health
The brain energy theory offers a new model of mental health. It’s about much more than just brain function; it’s about metabolism and mitochondria, which impact almost all aspects of human health, aging, and longevity. This new model cuts across diagnostic categories and addresses many disorders all at once. It applies not only to those diagnosed with “mental” illness, but also to those who suffer from related metabolic disorders, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and chronic pain disorders. Almost all people with these disorders have at least some “mental” symptoms, and people with mental disorders are more likely to develop these related disorders. This new model offers the hope of preventing illnesses and keeping people happy, healthy, and productive for longer than is currently possible.
The theory of brain energy is a significant breakthrough that finally connects the dots to give us a clearer picture of mental illness. The science and evidence are integrated into one framework, uniting the biological, psychological, and social theories of mental illness. As we embrace the idea that mental disorders are no longer syndromes but metabolic disorders of the brain, new solutions become obvious. We need to restore brain energy by normalizing metabolism and the function of mitochondria. Once we do this, the symptoms of mental illness will begin to resolve.
The good news is that this new understanding lets us apply existing treatments more effectively and suggests novel treatment options we already have access to, including all the treatments I’ve shared in this book. We don’t have to wait years before trying them. This doesn’t mean that what we have now is enough—not all interventions will work for everyone, and we need more research and additional treatments. Finding new treatments, however, will be immensely easier now that we’ve connected the dots and identified the core problem. It’s a problem that can now be solved with science and research, no longer some abstract mystery waiting on a miracle.
Once we begin thinking about all these disorders through the lens of metabolism and mitochondria, the possibilities for improvement are endless. We can develop diagnostic tools to assess people’s metabolic health. We can develop evidence-based strategies and therapeutics to address metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction. We can focus on better understanding the impact on mitochondria and metabolism of medications, alcohol, tobacco, recreational drugs, diets and foods, and toxins.
But we need resources to do this work. We need big changes! We need multidisciplinary healthcare teams working together to restore metabolic health in people. These teams will include physicians, nurses, psychotherapists, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, personal trainers, health and wellness coaches, and many others. Health insurance will need to cover some of these costs. The biotech and pharmaceutical industries will need to rise to the challenge of developing more effective therapeutics. Government will need to be involved. We need research funding for all this work and parity for mental health services. We may also have metabolic toxins in our everyday lives that need to be regulated and/or eliminated. And of course, each and every one of us will need to do our part as well. We need self-help groups, support groups, and advocacy initiatives. We need a society that is just, fair, compassionate, peaceful, and cooperative. We need to ensure that all people have opportunities to live meaningful lives. People need to feel safe. They also benefit from feeling respected. Obviously, this is all easier said than done. In many ways, it represents a type of utopia. We all know that will take time to achieve. But we don’t need to wait for utopia in order to do something.
And so, I call on you and ask for your help. To turn this hope into reality, we need a grassroots movement. Just as there were movements for HIV/AIDS and breast cancer, we desperately need a movement calling for radical changes in the way we understand and treat mental illness. Educating and informing people will take time and effort. You can help by spreading the word about the theory of brain energy. This movement needs you, your friends, and your family. I’m not asking for myself, but on behalf of the countless people who are suffering from mental illness alone and in silence; on behalf of those begging for more effective treatments and better lives; on behalf of those who are tormented on a daily basis by their mental symptoms; on behalf of those who have lost all hope; on behalf of all the people who continue to hide in their homes in shame and humiliation from the stigma of mental illness; and in memory of the countless people who couldn’t hold on and are no longer with us. Let’s put an end to this suffering, once and for all. Let’s not waste another day.
Please visit www.brainenergy.com in order to learn more and get involved.