2020 has been a trying year for all . We begin 2021 with great intentions and a vision for a bright future to al. Here is my conversation with Dr. Achina Stein a psychiatrist who helps us understand when mood disorders can actually be resolved. 5 Things to Know Before You Visit a Psychiatrist   Are you someone who is frequently experiencing severe mood fluctuations, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, lack of concentration, or other mental health-related symptoms? Perhaps your condition has become painfully unbearable and you are now planning to visit a psychiatrist for help? Well, then this blog is for you. This blog will introduce you to a fascinating approach to look at, understand, and go about finding a resolution to your issue. Not only will it empower you to be in better control of your condition by making a radical shift in outlook toward your health and wellbeing but also potentially introduce you to an elevated and fulfilling life that you never thought existed. So make sure you give this blog a good read before going to your next (or first) appointment with your psychiatrist. The ‘What do I have?’ Phenomenon   Often if someone undergoes a feeling of depression and feeling low on a frequent basis, they or at times tend to start labeling it as depression or start to immediately start working towards identifying what’s wrong with them and the question they wrap their heads around becomes ‘what do I have?’ What’s wrong with it?   They can’t be blamed for it, after all, we are painfully human when we are trying to figure out the issue so that we can fix it. The problem is that if you only allow yourself to look at your issue from the conventional lens of traditional medicine, then you might never find out the actual cause of your symptoms. All that you will be aware of in your treatment process is the diagnosis that your visiting psychiatrist made based on your system and the medication to manage your symptoms. But is that enough? Instead, Try The Why and the How Approach   Do you truly believe that managing your condition or symptom is the answer to your mental health issue with understanding the root cause? The problem with the former approach besides the expected side-effects is that there is always a risk of the symptoms to return at the slightest of trigger or if the treatment/ medication is stopped. Why? Because no one actually did the digging to reach, treat, and resolve the root cause. This is also why you should drop the what and instead try the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ approach.   And it’s where functional medicine as a practice comes into the picture. As you work with a functional medicine practitioner alongside your psychiatrist, you peel off your symptoms one layer after another until you arrive at what triggered your condition. Interestingly, you don’t just remain on the receiving end as in the case of the traditional approach but become an active participant in your treatment process along with your functional medicine practitioner. It empowering and almost immediately brings to the driver’s seat and take control of your health. Everything starts with the gut   As a matter of fact, did you know that nearly 90 percent of the body's serotonin, also known as the Happy Chemical, is made in the gut? Let alone mental health concerns, you take diabetes, most heart conditions, thyroid issues, fatigue, and almost all auto-immune or chronic disease, the source of all them comes down to gut health. Perhaps, what if it’s not depression?   So, it’s very much likely that your feeling low could have an underlying connection with your gut health and it got trigger by your biological, social, and/ or psychological situation. Perhaps, what you are experiencing is not depression and can be totally resolved provided the right thoughts and lifestyle shift. And the first steps always starters with paying attention to your gut health and noticing if there are any abnormalities there. Patient Story   14-year-old John