The Role of Medication in Mental Health Treatment
For many decades, medication has taken a primary role in mental health treatment. This role is changing. Medical doctors are by far the most frequent prescribers of antidepressants, sleep meds, benzodiazepines, or other drugs for anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other mental health symptoms.
However, this is a heavy burden because medical doctors are not trained in mental health. Medical doctors are highly trained in other treatments like setting bones, prescribing antibiotics, stitching up wounds, and monitoring heart issues, and are valuable experts in these fields. But it would be a stretch even for a physician who was trained in mental health to make a perfect diagnosis in a 15-minute doctor visit. Yet this is how most patients received their prescribed treatment.
However, times are changing. We see the emergence of a more informed approach to mental health treatment that consists of finding out about and implementing drug-free treatments with proven effectiveness first, and turning to medications only as a last resort, or where a crisis situation requires medication for the safety of the patient. A good example is in Norway, where the Ministry of Health has mandated since 2015 that drug-free treatment be offered before medication-based treatment is considered.1-3
Global Markets are Trending Away from Medication and Moving Toward Natural Support for Depression
Global market trends report a growing segment of the population looking for drug-free depression treatment, and this has been reported since at least 2022, and is projected to continue growing substantially for the foreseeable future. The report points out that unwanted drug side effects are the main catalyst for this changing market trend away from medication-based treatments for depression.
A rising awareness of drug-free treatments for mental health is exploding in China, Japan, and India, and causing a high demand for natural support for depression, anxiety, and other common symptoms.
How ATMC Provides Natural Support for Depression, Anxiety, and Other Mental Health Disorders
For about 2 decades now, ATMC has specialized in natural support for depression, anxiety, and other undesirable symptoms, and has provided drug-free strategies to improve mental wellness. ATMC has also trained medical doctors in this approach, enabling their patients to experience relief using holistic mental health treatment, and without having to suffer the side effects and other liabilities of drug-based treatment. However, in all cases, an informed approach on the part of both doctors and patients is highly recommended.9,10
The main pillars of ATMC programs are built on orthomolecular (nutritional) medicine, cleansing the body’s accumulated burden of toxicity, and a wealth of psychological and physical adjunctive treatments to assist in safe and gentle medication withdrawal and recovery.
Program components at ATMC can include:
- Chelative sauna therapy
- Lab testing for toxins, deficiencies, allergies, imbalances, genetic factors, and more
- Neurotoxin removal
- Neurotransmitter rehabilitation
- Repair of the gut microbiome
- Supplementation and diet correction
- Safe, medically monitored medication tapering
- Physical exercise, yoga, Qigong
- Colon hydrotherapy
- Amino acid therapy
- NAD+ IV treatments
- Nebulized glutathione treatments
- Cold plunge therapy
- Equine-assisted therapy
- Sound healing therapy
- Therapeutic massage
- CBT, lifestyle coaching, and other personal counseling
- Many more examples can be found at our services overview pages
Pros and Cons of Medication vs Natural Support for Depression
The following table is a brief summary that compares some of the most pertinent pros and cons for each treatment approach.
| Approach | Pros | Cons |
| Medication | Fast symptom relief; useful in crisis | Side effects; dependency; not addressing root causes |
| Natural Support | Treats root causes; fewer side effects | May take longer; requires commitment |
In contrast to drug-based therapy for depression, psychological counseling is a holistic treatment that has been carefully studied and found to be effective. CBT is a popular form of counseling that is offered at ATMC along with many other genres of personal counseling. CBT can be an effective tool in reorganizing lifestyle choices, gaining satisfaction in daily interactions, and removing barriers that are blocking the attainment of one’s life goals.11
Why are Antidepressants Reportedly Overprescribed?
One of the most often prescribed drugs here in the USA is antidepressants, namely the SSRI drugs. The question of overprescribing has come up in recent research. According to Safer’s 2019 paper published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, the statistics show that 85% of patients in the system-wide survey who were treated with antidepressants did not actually meet the criteria for their diagnosis.7
Another shocking statistic the author cites is that SSRI use doubled in the US adult population, comparing 1999 and 2011 usage, a mere 10-year period. The study also reports that more than half of those taking antidepressants had a relapse of their symptoms while on the drug, and as a result, many turned to additional antidepressants for relief. It is a vicious and repeating cycle of failure.
Another report from the 2024 World Journal of Psychiatry found that the supposed efficacy of antidepressant medication compared to placebo was inflated in earlier studies. Antidepressant drugs have a troubling history of ruinous side effects. These are the characteristics that often follow drug-based treatment and one may wish to avoid such problems altogether by using natural holistic treatment vs medication for depression.8
Thankfully, natural alternatives to antidepressants are coming into the medical spotlight.
ATMC Prioritizes Nutrition as Natural Support for Mental Health Treatment
Since drugs work “fast,” and doctors are forced to rush through as many patients per hour as possible, a quick prescription gets the patient out the door in as brief a time as possible. But we don’t feel this approach provides the best possible care. In many instances, a person may feel initial relief but over the longer term, symptoms can return, and new problems can emerge, making things worse instead of better.
We are heartened by the increasing focus on nutrition in the field of human health, including mental health. The gains and benefits of a clean, nutrient-dense diet that provides essential micro- and macro-nutrients are shared in both physical and mental domains. Guidelines are best when personalized, but some generally recognized examples are listed here.12-15
Basic guidelines recognized as natural support for depression and many other conditions include:
- A diet that includes a wide range of vegetables and fruits, in raw/unprocessed form where possible
- Omit sugars, refined carbs. foods that will spike and crash blood sugar
- Salmon, trout & other seafoods for their high omega-3 content
- Grass-fed beef, organic poultry, or other animal products
- Nuts, seeds, legumes
- Fermented foods for gut microbiome support
- Avoid sugary drinks, energy drinks
- Avoid processed food,s including meats and other animal products
- Supplementation with vitamins and minerals
Each individual may have distinct nutritional needs that lab testing can reveal, and a diet plan can be designed to accommodate.
When Medication is Necessary
We acknowledge the advantages of drug-free mental health treatment, which we’ve witnessed for so many people. But ATMC is not anti-medication. We recognize that in some cases, a reduction in dosage may be all that is needed to satisfy the medical needs of the client. And in a crisis situation, medication vs natural treatment can be the immediate and safest option. Each client’s situation is unique, and we take great care to provide a tailored program that will obtain the desired outcome for each client, allowing for the highest quality of life possible. Once the crisis has passed, it may be opportune to consider safe, inpatient medication withdrawal to continue the healing journey. You may want to begin to explore natural alternatives to antidepressants and other holistic treatment options.
For those wishing to come off their meds, we provide gentle withdrawal in a serene inpatient environment, safely accomplished with medical oversight. To assist with the discomfort that can often accompany drug withdrawal, a wide range of comfort therapies are at hand during our clients’ recovery journey. Chef-prepared meals and snacks are available and are both nutrient-dense and delicious. The facility is non-toxic, using natural cleaning products and providing the cleanest water and air found anywhere.
