Blog

Lifestyle medicine isn't "wellness" or "self-care"—it's the recognition that mental health depends on foundational systems: sleep architecture, circadian rhythms, nutrition, stress management, and physical activity. Learn how addressing these systems can make medications more effective or sometimes reduce the need for higher doses.

Psychotic disorders aren't just "losing touch with reality"—they're dysregulation of reality monitoring, where the brain struggles to distinguish internal from external experience. Discover how antipsychotic medications work best when combined with interventions that support cognition and address underlying drivers.

ADHD isn't just "being distracted"—it's dysregulation of executive function, where the prefrontal cortex struggles to maintain attention and direct behavior. Learn how stimulant medications work best when combined with sleep optimization, circadian stabilization, and stress reduction.

Trauma disorders aren't just "remembering bad things"—they're dysregulation of memory processing where traumatic memories, stored without proper integration, get triggered and flood the system as if the trauma is happening now. Understand how trauma processing requires safety and regulation first.

Bipolar spectrum disorders aren't just "highs and lows"—they're dysregulation of mood stability mechanisms involving circadian rhythm disruption, neurotransmitter cycling, and energy homeostasis. Discover how mood stabilizers work best when combined with circadian stabilization and sleep optimization.

Anxiety disorders aren't just "feeling worried"—they're dysregulation of the threat detection system where the amygdala hijacks the prefrontal cortex. Learn how panic attacks involve sudden sympathetic nervous system activation and how understanding the mechanism helps treatment.

Loss of motivation isn't laziness—it's anhedonia, a neurobiological state where the brain's reward circuitry fails to activate. Learn how depression involves dysregulation across multiple systems and why addressing sleep, inflammation, and nutrition alongside medication can transform outcomes.

When a patient describes feeling like they're "swimming through mud," the timing matters. Light therapy isn't wellness advice—it's chronobiology applied to clinical psychiatry. Learn how circadian phase assessment and strategic light exposure can transform treatment outcomes.