The well established approach to mental health in our country is one of ‘trial and error.’ While millions suffer from depression and anxiety, it may not be the best approach.
In this case, the ‘trial and error’ approach referred to involves any number of medications that influence various neurotransmitters whose deficiency or imbalance can lead to the symptoms involved.
Wellbutrin, Prozac, Effexor, & Xanax are just few common medications that affect neurotransmitters including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinehrine among others. Physicians routinely prescribe one or more of these medications for those patients that complain of poor mood, depression, anxiety or even sleep problems.
Is this a BAD approach? No, but it may not be the BEST approach considering advances in neurotransmitter testing.
Over the last several years, At The Lamkin Clinic , we’ve been utilizing neurotransmitter testing to assess our patients prior to prescribing one of the above medications. By testing neurotransmitters, we are able to gain more information about the specific imbalance.
Then we can have a discussion of treatment options using both medicinal and other natural approaches that can help. The key word here is “options”. There are certainly many options, but starting with some tangible information about the specific imbalance can be the difference between a prescribed treatment helping or hurting.
Don’t take the shotgun approach to correcting your brain chemistry, consider a neurotransmitter test!
To your health,
Brian E Lamkin DO