While the category of mental diseases is potentially broad there are a number of diseases that are increasingly being treated with great success by natural remedies. Doctors now have more tools in their toolbox rather than just using standard methods of treatment. However, lack of education regarding those tools is keeping many from trying natural methods that could be helpful.

Different types of mental illness can be successfully treated using natural remedies. Many of these illnesses share some of the same root causes allowing a comparatively small number of substances to work powerfully on a range of issues in the brain. Research is continuing to uncover ways in which natural remedies, herbals and other compounds impact the brain and help regulate function and fight disease.

One major factor in many mental diseases is neurotransmitter and brain chemical deficiencies/imbalances. Depression, insomnia, anxiety and many other illnesses all have brain chemical problems, at least in part, as a root cause. Addressing those deficiencies is often critical in restoring a person mentally. There are prescription drugs that work to correct neurotransmitter/brain chemical problems but they can often have serious side effects of their own.

On the other hand, natural supplements that contain various herbal extracts, amino acids and other compounds have been shown through various studies to be effective in dealing with different types of mental illness. In some studies, herbals were shown to be as powerful as prescription drugs in dealing with brain issues but without many of the side effects. Bacopin, Passion Flower, L-Tyrosine, Acetyl L-Carnitine, 5-HTP and huperzine A are a few of the natural substances that have been shown to improve anxiety, fight depression, help the body raise levels of various brain chemicals and protect neurotransmitters from being destroyed in the body.

A loss of neurotransmitters is also a symptom of age related mental diseases like Alzheimer's. The body's process for regulating neurotransmitter levels is affected by an illness like this and the body begins to attack the neurotransmitters in the brain and drastically reduce their levels. Again, using supplements like the ones mentioned earlier can help combat this process.

A lack of nutrients and/or a lack of blood flow to the brain are other common factors in different types of mental illness. Whether it is certain forms of depression or age related decline in mental function, insufficient nutrients or blood flow may be the problem. The BBC did an article earlier this year that interviewed a man who had been fighting depression for 40 years with drugs and therapy but couldn't get relief. After some research at the library he modified his diet and nutrient intake and the depression left him.

As for age related decline and mental diseases, various studies have shown that increasing blood flow and ensuring certain nutrient levels either delayed the decline or stopped it altogether. Using supplements with Ginkgo, Ginseng and vitamins E, C and B complex were the main natural substances that worked in this area.

These are only a couple of examples of how using natural substances can effect some common root factors in various mental diseases. It is important that we encourage our doctors to become educated on these natural remedies and their properties. Without that knowledge many will only get limited help in fighting their illness. Many natural remedies are effective, work well with the body and have fewer side effects than more modern drugs and interventions. We would do well to ask that these tools be added to the treatments made available to anyone seeking treatment.