Mental Health Starts With the Whole Person

May 8th 2026
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Riordan Clinic
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Written by Drew Rose, DO

It is no secret that mental health in the United States is suffering. According to the CDC, 90% of Americans agree that the general state of mental health and our healthcare system’s ability to address these issues are in crisis. The statistics are staggering, with over two-thirds of Americans reporting a decline in their mental health: 

• In 2024, roughly 23.4% (more than 1 in 5) of U.S. adults reported experiencing some form of mental illness.
• 42% of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, representing a 50% increase since 1999. 
• The treatment gap for mental illness remains vast, with only 14-25% of affected individuals receiving care.
• Systemic failures and lack of accessible services have led to jails and prisons becoming some of the largest mental health providers in the country.

These statistics alone can evoke feelings of hopelessness. In today’s world, social media, a constant barrage of negative news, polarizing politics, sedentary lifestyles, job insecurity, rising costs of living, and limited access to nutrient-rich, toxin-free foods can make simply stepping outside feel overwhelming. So, what can each of us do to change the tide? I believe context is key to understanding our own power within this broken system. 

Understanding how mental health care has evolved helps illuminate where we stand today. In the Colonial Era, mental illness was labeled as “madness”, often attributed to moral failure or spiritual imbalance. These individuals were frequently confined to jails or poorhouses. By the mid-1800s, a large-scale housing need led to the asylum boom. However, what was meant to be sanctuaries led to overcrowding and underfunded custodial care. The early 1900s were met with desperation to find a cure for this overcrowding, which led to extreme treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), lobotomies, and insulin coma therapy. For obvious ethical reasons, many of these modalities were abandoned by the 1950s, when the medication revolution took over. Medications such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), mood stabilizers, and anti-psychotics were introduced. While beneficial for many, side effects and stigma contributed to an “invisible population” struggling in silence, often cycling through homelessness, emergency rooms, and the prison system. Today, we face a paradox: increased awareness and openness about mental health, yet a fragmented system built in pieces over more than 150 years, rather than a unified mind-body model of care.

Growing up in the 1990s, I remember the stigma surrounding therapy. I had a childhood friend whose parents were going through a rather public divorce. After weeks of noticing my friend being pulled out of school, I gathered the courage to ask where he went. He was clearly embarrassed. Eventually, my friend reluctantly put his hand to my ear one day and whispered, “to the shrink.” At the time, all I knew of therapy was from TV, and it was usually in the context of advancing a comical storyline. I couldn’t believe someone my age in the real world was actually seeing a therapist. Nevertheless, I let it go, and we went on to completely destroy each other at basketball during recess (fun fact: this was the same recess that gave me my characteristic red spot under my left eye that is present today). Yet, the memory remained.

Years later, during my own health struggles, this memory resurfaced. In seventh grade, I was diagnosed with mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr Virus) with significant systemic complications. The chronic fatigue made it extremely difficult for me to get through the day, and finally, I was taken out of school for the entire second semester. Unsurprisingly, the isolation and constant malaise wore on my fragile adolescent mind. Depression set in, and I was put on an SSRI at the age of 13. Over the remainder of my teenage years, I cycled through multiple SSRIs, but medications rarely provided the effect I was promised. Then I remembered my friend: had he gotten benefit from therapy?

It wasn’t until my 30s that I sought therapy myself and found the answer to this question. The result was transformative! Therapy became the singular most effective intervention for my mental health. Early in the process, I learned to recognize how thoughts and emotions manifested physically, revealing the profound strength of the mind-body connection. This connection is stronger than I was ever led to believe through my medical training, and it is what gives us tangible evidence of the suffering mental illness can inflict.  Finding the right therapist is much like finding the right pair of shoes; it requires patience, and you might have to try on several before you find the right fit. Insurance limitations, scheduling challenges, and personal compatibility can make the process feel tedious. Occasionally, you may have to compromise what you thought therapy may look like and simply trust the process. It requires a commitment from you to yourself to invest time and perhaps money. In fact, my therapist did not accept my insurance, making it a significant financial investment, but one that has paid dividends many times over. 

Through therapy, I was introduced to the 8 pillars of health and wellness: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, financial, occupational, and spiritual. Balancing these pillars finally made me feel like an adult. This ongoing self-reflection guided my personal journey towards health, and ultimately influenced my professional path, including a meaningful career opportunity with a 50-year-old innovative clinic in my hometown of Wichita. Being an individual who suffers from chronic fatigue and feeling the link to mental health issues has given me a unique perspective with my co-learners.  It has shown me the importance of nurturing the mind AND body. Therapy is one of the best ways to nurture the mind, but nurturing the body is a completely different arena. 

Optimal mental health begins with proper nutrition. The body cannot self-regulate without the necessary biochemical building blocks. Our culture of convenience (fast food, delivery services, and highly processed meals) often prioritizes productivity over personal well-being. Yet, there is no substitute for preparing a nutrient-dense meal with whole foods.  What we choose to eat is one of the most significant predictors of how we feel each day. Taking ownership of our day-to-day decisions is sometimes the hardest part of beginning the journey to health. Emphasizing whole foods not only improves nutritional status, but it also requires a time commitment. More time in the kitchen, or in planning and executing a successful grocery run, means you have to sacrifice time elsewhere. The best place to start is cutting down the screen time. The average American spends more than 7 hours looking at a screen, whether it be a smartphone, TV, or computer. Using the time away from your screens to be in the kitchen preparing or planning your nutrition for the week promotes mindfulness and, coupled with eliminating sugar and processed foods, decreases sympathetic tone in your body (i.e., fight-or-flight). 

Exercise is another cornerstone of mental health. Since the pandemic, average sedentary time rose to approximately 8.7 hours per day, with a significant increase in prolonged sedentary behavior exceeding 6 hours per day. This inactivity promotes inflammation, impairs methylation efficiency, and decreases mitochondrial function, creating a cascade of negative health effects. An adequate combination of cardiovascular and resistance training is the best way to optimize your energy levels and mood. Mobility at work is beneficial but does not replace structured exercise. When you work out to the point of sweating, not only are you helping to detoxify your body, but you are also releasing chemicals in your body like endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. These neurotransmitters act as pain relievers and mood elevators. Consistent resistance training reduces inflammation associated with mood disorders. Furthermore, exercise is a wonderful way to reduce and manage stress by managing cortisol and adrenaline levels.  All these effects have been proven to decrease levels of anxiety and depression within a matter of 2 weeks, whereas some SSRIs are not even considered to be therapeutic until 6-8 weeks after beginning the medication. 

While we sleep, our brains process the extraordinary amount of information we take in on any given day. Sleep hygiene refers to behaviors, especially during the 2-hour window before bedtime, that can support a balanced circadian rhythm. Examples are avoiding backlit screens (smartphones, TVs, computers, iPads, etc), keeping to a consistent bedtime and routine, turning off bright overhead lights, and avoiding eating 2 hours before you lie down. Restorative sleep is crucial for hormonal regulation, which is what is required for a balanced circadian rhythm. 

Women, in particular, may experience hormonal imbalances during peri- and post-menopause. From the thyroid to the adrenal glands, the balance of hormones is critical for both sleep regulation and mood stability. Advances in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) have significantly improved the quality of life for many. Ultimately, comprehensive testing is essential for optimizing any hormonal axis. And while men are not immune to hormonal dysregulation leading to mood impairment, they are less likely to speak up. 

The journey toward mental health is a deeply personal one. No one else gets to live in your mind except you. Yet, the first step to finding that health is speaking up. Sharing experiences with trusted individuals and engaging in therapy is important because words give thoughts and feelings meaning. It is how your brain can take the subconscious and process it in the conscious mind. Yet, the work does not stop there. This is why “pushing it down” never works! You must nurture that mind-body connection. Optimizing nutrition, exercise, sleep regulation, and hormone balance will equip the body with all the tools it needs to self-regulate. This approach restores a sense of control, counteracting the overwhelm created by constant external stimuli. We, as humans, are not meant to feel the weight of suffering on a global scale as we do today. Give yourself grace!

One last piece of advice: nurture your spiritual health. However, the way you define ‘spirit’ is entirely unique to you. It is deeply personal and requires no explanation to anyone else. One of the simplest ways to nourish your spiritual well-being is by connecting with nature. Access to green spaces has been shown to reduce the prevalence of mood disorders, lower cortisol levels, and enhance memory and creativity. Time in nature can even help rewire the brain, decreasing activity in the regions associated with rumination and negative self-talk. 

So, the next time you’re feeling low, lack energy, or are caught in a cycle of negative thoughts about yourself or your life…literally go touch grass and hug a tree. Doctor’s orders. ■

References

• Mental Health America. “Quick Facts and Statistics About Mental Health.” Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
• National Institute of Mental Health. “Mental Illness Statistics.” Accessed 15 Apr. 2026. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 2025. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.  

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