Brain Inflamed

Book excerpt: From renowned integrative physician Kenneth Bock, M.D., comes a groundbreaking approach to understanding adolescent and teen mental health disorders. Over the past decade, the number of 12- to 17-year-olds suffering from mental health disorders has more than doubled. While adolescents and teens are notorious for mood swings and rebellion, parents today are navigating new terrain as their children are increasingly at risk of struggling with a mental health issue. But the question remains: What is causing this epidemic of illness? In Brain Inflamed, acclaimed integrative doctor Dr. Kenneth Bock shares a revolutionary new view of adolescent and teen mental health—one that suggests many of the mental disorders most common among this population (including depression, anxiety, and OCD) may share the same underlying mechanism: systemic inflammation. In this groundbreaking work, Dr. Bock explains the essential role of the immune system and the microbiome in mental health, detailing the ways in which imbalances in these systems—such as autoimmune conditions, thyroid disorders, or leaky gut syndrome—can generate neurological inflammation. While most conventional doctors assume that teens’ psychological struggles can be resolved only with therapy and psychotropic drugs, Dr. Bock’s approach considers the whole-body health of his patients. In his integrative evaluations, he often uncovers triggers such as gluten sensitivity, adrenal dysfunction, Lyme disease, and post-strep infections—all of which create imbalances in the body that can generate psychological symptoms. Filled with incredible stories from Dr. Bock’s more than thirty years as a practicing physician, Brain Inflamed explains the biological underpinnings of many common mental health issues, and empowers the parents and family members of struggling teens with practical advice—and perhaps most importantly, hope for a brighter future.