Finding Causes and Solutions: Why Symptoms Vary by Person?

Introduction: No Two Depressions are the Same

Psychiatric diagnoses are convenient, but sometimes they hide the truth. Suppose there are two people with the same diagnosis of ‘depression.’ One has a problem because of too much sleep, and the other suffers from insomnia. One has an exploding appetite, and the other refuses food.

Why does this difference occur? Dr. Christopher Palmer finds the answer in ‘individual points of metabolic imbalance’ in Brain Energy.

1. Difference in ‘Location’ Where Brain Energy Imbalance Occurs

Each part of our brain has a different function in charge. According to Brain Energy theory, symptoms of mental illness are determined by the ‘brain region where energy metabolism is not smooth.’

Frontal Lobe: Responsible for judgment and execution. If energy here is insufficient, concentration drops and lethargic depression appears.
Amygdala: Processes fear and anxiety. If mitochondria here overreact or lose control, panic disorder or extreme anxiety occurs.
Hippocampus: Connects memory and emotion. If a metabolic problem occurs here, PTSD symptoms where past trauma is reproduced as current fear may appear.

In the end, different symptoms mean that the ‘point’ where energy is most urgently needed inside each person’s brain is different.

2. Causes are ‘Complex’ rather than Single

For some people, lack of sleep may be the decisive cause, and for others, imbalance of gut microbiota or deficiency of specific nutrients may be the cause.

Dr. Palmer advises that each patient’s life should be looked into through a ‘metabolic magnifying glass.’ Instead of simply saying “You lack serotonin,” we should find out “whether the factor that hinders your mitochondria from making energy is in the environment, diet, or chronic psychological pressure.”

3. How to Draw Your Own Metabolic Map

For recovery, a process of drawing your own ‘metabolic map’ is necessary.

Finding the link between physical and mental symptoms: If your mood drops extremely the day after overeating, it is a strong signal that blood sugar control problems are directly affecting your mood.
Identifying energy thieves: You should find culprits that eat up your brain energy, such as chronic inflammation, alcohol, and stress.
Starting from the smallest and most certain changes: Some people experience dramatic changes just by quitting sugar, and some people’s brain energy comes alive just by regular sun exposure.

Conclusion: Beyond Standardized Treatment to Personalized Healing

The key to overcoming the mental health crisis does not lie in a ‘standardized manual.’ Healing starts from understanding the unique reason why my brain lost energy.

The unique symptoms you are experiencing are a sophisticated message from your brain. When you interpret that message and restore metabolic balance, you will finally be able to regain your own shining vitality.

In the next post, we will look at how ‘family history and genetics,’ which seem unchangeable, can be reinterpreted from a metabolic perspective.