A common thread in most of the world is thinking "mental illness' is a real disease, when in fact is not.  What do most people do when they encounter someone with a label of "mental illness?"  The first is often fear along with sympathy as if that person were diagnosed with a genetic disorder such as Down Syndome; as if the person is mentally and physically inferior to those around them and and treated like a defective product.  Some of the second thoughts most maintain is asking themselves "this person must be on psychiatric medication and therefore is dangerous, so we must be careful what we say around him/her." A third thought would be to categorize these people not based on reason or rationality, but based on trivial concepts like conflating them to zodiac signs akin to witch hunts from 600 years ago.

Coincidentally there is a 600 year old mindset still prevalent and that's because that's what "modern medicine" is based on:  viewing the human condition and body as separate, isolated components along with the prescription of isolated components known as "pharmaceuticals." This 600 year old view is based on the Cartesian Model, founded by philosopher and polymath Renee Descartes (1596–1650) and was a pioneer in bringing reductionism into Western thought and philosophy.

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You see this psychiatrist's name, look him up online, and often see it associated with "Scientology."  Then you dismiss this entire idea. Sound familiar? I was in the same boat of confusion, apathy.  The fact is you need to dig deeper than trivial search engine "research" along with poorly-maintained Wikipedia to find the truth along with analyzing your own biochemistry and lifestye which is far more complex than you think, but much lower-cost in the long term.

He proposed that the universe operates like a finely tuned clock, suggesting that by examining its individual parts, one can piece together a comprehensive understanding of the whole. This foundational idea was later developed by Isaac Newton (1643–1727), whose groundbreaking work culminated in the publication of the Principia Mathematica in 1687. This seminal text is regarded as one of the most impactful scientific works in history, where Newton elaborated on the concept of a 'clockwork universe.'

Reductionism may concentrate on specific and often limited concepts, yet it significantly deepens our understanding of crucial health issues. On the other hand, holism or systems science emphasizes the importance of recognizing all the relevant factors that influence a particular health concern, enabling us to make more informed decisions regarding health interventions.

Reductionism and holism are fundamentally interconnected and serve as complementary approaches. Reductionism proves most effective when insights gained from simplified systems lead to accurate predictions or the formulation of hypotheses applicable to the intricate natural world. Conversely, holistic studies often necessitate mechanistic understanding derived from prior reductionist research, or they may produce hypotheses that can be effectively tested through reductionist methods.

Interestingly, Kitano pointed out that the field of systems biology only became viable after advancements in molecular biology facilitated genomic analysis and high-throughput measurements. Ultimately, it is essential to recognize that neither approach holds superiority over the other. Observations conducted in isolated environments that lack relevance to real-world scenarios may not contribute significantly to biological understanding. Similarly, generating extensive datasets without meaningful interpretation, or creating simplistic holistic models that do not align with empirical evidence, also proves to be of limited utility.

Do people ever consider the human body, and the person they suspect of "having a mental illness" as a person who's less complex than a plant, and that we don't receive nearly the same analysis of our health as botanist does for a more complex plant?

Viewing people as their foundational elements such as calcium, magnesium, other minerals and metals as well as the countless nutrients like vitamins, proteins, fats and many others. These are often out of balance and deficienct in most of us yet many of us do not overtly present with "mental illness."  Why is that?

This is the confusing propaganda that misleads us all

There's no such thing as a "balanced diet" & nutrition isn't merely food. Why is that? It's because we're all individuals. Orthomolecular nutrition is the individualized analysis application of the substances within the food which our bodies often do not obtain enough of and are often blocked by antagonists.

It's because these imbalances can take form in other ways such as cardio-vascular and many other conditions we can't visibly see in the countless people we encounter on a daily basis, yet do we stigmatize those with foot fungus or muscle pains?

Why do we empathize with individuals suffering from congenital heart conditions while simultaneously stigmatizing mood disorders that may not even exist, along with frightening labels like schizophrenia?

The answer is that double-standards pervade our sick societies.  Since virtually all formal education is based on reductionism, or specialization, the double-standards are cemented into our minds from young ages. 

In terms of the social sciences like psychology, social work, and even the medical profession, this compartmentalization focuses on separating the mind from the body for many reasons, and the largest is to fuel to the gargantuan bureaucratic industries that have patients and clients become life-long clients with little to no lasting results. Why is this?

It's largely because of the separation of the mind from the body and and total neglect of the nutritional status of our cells that exerts over 90% of how or personality, behavior intersects with the foundational operation of our bodies and minds. 

Biological Factors Contributing to Mental Illness

Dr. Hoffer's decades-long work, presents schizophrenia and other "mental illnesses" as a complex syndrome rather than a singular disease. A variety of biological factors contribute to the array of perceptual disturbances and thought disorders associated with this condition, including:

1. Allergic reactions in the brain
2. Dependencies on vitamins B3 and B6
3. Deficiencies in essential vitamins, such as those leading to scurvy or pellagra
4. Lack of essential fatty acids
5. Mineral deficiencies, particularly zinc
6. Toxic responses to substances like lead or certain medications
7. The influence of hallucinogens such as LSD
8. Infections, including rheumatic fever and syphilis, among others.

Let's not forget these tabled lists of common "physical" conditions that poorly funded doctors and psychiatrists rarely test for before prescribing medications:

Knowing all this: why do we continue to label people based on non-scientific behaviors and observations?

The main reason is because we aren't educated on all these above-mentioned aspects, and we wrongly assume Medical Doctors and "modern medicine" is updated and able to handle "modern illnesses." We wrongly assume that medical doctors test a wide variety of issues mainly based on trivial information often obtained from popular media like television shows, celebrity practitioners and many others that mislead us into apathy.

The reality is far, far different and the details often startle most people when they realize the fact that "modern medicine" is mainly acute based, very poorly funded on the small-scale medical office or emergency room, and not virtually not at all focused on the fundamental behavior and processes of your cellular nutritional status.

Core Principles of Orthomolecular Practice

1. In the realm of medical diagnosis and treatment, individualized nutrients take precedence. A thorough understanding of their safe and effective application is crucial to maintaining a high standard of care in healthcare.
2. Individualized nutrients are associated with a minimal risk of toxicity.
3. Each individual possesses a unique biochemical makeup, necessitating personalized assessment and treatment based on their specific biochemical and metabolic characteristics.
4. Disorders related to nutrient deficiencies are manageable, and such deficiencies can be effectively resolved.
5. The quantities of nutrients needed for therapeutic effects may significantly exceed the Dietary Reference Intakes and Reference Daily Intakes, which are designed solely for statistically 'healthy' individuals.
6. Laboratory tests, including blood tests, may not accurately indicate nutrient levels in particular organs or tissues.
7. Recognizing and tackling the underlying causes of health problems is crucial, rather than merely treating the symptoms.
8. When orthomolecular therapies are deemed safe and potentially beneficial for a patient's condition, they should be considered for a therapeutic trial.
9. A patient's biochemical requirements evolve over time and with treatment, necessitating adjustments in nutrient recommendations.
10. Given the risks and consequences of exposure to food and environmental toxins, it is vital to evaluate potential toxicity in patients.
11. When medication is necessary, it is important to use the minimal effective dose and to taper it down as the patient recovers.
12. Preventing a patient from accessing orthomolecular information and treatments equates to denying them informed consent for any other medical interventions.
13. The sense of hope is inherently therapeutic and often arises from engaging with orthomolecular information and therapies.
14. It is imperative to honor the patient's right to choose their medical treatment freely.

References:

Physical illness in patients with severe mental disorders. I. Prevalence, impact of medications and disparities in health care

Orthomolecular medicine: the therapeutic use of dietary supplements for anti-aging

Orthomolecular psychiatry. Varying the concentrations of substances normally present in the human body may control mental disease

An orthomolecular approach to the prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders

What is orthomolecular medicine?

Nutritional Influences on Aggressive Behavior

Reductionistic and Holistic Science: National Library Medicine