What Really Happened to Adam Lanza?

While we all take the time to process the terrible tragedy in Newtown, many have already started to ask the question of how this could happen.  While there is already a political firestorm on the horizon with gun control and even issues on how to deal with the mentally ill, my holistic background always tells me to look first at the possible root source or cause. While remedies may help, perhaps we should also be asking the question of what would drive someone to even consider these unspeakable acts. 

Mentally unstable people have been around since the beginning of time.  However, now, there are literally hundreds of diagnosable mental disorders.   The National Institute of Mental Health reported that" 26.2% of our population age 18 and over suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year."  These range from bipolar, depression, ADHD, autism, anxiety, alzheimer's,... It seems that there are more diagnosed people with mental disorders than ever.  

Let's delve further.  Why are there so many mental disorder diagnoses?  We know that there are food triggers and vitamin deficiencies that lead to mental symptoms.  For example, several double-blind studies have shown that food allergies such as wheat, corn, dairy and sugar can lead to these symptoms. "Modern eating habits are part of what makes many people depressed," says Michael Lesser, a psychiatrist in Berkely, CA. Nutritional deficiences can contribute to chemical imbalances, like anemia and hypothyroidism, which in turn can lead to anxiety, insomnia and depression.  

Regarding vitamins and minerals, we also know that iron deficiency is known to affect mood and can exacerbate depression.  Depressed people have been reported to have lower DHA levels (found in omega-3 fatty acid) than those without depression.  The benefits of Omega-3s are among the best documented as essential fatty acids as part of every cell membrane.  If those membranes aren't functioning well then neither is your brain.

 **(Sidenote--this is only one reason why Omega 3 Fatty Acids rated as my number 1 most important supplement!).  Deficiencies of vitamins D and B vitamins also have been shown to disturb mood as well.  There are more, but you get the picture.

As we discussed, lack of proper food and nutrients are possible sources of the imbalances to begin with and perhaps should be explored first.  However, it seems to be more common to treat symptoms with various medications which can range from anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotics, etc.  We've pretty much seen them all advertised on TV.  At the end of the commercial, the announcer then goes on and on with the long list of side effects that have become the butt of so many jokes.  Who would take those drugs with all of those risks?  A lot of us it turns out, have spent over $4.6 billion to date on one anti-psychotic drug, Abilify.  That's just one drug!  Now let's look at some of the side effects of that same drug:

Insomnia, restlessness (a few from the dozens listed and even more horrible side effects from my own personal experience).  Here is a warning on the insert:

Abilify has the potential for serious side effects... such as...and suicidal thoughts are known to occur in some patients, especially children, teens, and young adults. 

Let's look at Xanax, (a popular anti depressant that may not even perform better than a placebo according to the New England Journal of Medicine).

 Depressed mood, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself, unusual risk-taking behavior, decreased inhibitions, no fear of danger; 

We now know that Adam Lanza had been more agitated behavior in the months leading up to last week.  What did his diet consist of?  Was he possibly deficient of some nutrient?  Have his doctors been interviewed?  Is it possible that Adam Lanza was on one of these drugs or the hundreds of other possible anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, etc with these possible side effects?  

Let us examine all avenues and educate ourselves as we search for answers and try to prevent another Newtown tragedy.

What do you think?  Let's have a conversation on