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Hope for Youth Mental Health: Beyond Antidepressants and ADHD Meds
Description
Are we turning to ADHD and depression medications too quickly for kids?
The Wall Street Journal and New York Times recently published powerful investigations into the overuse of psychiatric medications in children. In this video, Dr. Bret Scher unpacks the key takeaways, the risks of polypharmacy, and why a comprehensive, root-cause approach is more important than ever for kids facing mental health challenges.
🔍 In this episode, Dr. Scher covers:
- The risks of overmedicating: side effects, polypharmacy, and long-term consequences
- Why behavioral therapy is being overlooked, even though it's supposed to be first-line
- How nutrition and metabolic health impact focus, mood, and behavior in kids
- Why low-carb and ketogenic therapies may offer new hope
- The growing research into metabolic therapies for pediatric mental health
As the youth mental health crisis continues to worsen, it's time we examine our current treatment options and consider what's missing and how we can prioritize nutrition, behavioral therapy, and safer first-line care.
👉 To learn more about ketogenic therapy for youth mental health, check out our Youth Mental Health Hub: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/youth-mental-health/
🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.
#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #YouthMentalHealth #ADHD
Expert Featured:
Dr. Bret Scher
- Baszucki Group Medical Director
- https://x.com/bschermd
Resources Mentioned:
Millions of Kids Are on ADHD Pills. For Many, It’s the Start of a Drug Cascade.
What to Know About Teen Sexual Development and S.S.R.I.s
Oxford’s Keto for ADHD & Depression Randomized Controlled Trial – with Ally Houston
What Happens When Kids Try Keto for Bipolar? featuring Elizabeth Errico