57: What If It’s Not Depression? – The Shocking Root Causes of Mental Illness with Dr. Achina Stein

In this episode of Made for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman sits down with Dr. Achina Stein, a psychiatrist and functional medicine practitioner, for a powerful conversation that challenges conventional approaches to mental health.

After facing her son’s mental health crisis, Dr. Stein embarked on a journey that transformed her career—from prescribing medications to practicing root-cause psychiatry. She shares how functional medicine can uncover hidden contributors to depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more, including gut imbalances, hormone issues, infections, toxins, and metabolic dysfunction.

This episode offers both clinical insight and compassionate guidance, emphasizing the power of personalized care, lifestyle changes, and targeted nutrition—including the potential of the ketogenic diet—to support lasting mental wellness.

✅ Show Highlights:

• Dr. Stein’s transition from traditional psychiatry to functional medicine
• How gut health, infections, and toxins impact mental health
• Why conventional psychiatric care often overlooks root causes
• Nutritional and metabolic approaches to treating depression, anxiety, and ADHD
• The role of the ketogenic diet in brain healing and focus
• Personalized care as the future of psychiatric treatment

🎯 Some Questions We Explore:

• What are the root causes of mental health conditions that often go untreated?
• How does gut health affect mood and cognitive function?
• What role do infections and environmental toxins play in psychiatric symptoms?
• Can dietary and lifestyle changes really improve mental illness outcomes?
• How can parents advocate for deeper answers when medication isn’t enough?

💡 In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How functional medicine uncovers what's driving psychiatric symptoms
• Why targeted labs and personalized treatment plans are essential for healing
• How the ketogenic diet supports brain metabolism and reduces inflammation
• Tools and strategies to support mental wellness at any age
• Hopeful, holistic alternatives to the one-size-fits-all medication model

🌐 Resources & Links:

• Dr. Achina Stein – Official Website: drsteinmentalhealth.com
• Dr. Aaron Hartman – Richmond Functional Medicine: richmondfunctionalmedicine.com
• YouTube – Richmond Functional Medicine: Watch Here
• LinkedIn – Dr. Aaron Hartman: Connect Here

🎧 Closing Call to Action:

👉 If you're looking for new answers to mental health challenges, this episode offers both insight and hope. Subscribe to Made for Health and share it with someone who’s seeking a more holistic path to emotional well-being.