Brain Inflamed: Uncovering the Hidden Causes of Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mood Disorders in Adolescents and Teens

by Kenneth Bock, MD

Overview

From renowned integrative physician Kenneth Bock, M.D., comes a groundbreaking approach to understanding adolescent and teen mental health disorders.

Over the past decade, the number of 12- to 17-year-olds suffering from mental health disorders has more than doubled. While adolescents and teens are notorious for mood swings and rebellion, parents today are navigating new terrain as their children are increasingly at risk of struggling with a mental health issue. But the question remains: What is causing this epidemic of illness?

In Brain Inflamed, acclaimed integrative doctor Dr. Kenneth Bock shares a revolutionary new view of adolescent and teen mental health—one that suggests many of the mental disorders most common among this population (including depression, anxiety, and OCD) may share the same underlying mechanism: systemic inflammation. In this groundbreaking work, Dr. Bock explains the essential role of the immune system and the microbiome in mental health, detailing the ways in which imbalances in these systems—such as autoimmune conditions, thyroid disorders, or leaky gut syndrome—can generate neurological inflammation.

While most conventional doctors assume that teens’ psychological struggles can be resolved only with therapy and psychotropic drugs, Dr. Bock’s approach considers the whole-body health of his patients. In his integrative evaluations, he often uncovers triggers such as gluten sensitivity, adrenal dysfunction, Lyme disease, and post-strep infections—all of which create imbalances in the body that can generate psychological symptoms.

Filled with incredible stories from Dr. Bock’s more than thirty years as a practicing physician, Brain Inflamed explains the biological underpinnings of many common mental health issues, and empowers the parents and family members of struggling teens with practical advice—and perhaps most importantly, hope for a brighter future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062970879
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/02/2021
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	1,096,420
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Kenneth Bock, MD is a board-certified physician who received his MD degree with Honor from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in 1979. An internationally recognized pioneer of integrative medicine, he is the best-selling author of Healing the New Childhood Epidemics, The Road to Immunity, Natural Relief for Your Child’s Asthma, and The Germ Survival Guide. He has also contributed to numerous professional publications and is an in-demand national and international speaker. Over the course of his thirty-five-year career, he has become known for his unique ability to identify and untangle the most complex, multisystem, multi-symptom medical cases. His world-renowned private practice, Bock Integrative Medicine, is located in the beautiful Hudson Valley, in Red Hook, New York.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1 Welcome to the Spectrum 1

Chapter 2 Immune System 101 15

Chapter 3 Gut Feelings 39

Chapter 4 Out of Control: Infection-Triggered Autoimmune Brain Inflammation (ITABI) 55

Chapter 5 Bitten by the Bug: Lyme, Bartonella, and Other Tick-Borne Diseases 87

Chapter 6 Stopped Cold: Hashimoto's and Other Thyroid Disorders 119

Chapter 7 Dead on Their Feet: Adrenal Dysfunction and Low Blood Sugar 139

Chapter 8 Overreacting to Life: Allergies and Sensitivities 165

Chapter 9 Bottlenecked: Nutritional Deficiencies, Toxicants, and Metabolic Disruptions 189

Conclusion 219

Acknowledgments 225

Appendix 227

Notes 233

Index 267

Editorial Reviews

"In Brain Inflamed, Dr. Kenneth Bock identifies the insidious, hidden cause of so many mental health disorders in adolescents and teens: neuroinflammation. This accessible, comforting, and illuminating book will offer a lifeline to kids who are struggling as well as much-needed resources and support for their families."  — Mark Hyman, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?

“Dr. Bock is a leader in integrative medicine, and his latest book, Brain Inflamed, will be a game-changer for parents desperately looking for answers to their children's unexplained mental health struggles. In this revolutionary book, Dr. Bock illuminates the biological underpinnings of psychological disorders in kids and offers both reassurance and practical solutions. The body is miraculous and you have more power over your health than you think; let Dr. Bock show you the way.” — Kris Carr, New York Times Bestselling Author and Wellness Activist

"There's no question that gut-based inflammation has widespread, systemic effects throughout the body—and can even affect the brain. In this rigorous and helpful book, Dr. Kenneth Bock explains how and why young people may be especially vulnerable to neuroinflammation as a result of both common viruses and bacteria, as well as lifestyle choices, and provides an integrative approach to healing." — Steven Gundry, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Plant Paradox and The Longevity Paradox

From the Publisher

"In Brain Inflamed, Dr. Kenneth Bock identifies the insidious, hidden cause of so many mental health disorders in adolescents and teens: neuroinflammation. This accessible, comforting, and illuminating book will offer a lifeline to kids who are struggling as well as much-needed resources and support for their families." 

Mark Hyman

"There's no question that gut-based inflammation has widespread, systemic effects throughout the body—and can even affect the brain. In this rigorous and helpful book, Dr. Kenneth Bock explains how and why young people may be especially vulnerable to neuroinflammation as a result of both common viruses and bacteria, as well as lifestyle choices, and provides an integrative approach to healing."

Steven Gundry

Dr. Bock is a leader in integrative medicine, and his latest book, Brain Inflamed, will be a game-changer for parents desperately looking for answers to their children's unexplained mental health struggles. In this revolutionary book, Dr. Bock illuminates the biological underpinnings of psychological disorders in kids and offers both reassurance and practical solutions. The body is miraculous and you have more power over your health than you think; let Dr. Bock show you the way.

Kris Carr