This lecture will shine a spotlight on common – and commonly overlooked – biological contributors to anxiety disorders. It will also examine risks associated with treatment paradigms that omit biological testing and biochemical individuality, thus establishing a powerful rationale for the application of modern psychedelic medicine under a Functional Medicine model. Evidence supporting robust associations between discrete biological phenomena and mental illness will be presented, with a focus on essential nutrient deficiencies and infectious diseases.

Attendees will come away with an expanded understanding of the myriad biological factors that may influence the trajectory of neuropsychiatric illness, and why it is so imperative that modern treatment paradigms – including those employing psychedelics – routinely incorporate biomedical testing into comprehensive evaluations to maximize patient outcomes.