Newsletter
Over-Compensation2025-09-09
“Stay away from what might have been and look at what can be.”
—Marsha Petrie Sue
What if most (chronic) diseases are attempts at compensation and repair gone wrong or in overdrive? Diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, pain? The scientific evidence, if looked at carefully and with an open mind, points in that direction.
In psychiatry they might include over-reacting to stressors (PTSD), to potential future challenging events (anxiety), to a perceived unfavorable environment (depression), to a reality that is unbearable (psychosis).
In particular in psychiatry, we have to make sure that we treat just right, for just enough time, and do not over-treat these adaptations. Do people need to be on SSRIs forever, or even in the first place? That we do not over-compensate with our treatments, engendering side-effects or diminishing the ability of individuals to develop skills and adapt independently to the environment, in pursuit of their life goals. To achieve that, individuals need to be assessed properly, and matched to the right treatment, started at the lowest effective dose. The MindX One Blood Testing can do that . Additionally, layering on lifestyle improvements with the Life x Improve Digital Screening, and psychological improvements with the Life x Mind app, lead to greater effect and a faster route to remission and independence. People can then move on with their lives. A cure should always be the (aspirational, but often time feasible) goal. Followed by building resilience as a way to prevent future episodes.