Hegemonic psychiatric models in the 20 th century, centered on the notion of disease, were willing to consider a single 'natural' primary cause-either biochemical or neurophysiological-as sufficient explanation for complex psychological and social phenomena like psychosis or depression.The pharmacological treatment of mental health conditions came to be understood solely in terms of metabolic replenishment to fight a putative 'chemical imbalance', without a true need to delve into the recesses of the patients' minds and bodies.These overly simplistic models collapsed in the past two decades, and the trend is now the opposite, towards the recognition that mental health conditions are to a large extent, a social construct produced by lifestyles that jeopardize the essential tenets of good health: sleep, nutrition, exercise, introspection, and mind-body connection.Although psychiatric drugs are widely prescribed as 'effective' treatment, the number of people diagnosed with mental health conditions has increased substantially in the past decades.The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the prevalence of mental health conditions has risen from 416 million people in 1990 to over 615 million people in recent years [1].Similarly, the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health has reported significant increases in rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, particularly among young adults, over the past decade [2].A significant increase in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children has also been reported in the U.S. [3] and other countries.These increases have been attributed to better diagnosis and the increasing prevalence of conditions like anxiety and depression, which likely reflect the negative impact of contemporary lifestyle on mental health.Nevertheless, two other factors often overlooked, may also contribute to explain increase: the iatrogenic effects of psychotropic drugs, and overdiagnosis due to financial conflicts of interest, or prejudice against neurodivergence, as may be the case of ADHD and certain forms of autism.Like Thomas Insel, head of the National Institute of Mental Health for 13 years, publicly acknowledged during the 2017 Psychedelic Science meeting in Oakland, even though psychiatrists feel that they have come a long way in recent decades, patients are drowning in anxiety, depression, despair, and suicide.At the same time, there is a growing interest in traditional holistic practices and therapies, from Yoga, Qigong, and Capoeira, to gardening, meditation, and dreamwork.What is going on?

It is time for more holistic practices in mental health