Psychosis, Severe Anxiety & Dysbiosis - Ayurveda • Pranayama • Lifestyle Coaching

Client Background

• Name: Jake* (28, Caucasian male)

• History: On SSRIs since age 10; admitted to a psychiatric hospital for severe psychosis & depression 2 years ago. Fearful of relapse and job loss due to recurring anxiety and depressive phases.

• Symptoms: Chronic digestive distress (pain, bloating, flatulence, constipation – bowel movement only 2x/week), underweight, dry skin, joint pain.

• Lifestyle: Fast food, energy drinks, microwave dinners, chocolate milk, occasional alcohol.
  

Initial Session

• Assessment: Vata-dominant dosha (as per Ayurveda) — explaining his lifelong underweight body type, joint pain, and gut issues helped normalize his experience and reduce anxiety.

• Interventions:

  • Education around inflammatory triggers (dairy, gluten, sugar, processed foods).

  • Transitioned to a Kitchari protocol (rice + mung dal + spices + ghee) for gut rest.

  • Reduced meat & alcohol, replaced caffeine with masala chai (almond milk), replaced sugary drinks with fruit-infused water.
    

Two Weeks Later

• Breakthrough: For the first time, Jake slept through the night without cramps or panic.

• Nutrition shifts:

  • Replaced junk food with vegetables, lentils, some fish.

  • Limited chicken/eggs (80:20 fresh produce to animal protein).

• Added practices: Basic Pranayama & Kriya techniques to aid digestion and regulate nervous system.
  

Two Months Later

• Physical changes:

  • No bloating, daily bowel movements

  • Pain-free digestion

  • Deeper, more restful sleep

• Psychological shift: Without directly addressing “anxiety” or “psychosis,” his nervous system self-regulated through gut healing.

• Root-cause insight: Nutritional starvation had wrecked his microbiome → serotonin deficiency → chronic anxiety + cortisol spikes. Healing digestion restored balance.

• Lifestyle: Naturally lost urge for caffeine & alcohol.
  

Expanding Focus

With renewed energy, Jake began applying Visualization & Manifestation tools from my Financial Coaching model. Using the Wheel of Life worksheet, he identified career/finance as the next area for growth.

Key Learning

Diagnoses are often overemphasized.

In many mental health cases, what’s truly needed is somatic intervention: food, water, breath, movement, sleep. The body’s natural intelligence, once supported, does the healing.

As I often remind clients:

“Cocktail of human needs > Cocktail of human greed (pills).”