ABSTRACT
Biological approaches to treating co-occurring mental health disorders and substance use disorders include psychopharmacology, orthomolecular medicine, and nutrition. These approaches broach the medical model treatment paradigm, which has developed into a massive psychopharmacotherapy approach that now includes medical-assisted therapy (MAT) for those with chronic substance use disorders and the more holistic or complementary approach of using nutrition and orthomolecular medicine (mega doses of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals) to support improving brain chemistry. The chapter discusses the traditional medical model approach of MAT along with the integrative and holistic approach of using nutrition and mega doses of supplemental vitamins, amino acids, and minerals to support healing brain chemistry as an alternative to the medical model.
