In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Linda Bluestein sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Janet Settle to unpack the medical mystery that is mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and why it may be hiding in plain sight as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, or even psychosis. Together, they explore how immune system dysregulation can masquerade as psychiatric illness, and why so many patients are misdiagnosed, medicated, and misunderstood. With deep expertise in trauma-informed psychiatry, Dr. Settle explains how MCAS and other overlooked conditions could be the real cause behind persistent mental health symptoms and what it takes to finally get the right diagnosis.

Takeaways:

Dr. Settle explains how MCAS can present as psychiatric symptoms like panic, depression, or brain fog—long before classic allergy symptoms appear.

The conversation explores how common psych meds can actually exacerbate MCAS-related symptoms in some patients, leading to confusing outcomes.

Learn how past trauma and immune dysregulation may work together to create a complex feedback loop—affecting mood, cognition, and inflammation.

Many patients are labeled with mental illness for years before MCAS or other immune-based conditions are considered. Dr. Settle shares why this misdiagnosis is so common.

Discover how identifying MCAS and understanding its psychiatric presentations can open the door to treatments that actually work—and a life patients didn’t think was possible.

Find the episode transcript here.

References & Resources: Find all articles mentioned in this episode at bendybodiespodcast.com.

Want more Dr. Janet Settle?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-settle-md-b2666142/

www.janetsettle.com

www.Gateway2Healing.com

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