People who are prone to adopting very strict diets probably are higher in neuroticism and various other like personality metrics. But also we know that there are really important nutrients where the brain and mental health is concerned in animal products as well. So I can't imagine that abstaining from such a broad group of nutrient dense foods such as animal products is doing anybody's mental health any favors.
Christopher Palmer, MD, is the Director of the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. For over 27 years he’s held administrative, educational, research, and clinical roles in psychiatry. His new book, Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health—and Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More, is out now.