A trauma-informed approach, and culturally aware practices help tailor psychiatric therapy to promote better mental health.
Mental health therapies must immediately incorporate healthy lifestyle factors such as proper nutrition, smoking cessation, exercise, and quality sleep into psychiatric care reform, according to a report from Lancet Psychiatry Commission.
The main aim of this adaptable global roadmap is to close 13-15 years life-expectancy gap in people suffering from mental disorders. Along with medication support, lifestyle interventions could improve overall well-being in mental illness (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Implementing lifestyle interventions in mental health care: third report of the Lancet Psychiatry Physical Health Commission
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The 2019 Commission reports on protecting physical health in people with mental illness – who die 13 to 15 years earlier than the general population, largely due to preventable conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Increased funding, upskilling of mental health staff and enabling access to a broader range of allied health professionals will be key to better incorporating lifestyle interventions into care.
The mental health reform insists on creating psychologically safe environments, ensuring adequate support staff, providing trauma-informed and culturally sensitive care for people with mental illness.
“Embedding these interventions must be done in partnership with people who live with mental illness, and with attention to the social and economic realities they face,” Prof. Rosenbaum said.
A Holistic Approach in Psychiatry for Better Mental Health Recovery
“In countries with limited resources, the focus may be on upskilling existing staff and non-specialist workers, and engaging family members, to help deliver lifestyle interventions,” Prof. Indu said.
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Embedding exercise and nutrition specialists into mental health services at top training and research institutions would also help drive systemic change, she said.
“An ideal treatment plan no longer starts and ends with medication and psychology support. It now begins with lifestyle changes and psychological support as the foundation, with medication added where needed,” Dr. Teasdale said.
But change has been slow, amid budget constraints and a stretched workforce, and more needs to be done by government, health services and education providers to better embed lifestyle interventions into care.
While this requires greater upfront investment, it would reduce more substantial health care and societal costs long term, Dr. Teasdale said.
“Improving these lifestyle factors is crucial for the mental wellbeing of every person, and in the prevention and management of mental illness.”
Reference:
- Implementing lifestyle interventions in mental health care: third report of the Lancet Psychiatry Physical Health Commission – (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(25)00170-1/abstract)
Source-Eurekalert