Lifestyle and Mental Health is the title of a noted 2011 review article published in the journal American Psychologist by Roger Walsh (MD, PhD, DHL).[1][2] The article provides a variety of potential lifestyle changes to improve one's mental health along with supporting research.[3]
Thesis edit
The central thesis of the article is the following:
"Health professionals have significantly underestimated the importance of lifestyle for mental health. More specifically, mental health professionals have underestimated the importance of unhealthy lifestyle factors in contributing to multiple psychopathologies, as well as the importance of healthy lifestyles for treating multiple psychopathologies, for fostering psychological and social well-being, and for preserving and optimizing cognitive capacities and neural functions."[4]
— Walsh, in Lifestyle and Mental Health (2011) p. 579
Summary edit
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- Exercise
- Nutrition and diet
- Nature
- Relationships
- Recreation and enjoyable activities
- Relaxation and stress management
- Religious and spiritual involvement
- Contribution and service[1]
Impact and reception edit
Greg Bogart, a lecturer in psychology at Sonoma State University,[5] devoted over 2 pages to discussing the article in their 2017[6] book Dreamwork in Holistic Psychotherapy of Depression.[7] Bogart, a psychotherapist, concluded his treatment of the subject by stating "I often share these principles with clients and encourage them to practice them in their own lives."[8] Authors Benas & Bryan, in their 2022 book The Resilient Warrior, describe the article as "seminal."[3] According to Google Scholar, the article has been cited almost 1000 times as of February, 2024.[9]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Walsh, Roger (2011). "Lifestyle and Mental Health". The American Psychologist. 66 (7): 579–592. doi:10.1037/a0021769. PMID 21244124. S2CID 481301.
- ^ Roger Walsh at UCI.
- ^ a b Benas, N.; Bryan, R. (2022). The Resilient Warrior: Battle-Tested Life Hacks for Military Men & Women. Hatherleigh Press. ISBN 978-1-57826-932-7.
- ^ Evans, J.R.; Dellinger, M.B.; Russell, H.L. (2019). Neurofeedback: The First Fifty Years. Elsevier Science. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-12-817660-3. citing Walsh (2011) p. 579
- ^ About Greg Bogart Accessed February 16, 2024.
- ^ Dreamwork in Holistic Psychotherapy of Depression Taylor & Francis. Accessed February 16, 2024.
- ^ Bogart, G. (2018). Dreamwork in Holistic Psychotherapy of Depression: An Underground Stream that Guides and Heals. Taylor & Francis. pp. 45–48. ISBN 978-0-429-91300-6.
- ^ Bogart, G. (2018) p. 48.
- ^ "Google Scholar".
External links edit