Lifestyle and Mental Health is the title of a 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] It is used as a basis for preparing patient education materials.[4]
The stated central thesis of the article is that:
"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."[5]
— Walsh, in Lifestyle and Mental Health (2011) p. 579
In response to the article, the editors of the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, Grayson & Meilman, wrote an article entitled "Eat Your Veggies." They stated that Walsh's "indictment of mental health professionals does seem bit unfair, at least as applied to those of us working on campus."[6] They found the recommendations "doctor-like" and "simplistic" and summarized the entire article as follows:
"Exercise is both preventive and therapeutic for mild to moderate depression and increases brain volume in the bargain. (Yet only 10% of mental health professionals recommend it.) Diets emphasizing multicolored fruits and vegetables and some fish may prevent or ameliorate psychopathologies, and fish oils may ward off first episode psychosis. Spending time in nature is good for you. Not so good are artificial environments (bad news for those of us in windowless offices) and media immersion—too much television, e-mail, texting, Internet surfing and the like (bad news for just about all of us)."[6]
Yet, Grayson & Meilman were impressed with Walsh's amassment of 153 diverse references. They concluded with an anecdote about a client who had felt "stuck" but whose condition improved markedly after an offhand recommendation for exercise.[6]
Hidaka considers the article as similar to others in the medical literature that have "posited that capitalist values have directly contributed to a decline in social well-being and an increase in psychopathology throughout the western world."[7]
Summary edit
Therapeutic lifestyle changes edit
Exercise edit
Nutrition and diet edit
Nature edit
Relationships edit
Recreation and enjoyable activities edit
Relaxation and stress management edit
Religious and spiritual involvement edit
Contribution and service edit
Service edit
Discussion edit
Impact and reception edit
Greg Bogart, a lecturer in psychology at Sonoma State University,[8] devoted over 2 pages to discussing the article in their 2017[9] book Dreamwork in Holistic Psychotherapy of Depression.[10] 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."[11] 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.[12]
See also edit
- Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (depression treatment)warning: this is a promotional article, however
References edit
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Counseling Resources: Therapeutic Lifestyle Choices". Cabrini University. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ 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
- ^ a b c Grayson, P; Meilman, P (2012). "Eat Your Veggies". Journal of College Student Psychotherapy. 26 (3): 163–164. doi:10.1080/87568225.2012.686419.
- ^ Hidaka BH (2012). "Depression as a disease of modernity: explanations for increasing prevalence". Journal of Affective Disorders. 140 (3): 205–14. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.12.036. PMC 3330161. PMID 22244375.
- ^ 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".