Lifestyle interventions for mental health

Mental illness is the single most common reason for patient visits to a general practitioner (GP). Prevalent mental illnesses include major depression disorder and dysthymia, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia. Patients with severe mental illness have a 10-20-year shorter life expectancy when compared with the general population, primarily due to physical chronic disease.

The aim of this article is to provide a concise update regarding the evidence-based clinical lifestyle interventions in the management of both mental illnesses and the physical chronic diseases highly prevalent in people with mental illness.

Growing evidence shows that lifestyle interventions are an effective component of management for patients with mental illness to improve mental health, physical health and quality of life, which consequently assists in reducing the life expectancy gap between patients with severe mental illness and the general population. Measures can be taken to improve long-term adherence. The GP plays a crucial part in initiating and supporting patients with these measures.