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Holistic, non-pharmacologic intervention program improves mental health, well-being
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SAN ANTONIO — Pharmacologic treatment should be paired with ‘wise’ non-pharmacologic interventions to improve patient care, said a U.S. Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress co-chair.
Rakesh Jain, MD, MPH, of Texas Tech University School of Medicine, said here that because immune, brain and metabolic changes are problematic, we need practical tools to resolve these issues.
“We can deploy in most of our patients, techniques to improve — maybe medications, maybe [cognitive behavioral therapy] — but what about wellness techniques — wellness techniques that are anti-inflammatory?” Jain asked the audience and then said there are five such techniques.
Exercise
“I think I could be accused of being evangelical about exercise,” Jain said. “But if I had a pill better than anything I can offer my patients either as augmentation or as monotherapy and do not offer it I don’t know if I am being evangelical but it might be unethical if I don’t the data is that impressive.”
All the mechanisms that contribute to the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise training are independent of its effect om weight loss, he said.
Mindfulness
“Mindfulness is the quickest, single best way of quickly, efficiently cheaply, persistently, chronically, teaching individuals how to shift,” he said, adding that in just 4 weeks the anti-inflammatory effects are “crystal clear.”
Sleep
“Chronic sleep deprivation sadly comes at an incredibly high price,” Jain said, but noted it is correctable.
“Modern society has not been good to sleep hygiene at all,” he said.
Sleep is an active state of inflammatory repair.
Social Network
If a person has three or more modes of social connections, the rates of inflammation are normal. The average American has less than two social connections.
“There is a power to gathering,” Jain said.
Diet
Jain said the “consequences are real” when it comes to inflammation and diet, including improved glycemic control. There are emerging data that shows the connection between nutrition and chronic disease.
Jain pointed to the Psych Congress Wellness Interventions for Life’s Demands (WILD) 5 Wellness Program that focuses on all five interventions. The program is “simple, prescriptive and trackable.”
“Not one is more important than another,” he said.
A poster will be presented here and detailing the 30-day WILD 5 study results which were statistically significant, according to Jain.
“Let’s stop being brain doctors and mind doctors and be clinicians,” Jain said. – by Joan-Marie Stiglich, ELS
Reference s :
Jain R. Converting discoveries in immune, brain and metabolic science to change our treatment of mental illness. Presented at: U.S. Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress; Oct. 21-24, 2016; San Antonio.
Disclosure: Jain reports serving as a consultant for Addrenex, Alkermes, Allergan, Inc., Forum, Lilly, Lundbeck, Inc.; Merck & Co., Neos Therapeutics, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Pamlab, Pfizer, Shionogi & Co., Shire, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals and Takeda Pharmaceuticals.