Lifestyle psychiatry for depression and anxiety: Beyond diet and exercise

Abstract

There are a range of lifestyle factors which can negatively affect both a person's physical and mental health, and there is increasing evidence that therapeutic lifestyle change can be useful for the prevention and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. The six core features of lifestyle medicine—regular physical activity, a whole food and plant predominant diet, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of substance abuse, and positive social connection—are important foci for mental health providers trying to help patients make meaningful lifestyle changes to improve their well‐being. Alongside these elements, there are likely many other aspects of lifestyle important to mental health. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of five potential lifestyle targets which may play a role in the development and treatment of depression and anxiety, including financial stability, time in nature, pet ownership, materialistic values, and the use of social media. The paper will explore the evidence that these factors contribute to the burden of depression and anxiety in the modern world and will review the potential mechanisms of these effects and clinical implications of interventions targeting these factors.

Associations between Lifestyle Changes, Risk Perception and Anxiety during COVID-19 Lockdowns: A Case Study in Xi’an

“…This was consistent with a systematic review and meta-analysis by Richardson et al (2013), in which debt increased the odds of neurotic disorders such as anxiety over threefold (OR = 3.21). Mortgage debt and financial hardship have been found to have strong ties to mental illness [ 53 , 54 ]. The evidence in Wuhan also confirmed economic loss caused by the pandemic as a major source of psychological distress [ 55 ].…”

The Potential for Outdoor Nature-Based Interventions in the Treatment and Prevention of Depression

“…The potential for nutritional strategies as either treatment or prevention is currently being explored ( Jacka et al, 2017 ; Bot et al, 2019 ), although the underlying mechanisms are yet to be determined ( Owens et al, 2020 , 2021 ). More recently in lifestyle psychology, there have been calls to increase efforts exploring more novel interventions, including contact with nature ( Piotrowski et al, 2021 ). It is therefore important to understand the current landscape in terms of NBIs and highlight the key considerations as they apply to the treatment and prevention of depression.…”

Theme Trends and Knowledge-Relationship in Lifestyle Research: A Bibliometric Analysis

“…Additionally, a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that young people in the U.S. (age 18–29 years) had the highest symptoms of mental pain distress. Lifestyle factors are a promising avenue for helpful treatments for depression and anxiety [ 31 ], as they affect our physical and mental health. It is necessary to study the living factors of depression and anxiety in the future based on a prior study [ 32 , 33 ] that found life mediation to be useful for preventing and treating mental diseases.…”