Nice segment this week from All in the Mind (Radio National, Australia). Lynne Malcolm leads a discussion centered on the mind-body issue in severe mental illness, but from the healing side. An innovative mind-body program for severe mental illness can help people overcome the frequent weight-gain that comes with antidepressants and antipsychotics, as well as teaching them how to manage mental health with exercise so that medications can be reduced or eliminated..

PLEASE do not stop taking your psychiatric medications without a doctor’s supervision. For more information on withdrawing from psychiatric medications, see Beyond Meds.

Linking Body and Mind

Sunday 19 May 2013

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IMAGE: JULIO DE LE TORRE IN THE SURF

Those with severe mental illness like schizophrenia have a 15–20 years lower life expectancy than the general population. Rapid weight gain associated with the side effects of medication often leads to a higher incidence of illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We hear the story of a young man who after a psychotic episode put on 30 kg. Now he’s back to surfing, with the help of an innovative mental health program linking body and mind.

Related

• ARTICLE: Physical health disparities and mental illness: the scandal of premature mortality
• ARTICLE: Cardiometabolic Risk of Second-Generation Antipsychotic Medications During First Time Use in Children and Adolescents
• ARTICLE: Weight gain in antipsychotic-naive patients: a review and meta-analysis
• ARTICLE: Metabolic risk factors in first-episode schizophrenia: baseline prevalence and course analysed from the European First-Episode Schizophrenia Trial

Guests

• Julio De Le Torre, Student, University of N.S.W Aerospace Engineering
• David Shiers, Former General Practioner, Leader of the UK’s National Early Intervention in Psychosis Programme (2004-2010)
• Dr. Jackie Curtis, Senior Staff Specialist Psychiatrist, Early Psychosis Program, Bondi Centre, Sydney
• Janelle Abbott, Uses exercise to manage her mental health

Presenter: Lynne Malcolm