I was very pleased, yet a little surprised to see that the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI) promotes treating the whole person, holistically, when dealing with mental illness.

NAMI has developed a program that focuses on just that–dealing with the mind, but the body and as well. Their online magazine, Advocate, states: The Hearts & Minds program supports self-management of chronic illnesses such as major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia through a comprehensive approach that focuses on whole body health, including diet, exercise, and smoking cessation.

“You should never have to choose between a healthy mind and a healthy body,” says a woman in the video.

“Everything has to work together in order for you to be well. You have to take care of yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your feet.”

People with mental illnesses are more prone to die from heart disease than the general population. This is due to higher levels of smoking, diabetes, poor diet and inactivity, all things that people have control over, but pose greater challenges when mental illness is involved.

Of course I would add regular massage treatments as part of the treatment too. Click the link above to read the whole article and to find out more about the Hearts and Minds program.


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