Integrating Mental and Physical Health.

I am tired of people declaring they subscribe either to a bio-medical pr psycho-social perspective.
Its high time we realise the the Mind is the control centre to the body and it does not make sense to separate the two or ignore either one while providing medical care. 


Next time you go to a hospital, see whether your doctor asks about your work, your family, your eating behaviours, your thinking pattern, personality etc. Because it is these factors that are going to affect whether you will stick to treatment and how soon will you recover.


It is time to start integrating psychology in the medical setting, not as a separate department but as an adjunct to all the existing departments.This is essential not only for treatment adherence, patient satisfaction and to avoid patient attrition.


We need to focus on creating STRONG RELATIONSHIPS for better health care.
We need to go beyond accurate diagnosis simply writing a prescription. We need to start asking what is going on with them ,how they are feeling and how their family is doing.
When you go to a healthcare setting, it is time to feel "CARED FOR"


Its simple logic dear doctors ... if we do not take care of their anxiety, depression , insomnia or anhedonia, They are not going to be able to take care of their diabetes, dislipidemia, asthma, obesity, arthritis or any other physical ailments they are suffering from.


Putting the many pieces of health care together in a way that works is tough.
It demands that the staff embrace flexibility and continuous evaluation.

However, let us take the first step.

Let us start to accept a multidisciplinary approach where we integrate the services provided for patient care.

Recognising Behavioural Medicine is the need of the hour.




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