Background Information on Behavioral Medicine
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Behavioral Medicine for Mental Health Professionals
A Training Resource
By Jim Messina, Ph.D., CCMHC, NCC, DCMHS-T
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What is Behavioral Medicine?
Definition of Behavioral Medicine
Behavioral Medicine is the interdisciplinary field concerned with the development and the integration of behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical science knowledge and techniques relevant to the understanding of health and illness, and the application of this knowledge and these techniques to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. (Definition is provided by the Society of Behavioral Medicine on their website at: http://www.sbm.org/about )
Focus of Behavioral Medicine
Behavioral medicine takes a life-span approach to health and health care, working with children, teens, adults, and seniors individually and in groups, and working with racially and ethnically diverse communities in the United States and abroad.
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Impact of Behavioral Medicine
Changes in behavior and lifestyle can improve health, prevent illness, and reduce symptoms of illness. More than twenty-five years of research, clinical practice, and community-based interventions in the field of behavioral medicine have shown that behavioral changes can help people feel better physically and emotionally, improve their health status, increase their self-care skills, and improve their ability to live with chronic illness. Behavioral interventions also can improve the effectiveness of medical interventions, can help to reduce overutilization of the health care system, and can reduce the overall costs of care.
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Key Strategies of Behavioral Medicine according to the SBM (at http://www.sbm.org/resources/behavioral-medicine )
Lifestyle Changes: Improve nutrition, increase physical activity, stop smoking, use medications appropriately, practice safer sex, prevent and reduce alcohol and drug abuse.
Training: Coping, relaxation, self-monitoring, stress management, time management, pain management, problem-solving, communication skills, time management, priority-setting
Social Support: Group education, caretaker support and training, health counseling, community-based sports events
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Behavioral Medicine Interventions Examples
Biofeedback
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Neurofeedback
Meditation
Guide Imagery
Mindfulness
Clinical Self-Hypnosis
Relaxation Training
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Yoga
Tai Chi
Transcendental Meditation
Self-Regulation Skills-learn to put control of health under one own personal locus of control
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Outcome Goals of Behavioral Medicine Interventions
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Behavioral Health Related Topics
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Weight Management
- Obesity
- Exercise
- Diet
- Nutrition
- CBT
- Body Image
- Eating Disorders
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Sleep Related
- Insomnia
- Sleep Hygiene
- Sleep Deprivation
- Sleep Apnea and compliance with CPAP
- Snoring
- Narcolepsy
- Restless Legs Syndrome
- Circadian Rhythm Disorder (Jet lag or Shift Work related)
- Somnambulism (Sleep walking)
- Connection to Metabolism, Exercise, Productivity
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Emotions Related
- Coping with Depression
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Coping with Bipolar Disorder
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Coping with Panic Disorder
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Coping with PTSD
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Coping with Obsessive Compulsive disorder
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Coping with Anxiety
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Muscular/Skeletal - Arthritis
- Chronic Pain
- Disease-Related Pain
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Lupus
- Low Back Pain
- Myofascial Pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Accident related Pain
- ALS
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Rehabilitation - Developmental Disability
- Accident Related
- Neurological Condition Related
- Aging Related
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Pulmonary Related - Asthma
- Allergy
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Pulmonary Disease
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Allergies Related - Seasonal
- Food
- Environmental
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Cardiovascular Related - Type A vs Type B Personality Style either chronic hostility vs lowered hostility
- Heart Disease
- Hypertension
- Stroke
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Gastrointestinal Related - Ulcers
- Diabetes
- Incontinence
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS
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Renal Disease Related - Dialysis
- Kidney Transplant Process
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Neurological Related
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- ADHD
- Autism
- Headaches
- Epilepsy
- TBI
- TICS
- Brain Plasticity
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Cancer Related - Coping with Diagnosis
- Coping with Treatments
- Coping with physical health during treatment process
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Sexually Transmitted Diseases
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Connectedness with others focused
- Social Relationships
- Isolation
- Loneliness
- Avoidance of Contact with Others
- Sense of Community
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Substance Abuse Related - Alcohol
- Illegal Drugs
- Prescription Drugs
- Tobacco-Nicotine
- Caffeine
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Spirituality Focus
- Internal vs External Locus of Control issues
- Spiritual Practices which encourage healing and good health
- Maintaining a Positive Outlook on Life which encourages physical healing and good health
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Death and Dying Related - Coping with a Terminal Diagnosis
- Making sense of Life from a new perspective
- Maintaining one’s composure facing the end of life
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