Lifestyle and Mental Health is the title of a 2011
review article published in the journal
American Psychologist by Walsh. It is used in
patient education and has garnered attention from editorials, Walsh cites evidence suggesting that the positive effects of TLCs might even generate significant multiplier effects in society by positively impacting "families, friends, and co-workers." He states that exercise reduces the risk of
depression, age-related cognitive decline,
Alzheimer's disease, and
Parkinson's disease according to
cross-sectional and
prospective studies. He writes that "in terms of therapeutic benefits, responsive disorders include depression, anxiety, eating, addictive, and body dysmorphic disorders. Exercise also reduces chronic pain ... and some symptoms of schizophrenia." Walsh emphasizes a "rainbow diet" mainly consisting of fruits and vegetables (a multicolored
plant-based diet) with some
salmon-like fish content, for
omega-3s. Walsh endorses
calorie restriction given obesity may be associated with reduced cognitive function, reduced
gray matter, and reduced
white matter. Walsh notes that "fish and fish oil" are fundamental for mental health given that "they supply essential omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA (
eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (
docosahexaenoic acid)" for neural functioning. Walsh writes that time in nature has healing and restorative effects, but modern societies tend to isolate us from sunlight and box us away from nature, which reduces us, through digital immersion, to being people who "have become the tools of their tools." In contrast, Walsh states that time in nature is associated with "greater cognitive, attentional, emotional, spiritual, and subjective well-being." Walsh emphasizes the importance of relationships, writes that one's
social connections are a cornerstone of one's wellness, and states "the health risk of social isolation is comparable to the risks of smoking, high blood pressure, and obesity." He states that the benefits of social connections include "enhanced happiness, quality of life, resilience, [and] cognitive capacity." Walsh encourages participation in recreational and enjoyable activities such as those that involve play, humor, and the arts, noting that the evidence suggests that "enjoyable recreational activities, and the positive emotions that ensue, foster multiple psychological and physical benefits." Walsh emphasizes "religious and spiritual involvement" stating that these practices are pervasive in human societies and are used to deal with stress. Walsh writes that an emphasis on love and forgiveness is considered beneficial, whereas a focus on punishment and guilt might do harm. Walsh cites evidence that "those who attend religious services at least weekly tend to live approximately seven years longer than those who do not." He also discusses
developmental differences in religious faith. However, this association is said to begin to break down when the motivations for pro-social behavior are "driven by a sense of internal pressure, duty, and obligation." He discusses the potential challenges to implementing TLCs during psychotherapy sessions and calls upon practitioners to be aware of the
Rosenthal effect: "the self-fulfilling power of interpersonal expectations." Walsh asks if an underemphasis on TLCs is a sign of
professional deformation in medical practice. Additional TLCs beneficial for mental health that were not discussed include "
sleep hygiene ... ethics,
community engagement, and [moderation] of television viewing," according to Walsh. who "pointed out that we could herald the discovery of a great new drug called 'Give Back—instead of Prozac.' " Thomas closed her editorial with an endorsement of Walsh's article, repeating the call for TLCs to be included in clinical practice.
Books, other literature, and further impact Greg Bogart, a lecturer in psychology at
Sonoma State University, devoted over 2 pages to the article in their book
Dreamwork in Holistic Psychotherapy of Depression. According to Bogart, the article's perspective is that increasing time spent in nature is one of the most beneficial TLCs. Hidaka considers the article as similar to others in the
medical literature that have "posited that capitalist values have directly contributed to a decline in social well-being and an increase in psychopathology throughout the western world." Authors Benas & Bryan, in their 2022 book
The Resilient Warrior, describe the article as "seminal." According to
Google Scholar, the article
has been cited over 1050 times as of February 2025. ==Additional selected bibliography==