Psychedelics and health behaviour change

Healthful behaviours such as maintaining a balanced diet, being physically active and refraining from smoking have major impacts on the risk of developing cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other serious conditions. The burden of the so-called ‘lifestyle diseases’—in personal suffering, premature mortality and public health costs—is considerable. Consequently, interventions designed to promote healthy behaviours are increasingly being studied, e.g., using psychobiological models of behavioural regulation and change. In this article, we explore the notion that psychedelic substances such as psilocybin could be used to assist in promoting positive lifestyle change conducive to good overall health. Psilocybin has a low toxicity, is non-addictive and has been shown to predict favourable changes in patients with depression, anxiety and other conditions marked by rigid behavioural patterns, including substance (mis)use. While it is still early days for modern psychedelic science, research is advancing fast and results are promising. Here we describe psychedelics’ proposed mechanisms of action and research findings pertinent to health behaviour change science, hoping to generate discussion and new research hypotheses linking the two areas. Therapeutic models including psychedelic experiences and common behaviour change methods (e.g., Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Motivational Interviewing) are already being tested for addiction and eating disorders. We believe this research may soon be extended to help promote improved diet, exercise, nature exposure and also mindfulness or stress reduction practices, all of which can contribute to physical and psychological health and well-being.

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Health behaviour change during the UK COVID‐19 lockdown: Findings from the first wave of the C‐19 health behaviour and well‐being daily tracker study

British Journal of Health Psychology ◽

10.1111/bjhp.12500 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Felix Naughton ◽

Emma Ward ◽

Mizanur Khondoker ◽

Pippa Belderson ◽

Anne Marie Minihane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Behaviour Change ◽

Health Behaviour ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Behaviour Change ◽

The Uk

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Gamification as Upper Limb Rehabilitation Process

Advances in Medical Technologies and Clinical Practice - Handbook of Research on Solving Modern Healthcare Challenges With Gamification ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-7472-0.ch013 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 243-257

Author(s):

Vitor Simões-Silva ◽

Ana Filipa Duarte Mesquita ◽

Karla Lígia Santos Da Silva ◽

Vanessa Solange Arouca Quental ◽

António Marques

Keyword(s):

Behaviour Change ◽

Health Behaviour ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

Well Being ◽

User Participation ◽

World Health ◽

Upper Limb Rehabilitation ◽

Health Behaviour Change ◽

Limb Rehabilitation

In our modern life world, health and well-being strongly depend on the individual's health behaviours. Motivation is a major factor of health behaviour change, and intrinsically motivated behaviour change is desirable as it is both sustained and directly contributes to well-being. This raises the immediate question what kind of interventions are best positioned to intrinsically motivate health behaviour change. The current state of evidence supports that gamification can have a positive impact in health and wellbeing. In recent years, games and game technology have been used quite widely to investigate if they can help make rehabilitation more engaging for users. The underlying hypothesis is that the motivating qualities of games may be harnessed and embedded into a game-based rehabilitation system to improve the quality of user participation.

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Teixeira PJ, Johnson MW, Timmermann C, Watts R, Erritzoe D, Douglass H, Kettner H, Carhart-Harris RL et al. (in press). Psychedelics and Health Behavior Change, J Psychopharmacology

10.31234/osf.io/8vks6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pedro J. Teixeira ◽

Matthew Johnson ◽

Christopher Timmermann ◽

Rosalind Watts ◽

David Erritzoe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Behavior ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Premature Mortality ◽

Science Research ◽

Health Behavior Change ◽

Healthy Behaviors ◽

Balanced Diet ◽

New Research

Healthful behaviors such as maintaining a balanced diet, being physically active, and refraining from smoking have major impacts on the risk of developing cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other serious conditions. The burden of the so-called “lifestyle diseases” - in personal suffering, premature mortality, and public health costs - is considerable. Consequently, interventions designed to promote healthy behaviors are increasingly being studied, e.g. using psychobiological models of behavioral regulation and change. In this article, we explore the notion that psychedelic substances such as psilocybin could be used to assist in promoting positive lifestyle change conducive to good overall health. Psilocybin has a low toxicity, is non-addictive, and has been shown to predict favorable changes in patients with depression, anxiety, and other conditions marked by rigid behavioral patterns, including substance (mis)use. While it is still early days for modern psychedelic science, research is advancing fast and results are promising. Here we describe psychedelics’ proposed mechanisms of action and research findings pertinent to health behavior change science, hoping to generate discussion and new research hypotheses linking the two areas. Therapeutic models including psychedelic experiences and common behavior change methods (e.g., Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing) are already being tested for addiction and eating disorders. We believe this research may soon be extended to help promote improved diet, exercise, nature exposure, and also mindfulness or stress reduction practices, all of which can contribute to physical and psychological health and wellbeing.

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Family medicine physicians’ confidence and perceived effectiveness in delivering health behaviour change interventions

Family Practice ◽

10.1093/fampra/cmaa001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 493-498

Author(s):

Michelle D Sherman ◽

Stephanie A Hooker

Keyword(s):

Family Medicine ◽

Behaviour Change ◽

Health Behaviour ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

Well Being ◽

Behaviour Change Techniques ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Perceived Effectiveness ◽

Behaviour Change Interventions ◽

Health Behaviour Change

Abstract Background Approximately 40% of deaths in the USA are attributable to modifiable health behaviours. Despite clear recommendations and practice guidelines, primary care physicians (PCPs) generally do not dedicate much time to addressing health behaviours, thereby missing opportunities to improve patient well-being. Objective(s) To examine what health behaviour change techniques PCPs use with their patients, including frequency of use, confidence in and perceived effectiveness of those interventions. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, family medicine resident and faculty physicians (n = 68) from three residency training programs completed an anonymous online survey. Questions explored their use of, confidence in and perceived effectiveness of health behaviour change interventions for six domains: physical activity, healthy eating, medication adherence, smoking cessation, sleep and alcohol reduction. Qualitative responses to open-ended questions were double coded by two independent raters. PCPs’ open-ended responses to questions regarding specific intervention techniques were coded using an evidence-based behaviour change taxonomy. Results Although PCPs indicated that they address health behaviour topics quite frequently with their patients, they reported only moderate confidence and low-to-moderate perceived effectiveness with their interventions. The most frequently cited technique was providing instruction (telling patients what to do). PCPs reported lowest frequency of addressing, lowest confidence and lowest effectiveness regarding helping patients decrease their use of alcohol. Insufficient time and perceived low patient motivation were commonly cited barriers. Conclusion These findings highlight the need for the development and evaluation of educational curricula to teach physicians brief, evidence-based approaches to helping patients make these changes in their health-related behaviours.

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The development and evaluation of a web-based well-being intervention, for inclusion within an existing health promotion programme, to support and encourage health related lifestyle behaviour change

10.23889/suthesis.59036 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Menna Brown

Keyword(s):

Behaviour Change ◽

Health Behaviour ◽

Participatory Design ◽

Well Being ◽

Randomised Control Trial ◽

Health Board ◽

Lifestyle Behaviour ◽

Web Based ◽

Lifestyle Behaviours ◽

Health Behaviour Change

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours constitute a significant burden of disease, globally. Web-based interventions offer a means to support individuals in adopting and maintaining positive healthy lifestyle behaviours to address and reduce this issue. The health behaviour change literature offers several useful theoretical models which aim to explain or predict the likelihood of successful, individual level, lifestyle behaviour change. Indeed, research findings have shown that digital health interventions informed by these models are more likely to be effective. However, in practice adherence and engagement to web-delivered interventions is often critically low and is associated with reduced effectiveness and cost effectiveness. This thesis developed an emotional well-being intervention (ACTivate your Well-being), for inclusion within an existing lifestyle behaviour change programme ‘Champions for Health’. Thirty-eight anticipated end-users and six stakeholders contributed to a three-staged Participatory Design project which led to the development of a twelve-week intervention, based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and a new study website. Development was informed by two systematic literature reviews. Feasibility and acceptability were proven in a cluster randomised control trial (ISRCTN50074817) which recruited 142 participants. The majority (74%) enrolled on at least one lifestyle behaviour change module and health improvements were observed. Almost half (43%) of those randomised to the intervention arm enrolled onto the well-being intervention. Adherence was low (7%), no one completed the full 12-week programme. A randomised control trial (ISRCTN18190978) then evaluated impact on health behaviour change, adherence and engagement, and well-being. 182 participants were recruited. Adherence remained poor (4%) however some completed the full 12-week programme. Almost half (49%) enrolled on a lifestyle behaviour change module and health improvements were observed in three modules. COVID-19 limited evaluation. The ongoing relevance of the intervention and website is evidenced through its inclusion within the Well-being In work – In work support service, Swansea Bay University Health Board.

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Behavioural interventions delivered through interactive social media for health behaviour change, health outcomes, and health equity in the adult population

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1002/14651858.cd012932.pub2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jennifer Petkovic ◽

Stephanie Duench ◽

Jessica Trawin ◽

Omar Dewidar ◽

Jordi Pardo Pardo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Health Equity ◽

Behaviour Change ◽

Health Behaviour ◽

Adult Population ◽

Behavioural Interventions ◽

Health Behaviour Change

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Critical health response in the time of COVID-19: lessons from the past

South African Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1177/00812463211015047 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 336-345

Author(s):

Rabia Ruby Patel ◽

Tanya Monique Graham

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Behaviour Change ◽

Health Behaviour ◽

Subjective Experience ◽

Personal Responsibility ◽

Good Health ◽

Community Empowerment ◽

The South ◽

Change Models ◽

Health Behaviour Change

This article examines the South African government’s response to COVID-19 by exploring the strong emphasis that has been placed on South Africans taking personal responsibility for good health outcomes. This emphasis is based on the principles of the traditional Health Belief Model which is a commonly used model in global health systems. More recently, there has been a drive towards other health behaviour change models, like the COM-B model and Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW); nonetheless, these remain entrenched within the principles of individual health responsibility. However, the South African experience with the HIV epidemic serves as a backdrop to demonstrate that holding people personally accountable for health behaviour changes has major pitfalls; health risk is never objective and does not take place outside of subjective experience. This article makes the argument that risk-taking health behaviour change in the South African context has to consider community empowerment and capacity building.

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