The Management of Comorbidities: The Role of Psychosocial Interventions

Patients suffering from severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, report higher prevalence of physical comorbidities compared to the general population. Several factors contribute to such disparity, including poor lifestyle behaviors, use of psychotropic medications, and organization of healthcare system. The disadvantage in terms of physical health results in lower life expectancy in people with severe mental disorders compared to the general population, with a mortality gap of up to 25 years. In order to reduce it, psychosocial interventions focused on lifestyle behaviors have been developed. These approaches differ in the type of format (group/individual), professional figures involved (psychiatrists/psychologists/dietitians/trainers), and duration. In this chapter, a brief overview of psychosocial interventions focused on lifestyle behaviors has been provided, with possible challenges and ways to improve its dissemination in clinical routine care.