'Wellness Deficit Disorder':

Could we be missing something crucial in mental healthcare? Beyond the familiar symptoms that define psychiatric disorders lies a hidden dimension of wellness that most clinicians never address—despite it being what patients value most.

I and Saundra Jain introduce the revolutionary concept of "Wellness Deficit Disorder," a condition not yet recognized in diagnostic manuals but profoundly present in clinical practice. Through compelling research, we reveals a startling disconnect: while clinicians focus primarily on symptom reduction, patients rank "feeling that life is meaningful" as their highest priority, with symptom reduction ranking only fifth on their list.

This isn't just philosophical musing. Using the HERO Wellness Scale (measuring Happiness, Enthusiasm, Resilience, and Optimism), research shows individuals with psychiatric disorders score 18-25% lower on wellness measures compared to those without diagnoses. Even more compelling, neurobiological studies reveal separate neural circuits for positive emotions versus negative ones, challenging our fundamental understanding of psychological health.

The implications transform how we should approach treatment. When patients engage with evidence-based wellness practices like nature reconnection, digital decluttering, nutrition optimization, and meaningful socialization, their psychiatric symptoms often improve more significantly than with symptom-focused treatments alone. In some cases, wellness deficits actually precede symptom emergence, suggesting preventative possibilities.

This approach doesn't reject conventional psychiatry but enhances it, offering a more complete path toward psychological well-being. By addressing both the absence of illness and the presence of wellness, we can finally help patients achieve what they've been asking for all along—not just survival, but genuine thriving. Are you ready to expand your understanding of what comprehensive mental healthcare really means?

Here are the citations I referenced during this podcast. Enjoy!

Zimmerman M, et al. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163(1):148-150

Demyttenaere K, et al. J Affect Disord. 2015;174:390-396.

Jeste DV, et al. J Clin Psychiatry. 2015;76(6):675-683.

Becker KD, et al. Adm Policy Ment Health. 2011;38(6):440-458.

Gallup and Sharecare Announce 2017 State Well-Being Rankings. www.well-beingindex.com/2017-gswbi-state-rankings. Accessed August 21, 2018.

Jain S, et al. Presented at: 29th Annual US Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress; October 2016; San Antonio, TX.

Spinhoven P, et al. PLoS One. 2015;10(10):e0139912.

Menezes AM, et al. PLoS One. 2013;8(11):e80370.

Burgdorf J, et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2006;30(2):173-187.

Loonen AJ, et al. Med Hypotheses. 2016;87:14-21.

Berridge KC, et al. Neuron. 2015;86(3):646-664.

Kringelbach ML, et al. Trends Cogn Sci. 2009;13(11):479-487.

Berridge KC, et al. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2013;23(3):294-303.

Greenberg T, et al. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2015;10(4):605-611.

Yang...