Make lifestyle changes the foundation of care

• People with mental illness die up to 15 years earlier, mostly from preventable diseases caused by poor lifestyle choices.
• A Lancet Psychiatry report says diet, exercise, sleep, and quitting smoking must be central to mental health care, not “optional extras.”
• Better choices save lives and taxpayer money. Personal responsibility is good for you and fair for all Australians

Australia’s mental health crisis isn’t just about underfunded services; it’s about choices. Too many preventable illnesses are being driven by unhealthy lifestyles, and taxpayers are footing the bill.

A new Lancet Psychiatry Commission report shows people with mental illness die up to 15 years earlier than average; not mainly because of their mental health condition, but because of preventable problems like heart disease and diabetes. These are fueled by poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and inadequate sleep.

Lead author Dr Scott Teasdale from UNSW says the evidence is in: lifestyle changes are as essential as therapy or medication. Yet for decades, lifestyle has been treated as a side issue. That neglect doesn’t just harm lives; it drains health budgets.

The truth is, a pill can’t fix a bad diet. Counseling can’t undo years of sitting still, smoking, or skipping sleep. These choices add up to a massive and avoidable health cost, paid for by every taxpayer.

The Commission is calling for mental health services to make lifestyle changes the foundation of care – supported by trained exercise and nutrition specialists. Yes, that takes upfront investment, but it prevents the far greater costs of hospital stays, medication regimes, and welfare dependency down the line.

It’s time to stop pretending lifestyle is a “nice to have” and start treating it as a first-line defence. Personal responsibility isn’t just good for your health, it’s fair to every Australian who pays for our health system.