From Cinderella to a prima ballerina

Mental health and brain health have for many years been the forgotten and ignored areas of health care – this is not reflected as far as people and patients are concerned with at least one in three of us experiencing a mental health problem at some time in their lives and with dementia being the leading cause of death in many developed countries.

Mental health prevalence is on the increase – it is a common condition in younger people and in this new internet and information age and in our societies where isolation and loneliness is becoming more of a problem, it is high time we started to get better treatments and care rolled out as well as increasing the priority we give mental health in our thinking.

Brain health is also in the news. Not only are we seeing the advent of new treatments for neurological conditions and also promising new approaches to manage cognitive decline in ageing, but there is a new excitement in this field as investigators and clinicians are starting to appreciate that we can indeed make a difference to people’s lives. It is only a few years ago that the famous finger trial gave the first indication that dementia was a partly preventable condition and we are reaping the benefit of better brain health as a result. Yes, the rates of dementia may well be on the increase but not at as high a level as predicted given the changes in behaviour associated with protecting one’s brain. My sense is there is more we are likely to see in this space over the next few years.

There is more to brain health and mental health however. We need to really get to grips with behaviour change and assist people in managing their own health better. This will be another area we will be considering at the Radical Health Festival. How are we ever to see improvements in cardiovascular disease, and cardiometabolic disorders unless we get people activated to manage their own health and how can clinicians assist them when they are not taught about behaviour change and behavioural science in medical schools ?

Finland remains the happiest place on earth and we also want to celebrate this. Indeed we have designed and will be offering a happiness workshop for all who attend the festival. Let us take advantage of the happiest nation on earth and steal some of their happiness. I think we will all be game for this – even the Finns.

– Dr. Charles Alessi, Chief Clinical Officer of éditohealth and Steering Committee member of Radical Health Festival