Why Are Americans with Severe Mental Illness Dying 25 Years Younger than Their Peers?
December 16, 2016
(Quartz) – People with severe mental illness, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, suffer from diseases that make it difficult to find motivation. In addition, many drugs used to treat psychosis cause weight gain and make it impossible to feel full after eating. These challenges are compounded by the fact that many people with severe mental illness live in poverty, which makes access to healthy food and a safe space to exercise limited. “All these things conspire to reduce the life expectancy,” Bartels said.