Broadly speaking the interdisciplinary branch of science that aims at integrating a few things thing to understand health and illness in a better way, is known as behavioral medicine. It focuses on integrating the biomedical, psychosocial, and behavioral sciences with relevant techniques to the cause of preventing, diagnosing, treating, and aiding in rehabilitation.
Dr. Curtis Cripe the founder and CEO of NTL Group Inc. is a brain development expert.
Among the several other of his indulgences in the realm of neuro-engineering and bioengineering, he also has an affinity for understanding the genre of behavioral medicine. This led him to create the Crossroads Institute which has been exemplary in its assistance to the families of those afflicted with some kind of head injury. He and his team extend their help to the family to cope with the difficulties they have to go through especially with regard to learning disabilities.
Dr. Cripe did not stop at this but also developed programs for youngsters and adults that would help them face the issues they face owing to some head injury which includes a delay in development and regain proper brain function, respectively. He attaches a lot of importance to understanding the functionality of the brain ad looks at devising new means of taking health care to different heights altogether.
Behavioral medicines work with all age groups and it tries to tap into the problems of anxiety, adolescent health, asthma, aging, arthritis, chronic pain, children’s health, diabetes, depression, cardiovascular diseases, and a plethora of other physical and psychological disorders.
Doctors such as Dr. Curtis Cripe believe like all other behavioral medicine specialists that an improvement in the overall health of an individual is directly and closely connected to a change in lifestyle and behavior.
Researchers of the subject confidently reveal that the slightest change in the way one leads their normal life pertaining to eating, sleeping, and working habits keeps them more fit. This fitness can be witnessed in their physical condition, their emotional quotient, their dedication to exercising self-care skills, and also in their ability to fight some chronic illnesses they may be suffering from.
This kind of behavioral intervention proves rather helpful in enabling a more effective medical intervention. It ensures a reduction in the over usage of health care systems and the overall expenses of taking care.
Those like Dr. Curtis Cripe who get intently involved in research of behavioral medicines are often found studying the settings of community organizations, health clubs, fitness centers, athletic institutes, medical schools, health maintenance facilities, schools, worksites, wellness centers, religious organizations, private corporate sectors, etc.
Though behavioral medicine is often confused as a synonym for health psychology yet there is a stark difference between the two. This is because the former is not a specific discipline such as the latter; it is interdisciplinary. Some of the programs deployed in behavioral medicine include behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and biofeedback therapy.
There are certain integrative therapies of behavioral medicine as well. They are namely, mindfulness therapy, distress tolerance, cerebral blood flow training, and relaxation training. The combination of all these therapies is aimed at providing a significant lifestyle change so that the mental and physical health of an individual can be improved.
