Background Information On TLC
Here is a very interesting synopsis on the background of the Theraputic Lifestyle Change programme developed by the Department of Psychology at Kansas University:
The lifestyle of the average person today is quite different than that of our ancestors. Those living before the 20th century did not have the luxury of many of the innovations we have today. People’s days were active and spent outdoors, hunting, farming, building, and traveling. Communities were small and tightly knit. Sleep was more regular and diets were quite different (no McDonald's on every corner or 80 varieties of cereal at the grocery store).
Today, many of us feel the pressure of our fast-paced and demanding lives. We may work long hours, run from activity to activity, and be faced with a constant barrage of news and requests made possible by technological innovations (when was the last time you weren’t on your cell phone or in front of your television or computer screen for an entire day?). As a result, our diets have become filled with processed convenience food, our sleep is often shortened and disturbed, and we spend more time sitting at desks or on couches than being active outdoors. Additionally, in a culture that values independence and success over social connections, we have become increasingly isolated, living farther from family and having smaller groups to look to for social support.
The lifestyle of the average person today is quite different than that of our ancestors. Those living before the 20th century did not have the luxury of many of the innovations we have today. People’s days were active and spent outdoors, hunting, farming, building, and traveling. Communities were small and tightly knit. Sleep was more regular and diets were quite different (no McDonald's on every corner or 80 varieties of cereal at the grocery store).
Today, many of us feel the pressure of our fast-paced and demanding lives. We may work long hours, run from activity to activity, and be faced with a constant barrage of news and requests made possible by technological innovations (when was the last time you weren’t on your cell phone or in front of your television or computer screen for an entire day?). As a result, our diets have become filled with processed convenience food, our sleep is often shortened and disturbed, and we spend more time sitting at desks or on couches than being active outdoors. Additionally, in a culture that values independence and success over social connections, we have become increasingly isolated, living farther from family and having smaller groups to look to for social support.
While our lifestyles have changed dramatically over the last few centuries, the evolution of our bodies has not kept up. Our bodies were designed to live the lifestyle our ancestors lived, with a balanced diet, as well as plenty of exercise, sunlight, sleep, and social support. Dr. Ilardi developed the TLC approach based on increasing evidence of the mismatch between our modern environment and the environment our bodies were designed to live in. The elements of TLC can serve to combat this mismatch, thus helping to protect against a medley of mental and physical illnesses, including depression.
TLC was originally designed as a treatment for people with clinical depression.
What is Depression?
Depression is an illness that leaves the individual with a very low mood (feeling sad or empty) and/or feeling like they no longer have any interest in the activities they used to enjoy. Common accompanying symptoms include:
Other ailments?
The researchers behind TLC are strong believers in the program, not only because of the inspiring anti-depressant results we have seen in our clinical trials, but also because we feel good suggesting these lifestyle changes to everyone. Unlike anti-depressant medications, the elements of TLC do not have unpleasant or potentially harmful side-effects. All of the researchers in our lab subscribe to the elements of TLC, believing them to be a part of a healthy lifestyle, serving as a protective factor against not only depression, but a host of other mental and physical illnesses (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, etc.).
The TLC lab is still actively conducting clinical trials on the TLC program as a treatment for clinical depression, but in the future, we hope to investigate the program’s efficacy in treating other mental illnesses as well, including anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.
What is Depression?
Depression is an illness that leaves the individual with a very low mood (feeling sad or empty) and/or feeling like they no longer have any interest in the activities they used to enjoy. Common accompanying symptoms include:
- Change in appetite (significant decrease or increase in appetite)
- Change in sleep patterns (sleeping much less or much more than normal)
- Decreased energy
- Decreased concentration
- Moving or speaking much more slowly or more quickly than normal
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Thoughts of death
Other ailments?
The researchers behind TLC are strong believers in the program, not only because of the inspiring anti-depressant results we have seen in our clinical trials, but also because we feel good suggesting these lifestyle changes to everyone. Unlike anti-depressant medications, the elements of TLC do not have unpleasant or potentially harmful side-effects. All of the researchers in our lab subscribe to the elements of TLC, believing them to be a part of a healthy lifestyle, serving as a protective factor against not only depression, but a host of other mental and physical illnesses (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, etc.).
The TLC lab is still actively conducting clinical trials on the TLC program as a treatment for clinical depression, but in the future, we hope to investigate the program’s efficacy in treating other mental illnesses as well, including anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.
