December 5, 2008 TIME magazine reports that people with severe
mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than the general
population from cigarette smoking, obesity and diabetes. One
reason that people with serious mental illness are dying younger
is that they often cannot access the best available health care
due to socioeconomic barriers. In addition, more than 75% of
people with severe mental illness are dependent on tobacco.
People in this demographic also may be disproportionally
affected because psychiatric medications cause significant
weight gain. The high incidence of obesity-related illnesses in
people living with mental illness, such as diabetes, has been
identified as an epidemic within an epidemic. The good news is
that these common risk factors are modifiable. NAMI NYC Metro
conducted focus groups to review patient concerns in response to
a 2006 mortality report. Based on the participant’s feedback,
NAMI NYC Metro introduced "Six Weeks to Wellness," a popular
weekly class that addresses top