Psychiatrist Nevzat Tarhan shares the secret to a long life: Lifestyle psychotherapy

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

ISTANBUL, TURKEY — Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Uskudar University and Psychiatrist, stated that with the increase in average life expectancy worldwide, the "lifestyle psychotherapy" approach has come to the forefront to protect against diseases.

Emphasizing that the human lifespan is gradually extending, and consequently, age-related diseases like Alzheimer's are seen more frequently, Prof. Dr. Tarhan expressed that healthy aging (longevity) is only possible through a proper lifestyle and high awareness. Drawing attention to the importance of balancing material wealth, health, and wisdom, Tarhan said that a meaning-oriented life is the key to longevity.

Life expectancy increases, disease risk rises

Stating that the human lifespan has extended dramatically over the last century, Prof. Dr. Tarhan reminded that the average life expectancy in Turkey has now risen to 78 for women and 74-76 for men. However, he pointed out that this extended lifespan also brings new health problems:

"Because people died at an earlier age in the past, diseases like Alzheimer's did not appear much. However, today, when people reach 70 years of age and over, the risk of Alzheimer's increases significantly. Yet, research shows that 60-70 percent of diseases are directly related to lifestyle. Many diseases, from diabetes to depression, arise from factors such as unhealthy nutrition, inadequate movement, and a stressful life."

Taking precautions before getting sick with 'lifestyle psychotherapy'

Providing information about "lifestyle psychotherapy," which is beginning to be emphasized all over the world today, Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that this method aims to provide individuals with healthy living skills before they become ill. He noted that this approach, which is a type of positive psychotherapy, aims not only for a long life but also for a quality and healthy one.

Body and mind awareness saves lives

Emphasizing that one of the cornerstones of healthy lifestyle education is "body awareness," Tarhan expressed that people's failure to know their own bodies leads to problems like obesity. Stating that it is critical to correctly read the signals the body gives, Tarhan explained that mental awareness is at least as vital as physical awareness:

"Mental awareness involves the person's psychological state, how they perceive events, and how they react. We continue exactly the wrong mental patterns and stereotypes we learned in childhood. Knowing oneself both in terms of physical awareness and mental awareness is the first step. This is called self-consciousness. After realizing this, managing your strengths and weaknesses, namely self-management, begins."

The secret of the blue zones: Meaning-oriented simple nutrition

Touching upon the lifestyle habits of the residents of the "blue zones" in Japan (Okinawa), Italy, and the Greek islands, where people live the longest and healthiest lives in the world, Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that the common features of these people are a simple, plant-based diet and a "meaning-oriented" life philosophy.

Reminding a simple but effective rule to prevent obesity, Tarhan expressed that leaving the table before being completely full facilitates digestion and prevents the accumulation of toxins in the stomach.

Meditation: 20 minutes of mental purification

Arguing that it is necessary to return to Anatolian wisdom and meditative actions to escape the speed of daily life and the "dangerous curves of wild capitalism," Tarhan gave Mevlana's Sufi and whirling dervish practices as examples.

Stating that a 20-minute meditative action to be taken every day takes the brain out of its daily routine and activates all its areas, Tarhan summarized the three stages of a successful meditation as follows: relaxing the mind by focusing on a specific word (mantra), relaxing the body with physical exercise, and providing auditory support with nature sounds or calming music.

Happy marriage and humor prolong life

Also touching on the impact of human relations on health, Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that loneliness can only be beneficial when it is a chosen situation in the right dose; otherwise, it can lead to "religious or ethnic narcissism."

Drawing attention to the power of humor in coping with stress, Tarhan said that positive people who can use humor live longer. He also added that women live longer than men thanks to their emotional and compassion-oriented brain structures and highly developed empathy skills.

Finally, evaluating the impact of marriages on human lifespan, Tarhan emphasized the importance of marriages based on companionship, saying, "If the marriage is restless, if couples are in constant conflict, it is not very possible to live long. A real marriage is the coming together of two separate individuals to create a greater meaning; couples do not try to dominate each other, they get stronger together."

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