Behavioral/Biopsychosocial Model

 It is no wonder that, whether it is a cause or an effect of trauma, human behavior is often changed in individuals who have undergone physically or psychologically traumatic events.  George L Engel in 1977 was an advocate of what he called biopsychosocial model and approaching health.  This relates to the complex interaction between a patient’s biology (see their physical health) and their social environment as well as psychological state.  Usually syndromes such as PTSD, chronic pain, and substance abuse are a result of dysfunction between all three of these realms.  The CDC in Kaiser Permanente have an ongoing study in relation to adverse childhood events and chronic disease in the long-term.  They have found strong correlations with increased adversity (albeit marital discord and parents, presenting parents, exposure to substance use, poverty, etc.) and chronic disease including COPD, heart disease, substance abuse, and many others.  In the realm of public health, there is also a lot of work being done and what is called the social determinants of health (SDOH), where there is an attempt to decrease barriers to healthcare. SDOH movements also acknowledge how poverty, pollution, etc. disproportionally affect historically disenfranchised people which also negatively affect their health and access to healthcare.  While I do not believe that either psychedelic therapy or osteopathic therapy can always treat the root of these issues related to trauma, they certainly can provide an adjunct in treating the psychological dysfunction and chronic pains that come with it.  Ultimately, behavioral health likely requires extensive psychologic therapeutics, as well as addressing the social and environmental issues that have caused the suffering of these individuals.