The imaginary divide between mental and “physical” health: Dismantling dualism and reductionism to address a monumental mistake in medicine

AI Summary

Historical dualism and reductionism established a false separation between mental and physical health, shaping medical education, research and practice.
Robust evidence shows mental and bodily conditions share mechanisms, comorbidity and bidirectional influences, disproving any real divide.
Maintaining the divide harms patients and healthcare; integrating services, training, research and policy is essential to redress this monumental mistake.

AI Summary

JCPP Adv. 2026 May 11:e70123. doi: 10.1002/jcv2.70123.

Given the importance of the link between mental and other medical conditions, JCPP Advances organized a special issue on the topic; yet since then, very few papers have focused on this area.

As such, this editorial perspective aims not only to highlight the link between mental and other medical conditions, but also to (1) explore the origins of the divide between mental and "physical" health, (2) provide evidence that this so-called divide does not exist in actuality, (3) highlight the harms of maintaining such a divide, and (4) discuss strategies to bridge this divide to address this monumental mistake, which has been perpetuated throughout medicine.

Basic summary

JCPP Adv. 2026 May 11:e70123. doi: 10.1002/jcv2.70123. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Given the importance of the link between mental and other medical conditions, JCPP Advances organized a special issue on the topic; yet since then, very few papers have focused on this area. As such, this editorial perspective aims not only to highlight the link between mental and other medical conditions, but also to (1) explore the origins of the divide between mental and “physical” health, (2) provide evidence that this so-called divide does not exist in actuality, (3) highlight the harms of maintaining such a divide, and (4) discuss strategies to bridge this divide to address this monumental mistake, which has been perpetuated throughout medicine.

PMID:42416674 | PMC:PMC13339204 | DOI:10.1002/jcv2.70123

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