Overview
Biopsychosocial models emerged as health models that consider the connection of biological, psychological, and social dimensions to someone’s lived experiences. It was first advocated for within modern medicine by George Engel in 1977, and it has steadily grown in interest and adoption since. In comparison to the biomedical model that preceded it which prefers mechanistic physiology as the mode of analysis for health, the biopsychosocial model is a more holistic iteration that emphasizes the connection between different angles to life. It’s especially beneficial when managing chronic health issues or conditions that are difficult to precisely define like substances use disorders that can impact multiple areas of life without standard discrete solutions.