Mental Health and Physical Health: The Symbiotic Relationship

by Vance Farrell

It should come as no surprise to anybody that the variety of systems within the human body often feed off and depend on each other to ensure the body is functioning properly. From the nervous system being tasked with communicating sensory information throughout the body to the immune system fighting off foreign germs trying to make us sick, the endless combinations of how these systems interact and work together are often easy to see and understand. Typically, these systems are referenced together to form the foundations of one’s physical health, and doctors have found numerous diseases and diagnoses that impact more than one when they inflict damage. However, beyond these systems lies another factor that often is not considered when a person’s health is measured in the grand scheme of things as it is often stigmatized to discuss in-depth and can be very hard to quantify, like running a blood test or completing an x-ray. This factor is a person’s mental health, and while there is a current rise in the awareness and importance of a person’s mental health, people still undervalue the link between mental health and physical health and the symbiotic relationship they share for better or worse.

            One such facet of this symbiotic relationship goes deep into what makes each of us unique from one another, our genetics. The genes each of us possess are the building blocks on which our bodies function and determine which traits, characteristics, and physical appearances we will have compared to others. Additionally, those very same genetics also help to determine whether or not we have allergies to certain substances, are more susceptible to certain illnesses, bacteria, or viruses, and can also determine our likelihood of developing specific mental health diagnoses. Just as common as it would be for a person whose family has a history of high blood pressure to develop the same condition, the same is true for a variety of mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, bi-polar, and schizophrenia to name a few. On top of that, research has started to show strong links between long-term physical health diagnoses, like heart disease, and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety from the various stressors associated with the necessary routine and precautions associated with physical health concerns. Other diagnoses with similar links can include depression with pain-centered medical diagnoses (headaches, migraines, etc.), ongoing stomach issues and anxiety, as well as digestive tract issues and autism.

            Apart from the genetic component of this relationship, there also comes the preventable side of the symbiotic relationship. One of the most common factors associated with the worsening of a diagnosis, medical or psychological, to the point where it crosses from one realm to the other is the low motivation and increased likelihood to not seek medical attention. Many mental health diagnoses are linked to low motivation for seeking help, whether it is a symptom of the diagnosis (depression) or because of the stigma associated with seeking assistance to help resolve some of the issues they might be experiencing. The same can be true for medical diagnoses as well, as people far too often will wait to seek medical attention for what they consider a “minor issue” without realizing the true impact it is having throughout their bodies. One such example could be back pain after an accident, as some people will try to “tough it out” and refuse medical attention for a variety of reasons (economic, social status, or embarrassment). However, if left untreated, the pain and discomfort could worsen to the point where the individual is no longer able to enjoy activities they once did because of their diminished capacity, coupled with the ongoing pain and discomfort, depression can easily set in and exacerbate the already low motivation to seek medical attention.

            While many of these examples highlight some of the negative impacts of this symbiotic relationship, it is just as important to highlight the benefits of these connected factors. These benefits often center around the growth each can experience when healthy choices are made to ensure the person’s overall health. Eating healthy food and avoiding harmful stimuli, such as cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol, not only allow a person’s physical health to flourish but also allow a person’s mental health to flourish as the person’s brain is getting the nutrients they need and avoiding the harmful chemicals within those substances that have been shown to negatively impact not only a person’s brain but also their mental capacities, emotions, and social capabilities.

The examples above demonstrate just a small portion of how these portions of our health interact and depend on one another to keep our bodies functioning properly. The link between a person’s physical and mental health is still far from being completely understood, but as our knowledge of each system grows, so too does our understanding of the impact each one can have on the other and the importance of ensuring each gets the proper nutrition and focus to ensure we remain as healthy as possible.

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