The Mind-Body Connection: How Mental Health Affects Physical Well-being
- Intern At Mind Splatters
- Apr 26
- 3 min read
-Abigail Lisa Jeji
Intern, Jan- Apr 2024
Our bodies and minds are intertwined in everything they do. Our body is in equilibrium only when the mind and body work together effectively. But when one of them gets thrown off balance the other follows. Most people know about physical illnesses causing mental health issues either as a symptom or as a reaction to being ill. But what about when the mind is ill? Your mind controls the body, if the mind is under duress it disrupts the physical functioning of the body as well. There has been a lot of research proving that mental illnesses can manifest physiological symptoms. According to Carla Manley, PhD, a clinical psychologist and author, people with mental illnesses can experience a range of physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, pain, headaches, insomnia, and feelings of restlessness.
The most common thing that people tend to suffer from is stress. When your body is in a stressful situation it enters “fight-or-flight” mode. In this state, the body releases stress hormones that will help you deal with the situation. This is more effective when the stressful situation is a dangerous situation like encountering a wild animal, getting robbed, when you're in a burning building, and so on. The reason why is that when your body releases these hormones they optimize the blood flow of your body toward your muscles to either fight or run away, it also increases the heart rate and blood pressure. Now because your blood is moving towards the outer region of your body your digestive system and immune system get suppressed. While the “fight-or-flight” response is very effective your body should only experience it for a short period. When your body is under constant stress your mind will keep instructing your body to release these hormones. This leads to symptoms like:
Headaches
Migraine
Muscle tension and soreness
Digestive issues such as diarrhea, stomach pain, and appetite changes
Sleep issues or disorders
Feelings of sluggishness
The symptoms of stress are very similar to the physical symptoms of anxiety since both entail the mind being constantly vigilant and in the “fight-or-flight” response. The main additions are tremors/shivering and the feeling of butterflies in the stomach. Depression also comes with its fair share of physical manifestations. They include:
Pain (lower pain tolerance as well as aching muscles and joints)
Digestive issues
Fatigue
Headaches
Eye problems
There is a type of disorder that specifically entails the physical manifestation of mental illness or distress. They are called psychosomatic disorders. They are defined as “Psychosomatic disorder is a psychological condition involving the occurrence of physical symptoms, usually lacking a medical explanation. People with this condition may have excessive thoughts, feelings, or concerns about the symptoms — which affects their ability to function well.” this disorder's symptoms are:
Fatigue
Insomnia
Aches and pains, such as muscle pain or back pain.
High blood pressure (hypertension).
Trouble breathing (dyspnea, or shortness of breath).
Indigestion (upset stomach).
Headaches and migraines.
Erectile dysfunction (impotence).
Skin rash (dermatitis).
Stomach ulcers (peptic ulcer disease).
Mental illness has also been known to trigger chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and more. They can also trigger autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, psoriasis, rheumatic arthritis, and more.
Many times people tend to believe that their aches and pains are purely physical and sometimes many people who suffer from mental health issues dismiss their bodily issues because they believe it's a symptom of their mental health. Both of these are wrong. If your body is not functioning optimally and if you have discomfort you should always go to a healthcare provider. Sadly many hospitals and mental health institutes don’t work hand-in-hand to help determine if what a person is having is due to a psychological reason or physiological reason. We need to work together like the mind and body to attain equilibrium.
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