Mental and Physical Health

Having great physical health means that one’s body is fit and is generally well. The internal status of the person, as well as their social and emotional situations, are all factors that influence one's mental health. A perfectly healthy existence requires both excellent physical and mental health. When one has poor mental health, they are more prone to have physical health problems. As a result, physical and mental well-being is vital for one's overall health. When one’s mental health deteriorates, one may experience emotional distress, physical pain, or physical injuries. Stress can thus impede the body's normal ability to function. Therefore, people should prioritize both their physical and mental well-being because of the sophisticated association between the two for the body to work efficiently and for a prolonged healthy, and happy life.

Mental Health

Mental illnesses are very common, particularly in the United States. At some point in their lives, at least 50% of people receive a mental disorder or illness diagnosis (CDC, 2021). One in five Americans will also experience mental health issues in a year (CDC, 2021). In contrast, one in five kids today or at some time in their lives suffers from a severe, disabling mental disorder. A serious mental disease like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or severe depression affects one in every 25 Americans (CDC, 2021). Despite these statistics, one must remember that an individual’s mental health can change with time, as affected by numerous factors. When the demand placed on an individual exceeds their coping abilities or resources, it impacts their mental health. For instance, if someone is working extra hours, taking care of a relative, or having economic hardship, one may experience poor mental health (CDC, 2021). Therefore, mental health issues are prevalent in the United States and are constantly evolving depending on people’s resources and coping abilities.

Reduced energy levels, negative thoughts, mood swings, behavioral changes, difficulties managing stress, altered eating or sleeping habits, sadness, and negative self-talk are all signs of poor mental health. Even if one has these symptoms, they may not indicate a mental illness. When symptoms of poor mental health grow more frequent and interfere with everyday functional ability, it becomes a disorder (Alonzi et al., 2020). Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar depression, eating disorders, and addiction are some examples of prevalent mental diseases (Alonzi et al., 2020). Overall, mental health illness progresses from prolonged poor mental health that eventually impedes one's daily functioning.

Mental Health Impact on Physical Health

Mental health impacts more than just one's mind; it also impacts one's body and behavior. Poor mental health impacts one's ability to make healthy decisions (Moreno et al., 2020). It increases one's risk of contracting chronic illnesses such as heart disease and complications including a weak immune system and obesity. Depression causes modifications in how people operate, which has a negative influence on their physical health. Increased inflammation, persistent weariness, sleeplessness,  increased heart rate, changes to blood circulation, and metabolic changes similar to those seen in people with diabetes are among these changes (Moreno et al., 2020). Poor mental health can drain one's vitality and impede one‘s ability to work on one's physical health.

Although many people perceive physical health as the basis for a productive life, if one examines the body and mind's chemical effects, it is evident that mental health is the driver of one's physical health. Thoughts are, for instance, the mental link people have to the environment that allows them to evaluate the situation to make choices that allow them to thrive and survive (ACSA, 2021). If one has pleasant thoughts, one’s body will secrete dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin, creating a sense of well-being and relaxation. In contrast, when one is stressed, one’s thoughts will develop a chemical release constituting cortisol, adrenaline, cytokines, histamines, and other hormones that create a sense of dread and insecurity (ACSA, 2021). Avoiding stress is also stressful; one cannot evade many of their stressors or unpleasant thoughts. One will then be motivated to mitigate the situation to eradicate anxiety. Since one cannot escape these unpleasant thoughts, whether rational or irrational, one’s body will be exposed to high levels of these chemicals than what it requires hence it will deteriorate sooner or later (ACSA, 2021). However, one must learn strategies to dampen or evade this chemical reaction so one can thrive.

Long exposure to stress chemicals in one's body has numerous physical consequences, including mind-body syndrome (MBS), stress illness disorder, and central sensitization syndrome (CSS). A collective name for these terms is neurophysiological disorder (NPD) (Keynejad et al., 2018). One's thoughts are the nervous system's neurologic input, developing a physiological response similar to a physical stimulus. People are programmed to avoid stress chemicals and gravitate towards reward chemicals. Within a wide range, people can conduct their lives enjoyably and functionally, except when they cannot (Keynejad et al., 2018). Each cell in one's body is affected by these chemicals, resulting in various physical symptoms that elicit a different and unique reaction from every body organ. There are at least 33 possible symptoms that result from untreated NPD (Keynejad et al., 2018). Modern medicine focuses on alleviating the manifestations instead of addressing the cause of the problem. Most of these conditions begin in children, including headaches, insomnia, eating disorders, anxiety, and stomach pain. In addition, anxiety causes anger, which then results in a loss of control (Keynejad et al., 2018). When one loses one's ability to control one's anxiety, one's body secretes more hormones for survival when trying to regain control—losing one's control of physical and mental pain results in deep frustration (Keynejad et al., 2018). From the preceding, poor mental health is associated with mental stress, which results in the release of survival hormones that exacerbate the situation, impacting one's physical health.

Physical Health

People often pay more attention to physical health than mental health. Parents and guardians often ensure their children are raised physically healthy, but they may need to be aware of what physical health encompasses. The first component of physical health is activity (Hillside Atlanta, 2019). In contemporary times, it is challenging for children to get enough exercise and physical activity due to the proliferation of screens in each area of their lives, making them more sedentary. Children who watch television for at least three hours a day have a 65% likelihood of being obese than those who do so for less than an hour per day (Hillside Atlanta, 2019). Screen time also causes sleep loss and learning difficulties. Other components of physical health include regular dental and vision checkups to monitor development and adequate sleep. Nutrition is also a major part of physical health because it provides the body with necessary resources such as minerals and vitamins (Hillside Atlanta, 2019). A balanced diet thus ensures that one remains physically healthy. These elements of physical health ensure that one's physical well-being is upheld.

Physical Health Impact on Mental Health

One's physical health influences one's mental health. Physical well-being in this context refers to the condition of one's physical body and the effectiveness of its functioning. One can maintain physical health through lifestyle, hygiene, diet, and exercise. Lifestyle means staying active throughout the day, sleeping enough, and drinking plenty of water (Simon & Caputo, 2019). Diet means eating a balanced diet that nourishes the body. Hygiene means keeping oneself and one's environment clean and organized, while exercise involves strengthening and utilizing one's body and muscles (Simon & Caputo, 2019). When one works on their physical fitness, it improves their life span and mood and helps in preventing mental illnesses. People who are healthy and active feel more energized during the day, sleep more soundly, are more at ease, and have a more positive outlook on life (Simon & Caputo, 2019). Living healthy and staying physically active also reduces one’s probability of contracting diseases such as type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, cancer, dementia, and heart disease (Simon & Caputo, 2019). Numerous problems with mental health can also be effectively treated by exercise. According to research, it can effectively cure mild to moderate depression, like antidepressants (Simon & Caputo, 2019). It also functions as an anxiety therapy. Reduced inflammation, neuronal development, and activity patterns that support feelings of well-being and serenity are just a few changes that exercise induces in the brain (Simon & Caputo, 2019). It also causes the release the endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine into one's body, making one feel good and less stressed. Lifestyle, diet, hygiene, and exercise are thus the pillars of physical health that, in turn, affect mental health.

Reciprocal Association Between Physical and Mental Health

Most mental health research emphasizes the household, individual, and socioeconomic risk factors to predict mental health or its impact on physical health. The straightforward relationship or connection between physical and mental health is another area of research interest. However, the causal relationship between physical health and mental well-being receives little attention (Doan et al., 2022). There has been a paradigm change in how people view health, and as a result, mental and physical health are now seen as interdependent and impacting one another. However, data on this change is obsolete, especially when studying how much physical health issues and shocks influence the signs and symptoms of mental health issues. The absence of viable approaches to holistically test for influence by simulating these reciprocal and complicated endogenous networks has been a major impediment. However, Doan et al. (2022) demonstrated that long-term health issues, physical activity, and shocks to physical health substantially influenced physical health through the use of time difference and IV estimators in this respect. More specifically, a one-point reduction or rise in physical health ratings corresponds to a 43% decline or rise in mental health scores (Doan et al., 2022). A worsening or improvement in physical health significantly impacts one’s mental health.

One's mental and physical health states are significantly correlated, according to Young et al. (2017). Most study subjects knew the connection between physical and mental health. Compared to the general population, those diagnosed with a mental disorder have relatively poor physical conditions and high death rates. Roberts et al. (2018) found that the risk of premature death is three times higher for Australians with mental illness who reside in remote locations than for the general population. The population's mental health eventually improves due to initiatives designed to boost physical health. In their evaluation of 61 initiatives aimed at enhancing public mental health, Morgan et al. (2021) found that a large proportion of the strategies dealt with stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses and their families as well as linguistically and culturally diverse populations, with little evidence of their efficacy. Although several studies sought to increase the accessibility of resources, social supports, and treatment options, they frequently neglected the significance of physical health risk behaviors or factors (Doan et al., 2022). The importance of restructuring health systems to deal with the relationship between mental and physical health is also highlighted by this study. Despite evidence suggesting that improving physical health influences mental health, facilities often give distinct treatments for mental and physical health. Therefore, as a policy or system change, healthcare institutions should integrate dual physical and mental health assistance and treatment within their healthcare system (Doan et al., 2022). Preventative and intervention strategies should thus focus on promoting healthy lives through safe work environments and physical exercise to mitigate the physical health risks because health behaviors such as shocks and exercise significantly impact physical health, impacting mental health.

The association between mental and physical health is sophisticated. People often focus on improving their physical health at the expense of their mental health. However, the body requires mental and physical health for proper operation and to lead a pleasant and long life. If one struggles with mental health, various available resources help one access mental health professionals. Other options include discussing issues with a friend, close colleague, or family member. If one struggles in an area, one may focus on one more than the other. However, one should remember that they each influence each other; hence it is crucial to maintain one’s physical and mental health.

References

ACSA. (2021, June 4). Mental health vs. physical health. ACSA Resource Hub. https://content.acsa.org/mental-health-vs-physical-health/

Alonzi, S., La Torre, A., & Silverstein, M. W. (2020). The psychological impact of preexisting mental and physical health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological trauma: theory, research, practice, and policy, 12(S1), S236.

CDC. (2021). About mental health. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm

Doan, T., Ha, V., Strazdins, L., & Chateau, D. (2022). Healthy minds live in healthy bodies – effect of physical health on mental health: Evidence from Australian longitudinal data. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03053-7

Hillside Atlanta. (2019, March 7). How mental health and physical health are linked. Hillside Atlanta. https://hside.org/link-between-physical-and-mental-health/

Keynejad, R. C., Frodl, T., Kanaan, R., Pariante, C., Reuber, M., & Nicholson, T. R. (2018). Stress and functional neurological disorders: Mechanistic insights. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery &Amp; Psychiatry, 90(7), 813–821. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-318297

Moreno, C., Wykes, T., Galderisi, S., Nordentoft, M., Crossley, N., Jones, N., ... & Arango, C. (2020). How mental health care should change as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(9), 813-824.

Morgan, A. J., Wright, J., & Reavley, N. J. (2021). Review of Australian initiatives to reduce stigma towards people with complex mental illness: what exists and what works? International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-020-00423-1

Roberts, R., Lockett, H., Bagnall, C., Maylea, C., & Hopwood, M. (2018). Improving the physical health of people living with mental illness in Australia and New Zealand. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 26(5), 354–362. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12457

Simon, R. W., & Caputo, J. (2019). The costs and benefits of parenthood for mental and physical health in the United States: The importance of parenting stage. Society and Mental Health, 9(3), 296-315.

Young, S. J., Praskova, A., Hayward, N., & Patterson, S. (2017). Attending to physical health in mental health services in Australia: A qualitative study of service users’ experiences and expectations. Health & Social Care in the Community, 25(2), 602–611. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12349