Mental Health News

Good mental health helps improve overall physical well being

Our psychological, emotional, and social well-being all impact our mental health. It has an impact on how we think, feel, and act. It also affects how we deal with stress, interact with others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important throughout our life, from childhood and adolescence to adulthood. While these terms usually are used interchangeably, poor mental health and mental illness are not synonymous.

A person can have bad mental health without being diagnosed with a mental illness. Similarly, a person with a mental illness can have periods of mental, physical, and social well-being.

Both our mental and physical health are critical components of overall health. Depression, for example, increases the risk of many types of physical health problems, particularly long-term conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Similarly, the presence of chronic conditions can raise the risk of developing mental illness.

It’s critical to remember that a person’s mental health can change over time, depending on a variety of factors. When a person’s coping abilities and resources are stretched beyond their limits, their mental health may suffer. For example, if someone is working long hours, caring for a relative, or experiencing financial hardship, their mental health may suffer.

Mental illness does not have a single cause. A variety of factors, such as age, can increase one’s risk of developing mental illness. Early adversity in life, such as some kind of trauma or a history of abuse (for example, child abuse, sexual assault, witnessing violence, etc.)

Other ongoing (chronic) medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, have resulted in similar experiences. Brain biological factors or chemical imbalances, use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs, and feelings of isolation, or loneliness can also affect mental health.

Although the mind and body are frequently considered separate entities, mental and physical health are in fact inextricably linked. Your physical health can get an advantage from good mental health. Poor mental health can also have a negative impact on your physical health.

Taking care of mental health is very essential 

The mental health of a person has a very vital impact on your overall well-being. If you are in a good mental state it will help you stay healthy and prevent serious health problems. Positive mental health or psychological well-being can lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Poor mental health, on the other hand, can lead to poor physical health or harmful behaviours.

Many chronic illnesses have been linked to depression. Diabetes, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis are examples of these diseases. Schizophrenia has also been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Dealing with any kind of chronic illness can be made more difficult by mental health issues. People with depression or other mental health conditions have a higher mortality rate from cancer and heart disease. People suffering from some mental illnesses are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea. Insomnia can make it difficult to fall or stay asleep. Sleep apnea causes breathing problems, which can cause frequent awakenings.

While conditions such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder can cause sleep problems, sleep problems can also exacerbate pre-existing mental health issues. People with mental illnesses are more likely to smoke than those who do not have mental illnesses. People with mental health issues are more likely to smoke more cigarettes than nonsmokers.

Depression patients have lower levels of the chemical dopamine. In your brain, dopamine influences positive feelings. Because the nicotine in cigarettes causes the chemical dopamine to be produced, smoking may be used to alleviate depression symptoms.

(The author is a psychiatrist at Global Hospital, Parel Mumbai.)