The relationship between mental and physical health They complement each other, because mental health directly affects physical health, whether positively or negatively, and stabilizing mental health plays a major role in protecting the body from exposure to some diseases and improving health in general. Many diseases that affect the body after detection, analysis, and searching for their cause, doctors believe that they are due to the impact of mental health. Inside Al-Rafah Center, one of the most important centers of Al-Mousa Hospital You will learn about the relationship between them and how mental health affects physical health.

The relationship between mental and physical health

 Some would like to specify The relationship between mental and physical health Specifically, here we define each of them as follows:

Mental health: Mental health depends on the concept of social and emotional well-being, which prompts the individual to adapt to challenges and psychological pressures and to practice some life activities and events. Any defect in mental health affects the feeling of comfort and tranquility and hinders the practice of daily activities.

Physical health: It is the body's ability to perform certain tasks and functions normally, and any malfunction in the body's organs or systems causes physical disorders and health problems.

Physical diseases of psychological origin

After knowing The relationship between mental and physical health Many diseases and health problems occur due to poor mental health, and among these diseases are the following:

Cardiovascular diseases

Heart disease is considered one of the most widespread and common diseases in many countries and is associated with psychological stress and feelings of depression and sadness. These negative feelings cause an increased risk of myocardial infarction. They also lead to disruption in the endocrine glands, which causes an increase in the level of catecholamines and causes the accumulation of blood platelets and impedes their transport through the nervous system. Moreover, people who suffer from hasty and reckless behavior and aggression are the groups most vulnerable to heart attacks.

أمراض الجهاز الهضمي

The digestive system in the body is directly affected by the psychological state, because in the case of depression, anxiety, and tension, the colon is affected and causes irritation and inflammation. There is a direct relationship between the secretion of stomach acids and the rate of pepsin in the body, which occurs in the case of exposure to severe stress, tension, or distress, and this causes ulcers to appear in the digestive system.

There is also a strong correlation between the appearance of Helicobacter pylori bacteria, ulcerative colitis, poor psychological state, and the mixing of feelings of panic and obsessive-compulsive disorder with this problem in the digestive system.

Respiratory problems

Studies have shown that about 30% of patients with asthma and chest diseases suffer from anxiety, tension, and shortness of breath, and in some cases of severe stress, this may lead to death. It has also been found that sensitive, emotional, and moody people are more inclined to take medications that expand the bronchi and bronchial tubes due to the shortness of breath that occurs from their negative feelings.

Diseases of the endocrine system

Cushing's syndrome, which occurs due to increased secretion of the hormone cortisol in the body, causes disorders in the thyroid gland and increases the risk of psychological disorders, feelings of anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social phobia, which affect mental and physical health.

Skin diseases

There are many skin diseases clarifying The relationship between mental and physical health These include psoriasis, neurodermatitis, and a feeling of itching and inflammation for those suffering from anxiety and depression. The greater the feeling of depression and stress, the more psoriasis spots appear on the body. 

The effect of mental health on body functions

The relationship between mental and physical health A direct relationship. The better the mental health, the better the physical health. The relationship between them is as follows:

• Poor psychological state affects the quality of sleep, and in the case of lack of good sleep, the body is affected and feels tired and overly exhausted.
• High chance of developing type 2 diabetes because it is closely related to the psychological state.
• High chance of obesity, because many people who suffer from psychological instability tend to eat a lot.
• Increased chance of developing heart and arterial problems, especially for those suffering from depression.
• Anxiety, stress, and sadness cause difficulty concentrating and the inability to perform daily work and tasks well.
• Depression, sadness, and distress cause headaches and fatigue in general in the body.

The role of stress and anxiety in the emergence of physical diseases

We note that The relationship between mental and physical health A strong relationship and anxiety are among the most common psychological problems that play a major role in the emergence of some physical diseases, including:

• Excessive anxiety affects the normal rate of breathing, causing respiratory problems such as asthma and others.
• Anxiety causes an increase in the heart rate, increased feelings of palpitations and discomfort along with pain in the chest, in addition to increasing the chance of high blood pressure and heart disease.
• Anxiety causes excessive sweating due to an increase in the level of the hormone adrenaline in the body and leads to an increase in body temperature, a high heart rate, and high blood pressure.
• Muscle tension and pain occur due to feelings of extreme tension and anxiety, especially in the back, shoulder, neck and jaw muscles. This tension is only relieved after relaxation and anxiety.
• Stomach disorders occur, including diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain, in addition to some other problems in the digestive system.
• Stress leads to feelings of stress, fatigue, and difficulties in performing normal daily activities.
• Anxiety also leads to tremors and trembling of the body, especially in the case of exposure to severe emotion. This may affect the central nervous system and some hormones are secreted in the body, including adrenaline and cortisol.
• Stress, anxiety, and poor psychological state play a major role in the weakness of the immune system, thus increasing the body’s chance of contracting various diseases.

Tips for achieving comprehensive health of body and mind

بعد التعرف على The relationship between mental and physical health These tips and guidelines should be followed to maintain mental and physical health, which are as follows:

• Eliminate feelings of anxiety and depression as much as possible. If these feelings strongly control the person, help should be sought from specialists.
• Practice relaxation techniques that reduce feelings of anxiety, stress and tension.
• Early treatment, examination by a specialist doctor, and adherence to the required medications in the event that you suffer from depression or are extremely sad.
• Get enough sleep and rest to reduce feelings of stress, tension, and insomnia.
• Following an appropriate healthy nutritional pattern that provides the body with the necessary vitamins, minerals, and elements plays a major role in enhancing physical and psychological health.
• Drink enough water, fluids and natural drinks daily to get rid of excess toxins from the body.
• Commitment to exercising to get rid of negative thoughts and bad feelings, because sport has a major role in improving mental health.

You can also go to the center  Group therapy At Al Mousa Specialist Hospital

The role of sleep in maintaining mental and physical health

Sleep plays a major role in enhancing both mental and physical health, because the body needs a daily amount of sleep and rest to regain activity and vitality. It is possible to dispense with a nap during the day to avoid feeling insomnia and sleep peacefully at night. It is also recommended to reduce the consumption of drinks that contain caffeine, and not to sit on the mobile phone, television, and computer immediately before bed to avoid insomnia and the inability to sleep peacefully.

Frequently asked questions

Do mental illnesses cause physical illnesses?

Deterioration of the psychological state causes many physical diseases, including: pain syndrome, feeling sporadic pain in the body for no reason, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, the appearance of skin rashes, and some skin problems.

What are the physical symptoms resulting from psychological stress?

In the event of a deterioration in the health and psychological condition, a person feels some symptoms, including headache and headache, muscle stiffness or pain, the presence of some sexual problems, stomach problems and pain, chest pain or an increase in heartbeat, in addition to the inability to concentrate.

How does mental pain turn into physical?

Because the relationship between mental and physical health is a direct relationship, much of the psychological pain and psychological discomfort turns into organic pain and the feeling of various troubles that appear in different parts of the body and do not have a clear organic pathological cause.

How to relieve psychological pain?

Some techniques improve the health, physical and psychological state, including exercising, communicating with others to get rid of loneliness, following a healthy eating pattern, in addition to practicing relaxation and yoga techniques, and practicing some activities that reduce feelings of stress and sadness.

Because The relationship between mental and physical health A strong relationship, and each of them affects the other, so one should maintain mental health as much as possible and follow the advice and guidance he provides Al-Rafah Centre, an accredited center, is one of Al-Mousa Hospital’s health centres Which enhances mental health to avoid many diseases that affect the body in the event of poor psychological condition.

Sources and references 

Physical health and mental health – mentalhealth