Other Emotional Health Issues / Question
Published: October 31, 2006
Dear TeenHealthFX,
How does Emotional Health affects Physical Health?
Signed: How Does Emotional Health Affect Physical Health?
Dear How Does Emotional Health Affect Physical Health?,
Our bodies do respond to the ways in which we think, feel, and act – this is commonly referred to as the mind/body connection. This basically means that negative thoughts and emotions can end up contributing to our experiencing various negative physical sensations in our bodies, just as positive thoughts and feelings can contribute to a person’s healthy physical sense of self. In the simplest terms, our thoughts and feelings will affect our brain activity, and our brains control the physical processes that occur in our bodies – so it all ends up being connected. Some examples of the mind/body connection are as follows:
- If a person feels under a great deal of stress or pressure for a prolonged period of time, that person may experience an upset stomach – even to the point of developing an ulcer.
- When a person feels anxious, that person may end up experiencing a rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, shortness of breath, or chest pains/constrictions.
- If a person is feeling depressed, there may be a significant sense of physical tiredness and fatigue.
- If a person is feeling very stressed, anxious or depressed, it can weaken the body’s immune system and lead to a person getting sick more often.
- A person’s mood can also end up impacting his/her physical health as feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression can interfere with a person taking good care of himself/herself. If a person is exercising less, eating less nutritious foods, stops taking prescription medications that are necessary for his/her well-being, or start practicing in unhealthy behaviors (such as drug or alcohol use), it will absolutely impact a person’s physical well-being.
- Or think of what is known as the placebo effect – if a person is given a pill and told it will create some physical change, even if the pill is simply a sugar pill, people will often report actually feeling whatever change they were told would occur. Just goes to show how what we think can impact how are bodies can feel!
Other physical signs that your emotional health may be out of balance, might include:
- Back pain
- Change in appetite
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Dry mouth
- General aches and pains
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Lightheadedness
- Sexual problems
- Stiff neck
- Sweating
- Weight loss/gain
There are various ways to improve your emotional health and to keep your emotional well-being in balance, which can then, in turn, promote greater physical health as well. These methods can include:
- Recognizing your emotions and understanding why you are having them. For example, if you find that you are snapping at everyone who comes across your path, stop and ask yourself how you may be feeling (perhaps angry, stressed out, or sad), and think about what may be contributing to your feeling that way.
- Learn how to express your feelings in appropriate ways. Keeping negative thoughts and feelings bottled up inside often contribute to them showing themselves through physical symptoms. So develop ways in which to get the feelings out – whether it is through exercise, journaling, creative writing, music, artwork, or talking to a trusted friend or family member – find a positive and effective way of letting out these feelings.
- Try to live a balanced life. This means finding a balance between working hard and engaging in leisure activities, and between being aware of negative feelings and focusing on positive feelings and experiences.
- Find ways to calm your mind and body through various relaxation techniques. Whether you use meditation, yoga, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, imagery work, or anything else that works for you – devote time each day to teaching yourself to find a place of peace and calm.
- Take good care of your body. This means drinking plenty of water, eating nutritious food, getting enough sleep, getting an appropriate amount of exercise, and not using drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes.
TeenHealthFX would like to stress that while some physical symptoms may result from emotional health issues, it is important to discuss any changes in your physical health with a doctor so that he/she can assess for any possible underlying medical issues that might be occurring. If your doctor is unable to find any medical cause for a physical symptom you are experiencing, then there is certainly a possibility that the contributing factor is an emotional health issue – and your doctor can provide you with some guidance about how to best address that particular issue.
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
If you live in northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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