Mind & Body Connection
The mind and body connection is something you are sure to have heard about before. It sounds like something spiritual, but in reality, it is something everyone should pay attention to.
What Does It Mean?
The connection between your mind and body goes both ways. This means that how you take care of your body affects your mental health, and how you take care of your mental health affects your body.
For example, Someone going through treatment for a disease is often recommended to see a psychologist to get support and guidance on the mental and emotional changes and stresses this new situation can bring. Seeking treatment during these times can aid in healing and coping by setting a clear outline of expectations, strengths, and weaknesses.
As to how your mental state can affect you physically, just look at those who are depressed. People suffering from depression or anxiety are at a higher risk for a host of physical ailments, insomnia, weight gain, blood pressure issues, digestive problems, or low sex drive. It also can have negative effects on your heart that can be permanent.
It's Not a New Concept
According to the National Institution of Health, up until around the 1800s, people believed that emotions and the body were connected. This idea eventually fizzled out as new antibiotics and medicines were discovered to help treat ailments. Luckily, recently scientists and doctors have started to prove that there really is a connection between the mind and body. Things like yoga and meditation have been more widely accepted as a means of healing, and often recommended to clients in addition to psychological treatments.
If you are going through a hardship in your life, whether it is physical or mental, pay attention to the mind-body connection, and seek out the care you need to make sure you are healthy as a whole.