05/18/2021
Your thoughts are powerful (part 1).
Mental health affects more than just the mind.
To understand this idea, consider the cascade of physical changes your body undergoes when you feel scared or nervous - elevated heart rate, increased sweating, trembling, etc.
These effects are created by neurotransmitters and hormones, released throughout the body in direct response to your thoughts and emotions. They affect nearly every system in the body, including your heart, muscles, digestive tract, and immune system. Wow.
Imagine then, the health effects in someone suffering from mental illness, whose daily emotional experience is scared, nervous, or something more. The compounded effect of these daily changes in the body can contribute to disease. 😔 Damn.
The good news is... treatment of depression and anxiety has been shown to improve heart disease (lowering risk for heart attack, stroke, etc), physical pain, immune function, and more!
Access to quality mental health care is about more than just improving emotional well-being, it's about protecting your physical health, too. If you're suffering from anxiety, depression, a mood disorder, or severe mental illness, talk to your doctor about treatment options.
Your mental health matters! ❤