The Relationship Between Physical and Mental Health
By Zoe Hart, BSW and Dr. Marina Heifetz
The mind and body are often thought to be completely separate entities, but did you know that our mental health can influence our physical health and vice versa? Overall, our mental health plays a large role in our general well-being, and this suggests that the two should be looked at as interconnected.
Longstanding research by the Canadian Mental Health Association (2008) asserts that those living with a serious mental health condition have a higher risk of experiencing a wide range of chronic physical conditions. Some of these conditions related specifically to depression include asthma, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and sleep problems (i.e., insomnia and sleep apnea). Further, mental health challenges can also produce physical symptoms; depression can induce headaches and fatigue and anxiety can create an upset stomach, restlessness and difficulty concentrating.
The correlation between physical and mental symptomology highlights the importance of person-centred healthcare and equitable access to healthcare for all that considers the relationship between our physical and mental health and tailors interventions accordingly.
Children & Youth
Mental health challenges among youth specifically can be largely misunderstood. Although it is important to consider the link between our physical and mental health, it is crucial not to uphold common misconceptions about children's mental health and causality.
The Child Mind Institute (2024) lists important reminders about youth mental health:
Youth with mental health challenges are not damaged or weak
Mental health challenges are not necessarily caused by “bad parenting”
Children and youth need support in coping with their mental health
Therapy can help kids feel better
Medication is helpful for some children
Kids do not usually “grow out” of mental health challenges
Holistic Care
In looking more deeply at family support and interventions related to children and youths’ mental health, holistic approaches are being highlighted as crucial to understanding and managing psychological and physical health.
Research has increasingly shown the impact of mental health support in its incorporation to the body. A recent study on integrating mental health programming in youth sporting programs has shown the great effectiveness of this approach in reducing anxiety symptoms, improving grit, efficacy to manage difficult emotions, and increasing prosocial behaviour. By incorporating mental health with physical health, this study further highlighted the significance of these connections.
In other words, prioritizing the “whole person” rather than solely the symptoms of a physical ailment is key. Examples of evidence-based treatments that support this holistic approach include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), which focuses on recognizing the links between one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviour, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as a way to practice living in line with our values. These therapeutic modalities highlight connections to one’s body and how to become more mindful in recognizing physiological changes.
Research ultimately suggests that a wide range of positive outcomes can be accomplished when the mind and body are examined as interconnected, and when holistic care is considered in subsequent interventions.
Sources:
Dowell, T. L., Waters, A. M., Usher, W., Farrell, L. J., Donovan, C. L., Modecki, K. L., Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., Castle, M., & Hinchey, J. (2021). Tackling Mental Health in Youth Sporting Programs: A Pilot Study of a Holistic Program. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 52(1), 15–29.
Relevant Links:
https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/the-relationship-between-mental-health-mental-illness-and-chronic-physical-conditions/#:~:text=Introduction-,Mental%20health%20and%20physical%20health%20are%20fundamentally%20linked.,range%20of%20chronic%20physical%20conditions.
https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/the-relationship-between-mental-health-mental-illness-and-chronic-physical-conditions/#:~:text=Introduction-,Mental%20health%20and%20physical%20health%20are%20fundamentally%20linked.,range%20of%20chronic%20physical%20conditions
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/physical-health-and-mental-health
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/how-does-mental-health-affect-physical-health
https://childmind.org/article/common-misunderstandings-about-childrens-mental-health/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5618172/
