5 Minute Therapies: Health

This episode recognises the ways in which our physical & mental health are mutually affective. That is to say, that one influences the other and they cannot occur in isolation – The quality of one effects the other.

Remembering that we are referring to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to build a basic understanding of how we can prepare ourselves for improved mental health, we are looking at the second tier of the pyramid and concerning ourselves with ‘Health’.

No matter what your state of physical health is, it will affect your mental health; Sometimes positively, and sometimes negatively, dependent on a myriad of factors which are to numerous to list or describe exhaustively. In fact, I would argue that we need to stop thinking about physical health & mental health as two distinct forms of health – the two should really simply be considered and referred to as ‘health’.

As a starting point, perhaps if we take the extreme ends of the spectrum between good health & bad health to highlight how the two affect each other:

• Poor health:
  • Having poor physical health significantly increases your chances of having poor mental health. In fact, about 30% of those suffering with a long term physical health condition also have a mental health condition like depression or an anxiety disorder. An example that many of us may relate to might be how someone becoming terminally ill may struggle with their mental health as a result. Not to say that this necessarily follows but it is not uncommon.
• Good Health:
  • Being in great physical health doesn’t guarantee you good mental health but it does allow you to enjoy the comforts of better statistical probabilities of better mental health. If you’re in good physical health you will be enjoying the lower probabilities of developing mental health issues. For example, issues where physiology is a factor and can affect mental functioning, such as hypothyroidism; And, reduced exposure to psychological issues like anxiety & stress reduces the probability that you will develop physical illnesses like heart disease and cancer, for example. See our previous posts on developing your support network to help you identify the best people you know to contact when needed.

What is clear from our understanding of the mutually-affective and symbiotic nature of physical & mental health is that, if you are experiencing poor health in one or other of these types, the other can be affected and draw you into either a downward spiral, but also an upward trend. The possibility of that upward trend gives us hope even where there is despair. We can take measures to improve our physical health to improve our mental health, and vice versa.

A classic and very common example of this is Stress. We all experience it regularly and we all experience both the physical & mental impact of it. Yet rarely do we fully recognise or acknowledge the symptoms & effects. Temporary stress is usually handled well by the body which quickly returns to normal functioning but if you have an anxiety disorder or are exposed to long term stress your body will pay the price but you may not realise the more serious adverse effects until they are having more serious consequences, such as cardiac arrest.

So, how do we focus on improving our health to achieve the psychological growth we’re wokring?

1. Develop a self-care plan. What do you need to do to look after yourself? Prevention is always better than cure but having a good self-care plan and sticking to it can be very low cost and can be implemented immediately. Start with the basics like good diet & nutrition, maintaining personal hygiene, taking regular exercise, practice mindfulness and meditation techniques, and consider the toxic relationships in your life – can they be worked on & improved or is it time to move beyond them?
2. Identify Physical health issues & seek appropriate help. It sounds simple, right? But many of us put off seeking professional help for physical health issues because we’re too embarrassed or worry that we’re troubling the likes of Doctors unnecessarily. Imagine that you put off going to see a Doctor about a sore foot, reassuring yourself it’s not that bad. However, walking becomes awkward, uncomfortable or painful, which can effect the rest of the musculoskeletal system, eventually leading to problems elsewhere. Perhaps, even, regular exercise becomes too problematic. Before you know it, a little problem has become a big issue. Adopt the old saying: A stitch in time saves nine. Go get it checked out earlier rather than later and save yourself the potential for bigger problems in future.
3. Identify Mental health issues & seek appropriate help. Again, this sounds obvious but the fact is the vast majority of people privately acknowledge a desire to talk to someone about something that is troubling them and yet they delay dealing with it until the problem has become unavoidable. Seeking appropriate help doesn’t have to mean finding professional help. Talking with trusted friends & relatives can be a very effective way of getting a few things off your chest but if you need something more then consider talking to your doctor or working with a professional therapist.

In short, identify areas of need & develop plans to deal with them.. then act on your plans! You cannot expect your body & mind to function well if you do not look after them.

If you would like to talk about mental health issues, whether it be for yourself or someone you know feel free to contact BroadMinds Therapy for help & advice. Call (+353) 0899420568, email help@broadmindstherapy.org , message us via this website, or visit our facebook page http://www.facebook,com/jpbroad for more information.

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Thanks for taking the time to read this article.