I have been thinking about Mental Health and…

Compared to a generation ago, when it comes to mental health, people are more likely to address their issues and request the help of mental health professionals. However, when it comes to preventing mental health issues, there is still a lot to be done at a societal level, adding mental health as a priority in our workspaces, at home, in schools, in institutions, and more broadely in our culture and society. We need to share the responsibility for mental health and also engage in sustainable actions at a social level, and not just leave the burden with the individual.  

We often lack psycho-education and we minimise the importance of our mental health, favouring short-term results and success. There are still so many workplaces where talking about one’s emotions is considered taboo and unprofessional, and there are still so many families in which negative emotions are dismissed or punished. As a matter of fact, parents, caregivers, teachers, co-workers and friends often show their disapproval and unease when faced with someone who is experiencing negative emotions. We somehow expect that we have to remain rational all the time, forgetting that most of our behaviour and decisions are closely connected with our emotions, be they pleasant or unpleasant.

Morever, when it comes to health in general, we tend to think in a dichotomy, separating physical health from mental health. We like to conceptualise, to split the wholes into more manageable parts, forgetting the bigger picture, the bigger whole. The reality is that mental and physical health are both aspects of our overall health. And should we continue to think in the mental health – physical health dichotomy, it is worth remembering that they influence each other.

Our psychology influences our physiology, meaning our state of mind influences the state of our body and the actions that we take or don’t take. In personal development we often talk about the importance of our state of mind in the completion of our goals. We forget, however, about the short and long term effects that a negative state of mind could have on somebody’s life and health. For instance, think of someone dealing with clinical depression and anxiety, whilst suffering from chronic or serious illness. The state of the mental health could directly influence the state of the physical health, as the depressed individual may fail to take the appropriate medication, follow the doctor’s recommendations or take the actions that could benefit both their physical and mental health. 

Our physiology influences our psychology, meaning the state of our physical health influences the state of our mental health, just as feelings of depression and anxiety can become chronic for someone whose physical health had severely worsened. Think of someone who no longer can walk and who has lost most of their autonomy. Chronic feelings of sadness, anger, helplessness and associated negative thoughts may arise from this altered state of physical health, and potentially trigger clinical depression and anxiety.

We also tend to think that it is only up to us to control and change the course of our life, forgetting that always having control and always being in control is actually an illusion. Yes, there are things that are in our control. Yes, there are things that we can choose to act upon. And yes, we can change our reality and environment, just as the environment can change us. However, we forget that we live in an environment that can influence us and our outcomes. Therefore, we may harshly blame ourselves and others for our failures, forgetting that the responsibility is shared, and that we are part of a system of systems. Sometimes we just need (self) compassion, instead of angrily scolding ourselves. Moreover, whether we like it or not, the environment in which we find ourselves plays an important role in our development, state of health (be it mental and physical), social relations, and overall wellbeing. We are inter-connected, and sometimes, making changes to the environment in which we live and work can benefit us immensely. 

Gabor Maté, a physician known for his work with addiction and trauma, noticed something that is usually overlooked in the medical mainstream practice: the link between mind and body, so basically the link between mental health and physical health. In his view, we are bio-psycho-social beings, meaning that we are the interaction between our physiology (body, biological and chemical state), psychology (the state of our mind) and the social conditions or social environment in which we live. For example, a socially isolated person is more likely to develop both physical and mental conditions and even have a shorter life-span.

Mental health is part of our overall health and is inextricably interwined with our physical health. And just as we seek help for our physical health, we need to seek help and support for our mental health. And just as we are concerned by our physical wellbeing, putting in practice actions to maintain our physical health and stability, we need to put in practice actions to maintain our mental and emotional wellbeing. Perhaps the following funny but truth-speaking quote of a character in one of Woody Allen’s movies would make us better comprehend the inter-dependence of mental and physical health: « I never get angy. I grow a tumour instead ». 

Alternatively, how about accepting that we can get angry sometimes and that it is ok to get angry? How about learning how to constructively express that anger, and reflect on what this unpleasant emotion of anger could tell us about our human needs?

Some further reading on mind-body link in terms of overall health: 

• The Myth of Normal, Gabor Maté with Daniel Maté
• When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress
• How to build a better culture of good health, https://drgabormate.com/culture-good-health/