Factors affecting our mental and physical health
Our mental and physical health is entwined. There are also many other factors which play a role in determining health outcomes.
Lifestyle
There can be genetic links to conditions such as Huntingdon’s disease, schizophrenia, cancer, and so on although these are only part of the risk of developing these conditions. There are many other factors besides. These include environmental factors that affect how a person deals with their condition, its onset, how it affects an individual, and so on.
A person’s lifestyle is a huge factor in this. By lifestyle, we mean what they eat, how they work, how they live, what exercise they have and so on. Lifestyle is not just about eating too much, drinking too much or smoking too much.
Personal Wealth
Levels of poverty and relative wealth most certainly have an impact on wellbeing. We have looked at the facts and figures in relation to mental health and increased risk of certain physical conditions, but if a person has suffered from a serious mental illness this may also affect their quality of life. For example, a person with depression may find it so hard to get up in the morning that they stop going to work, they start drinking too much, their families become annoyed with them, their marriage breaks up, they have nowhere to live and find themselves homeless. Living under stress can then substantially affect their chance of developing physical illnesses, infectious diseases etc and also exacerbate the person’s mental health condition. This may sound like a cliché, but poor mental health and physical illness is closely associated with homelessness.
Crisis in the UK found that:
- People living on the street are 50 – 100% more likely to have a psychotic condition than the general public.
- Mental health conditions are more likely to be associated with substance abuse. They found that 10 – 20% of those on the streets with mental health conditions also had a substance abuse, such as drug abuse or alcoholism.
- Homeless people are five times more likely to die than a person of the same age who is not living on the streets.
- A third of people with schizophrenia had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives.
Smoking
Smoking has long been known to be detrimental to health. There is an increased risk of respiratory conditions, lung cancer, shortness of breath, and so on. Nicotine is the ingredient in cigarette smoke which causes addiction. Studies have shown that when nicotine levels are reduced in cigarettes smokers tend to smoke more cigarettes and smoke them closer to the stub in order to maintain nicotine levels in their body.
But we have to consider the underlying factors leading to smoking addiction in the first place, which can include emotional factors. Someone may start to smoke initially to “look cool” or to fit in with their friends or to try something new, but cigarettes can become a prop when a person feels stressed. Smoking involves deep breathing, it may involve taking a break from a stressful situation, so even without the effects of nicotine, a cigarette can be calming. A person may find that when they are stressed, they smoke, it can reduce their stress levels slightly, so reinforces the smoking behaviour and encouraging a person to smoke more. If a person smokes more, there can be unpleasant withdrawal effects, which again encourage the person to continue to smoke.
Although people who smoke are usually aware of the consequences, it is very addictive and difficult to quit. Most smokers have attempted to give up at some point. Quit programmes and therapies may help in the short term but over the longer term many smokers start again. The success rates of going it alone are possibly just as good as those for people who participate in programmes or therapy.
Alcohol
Alcohol and other drugs may give you a good feeling at the time; but can have serious long term affects on both mental and physical health.
Alcohol can be relaxing. After a hard day, a person might feel like a glass of wine to relax. They may enjoy some beer when going out with friends. Social drinking can be fun if done in moderation and may be part of nurturing relationships.
However, alcohol is also used in other ways such as self-medication. For instance, an individual might drink some whiskey as a way to get over their social anxiety. Like other substances, a person can become dependent on alcohol. If a person becomes addicted to drinking they are exposed to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, and various cancers. Psychological problems include increased aggression and violence, irritability, and poor judgement. Also people with alcohol problems are associated with more accidents and hazards such as fires. Alcoholism is also linked to mental health conditions such as Korsakoff’s syndrome which is like an alcohol induced dementia.
Various psychosocial factors can lead to use of alcohol e.g. peer pressure, family rituals, and social acceptance. It may also be adopted as a coping mechanism for mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. There are treatment programmes available such as the 12-step approach. However, many people find it difficult to sustain a no-drinking behaviour pattern. With alcohol and smoking educating people about the risks before they develop a problem is probably the most successful way to deal with it.
Exercise and Nutrition
We have already mentioned the importance of good nutrition and exercise in improving our mental and physical health. Eating a balanced diet and regular moderate exercise can improve our physical and mental health. It can actually make us feel good about ourselves.
As well as eating disorders, other nutritional problems include eating unbalanced diets and making poor dietary choices. These can result in a lack of certain vitamins and minerals in the body. Some physical illnesses can result such as osteoporosis and diabetes. Poor diet also leads to many of the precursors to heart disease and stroke.
Obesity is also a dietary problem of significance and is now regarded to be an epidemic in many Western countries. There are signs too that obesity is becoming problematic in developing countries. People who are morbidly obese, which is the most extreme category of obesity, have a much higher mortality rate than those who are classed as obese. Those who are obese have a mortality rate about 20-40% higher than people of average weight.
If you would like to learn more about mental health and how we can support people with mental health problems, why not have a look at our courses -
Managing Mental Health in Adults
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Counselling Children
Counselling Skills
