Recent Findings Link Depression & Anxiety To Reduced Lifespan: Experts Discuss

Exploring The Body-Mind Connection

Since antiquity, humanity has understood the importance of mental health in promoting physical well being. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, believed that all mental illnesses stemmed from imbalances elsewhere in the body, and while the exact mechanisms behind that connection are not as he described them, new research reveals that he was perhaps closer to the truth than one might expect.

To read a complete explanation of the connection between physical and mental health, visit https://valleant.com/the-latest-findings-on-how-mental-health-relates-to-longevity/

Of course, we've come a long way from the days of The Four Humors, bloodletting, and other equally gruesome (and ineffective) treatments, but as it turns out, drawing a cause-effect connection between physical and mental illness may have some truth to it, though Hippocrates seems to have been approaching the problem from the wrong direction.

As the health experts at Valleant explain in their newly published guide, recent research has confirmed the impact that mental health has on physical well being, and the findings are truly striking.

Stress & Physical Health

The new guide arrives in the wake of a Yale University study regarding stress and its effect on lifespan, which found troubling evidence that high stress levels could reduce life expectancy by an average of around 3 years. Valleant is taking this idea further in their latest guide, breaking down specific risk factors relating to common mental disorders and the ways in which those factors could affect longevity.

Depression, Anxiety, & Schizophrenia

For example, the guide explores how depression has been linked to significantly reduced lifespan due to the unhealthy coping mechanisms that patients may engage in to deal with their symptoms. Conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, however, seem to have a more direct impact on one’s physical health, putting many patients at risk for heart and lung diseases.

Studies have demonstrated that conditions such as stress and depression actually cause the body to oxidate tissue at a higher rate, leading to the release of free radicals within cells, which in turn damage DNA. This causes those suffering from these conditions to age more rapidly and recover from diseases less successfully due to a chronically weakened immune system.

A Vicious Cycle

Valleant demonstrates how this process can cascade if left untreated; as mental health impacts physical health, chronic illness leads to further mental strain, etc. Therefore, they showcase a number of treatment options that you could look into if you are suffering from a chronic mental condition that is impacting your physical health.

Seeking Treatment

Medication and counseling are the two most commonly prescribed options available when treating stress, depression and anxiety. However, Valleant also recommends seeking treatment for substance abuse problems if they exist, engaging with community health programs, and adjusting one’s work life balance as viable, achievable options as well.

These are only some of the many treatment options they explore, however; read the guide in full to get an idea of the wide range of options that exist.

More From Valleant

This is the latest guide from the Valleant team—a collective of health experts and industry professionals who have been publishing similar materials since the early 1990s. They have compiled a significant number of similar guides on their website, all of which are available for free at the link below.

Read the full guide today at https://valleant.com/the-latest-findings-on-how-mental-health-relates-to-longevity/

Valleant City: Austin Address: 11320 North FM 620 Website: https://valleant.com