Certainly, we have all heard of the mind-body connection. Basically, when we talk about this dynamic relationship, we are talking about the effect of the mind on the body and the effect of the body on the mind. It’s reciprocal. Some connections are easily understood, such as the effect stress has on the digestive system. Unbridled stress can lead to digestive conditions like nausea, ulcers, and even gastric esophageal reflux.
Migraines can be another area where the mind-body connection is easily seen. In these examples, for many people, untreated stress can easily be understood as a cause of physical discomfort, medically treatable conditions. In order to live in a balanced state of well-being, we must be aware of the inner workings of our bodies, our mind, and our spirit, and how connected they all really are. This is something I call, the “Mind-Body-Faith Phenomenon,” and I will discuss that concept in future articles as we see how hope, the forerunner of faith, affects the mind-body connection.
On the other side of the mind-body coin, where physical manifestations may occur first, followed by mental health problems, we see the opposite. Physical conditions such as thyroid dysfunction, heart and respiratory conditions, brain tumors, and some neurological and autoimmune conditions, such as MS and fibromyalgia, can be the catalysts to send a person into a state of acute clinical depression or chronic depression, anxiety. . , insomnia, other medical conditions or disability.
To prevent this from happening, we must first try to understand what helps and what hinders our own personal processes of mind, body and spirit to achieve and maintain a state of homeostasis or well-being. We need to carefully monitor our own stress level, to recognize when stress reduction is necessary and when we can live life to the fullest.
When there is a disruption in the mental sector of the mind-body connection, it is not difficult to see how easy it is to recognize the symptoms of depression, nervousness, anxiety, physical pain, malaise, and insomnia. Stressful emotions can be so powerful, in fact, that they can disrupt every part of a person’s life leaving them in physical pain, unable to work, parent, participate in successful relationships, or even sleep at night.
Until we begin to recognize the signs and symptoms of mind-body stress present in our thinking, behavior, and physical being, we cannot correct them. The best possible scenario is to find the symptoms of stress early on and make the necessary adjustments to relieve unnecessary stress. By doing so, we may be able to significantly decrease the possibility of mind-body dysfunction and later depression, illness, and continued disability.
Adele M. Gill | Copyright 2016