How Physical Illness Can Affect Mental Health: Pursuing a More Integrated Approach
Many, if not most mental illnesses display physical symptoms along with the cognitive, often an illness can even be recognised based on these physical symptoms. For example, Major Depressive disorder symptoms include fatigue and hypersomnia or insomnia, while increased restlessness and muscle tension are some symptoms under Generalized Anxiety disorder, as per the DSM V. It is often believed that addressing the root cause of the disorder is likely to reduce the occurrence of these physical symptoms and thus, during treatment of the illness, coping strategies are taught to the clients while the main focus is on improving their mental health. Medical treatment of mental illness could also result in a variety of physical symptoms, making people additionally vulnerable to physical illness. There is evidence of an undeniable relationship between physical and mental health.
However, while therapeutic treatment often considers how mental illness affects physical health, there is much left to be explored of the other side of the relationship. It is a fact that many physical illnesses, especially chronic ones, can result in mental illness as a consequence. Cancer patients have been found to experience a higher likelihood of depression due to reasons such as increased stress levels, body image issues and so on. Diabetes, Lupus and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (aka PCOS) are other chronic illnesses, where depression has been observed to be comorbid, occurring due to hormonal changes in the individual as well as a result of living with a chronic illness.
Let me give you an example of how lupus could affect an individual and result in mental illness. Lupus often occurs in females and the onset could even be in childhood. Symptoms include fatigue, body aches, joint pain and headaches, and organs affected commonly include the kidney and lungs, among others. These symptoms may be permanent or could flare up occasionally, or even disappear suddenly. Any person in this condition would be forced to be careful with their health choices, since they do not know what could trigger it. Now, considering the case of a teenager with some form of Lupus, their life would be drastically different from what people consider normal. Their diet, exercise or even their ability to walk upright could be severely affected by their illness. At a stage of life during which many experiment with substances, a teenager with Lupus could never have those experiences for fear of exacerbating their illness, or could rebel against the illness and begin smoking (for example), resulting in a flare up of the illness. Either of these scenarios could frustrate the individual extremely, because on one hand, they are forced to restrict themselves from the norm while on the other, they are faced with painful consequences. Considering that the likelihood of their circumstance changing is low since there is currently no cure for Lupus, these outcomes could lead to many negative emotions and behaviours, ultimately (in some cases) resulting in depression.
However, when individuals with physical illness are diagnosed with mental disorders, the treatment method is separate for each of the illnesses. The physical health and the mental health of the individual are treated separately by the respective professionals in each field. But, taking into consideration the interdependence of the illnesses, the treatment plan should be modified to address the physical and mental simultaneously.
Health psychology as a field could provide much insight into approaching mental and physical health in an integrated manner. Health psychology analyses the relationship between physiology and psychology, including the role of psychology in treating physical illness. Using theories from Health psychology to understand physical illness and its relationship to mental illness could help in providing a more inclusive perspective of the illnesses. This perspective would allow both medical and mental health professionals to approach the treatment in a novel manner and understand the individual’s experience more holistically.
In addition, mental and physical illness often occurs at increased rates among vulnerable populations. These populations could be vulnerable due to their financial, geographical or social location and keeping this in mind while creating integrated approaches would further increase the effectiveness of treatment plans.
Since mental health is not only the absence of illness, but also the presence of mental wellness, treatment plans that follow integrated approaches to physical and mental health would also promote mental well-being of individuals who are physically ill, but do not have a mental illness. Creating approaches which account for the physical, mental, emotional, social and financial aspects of well-being would provide a holistic approach to mental health and better address any issues the client may be facing.
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