How Our Mind Can Cause Illness
When a person is very anxious, or suffers from depression, it is likely that the illness goes beyond the psychological framework, and triggers a series of physiological symptoms .
Our mind is so powerful that it is able to interact with our physical state.
In recent years, we have come to realize that the door of communication between body and mind can open frequently.
The relationship between these two components of our being is often closer than we think.
We have all fallen ill once in our life, noticing that this physical illness put our minds in a kind of prison of torpor and apathy.
Our psychology was affected by unknown ailments, which made it completely closed to the reception of external stimuli and the production of own thoughts.
In recent years, numerous studies indicate that the state of mental well-being is directly related to the quality of the physical state as it is, or at least as we perceive it.
To put it in a negative way, we are more likely to contract illnesses when our mind is out of balance.
Anxiety and depression are therefore mental illnesses that can contribute to unwanted physical symptoms.
How does the process of physical transformation take place?
Think for a moment about the times in your life when you felt particularly anxious.
Your heart was beating faster and harder than usual, your hands were shaking badly, and it was very likely that you were sweating intensely.
These symptoms appear when we put our body in motion by the action of our mind, which will alter the constants of our organism in a very similar way to what happens when we exercise.
However, there is one big difference: you don’t exercise!
It is very difficult for the body to release all this energy that it has produced, and this enormous pressure is greatly felt on our nervous system.
The veins and arteries that supply our muscles barely dilate, while our hearts are sending out much more blood than usual.
What happens next?
Imagine that a multitude of cars started to circulate on one and the same highway and that, all of a sudden, that highway came to an end. A gigantic amount of traffic has to be absorbed by a secondary road.
The result will obviously be catastrophic and cause paralysis of the circulation, and this is also what can happen in our body.
When we are stressed, our heart sends gallons and gallons of blood, while our body is unable to absorb them.
If this situation lasts a short time and is not intense, this little crisis will have no consequences.
However, if the intensity is high and continuous, great damage can be caused.
On the other hand, one of the most obvious connections is the relationship between the functioning of our cognitive system and the strength of our immune system.
When our mind is not functioning optimally, it turns against the body. And weakens it in the face of attacks from outside.
To put it another way, our mind is like a computer and our immune system is its antivirus.
If our computer is malfunctioning, it deactivates the antivirus. Then exposing the entire system to any malicious software that is within range and intended to cause damage.
This weakening does not occur on an ad hoc basis, during an episode of stress. Because it continues to produce its effects when the anxiety subsides.
What role does our brain play?
Let us not forget that behind our ideas and thoughts there is a chemical correlation with our biological system.
The basic structure that allows us to understand this relationship is the hypothalamus, a gland that plays an important role in our hormonal regulation.
The peculiarity of the hypothalamus is that it is very responsive to our thoughts. Q hether memories, external stimulus interpretations or expectations of future events.
What influence does our behavior have?
We have spoken so far about the direct influence that our mind can have on our body.
But, we must not forget one thing which is at least as important: the influence of our behavior.
We all go through stages in our existence that are not particularly happy and motivating.
Although we have not experienced depression, some of the sensations we experience during these times can be likened to those that can be experienced during this illness. Although they are not as intense and constant.
During these times, we often forget to take care of ourselves. It is therefore perfectly logical that one of the first parameters that is affected by these disorders is our diet.
We no longer eat the foods that we like the least. And which are generally the healthiest, for others who bring us greater taste pleasure.
Why are we doing this? It is a question of balance. We try to obtain the pleasure that we have lost in other aspects of our life through taste.
Unfortunately, the cliché of the young woman lying on her sofa eating a pot of ice cream after a breakup is not so far from reality.
It is our way of forcing our hypothalamus to produce in our mind the feeling of well-being that we have lost.
It is our behavioral way of preventing new negative thoughts from appearing. It is totally counterproductive for the general health of our body.
However, the loss of this balance is not the only reason that causes us to neglect our diet. Along with sadness, there is usually a complete lack of motivation.
The thoughts that motivated us to take care of ourselves are now relegated to the background. Because the front of the stage of our mind is occupied by a deep and inextricable feeling of sadness.
The actions that we used to do in a very routine way are now difficult to access. We try to simplify our routine: instead of preparing a good balanced meal, we opt to order a pizza.
It is a way of feeding us that costs us much less effort.
The other side of the power of the mind
We’ve talked about the negative thoughts that weaken us so far. However, there is another way of looking at this situation.
Numerous studies of people with serious illnesses have shown that positive mental fitness can significantly improve healing.
Bodily biochemistry is responsible because of the direct action of the mind. And the implementation of disease control instruments. Through the practice of physical activity and better nutrition.
So we can only encourage you to take care of your mental health. Because, through it, you will be able to improve your health in general. It’s worth it, right?
