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There’s an absolute health between your mental well- being and your physical well-being, so take time to nurture both.

To be completely healthy, you must take care of not only your physical health, but your emotional health, too. If one is neglected, the other will suffer.

Understanding the Physical Health and Emotional Health Connection

There is a physical connection between what the mind is thinking and those parts of the brain that control bodily functions. According to Charles Goodstein, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine in New York City, and president of the Psychoanalytic Association of New York, the brain is intimately connected to our endocrine system, which secretes hormones or chemicals that can have a powerful influence on your emotional health. “Thoughts and feelings as they are generated within the mind [can influence] the outpouring of hormones from the endocrine system, which in effect control much of what goes on within the body,” says Dr. Goodstein.

“As a matter of fact, it’s very probable that many patients who go to their physician’s office with physical complaints have underlying depression,” he says. People who visit their doctors reporting symptoms of headache, lethargy, weakness, or vague abdominal symptoms often end up being diagnosed with depression, even though they do not report feelings of depression to their doctors, says Goodstein. Depression causes you to be over-aware of physical discomfort.

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While unhappy or stressed-out thoughts may not directly cause poor physical health, they could be a contributing factor and may explain why one person is suffering physically while someone else is not, Goodstein adds.

Physical Health and Emotional Health: Examples of Links

There are many circumstances that support the link between physical health and emotional health, including:

White-coat syndrome. This is a condition in which a person’s blood pressure increases the minute they step into a doctor’s office. In white-coat syndrome, anxiety is directly related to physical function — blood pressure. “If you extrapolate from that, you can say, what other kinds of anxieties are these people having that are producing jumps in blood pressure? What is the consequence of repeated stress?” asks Goodstein.
Personality and heart disease. Some people are more at risk of heart attack because of their personality, specifically those “hard-driving, hard-charging” Type A individuals.
Chronic disease and depression. People who are having a hard time coping with a chronic illness are more likely to become depressed.
Physical symptoms of emotional health distress. People who are clinically depressed often have physical symptoms, such as constipation, lack of appetite, insomnia, or lethargy, among others.
And on the other hand: “Those individuals who have achieved a level of mental health where they can manage better the inevitable conflicts of human life are more likely to prevail in certain kinds of physical illness,” says Goodstein.

Physical Health and Emotional Health: Caring for Both

The best way to care for your total health, emotional and physical, is to follow the advice of your mother:

Eat right. A healthy, regular diet is good for the body and mind.
Go to bed on time. Losing sleep is hard on your heart, may increase weight, and definitely cranks up the crankiness meter.
If you fall down, get back up.Resilience in the face of adversity is a gift that will keep on giving both mentally and physically.
Go out and play. Yes, work is a good thing: It pays the bills. However, taking time out for relaxation and socializing is good for your emotional health and your physical health.
Exercise. Exercise is proven to improve your mood and has comprehensive benefits for your physical health.
See the right doctor, regularly. Going to the right doctor can make all the difference in your overall health, especially if you have a complicated condition that requires a specialist. But if your emotions are suffering, be open to seeing a mental health professional, too.
Total health depends on a healthy mind and body. Take time to nurture both.

Sensationalist coverage and our brains contribute to misunderstandings about mental health

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. For more than eight years, we have authored this column on facts and fictions in mental health, an opportunity for which we are profoundly grateful. Nevertheless, because of growing commitments and other pursuits, we have decided that this will be our last column.
We have written these articles for a simple reason: we live in a world in which mental health literacy is more important than ever. According to survey data published in 2010 by psychiatrist Mark Olfson of Columbia University and psychologist Steven Marcus of the University of Pennsylvania, about 3 percent of Americans are in psychotherapy, with most of them also receiving medication. Moreover, as psychiatrist Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, observed in a 2014 strategic plan, the incidence of a number of mental health conditions, including autism spectrum disorder and major depression, has soared in recent years, although the significance of these rising rates remains a matter of controversy.
Despite its pervasiveness, many people are woefully misinformed about mental illness. This fact is worrisome because inaccurate notions about mental illness can be harmful. For example, the erroneous belief that people with schizophrenia are prone to violence can lead to unjustified stigma [see “Deranged and Dangerous?”; July/August 2011]. And the unsupported assumption that antidepressants are more effective than cognitive-behavior therapy for the long-term treatment of depression can dissuade individuals from seeking the most beneficial interventions for their illness [see “The Best Medicine?”; October/November 2007].
In this concluding column, we look back at our past contributions and extract some of their most important lessons. We hope to leave readers with a user-friendly kit for sorting fact from fiction about mental health and illness.
A MISUNDERSTANDING MIND

Several common errors of reasoning make all of us susceptible to certain misconceptions about psychological health. For instance, the availability heuristic is a mental shortcut by which we gauge the frequency of an event by the extent to which it is fresh in our mind. For example, the mistaken belief that most children of divorced parents display poor psychological adjustment probably stems from the fact that when a child experiences serious problems after a divorce, we often hear about it. Conversely, when a child adapts well to a divorce—as most do—his or her resilience is almost never discussed. As a result, we may think of divorce as more closely tied to psychological problems than it actually is [see “Is Divorce Bad for Children?”; March/April 2013].
Another common logical error is post hoc, ergo propter hoc, meaning “after this, therefore because of this.” Our minds are continually on the lookout for connections between incidents, which may lead us to conclude that an event preceding the emergence of a psychological condition caused the condition. For instance, many people continue to believe that childhood vaccines (especially those containing the preservative thimerosal) cause autism because the usual time for vaccinating children—soon after they turn one—comes just before the first signs of autism typically become evident. This connection in time is apparently more persuasive to many than the multiple, large epidemiological studies that have debunked the link [see “Autism: An Epidemic?”; April/May 2007].
In addition, many misconceptions about mental illness contain a kernel of truth that can lead us to false conclusions. For example, just because dogs, horses and some other domesticated animals provide emotional warmth that can temporarily relieve anguish does not mean that animal-assisted therapy alleviates the main symptoms of major mental disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and anorexia nervosa [see “Can Animals Aid Therapy?”; June/July 2008].
MISLED BY THE MESSENGER

As information becomes increasingly abundant and accessible, the ability to evaluate articles, books and Web sites grows more crucial. About 3,500 self-help books appear every year, but few are based on research or are subjected to scientific scrutiny [see “Do Self-Help Books Help?”; October/November 2006]. Likewise, many psychology Web sites are replete with misinformation. In a 2012 survey of the sites of eight national autism associations, special education professor Jennifer Stephenson and her co-authors at Macquarie University in Australia found that most of them provided misleading information about the effectiveness of interventions. For example, of 33 autism treatments suggested on these sites, solid empirical support exists for only three. (Those three are grounded in the principles of behavior modification, a technique that reinforces adaptive activities.)
The mainstream media can also spread distortions, whether because of mistakes rising from deadline pressure, misunderstanding of source material or an overzealous desire to appeal to the public. As psychologist Thomas Gilovich of Cornell University observed in his 1991 book, How We Know What Isn’t So, reporters almost always sharpen the central point of an article and leave out peripheral details. They also routinely exaggerate claims in the service of a good story. On October 7, 2013, the front page of The Sun, a popular British tabloid, trumpeted: “1,200 killed by mental patients.” The headline implied that psychiatric patients had murdered 1,200 people in the U.K. Yet that figure included not only patients in the mental health system but also individuals who were judged retrospectively by researchers to be experiencing symptoms of mental illness, a judgment that is highly subjective.
Even when a story is more nuanced, the headline may still hold sway in people’s minds. Psychologist Ullrich Ecker of the University of Western Australia and his colleagues collected data last year showing that deceptive headlines, such as “Fears of Fluoride in Drinking Water” (which topped an article emphasizing the safety of fluoride in water), can provoke biased inferences about the story, leading to misconceptions. Thus, readers must not only continue past the headline but must also carefully encode any details in a story that contradict or add nuance to its title. We should beware, too, of misguided attempts to create balance in stories. Journalists sometimes feel obligated to present both sides of an issue even when the scientific consensus is clearly on one side.
We hope that this column and the more than 50 that came before it have helped educate readers about psychological health in ways that matter for both individuals and society. The tips and analyses we have offered over the years are hardly panaceas, but they can serve as a guide through the increasingly complicated maze of claims about mental health.

Present Tense Affirmations.

I act now. I am a doer. I take charge and get things done. I am always moving forward and working on my goals. I work hard first and play laterI always start a project right away. I always get a head start and have plenty of time to complete my workOthers admire that

I make things happen now rather than laterI complete projects with plenty of time to spareI am someone who seizes the moment and takes action.

Future Tense Affirmations.

I am turning into a proactive person. I will stop procrastination and change my lifeI will become someone who takes actionI am finding it easier to begin large projects. I will always get started right away, even if I don’t feel like it. I am becoming more productive with each passing momentI am changing into someone who effortlessly gets things doneI will take charge of my time and achieve my goals. Taking immediate action is becoming a natural part of who I am. I am finding that I naturally choose work over procrastination.

Natural Affirmations.

I love the feeling of getting a head startIt’s normal for me to start projects earlyBeing proactive comes naturally to me. I take action and get things done. Making the best use of my time comes easy to me. I’m the kind of person who always dives straight into my work. I enjoy starting quickly and beating others to the punch. Making things happen is just what I do. Others rely on me because I always follow through. I enjoy working hard and getting things done.

If we have no peace,
it is because we have forgotten
that we belong to each other.
– Mother Teresa

All things share the same breath –
the beast, the tree, the man…
the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.
– Chief Seattle (attributed)

Where there is great love,
there are always miracles.
– Willa Cather

The Science of Mind is intensely practical
because it teaches us how to use
the Mind Principle for definite purposes,
such as helping those who are sick, impoverished, or unhappy.
– Ernest Holmes

Understand that the right to
choose your own path
is a sacred privilege.
Use it.
Dwell in possibility.
– Oprah Winfrey

I am a Passionate Observer of Life.
I See the events, feel the emotions,
and recognize the difference.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

I do not need anyone’s permission to be my true self.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Affirmation:
Today I choose the higher road –
the path of charity, acceptance,
love, selflessness, kindness.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.
– Joseph Campbell

Where there is great love,
there are always miracles.
– Willa Cather

Everything is a miracle,
not just the beautiful and lovely things.
– Anonymous

The beauty does not live out there;
the beauty’s in my eyes.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Present Tense Affirmations 

I am successful 
I am motivated at all times to work hard
I am possessed with the success mindset
I am a natural positive thinker
I am a highly focused individual
I always succeed
I find it easy to work hard
I can set goals and make sure I reach them
I just naturally find it easy to put together a step by step plan to reaching my goals
I naturally attract success

Future Tense Affirmations 

I am becoming more hungry for success by the day 
I will become successful
I am finding myself more focused
I am turning into someone who is highly motivated
I am becoming someone who always takes action
I will set goals and reach them
I will develop strong self-discipline
I am turning into someone who goes after what they want
I am transforming into someone who naturally attracts success
I will always do what I need to do

Natural Affirmations 

Taking action comes naturally to me
I have an unshakable self-belief in myself
I am succesful at everything I do
Being succesful is my natural rite
Achieving my goals is the greatest thing ever
I love hard work
Being an action taker has gotten me far in life
People see me as someone who is successful
People look up to me as someone who goes for what they want
I find it easy to take action

Present Tense Affirmations

I am healthy

My mind is positive and healthy
My body is strong and healthy
I always eat healthy food
I exercise and take care of my body
I am dedicated to improving my health
I am resilient against illness
I recover quickly from being sick
My immune system is strong
I always make healthy choices

Future Tense Affirmations

I will improve my health

I will strengthen my body
I will think positively about my health
Each day I become stronger
I am beginning to feel healthier and more energetic
I am transforming into someone who has perfect health
I am starting to enjoy eating healthy foods
Every day I find it easier to make healthy choices
I will achieve abundant health
I will become totally focused on healthy living

Natural Affirmations

I am naturally healthy

I can beat any health challenge
I have a healthy mind body connection
Overcoming illness is easy for me
Feeling healthy and strong is normal
I have vibrant health
Others see me as someone who lives a healthy lifestyle
It is important that I eat right and exercise
I enjoy eating healthy food
I have a positive attitude towards my health