What do you generally blame when your back hurts, or you get a headache? What if you have a stomachache, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations?

Like most individuals, you probably believe a physical condition causes your problem. However, that may not be entirely correct.
Why? It’s because your physical symptoms could result from mental or emotional disorders. Yes, we can have physical manifestations of mental illness. What makes this possible? And how can you identify whether your symptoms are physiological or psychological?
Is There a Relationship Between Mental and Physical Health?
Isn’t it interesting how your physical health can influence your mental health and vice versa? Researchers have examined the consequences of mental health disorders on patients’ physical and psychological health for decades.
Unfortunately, the connection between physical and mental health isn’t often apparent. However, studies have discovered that the two are inextricably linked. For example, patients with significant coronary artery occlusions frequently suffer from depression.
According to research, persons with persistent physical illnesses are three times more likely to suffer from depression. You could think, “Of course they have depression!” For God’s sake, they have a chronic ailment. Researchers have also considered this. And they discovered that, while chronic illness might exacerbate depression, depression can also precede physical sickness.
However, it is not only depression that can cause physical symptoms. The body suffers when we do not deal with our emotions, such as anger and despair. For example, stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are released when patients are agitated. These hormones cause an increase in blood pressure. Uncontrolled rage can lead to persistent high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, insomnia, migraines, and digestive problems.
What You Can Do About Physical Symptoms of Mental Illness
What can you do now that you’ve realized that physical suffering may result from emotional troubles or mental illness?
1. Get Plenty of Physical Activity
Pain throughout the body is one of the physical symptoms of mental illness. Exercise can help relieve your pain. But you don’t have to go all out with intense cardio and weight training. Something as easy as walking around town or in the woods may do wonders for your mind and body. Exercise regularly can boost your mood and minimize anxiety-inducing stress hormones.
2. Consume a Nutrient-Dense Diet
If you experience physical symptoms of mental illness, dietary deficiencies could be one of the causes. November 2017 found that nutritional deficiencies, notably vitamin D and folate, are connected to schizophrenia. According to other studies published by U.S. News & World Reports, some deficits might cause fatigue, poor brain function, irritability, and depression.
3. Discover Healthy Ways to Express Your Feelings
Keeping your emotions bottled up is one of the worst things you can do for your health. Unfortunately, many people are deterred from pursuing this path.
They’ve been taught since childhood that expressing their anger, fear, or despair – anything deemed “negative” – is wrong. On the other hand, keeping our emotions inside is one way they might spiral out of control. They’ll blow up if we don’t discuss them and get them out in the open.
As a result, an emotional breakdown or a physical disease may occur. While your family members may not be open to you discussing your sentiments right soon – or in some situations, at all – this does not diminish the need for you to do so.
Find a counselor, coach, therapist, doctor, or religious advisor with whom you may openly and routinely discuss your feelings.