In a recent article provided by Psychology Today, David Hanscom, MD describes exactly how an individual’s mental health is just as important as their physical health. Commonly, people may assume that one's physical health is the foundation of a productive life. However, the chemical effects of your mind drive the body’s physical state. There continues to be rampant stigma surrounding mental health and going to therapy, but it is crucial to realize how vital it is to be in a healthy state of mind.
Thoughts help us to assess our surroundings and situations, allowing us to make choices that help us survive. Oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine are all chemicals that your body secretes when your thoughts are positive. These chemicals create a sense of contentment and calmness. If you are stressed, your body releases adrenaline, cortisol, histamines, cytokines, and other hormones which make you feel the urge to control a situation to alleviate anxiety. No one can live free of negative thoughts or avoid any form of stress, but learning different strategies to separate from these chemical reactions will help us thrive.
Your thoughts are the neurological input to your nervous system. The psychological response that humans receive from this is very similar to physical stimulus. It is human instinct for us to gravitate towards the pleasant chemicals and avoid the stressful ones. Nonetheless, it is also impossible to only have positive thoughts, no matter how much we want to.
It is important to note that no one intellectually craves being unhealthy or in pain. However, your conscious brain has no way of solving anxiety or the physical consequences that you are experiencing. Addressing your deeply ingrained behavioral patterns is the solution. If your thoughts are still focused on the problem instead of the solution, progress is impossible. Organizing your own thinking allows you to reconnect with your body’s healing capacity. Your unconscious brain tends to resist this process because its purpose is to scan your surroundings for danger in order to keep you safe. If you were raised surrounded by chaos, many things in your adult life will seem dangerous due to the fact that many situations did not feel safe in your childhood. Understanding this is crucial for any individuals trying to heal from trauma.
There are over thirty-three possible physical symptoms of untreated anxiety. Some physical manifestations of anxiety can include acid reflux, unexplained rashes, tension headaches, insomnia, back pain, and palpitations. For those that are suffering from chronic pain, it would be unsurprising if many listed symptoms apply to your daily life. Modern medicine often focuses on treating the physical reactions to anxiety instead of addressing the root cause of them.
Understanding and utilizing your body’s chemistry and shifting your conscious thinking allows your unconscious responses to positively shift. By achieving this, you will have an increased amount of motivation to care for your physical health. Managing anxiety is not always easy, and at Pinnacle Counseling and Testing Center we offer tools for our clients to implement in their daily lives to improve their mental health and overall quality of life.