The brain-body connection

We know that many issues which fall under the umbrella of "mental health" have physical consequences -- like the pain and fatigue experienced by people who suffer from depression. However, doctors are warning that many "physical" health issues also have a mental component.

"Mental health and illness are seen as separate from physical health and disorders but it's becoming increasingly clear that is wrong," Professor Peter Jones, head of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, told the BBC.

"Take smoking and lung cancer. People think of it as a physical illness but lung cancer is a behaviour disease due to a smoking habit."

And what about one of the top health risks we're seeing more and more of these days? Obesity might also be "in a patient's head" too. Jones notes that some cases could be caused by a hormonal imbalance in the brain that affects how people perceive feeling full or hungry, and in turn can compel then to eat. Promoting healthy eating and exercise only addresses part of the problem.

The solution: "We need to zip together physical and mental health. It is absurd to think that biological processes would stop at the neck," Jones said.

In short, it's time to stop thinking about mental health and physical health as separate issues. Medical organizations in the UK are therefore calling for more funding and cooperation among specializations in order to investigate these connections. (Read the full article here.)

The physical toll of mental illness

However, there is another angle to this story. Research shows that people with a mental illness are also more likely to experience physical health issues that put their long-term health at risk -- yet they face obstacles and prejudices getting the help they need.