Approximately one in three people with a physical health condition also have a mental health condition. Mental health conditions also put patients at greater risk of developing chronic physical conditions. For example, depression can increase your risk for diabetes or stroke, and chronic conditions like heart disease can increase your risk of developing a mental health condition. The reason behind the link isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. A person’s economic situation, such as income and housing, can be a factor due to a lack of access and resources. Additionally, the physical symptoms associated with mental illness, such as decreased energy levels and sleep deprivation, make the body more susceptible to developing a physical condition.
Previously, many doctors believed the link between mental and physical health was a myth because the body and mind are seen as separate entities. Over the years, however, research has indicated that elevated cortisol levels, a stress hormone, can link to physical and mental health conditions. In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders reported increasedphysical fitness is associated with better mental health among individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and improving one’s physical fitness might help to alleviate mental health symptoms.
Breaking Down Mental & Physical Health
When people think of “health,” they automatically consider the physical aspects – perhaps their fitness level or whether that person has any conditions such as arthritis or asthma – and not their current mental health. It’s essential to understand that each factor into the other. Maintaining physical and mental health is vital to a functioning body and a well-balanced lifestyle. However, stigmas are still widely held about mental health and mental illness. Despite a global mental health crisis, people with disorders such as ADHD, anxiety, and depression experience shame when proactively addressing their symptoms and opening up about their condition.
The Overlooked Physical Health Effects of ADHD
The common perception of someone with ADHD involves physical behavior – they usually picture a hyperactive male child who can’t sit still. While hyperactivity is a core symptom, it is not the only physical manifestation of ADHD.
Though it is a neurodevelopmental condition commonly treated by mental health professionals, ADHD can cause many physical health challenges that make life difficult. Patients may suffer from sleep issues, compulsive eating, sexual problems and have an increased risk for substance abuse disorders when ADHD is left untreated. A Swedish study from 2021 noted that adults with ADHD had “elevated risk” for several conditions, including respiratory, musculoskeletal, metabolic, gastrointestinal, nervous system, circulatory and skin conditions.
In addition, most ADHD patients suffer from one or more comorbid conditions – most commonly anxiety and depression. These mental health conditions can manifest physically through symptoms like stomach issues, muscle tension or pain, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, and more.
Mental and physical health are inextricably linked to one another and have a drastic impact on patients with ADHD – which in turn affects their families, friends, and peers.
How to Integrate Mental Health into Physical Health
Integrating physical and mental health is critical to improving outcomes and reducing stigma for ADHD patients and everyone impacted by mental and physical ailments. “There is a mind-body connection, and if someone has ADHD it influences their body, mental health and ability to perform at a job or school. If we act now, we can treat ADHD and improve people’s quality of life,” says Dr. Perry Roy, MD, Internal Medicine Specialist at Carolina Attention Specialists.
Whether you’re a clinical psychologist or primary care provider, we should tap into our peers and resources to provide a higher quality of care. We need a multi-faceted model better to integrate mental and behavioral health services with physical care to address patients’ comprehensive health needs.
Dr. Roy, a physician specializing in ADHD care, emphasizes the need to take action now due to the detrimental impacts on people’s lives. Patients with ADHD reportedly lose about seven years of their life.
For ADHD patients, we now have objective assessment tools that are invaluable for improving outcomes. Like a blood test to check a diabetic’s glucose levels or an X-ray to see a broken bone, objective ADHD tests provide hard, objective data from which we can form a baseline for the remainder of the diagnostic process. This evidence-based data allows us to diagnose patients more confidently, making it easier to create a holistic treatment plan to help them manage their mental and physical symptoms.
Integrating physical and mental health is often overlooked due to its complexities. But, given the proper attention, an integration of this magnitude could revolutionize the healthcare system as we know it. An improved care model for both physical and mental health conditions could save the U.S. $26 billion annually, all while helping patients self-manage to improve their lifestyles and chronic diseases.
The mind-body connection is authentic and very prevalent in mental and physical health, and treatment of these two should complement each other to enhance patient outcomes.
Dr. David Aversa
David Aversa, MD, MPH is a triple-boarded child, adolescent, forensic and adult psychiatrist. He specializes in consultations to schools, pediatricians, other physicians, and forensic evaluations. In addition, he does psychiatric evaluations and provides medication management and therapy services. He does evaluations for juvenile and adult courts. He is the University Psychiatrist for Quinnipiac University. His ultimate goal is to create a comprehensive psychiatric treatment network that provides comprehensive, integrated mental health services to children, families, and adults. His other professional goal is to expand into health care policy and administration in order to improve systems of care and products that improve delivery of health care.
