"Your Physical Health Depends on Your Mental Health!"

"Mind" and "body" are often distinctly separated, but when considering mental (spiritual) health and physical health, they should not be thought of as separate entities.
Mental and physical health are fundamentally connected, and there are numerous relationships that significantly impact people's quality of life.

The connections between mental and physical health are as follows:

• Poor mental health is a risk factor for chronic physical conditions.
• Individuals with chronic physical conditions are at risk for mental health issues.
• The first step in supporting individuals with mental and chronic physical health conditions and developing coping strategies is to understand the connections between the mind and the body.

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Psychosomatic disorder is defined as any condition with physical symptoms but has its origins in the mind and emotions.
A psychosomatic disorder arises from emotional stress or harmful thought patterns. Physical symptoms manifest when a person's immune system is compromised due to stress.
It is a common misconception that psychosomatic disorders are imaginary or that "it's all in the person's mind." In reality, the physical symptoms of psychosomatic conditions are real and should be treated promptly, similar to other physical disorders.

The Connection Between Physical Health, Stress, and Depression
Stress, anxiety, and depression can lead to physical ailments. Let's imagine our body as a pressure cooker. When it releases its steam (emotional burden) in a controlled manner, it can happily cook the meal. However, if it can't release the steam, the pressure will build up until the lid bursts. A similar situation applies to humans. If we suppress and don't express our emotions, it's only a matter of time before it bursts out, much like the weakest point of a pressure cooker.
Excessive stress or depression can weaken one of the physical systems in our body, leading to the development of an ailment. For instance, if your weakest point is your neck, you might start experiencing neck pain. Your mental state can cause not only minor physical symptoms that diminish your quality of life but also serious physical symptoms or disorders. For example, chronic pains or ulcers in various parts of the body, fibromyalgia, frequent colds, flu, heart conditions, asthma, skin disorders, eczema, cancer, etc.

Psikosomatic disorders with coping strategies: When you visit a doctor due to pain or discomfort, the doctor will usually look for a physical cause for your pain. If the underlying stress or depression factors are not considered, it may not be possible for the doctor to diagnose and/or treat your physical problem. Especially when there is no clear physical cause for the problem, identifying the stress source that the person cannot cope with can be crucial for the healing of the physical issue. On the other hand, it would be incorrect to say that the experienced physical discomfort should only be approached from a mental health perspective. As mentioned earlier, the physical symptoms of psychosomatic disorders are real. The pain or discomfort you feel in a physical area is not imaginary. Chemical reactions caused by stress and anxiety can lead to real physical problems. For example, stress can lead to inflammation in your neck muscles and cause severe pain. In such cases, it is important to address the problem at its root (i.e., coping with stress). However, until the problem is resolved at its root, it is also important to cope with the consequences of the situation. In other words, while working to eliminate stress in your life, it is also essential to alleviate your neck pain (through methods such as massage, physical therapy, or anti-inflammatory medications) as part of stress management. Coping with Stress in 3 Steps: 1. Recognize that you are stressed. The first step is to learn to be aware that you are under stress. To understand if you are stressed, you can apply a simple test to yourself. Touch your neck with both hands. If your hands are significantly cooler than your neck, it means you are stressed. If they are warmer than your neck, it means you are relaxed. Other signs of stress can include: - Sweaty palms - Tense muscles - Butterflies in the stomach - Rapid heartbeat Stress symptoms can vary depending on gender, age, environment, and other conditions. Therefore, it is important to recognize stress symptoms that are specific to you. For example: - Stress symptoms in women often include irritability, tension, restlessness, abdominal bloating, and even changes in menstrual cycles, even when well-rested. - Stress symptoms in men may include chest pain, high blood pressure, and changes in sexual desire. 2. Learn healthy coping mechanisms for stress. Once you have learned how to recognize whether you are stressed, the next step is to learn coping mechanisms for stress. The most important way to cope with stress in a 'healthy' way is not to hold back or suppress your emotions but to express them! Otherwise, as in the pressure cooker example, pressure will find its way out in some form. Learning to express your emotions and reducing the pressure created by stress in a 'controlled' manner can help. Remember that a controlled path is always a safer and healthier path. It is important to check whether you are using unhealthy mechanisms, such as excessive consumption of caffeine or alcohol, to cope with stress. Suggestions for coping with stress through controlled ways include: - Talk to someone you trust. - Join a support group. - Use relaxation techniques (See >> The impact of meditation on stress). - Take some personal time for yourself. - Take a break and distance yourself from the situation or place. - Take herbal supplements that can help you relax. (Note that these herbal supplements can have side effects, much like prescription drugs. Therefore, it is important to make safe choices in consultation with your doctor.) - Eat properly. Stay away from smoking and take care of your health. - Exercise regularly. - Approach the people around you with honesty and openness. (Lying or pretending consumes a lot of your energy.) - Let go of old grudges. See >> Anger and anger management. - Remember that sometimes it is necessary to end a relationship that causes stress. - If you haven't done it for a long time, do nice things for others, or if you're always sacrificing for everyone, take some time 'just for yourself.' - The list is endless... Just release the steam from the pot! 3. Be willing. The third and final component is to be willing. Yes, be willing and open to change! You must be willing to give up expectations of what you "should" do. You must be willing to let go of the ‘necessities’ that affect your behaviors and old guilt. You must allow yourself to be "human." It is not a problem if men cry and are emotional. It is not a problem if women do not deal with housework. If you are doing your best, it is not a problem if you do not achieve your goals. The biggest stress triggers, in fact, often come from your own mind.