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The Interconnected Mind and Heart

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According to a recently published statement1 by the American Heart Association (AHA), mental health can positively or negatively impact an individual’s health and risk factors for heart disease and stroke. The statement, titled, “Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection,” was published in the Association’s flagship journal Circulation.

“A person’s mind, heart, and body are all interconnected and interdependent in what can be termed ‘the mind-heart-body-connection”. Research has clearly demonstrated that negative psychological factors, personality traits and mental health disorders can negatively impact cardiovascular health. On the other hand, studies have found positive psychological attributes are associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality,” Glenn N. Levine, MD, FAHA, master clinician and professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, chief of the cardiology section at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, said to the press.

Negative mental health conditions—such as:

  • depression
  • chronic stress
  • anxiety
  • anger
  • pessimism
  • dissatisfaction—

are associated with potentially harmful biological responses, including: irregularities of heart rate and rhythm, increased digestive complaints, increased blood pressure, inflammation, and reduced blood flow to the heart. Health behaviours that increase risk for heart disease and stroke, like smoking, lower levels of physical activity, unhealthy diet, obesity, and others, are also associated with negative mental health.

On the other hand, people with positive mental health were more associated with healthy heart conditions like:

  • lower blood pressure
  • better glucose control
  • less inflammation
  • lower cholesterol

Additionally, people with better mental health tend to have more positive social relationships, support, and connections.

The statement suggests mental health screening for people with or at risk for heart disease. Programs like cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy, collaborative care management, stress reduction therapy, and meditation could all help reduce said risk. Cardiovascular health could be improved by increasing positivity, happiness, and satisfaction.

“Wellness is more than simply the absence of disease. It is an active process directed toward a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life, and we must strive to reduce negative aspects of psychological health and promote an overall positive and healthy state of being,” Levine said. “In patients with or at risk for heart disease, health care professionals need to address the mental wellness of the patient in tandem with the physical conditions affecting the body, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, chest pain, etc”

Reference

Website: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/the-interconnected-mind-and-heart

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