The Correlation between Mental and Physical Illness

Being mentally unwell is one thing, but being both physically and mentally unwell can become detrimental. Although mental illness and physical illness are both times of sickness, there’s a clear border between the two which can make seeking help from both ends of the spectrum extremely difficult.

Poor physical health can lead to poor mental health, and vice versa. For example, if you were vomiting 50 times a day, you’d be pretty damn miserable, right? On the other hand, if you were up until 4am every night because the voices in your head wouldn’t shut up, only to have to wake up for work at 6am, you’re not exactly going to be in peak physical condition.

Any condition that affects your independence and functionality is no doubt going to put strain on your mental wellbeing which is why the border between mental illness and physical illness needs to be eradicated.

Some people reading this might know that I have a rare chronic condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type III. EDS is caused by a collagen defect, and since collagen is found in the skin, joints, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, digestive, cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system, symptoms can range from being mild to life-threatening and life limiting. Some of the symptoms I experience are joint dislocations and subluxations, extremely fragile and sensitive skin, susceptibility to infections, hearing loss, fatigue and musculoskeletal pain.

My mental health makes seeking help for physical ailments near impossible.

“Did you dislocate your shoulder as a form of self-harm?”

“Are you purposely disturbing that wound?"
“Are your fevers caused by illicit drug use?”
“But you were fine yesterday!”
“Are you drug seeking?”
“You’re overreacting, it’s all in your head!”
“You’re just a teenager. All teenagers get tired.”

Feeling unwell and fatigued recently has caused my mental health to spiral and lead me into a relapse. If I can barely wake up in time for college in the mornings, and then end up near tears after climbing two flights of stairs, how is that going to be anything but detrimental for my mental health? The only aspect of my wellbeing that is being cared for is my emotional and intellectual wellbeing. Unless one is well holistically, they'll never be truly well.

I am just one example of why mental and physical treatment teams need to come together and work as one to ensure that their patients are receiving holistic care. Whether somebody’s pain is genuine, psychogenic or even fictitious, that person deserves to be cared for and given the appropriate treatment because in the end, we’re all human and we’ve all hurt at some point.