It Takes More Than an Apple A Day To Keep The Doctor Away.
The link between mental and physical health in children and young adults. -Griffin Kaye
What is
Physical Health? Physical health represents one dimension of total well-being. The term refers to the state of your physical body and how well it’s operating. Physical health we usually break down into four elements: • Active Lifestyle - Being active throughout the day, not just when you’re working out. • Healthy Diet - Eating and drinking a balanced diet to fuel your body. • Hygiene and Disease Prevention - Keeping your body clean & free of disease by doing things like brushing your teeth, sleeping 8+ hours, and drinking lots of water. • Physical Fitness - Intentionally strengthening your physical body by working out.
What is Mental Health? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including: -Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry -Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse -Family history of mental health problems
No Health Without Mental Health
Percent of children aged 2-5 years with obesity: 13.4% (2017-2018)
Physical health and mental health are closely associated through various mechanisms, such as studies of the links between depression and heart and vascular disease
March 18, 2019 A recent analysis of 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health data published online in JAMA Pediatrics indicated that as many as one in six U.S. children between the ages of 6 and 17 has a treatable mental health disorder such as depression, anxiety problems or ADHD
Many studies since the 1950s support the idea that medically ill patients with negative attitudes have worse outcomes than those with more positive attitudes. Now studies demonstrate that healthy people who are optimistic have lower death rates from heart disease than those who are pessimistic.
d age n e : ildr besity h c t of with o 8) n e c Per years 7-201 1 1 6-1 % (20 3 20.
The analysis also found that nearly half of children with these disorders did not receive counseling or treatment from a mental health professional
The relevance of emotional status to the maintenance of good physical health and recovery from physical illness is now well substantiated, as is the converse. Physical ill-health is detrimental to mental health as much as poor mental health contributes to poor physical health. For example, malnourishment in infants can increase the risks of cognitive and motor deficits, and heart disease and cancer can increase the risk of depression
Percent of adolescents aged 12-19 years with obesity: 21.2% (2017-2018)
Mental Health in Children 70% of children and young people who experience a mental health problem have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age. The emotional wellbeing of children is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health allows children and young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults
Mental health in young children is often not thought about and is often missed because the signs can present differently than they do in older children and adults. The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that in the United States one in six children struggle with mental health. Common symptoms include but are not limited to: ~Persistent boredom ~Drastic changes in mood, behavior or personality ~Out-of-control behavior ~Outbursts or extreme irritability ~More risk-taking behaviors or showing less concern for their own safety ~Changes in eating habits or extreme weight loss or gain ~Frequent headaches or stomachaches ~Avoiding or missing school ~Changes in academic performance ~Difficulty Concentrating ~Intensive worries or fears ~Sudden overwhelming fear for no apparent reason ~Sleep problems ~Sleeping too much ~Sleeping too little ~Nightmares
Long Term Effects Children would expirience not only short term injuries if physical abuse is involved, but for mental abuse it can create issues like low self esteem, which can lead to depression and eventually could lead to substance use.
Child abuse and neglect also has been associated with certain regions of the brain failing to form, function, or grow properly in the following brain regions: ~ The amygdala, which is key to processing emotions ~ The hippocampus, which is central to learning and memory ~ The orbitofrontal cortex, which is responsible for reinforcement-based decision-making and emotion regulation ~ The cerebellum, which helps coordinate motor behavior and executive functioning ~ The corpus callosum, which is responsible for left brain/right brain communication and other processes (e.g., arousal, emotion, higher cognitive abilities)
childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders throughout adulthood. adults with major depression who experienced abuse as children had poorer response outcomes to antidepressant treatment, especially if the maltreatment occurred when they were aged 7 or younger.
Infants in foster care who have experienced maltreatment followed by disruptions in early caregiving can develop attachment disorders. Attachment disorders can negatively affect a child’s ability to form positive peer, social, and romantic relationships later in life (Doyle & Cicchetti, 2017). Additionally, children who experience abuse or neglect are more likely to develop antisocial traits as they grow up, which can lead to criminal behavior in adulthood (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, 2017).
In Children...
Strengthening Mental Health exercise can enhance your emotional well-being. Exercise has a positive impact on sleep, weight, mood, energy and overall health. Exercise can help release stress and increase relaxation as well as reduce anxiety.
As quickly as 5 minutes into physical activity, individuals can notice an enhancement in their mood Research shows that exercise can help alleviate mild to moderate long-term depression
-A boost in energy Improved health with decreased blood pressure and heart rate, controls weight, strengthens muscles and enhances immunity Physical acitivity also premotes better sleep. Better sleep reduces negative emotions as well as helps with weight loss and reduce in stress and anxiety. Exercise is a powerful depression fighter for several reasons. Most importantly, it promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good. Finally, exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression.
With Physical Health
Covid and The
According to new U.S. Census Bureau data, young adults living alone were more likley to show signs of depression and anxiety than more mature adults since the pandemic started. A good percentage of anxiety is due to the pandemic. young adults living alone are struggling to earn money and pay bills with higher unemployment rates, less hours (if employed), and the anxtyness of being cooped up in quaritine.
Toll It Takes
• COVID-19 patients displayed high levels of PTSS and increased levels of depression.
The Census Bureau sent invitations to 1,035,752 households and received a total of 58,729 responses.
• Patients with preexisting psychiatric disorders reported worsening of psychiatric symptoms.
Among adults living alone, respondents age 65 and over reported lower rates of anxiety and depression than those in other age groups (Figure 1).
• Higher levels of psychiatric symptoms were found among health care workers. • A decrease in psychological well-being was observed in the general public.
Those between ages 18 and 29 and 30 and 44 reported higher rates of anxiety and depression. The age groups were not statistically different from each other on either measure. Respondents in the 45-64 age group reported symptoms of both anxiety and depression at rates that fell between those of the youngest and oldest respondents.
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