Does your mental health issues cause you physical health issues?

[Grownyourownway]

I’m stuck in this awful cycle of poor mental health and physical health the two seems to feed off each other.
But the more I am experiencing physical issues the more I convince myself that I have something serious and therefore end up even more anxious and on and on it’s goes……..
I have anxiety, depression, panic disorder, ocd and health anxiety (I suffered from these for most of my life)
The physical symptoms are there, day in day out. In particular are horrible daily digestive issues including daily nausea and an upset tummy, extreme tiredness, my body aches all over, I have tinnitus, tmj disorder and a general feeling of malaise.
I know all of these issues go hand in hand with anxiety but I find it very hard to not think the worst case scenario’s and therefore end up in a complete panic.
I have put myself through some very uncomfortable tests and procedures as I am always fearing the worst and need ‘answers’ to these physical issues. For example, I have been told for years that I have IBS but as these digestive symptoms became worse 4 years ago I ended up having an endoscopy and colonoscopy which although a horrible experience was, thankfully clear. My symptoms have exacerbated again so I am having another colonoscopy next week. So now I am stressing over this……it’s never ending.

I have had endless CBT and counselling but they haven’t helped. I am about to have another session of CBT later today in the hope it will eventually help me.

Anyone else stuck in this cycle? Does your mental health cause you physical issues too? Is this normal? What do you suffer from?

Yes, and I see this particularly in my partner as well, as soon as things get tough in life, he gets a series of ill health issues from digestion to joint pain etc.

I used to think it was a load of nonsense but of course it is all related, bodies don't like stress and sometimes it manifests in physical symptoms and sometimes that is psychosomatic.

You know what I did? I tried to stop fixing/curing myself and just tried to learn to accept my emotions and any physical issues. Giving myself permission like that has helped more than any counselling or physical therapies etc. I try to tick all the wellbeing boxes as much as I can, eating well, moving outdoors every day, socialising as much as feels right, doing things I enjoy, making time to rest without guilt, not always trying to be productive.

I also stopped being scared of being ill (mainly cause I totally burnt out a few years ago and I didn't even care anymore- but I have managed to hold on to the not caring whilst feeling better), the anxiety around symptoms wasn't helping, if you get really ill you get really ill and worrying about it doesn't make it any better, probably worse. So I accept that I will get ill. I actually did get dx with a serious illness a few years ago, and I think that helped. The worst happened, and yet everything goes on and you learn to live with it.

I'm so sorry you are struggling, it feels very hard when you're in the middle of it all.

We are meant to belive this aren't we. Like we are making ourselves ill by not chearing the fuck up.
Have a look at the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency op, as well as vitD and folate. Has your gp offered you a full blood test?
Are you late 30s or older, dropping oestrogen doesn't help either.

This video explains in depth what happens to your body when you experience stress or anxiety. Your body has no idea if danger is real or a product of the mind and will produce exactly the same response.

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bunhead1979 I do believe excepting the symptoms is the pathway to freedom but I still find that so tough, I just want to find that wire that connects it all from brain to body and cut it free. I definitely need to start trying to accept rather than constantly battling against it.
TheLurpackYears I had a full panel of full blood works taken about a month ago, they have all come back as ‘normal’ but I have often wondered if a I have b12 deficiency (have many of the symptoms) I mentioned my current levels on a bf support group. Even though they are within the NHS limits many people have said my b12 is low but gp says not, so not sure what to do there!? I was very iron deficient last year and needed iron infusions, I did wonder if many of my issues were down to that but my ferritin is now much higher since the infusion but I am still experiencing many of the symptoms so it must be down to the anxiety and stress? And yes, I am well into peri (I am 50) so that is certainly NOT helping.

Thank you Eyesopenwideawake

Its so hard isn't it, I don't mean to say its easy or you can "just do it", it really did take a very dark time for me to realise I couldn't care anymore, I didn't care anymore about anything at all, to "unlock" some of that anxiety - not all but enough. Now in a place where I think "oh my x is sore, I'll keep an eye on that but accept I need to rest and be kind to myself" rather than googling the arse out of it and not being able to sleep with stress etc etc.

bunhead1979 I’m going to practice and practice as I am desperate to start digging myself out of this cycle. I am starting CBT again this afternoon so will discuss this with my therapist and hopefully start to get somewhere once and for all. Thank you.

Op I totally relate. Stress and anxiety has a huge impact in your health from my experience. Headaches, nausea, tummy upset, insomnia ( which causes even more health issues)

For me it came to a head when I started getting horrible ear pain/tinnitus/vertigo. At one point I could hardly stand up. I had 18 month of this with a CT and MRI scan, I thought I might've had a brain tumor.

Long story short - it was all down to my anxiety which was causing me to clench my jaw causing the horrible pain.

As soon as I found this out it slowly cleared through mouth stretching and other excersises. Still comes back sometimes though.

Geogaddi I had the exact same thing! Worked myself into such a frenzy. The Maxillofacial consultant that I saw after my MRI told me it was all down to tmj disorder which was brought on by my teeth clenching and stress. He gave my exercises to do but my ‘default’ mode does seem to be to clench my jaws to tight, I wake up every day with my jaws clamped tight.

@Grownyourownway Please take a look at this book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748

It gives some background to the mental-physical interaction. When you experience is known, and normal. I found that audio book very very helpful to listen to. It explained a lot to me.

I have had bouts of depression since PND and psychosis 20 years ago. I have been lucky in that I have not suffered as some of you have but my eyesight always gets worse when I have a bout. The optician says the 2 things are absolutely linked which amazes me! So yes, MH downs really do affect you physically.

Thank you HitTheCity, I’ll get the audiobook.
It definitely affects the eyesight Fantasmic143 makes me super are of my floaters (often feels like I have millions) and blurry eyed quite a lot of the time.