It’s interesting to learn how the body functions and how in sync the body is with each part of itself. Along with the help that you put into it, the body is basically a system where each area affects the other. It only takes one part of the body to either heal or destroy the rest of it depending on the circumstances and the medical issue. The two most important pieces in your body are your heart and your brain. Your body cannot function properly without both of them working simultaneously, so if these two functions control the rest of the body, is it safe to say that medical issues in the body can affect your brain from functioning well?
Can You Really Trust Your Gut?
The saying “trust your gut” has been around for ages. It means that when you have a bad feeling in your gut because you may be in an uncomfortable situation, then trust that feeling.
But what happens when your gut is constantly telling you that something isn’t right? You go to the doctor, get checked out and find out there’s actually something wrong with your gut; Crohn’s disease, the doctor says.
Now you’re handling your new diagnosis to the best of your ability but it’s difficult. The pain is still there as well as the revelation that your body is no longer functioning at its best. That in itself can cause a lot of mental stress on your brain.
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How Crohn’s Disease Affects You Mentally
With any type of disease, there are always going to be symptoms and with Crohn’s the symptoms can be everyday discomforts. Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in your digestive system.
Because it affects the digestive tract, it can cause problems with how your stomach operates. For example, symptoms of Crohn’s disease are abdominal pain, diarrhea, pain in the anus, fever, fatigue, blood in your stool and more.
When dealing with constant physical pain and discomfort, how you think and how well your brain operates often changes.
When the gut’s bacteria is unbalanced, it’s noted that the intestinal walls become altered. This means that if there is bad bacteria in the gut, then these bacteria now can move into the bloodstream through multiple passageways which can later cause mental disorders.
A severe symptom of Crohn’s is anemia (when the body becomes extremely iron deficient). People with iron deficiencies are at a higher risk for anxiety, depression and other psychotic disorders. Crohn’s can lead to other life-threatening diseases and medical issues as well, like colon cancer, and malnutrition. These can lead to a life of major depression, anxiety and more.
If the brain is constantly trying to process pain, it’s hard to think about anything else. Why? Because when the body is constantly tense and stressed, it causes your mind to become tense and we all know that mental strain causes physical tension, and this can become a repeated cycle.
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What To Do When Your Gut Has You Feeling Blue
The first step is to reach out to your doctor. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms more often than usual, it may be time to get it checked out. Getting professional help as quickly as you can, can prevent any problems from worsening.
Once you’ve reached out to a doctor and discussed what could possibly be the issues, it’s time to start taking matters into your own hands.
- Make sure your eating habits reflect a healthier lifestyle. Most of the time, poor eating can cause many digestive problems.
- Remove smoking from your everyday habits. Smoking not only causes lung disease, it can also lead to Crohn’s and other life-threatening health issues.
- Finding something else. If you’re experiencing abdominal pain and have already taken medicine, try mindful meditations to help focus the brain on something other than pain. If you feel as though the medications aren’t really working, find home remedies that may be of better assistance.
The Connection Between Your Physical and Mental Health
As stated previously, your body operates because of your brain and vice versa, the two are interconnected. When a person is diagnosed with depression, physical symptoms can occur such as digestive issues, fatigue and headaches.
When a person is suffering from physical health problems, it increases the chance of them developing mental health problems. Unfortunately, the two are interchangeable. Not to say that one will be doomed with both physical and mental disorders if they are suffering from one, but there’s a huge possibility.
It’s important to do things that help your mental and physical health outside of medical help, like exercising, meditating, cleaner eating, creating better sleeping habits, etc. Your body works as a system so always remember, if your gut is telling you something, trust it. It can possibly save your life.
