01/08/2022
Hello, wonderful people out there. Today I am here to share some information about mental health and physiotherapy. This includes everything starting from our physical health to mental health. A person who is free from illness, free from injury and free from pain in both mind and body is considered as healthy. One may have a healthy body, but his mind might be sick. On the contrary, one can have a healthy mind but might have a sick body. Hence, the balance between the two is extremely important and if a person with a healthy body has a healthy mind, then that person can be considered as a healthy individual.
We all have mental health. It is just as important as physical health. Mental health comprises our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we feel, think and act. It also is a determinant of how we handle stress. Thus, it is very important at every stage of life. It depends upon our genetic makeup and upbringing, our life circumstances and the stresses we encounter in our life. Some people at some stage may have mental disorders like depression and anxiety.
Depression, a highly prevalent mental disorder, is generally treated using anti-depressants and physiological therapy. However, did you know that physical therapy could also be used to treat depression? Surprised? Yes, it is true. Despite depression being primarily a mental health disorder, physical therapy comprising of various exercises can assist in improving the mental health of the affected person. Here is how to use physical therapy to reduce stress and exercise treatment for depression. Everyone is aware of the physical benefits of physical therapy as it is utilized for the supplementary treatment of various physical ailments, but the role of physiotherapy in mental health is lesser known. Physical therapy and exercise treatment for depression have direct benefits as it stimulates the body’s own nervous system and acts as therapy to reduce stress. The role of physiotherapy in mental health is to stimulate the release of endorphins from the pituitary gland. Endorphins are the hormones that improve the mood and relieve stress. Physical therapy also helps in suppressing the hormone Cortisol that is found to be elevated in depression patients. Exercise treatment for depression is an ideal alternative for those who do not want to take anti-depressants owing to their side effects. Physical therapy has no side effects and improvement in mood can be observed after just one session. However, these effects are short-term and regular physical exercise is required to show prolonged results.
Perhaps the most potent way physiotherapy promotes mental health is by giving patients the hope of feeling better (being in less pain, having more energy, regaining their mobility, etc.). As patients notice the positive changes that come when a physiotherapy program is participated in as prescribed, they may feel increasingly hopeful about their future. This renewed sense of hope alone is a great promoter of mental health. By reducing pain, increasing one’s level of physical activity and providing hope, physiotherapy can increase mental and emotional health. Reaching out to a physiotherapy clinic near you is the first step to increasing your physical and mental health.
Thank you everyone and take very good care of yourself!!!
