There are 5 emotional stress conditions well known to sabotage your physical and mental health. These include: 

• Depression
• Anxiety/Panic
• Anger
• Addictions
• MUS, or Medically Unexplained Symptoms 

They often overlap or occur in combination. All are frequently seen in primary care settings, and always complicate and undermine holistic medical care.

Consider the following:

• Patients suffering from even mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression use two to three times as many healthcare resources as those who aren't.

• Patients with chronic anger have a significantly increased rate of heart disease, and are several times more likely to die prematurely from all causes of death.

• These stressful emotional conditions also complicate the recovery and management of many lifestyle-related diseases. For example, diabetics are twice as likely to suffer from depression, and patients with heart attacks or lung disease are far more prone to experience depression, anxiety, and chronic anger, as are those with gastrointestinal complaints, headaches, fibromyalgia and others.

And by the way, these painful emotional states are closely connected to our worst lifestyle habits. For example:

• When are cigarette smokers most likely to light up? When they're emotionally stressed!

• What is one of the most common effects sought by people who consume too much alcohol? Tension reduction!

• And why do people often eat more than is good for them? Emotional comfort!

In fact, it's very hard to make inroads into these problem areas while you're experiencing significant emotional distress at the same time.

The good news? Each of these conditions can successfully be addressed in coordination with your health care provider and the evidence based tools available through Healthy Mindsets! Click on any, or all, to learn more!