Physical health is mental health, and vice versa.
I spend a lot of time going down rabbit holes on Wikipedia, and I'll end this by telling you one of the funniest things I've read on there. I found this bit of humor while reading about the history of antidepressants.
The first antidepressants were discovered as side effects from anti-histamines. Runaway histamines are what cause allergic reactions, through inflammation. Today, we have lots of evidence that reducing inflammation reduces depression. Our bodies use endocannabinoids to communicate between our emotional and immune systems.
Is this the line between mind and matter? An anatomist will tell you, if you look at the body under a microscope, there's no line where one tissue stops and another starts. Skin gradually turns into muscle, which turns into tendon, which turns into bone. It's convenient to talk at a higher level about types of tissue, but the body doesn't have hard distinctions between its components.
We treat the mind as if it's made out of special stuff. But at some level, the mind has to be just the output of the brain. We know this because when the brain changes, due to injury or chemistry, the mind changes too.
Your mind is very much at the mercy of your body. Anyone who has experienced low blood sugar knows how much a "crash" can affect your mood. Lately I've been amazed at how much of a difference drinking water makes. Sometimes in the afternoon I feel bleary and thick, but coffee just makes me wired and tired. Then I drink a glass of water and it's like a squeegee wiping clean my minds' eye.
Your body is shaped by your mind as well. Athletes know mental discipline determines what bodies are capable of.
No one needs to be ashamed of getting their blood pressure checked. We need to start treating mental health just like heart health or digestive health.
So, the Wikipedia joke: the first brand name antidepressant, with typical 1950s lack of awareness, was named "Ambivalon". The ad campaigns practically write themselves! "For when the only thing you care about is not caring… there's Ambivalon." "Nothing really matters. Ambivalon!"
We could use more of this attitude today though. Let's end the stigma around mental health.