HVG Extra Magazine - Psychology 2021/03

Although we all know the saying: a healthy mind in a healthy body, in everyday life we ​​hardly pay attention to the harmony of our physical and mental health. Most of the time, it is only when our body clearly indicates that something is wrong, with milder symptoms or more serious illnesses, that the balance has been disrupted. While some people try to remedy the symptoms as soon as possible, while others search for mental causes behind the malaise at all costs, in reality both are wrong, and the solution - as always - can be found somewhere halfway between the two. The health of our body and our mind is closely related and interacts with each other - as numerous studies cited in the paper show. For example, our mental well-being has a beneficial effect on our immune system, while our negative thoughts and bad mood can even negatively affect the functioning of our organs. In addition, the quality of our environment and social relationships plays a major role in whether we can truly feel good about ourselves or whether we have to secretly struggle with anxiety. Our experts unanimously agree that it is very harmful to blame the patient for their illness, but it is also clear that not only as patients, but also as healthy people, we ourselves can do the most to understand and explore the meaning of our physical and psychological symptoms, and thus be more resilient and flexible in facing our everyday challenges.