Mental Health Counseling for Autoimmune Diseases – The Holistic Counseling Center of Long Island offers strategies in helping reduce autoimmune disease symptoms, mitigating, and in some cases, helping with remission.
Helping & partially mitigating autoimmune diseases with the right type of therapy!
Link Between Mental Health & Autoimmune Diseases
Research shows that people with autoimmune diseases are more likely to experience mental health issues, like depression & anxiety.
Autoimmune diseases represent a diverse group of disorders characterized by the immune system’s aberrant response, mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues. In these conditions, the immune system loses its ability to differentiate between self & non-self, leading to chronic inflammation & damage to various organs.
Common Factors:
▪ Inflammation: autoimmune diseases involve chronic inflammation, which affects brain function & adds to mental health issues.
▪ Stress: exacerbates autoimmune symptoms & worsens mental health.
▪ Genetic Predisposition: certain genetic factors may increase the risk of both autoimmune diseases & mental health conditions.
▪ Hormonal Imbalance: hormonal dysregulation, common in autoimmune diseases, can impact mood & mental well-being.
▪ Gut-Brain Axis: the gut microbiome influences brain function, and alterations in the gut microbiome have been linked to both autoimmune diseases & mental health issues.
Autoimmune Diseases with High Mental Health Comorbidity:
▪ Rheumatoid Arthritis: depression & anxiety affect up to 60% of patients.
▪ Lupus: depression & anxiety affect up to 50% of patients.
▪ Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: depression & anxiety affect up to 40% of patients.
▪ Multiple Sclerosis: depression affects up to 50% of patients.
▪ Type 1 Diabetes: depression & anxiety affect up to 30% of patients.
Mental Health Impact on Autoimmune Diseases:
▪ Exacerbating Symptoms: mental health issues can worsen autoimmune symptoms.
▪ Reduced Treatment Adherence: mental health issues can decrease motivation to follow treatment plans.
▪ Increased Inflammation: chronic stress & mental health issues can perpetuate inflammation.
Would you like more information on this? Contact us today.
The Connection Between Stress & Disease
Chronic stress can lead to many health problems, both physical & psychological, including:
❎Physical Health❎
Stress can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and some cancers. Stress can also cause digestive issues, headaches, muscle tension, and weight gain or loss.
❎Mental Health❎
Stress can increase the risk of developing #anxiety, #depression, #panicattacks, and substance abuse disorders.
❎Immune System❎
Stress can suppress NK cells, which are immune system cells that help fight certain diseases. Stress also slows wound healing.
Some ways to manage stress include:
- Physical exercise
- Practicing mindfulness meditation
- Reducing caffeine & screen time before bed
- Writing down a to-do list for the next day
- Practicing self care
- Striking a balance between responsibility to others & yourself
Heal, recover, and relax with ear acupressure / acupuncture!
Holistic counseling means treating the whole person. This can include utilizing ear acupuncture as a healing modality. By activating acupuncture points on the ear, your body’s healing is stimulated. The release of this healing energy, combined with counseling / talk therapy, affects the body’s biochemistry and helps to relieve pain / stress naturally.
Ear Acupuncture has many benefits:
Stress – Insomnia – Anxiety – Addiction – Allergies – Headaches – Pain – Nausea
Learn more about acupuncture services!
Mind and Body Cannot be Separated!
One of the world’s most sought after and celebrated physicians, Dr. Gabor Mate is the leading expert on the role the mind-body connection plays in illness and health.
Watch here: