We know that one of the pillars of healthy brain while aging is to stay physically active. But does it work two ways? Can brain disorders early in life cause the problems with physical health later on?

To find this out, a recent large study investigated whether people with mental-health problems have a greater risk of chronic physical diseases and earlier death later in life. The investigated mental-health problems consisted of different mental disorders, such as substance use disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders, as well as self-harm. Chronic physical diseases ranged from coronary heart disease to cancer.

The researchers found that across the 30-year period, both men and women with mental disorders were more likely to develop physical diseases and they also died earlier than people without mental disorders across all age groups (from 10 to 60 years old).

Mental-health problems tend to develop relatively early in life, often by adolescence or early adulthood, years before the typical onset of chronic physical diseases. That is why it is so important not to ignore any signs of mental problems in the young people and treat them on time! It will improve not only their current mental state, but also might prevent the chronic physical diseases later in life.

Curious? HERE is the source