Heart Disease, Mental and Psychosocial

Mental Health and Psychosocial Factors of Heart Disease

By Josh

How you think, feel, and live affect’s your heart

Emotions behaviours and social situations all have an affect on heart disease. Depression, loneliness, negative outlook on life and stress increase the risk of heart disease were as a positive outlook on life, good friends, a good partner and support base help prevent heart disease.

Psychosocial Factors
Stress is one of the major psychosocial factors that cause’s heart disease. Hormones that are released during stress include norepinephrine (which is released in the fight or flight response for males or the tend and befriend response for males). This hormone thickens blood in anticipation of injury causing the heart to work harder to pump blood around the body. Over time this increases the workload of the heart increasing the chances of failure and heart disease. The other hormone is cortisol which is known as the stress hormone. It raises blood pressure and blood sugar levels again putting stress on the cardiovascular system.

Mental Health Factors of Heart Disease

Depression is a major cause of heart disease. Some of the signs of depression can include
Physical – tired all the time, can’t sleep.
Behaviours – not going out, not getting things done at work, relying on alcohol and sedatives.
Thoughts – thinking that “nothing good ever happens to me”, “I’m worthless”.
Feelings – guilty, unhappy, disappointed, no confidence

Post Heart Disease: Mental and psychosocial effects
People who are stressed or depressed have a higher chance of having a repeat incidence of heart disease than people who have a more enjoyable and stable life.