4 Ways Mental Health Can Affect the Brain May is National Mental Health Month. This month we want to point out the link between mental health and brain function. Most of us have some inkling about how mental health affects the brain. You’ve probably seen it yourself when you feel stressed for a long period of time or noticed that a family member with depression struggles to remember basic conversations or important dates. Never has this been more apparent than over the past two years, when so many students (and teachers and parents) saw their mental health decline due to reduced social gatherings, school closures, and isolation. But the correlation between poor mental health and brain performance isn’t “all in your head.” In fact, science has shown that when someone has a mental illness, it affects the brain’s chemistry and function by disrupting the communication between neurons. Even someone with no history of depression can develop symptoms triggered by stress, thanks to the excessive production of cortisol. During times of mental (and physical) stress, our adrenal glands produce excess cortisol. Sometimes the effects of mental health struggles cause short-term effects, but oftentimes, the results affect cognitive function over the long haul. Here are some specific findings from the scientific community regarding the link between mental health and brain function: 1. Loneliness increases the risk of dementia. SOURCE: NeurologyAdvisor A study published in February 2022 found that people over age 60 who felt lonely for at least 3 days during the previous week had an increased likelihood of developing dementia during the 10-year follow-up period than those who weren’t lonely. 2. Stress can impact memory. SOURCE: Psychology Today Stress-induced brain shrinkage (atrophy of the hippocampus) has been linked to spatial and working memory deficits. Chronic stress can kill brain cells, reduce their ability to communicate, and even alter the brain’s structure. 3. Depression can affect your cognitive abilities. SOURCE: Harvard Medical School health blog Research has shown that depression can impair not only memory and attention, but also your ability to process information and make decisions. In addition, it can lower your cognitive flexibility (our ability to adapt to changing situations) and executive function (our ability to take all the steps to complete something). 4. Anxiety can impact logic & reasoning. SOURCE: BrainFacts.org Extreme anxiety can put your brain into “fight or flight” mode, putting the amygdala on high alert for perceived threats. In a non-anxious brain, your prefrontal cortex would step in as the rational friend to say, “Slow down. Let’s evaluate the situation and use logic and reasoning to determine the threat and make rational decisions.” But severe anxiety can put you into a hypervigilant state, which can lead to irrational thoughts and spontaneous behaviors that aren’t always in your best interest. Of course, these are just a handful of examples of how our mental health can affect our brain function. Because people have their own unique histories, experiences, and coping mechanisms, our responses to things like depression, anxiety, loneliness, and stress vary greatly. In many cases, there are things we can do to improve our mental health. From medication, journaling, and exercise to nutrition, meditation, and therapy, we sometimes have prevention, coping mechanisms, and treatments that can reduce their impact on our lives. A good place to start is by talking to a mental health professional. You’ve got nothing to lose with an initial conversation about your options. Taking the first step may start you on a journey to more frequent moments of happiness and better brain function!