20% physical ailments are likely to be stress-related

One in five of all physical complaints that people raise with doctors is likely to be stress-related.

“We have discovered that many common physiological symptoms such as muscle aches, joint pains, headaches, chronic fatigue, and even dental pain, can be caused or part caused by mental health problems,” said Prof Jim Lucey, clinical professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin.

Prof Lucey, who is also medical director at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services in Dublin, will present new research on stress-related pain during the two-day autumn meeting of the Irish Society of Rheumatology, which gets under way today.

He believes about 10% of physiological problems could be eliminated if doctors were better aware of mental illness issues and more willing to raise them with patients.

His view is based on international research, including studies undertaken at TCD, that have drawn direct links between mental health issues and physical illnesses.

“We have discovered that many common physiological symptoms such as muscle aches, joint pains, headaches, chronic fatigue and even dental pain can be caused or part caused by mental health problems,” said Prof Lucey.

He believes that a new approach to physiological symptoms would discourage ineffective and drawn-out treatments that do not really tackle the root cause of the problem. “We need to move towards a climate in primary care where rheumatology and psychiatry become more closely involved.”

While doctors were becoming aware of the link between stress and physical illnesses they often do not engage with the patients.

He said a great number of physical conditions did not necessarily always require expensive consultations and a solution might be “mindfulness” training that typically costs a few euro an hour at a community centre.

“There is often a reluctance to do this based on the perceived sensitivity of the patient. However, times have moved on and attitudes to mental health and depression have changed. The way to do this is for doctors to say: ‘This is what is causing your pain and this is how we should treat it’.”

Meanwhile, post-primary schools are to be supported in the development of a new teenage mental health awa-reness programme, funded by One Foundation, which will clarify the boundaries of the teacher’s role in appropriately supporting students’ mental health.

The awareness initiative is being facilitated and managed by the Association of Teachers’/Education Centres in Ireland and supported by Headstrong, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health and the Social, Personal and Health Education Support Service.