Neurological health and mental well-being are essential components to a healthy and happy life. Let us explore three of the most pertinent issues in this realm today.
Participatory Research
Without a doubt, the best way to deal with a neurological or mental health illness, or any disease for that matter, is to examine the physiological condition of those suffering from it. In addition, the higher the number of patients analyzed, the more accurate the results will be.
Because of this, advocacy groups, caregivers, researchers, and other health-related institutions must gather as much information as possible.
Fortunately, we live at a time when reputable organizations are working hand in hand with the groups mentioned to collect the relevant data and use it to make the best possible decisions and come up with the most effective solutions. This is achieved by recruiting quality Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS, cerebral aneurysm, or epilepsy research participants to partake in studies that aim to advance the industry and give a voice to those in a position to be the best catalysts for positive change.
Through participatory research, countless lives can be saved, not to mention forward a field where there is still much to learn.
The Mind and Body Connection
When it comes to mental health issues or neurological disorders, few things are easy to understand or straightforward. While some believe that stress, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizotypal syndrome are not hereditary illnesses but rather ailments caused by environmental triggers, others think it is the exact opposite.
The same is true with acute spinal cord injuries, Bell’s Palsy, and brain tumors, albeit to a lesser extent as these indispositions come about with clear physical symptoms. Still, they are all-encompassing maladies that both relate to the body and the mind.
Some people can deal with pressure far better than others. Whether it comes from their own families, work, societal change, financial difficulties, or anything else, some thrive while others buckle and fold. And when they do so, they unconsciously set off chemical changes in their brains that result in behavioral problems and the inability to cope with the surrounding circumstances.
Other factors to consider are nutrition, daily activities, rest and good sleep, and the frequency of physical activity. If they play a significant role, they can be somewhat lessened or dealt with by engaging in better habits.
Looking at the Big Picture
If you work eight or more hours a day in an office, typing away at a keyboard from sunrise to sunset, chances are you might have experienced tingling sensations in your hands, your fingers going numb, or acute pain in your wrists. If you have not, consider yourself lucky. You are not part of the three to six percent of American adults suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, one of the most common repetitive stress afflictions in the developed world.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is not a neurological disease or something dealing with your mental health. But it does involve your nervous system, specifically the median nerve running from your fingers to your spinal cord. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see where this is heading, does it?
Another example is Type I and Type II Diabetes, two very popular diseases in modern societies. Once again, they are not neurological disorders or mental health issues. Yet, high blood sugar levels can lead to nerve damage, which can affect how the brain processes neural discharges and information. And if the brain cannot do what it is supposed to do when it is supposed to do it, naturally, the mind will be affected.
We have taken a closer look at three of the most important trends in the neurological and mental health arena. The first is the idea of participatory research or having access to the most relevant, most recent patient information concerning various types of ailments. The second is the undeniable connection between the body and the mind, particularly concerning genetics and dealing with daily pressure. Lastly, we explored the notion of how society as a whole, individual lifestyles, and economic development contribute to these problems.
The neurological and mental health field is yet to be fully explored. The brain is such a complex system that understanding its entirety is something that will probably never be achieved. Nevertheless, by focusing on the three matters discussed above, we are on the right track to solving many of the physiological problems that currently afflict us all.
