Mental disorders can take a toll on the body. Those who struggle with mental disorders early in life may expect poorer physical health and accelerated aging as adults according to a recent study in JAMA Psychiatry. In the study, participants who had a greater variety and persistence of mental disorder symptoms in adulthood, or high general psychopathology scores, were aging faster biologically by a factor of about 5.3 years between the ages 26 and 45, compared to participant with the lowest scores. Disorders these higher-risk individuals underwent included anxiety, depression, substance misuse and schizophrenia.
The study also noted that stress increases circulation of stress hormones and inflammation, which can lead to faster aging and subsequent diseases. Mental disorders can also be debilitating to the point where a person can’t keep up with healthy habits, such as clean eating and exercise, especially during the pandemic.
When observers were shown photos of the group, without knowing anything about them, they rated them as looking older than they were.
The findings in the study came from the Dunedin Study, which observed and tested the biological, physical, and mental health of about 1,000 New Zealanders from their birth in 1972 or 1973 until age 45.
The current study’s lead author, Jasmin Wertz, a postdoctoral associate with the Moffitt & Caspi team at Duke University in North Carolina stated that for those who have a mental disorder, but have the stamina, “a healthy lifestyle is key at preventing age-related disease and in preventing faster aging.”
Regular exercise, safely socializing with others, avoiding smoking, and healthy eating can help reduce stress and inflammation in the body—along with other benefits.
