Childhood depression and anxiety may lead to physical problems at adult stage

Childhood depression and anxiety may lead to

 physical problems at adult stage

Child maltreatment has been associated with increased risk

 of adverse physical health outcomes.

Children who experience abuse or other 

adversities and develop mental health 

disorders are at greater risk for chronic

 physical problems when they are adults.

Child maltreatment has been associated with

 increased risk of adverse physical health

 outcomes.

Researchers from Melbourne University‚ 

Australia examined data from people in 10

 countries included in the World Health 

Organization World Mental Health Surveys

 initiative.

The team looked at anxiety disorders and 

depression in children and at the following childhood adversities: abuse‚ neglect‚ loss 

of a parent through death or other causes‚ divorce‚ parental substance abuse‚ parental

 criminal behavior‚ family violence and being poor.

Both anxiety and depression in childhood were associated with three chronic pain

 conditions in adulthood: osteoarthritis‚ chronic spinal pain (back or neck)‚ and 

frequent or severe headache.

It was found that physical abuse in childhood was associated with a number of chronic

 diseases in adulthood: heart disease‚ asthma‚ diabetes‚ osteoarthritis‚ chronic spinal 

pain and headache.