Treating the Mind and Body as One

Our bodies and our minds are intricately intertwined in what many refer to as the “mind-body connection.” How we manage our physical bodies can directly impact how we think and feel. How much we exercise, what we eat, how much sleep we get, etc., can have a positive, or negative, effect on our mental state.

When our mental state is weak, those who deal with addiction may struggle more. This is a vicious cycle, which is why it’s so important for everyone to see a primary care doctor, but especially those struggling with mental health concerns or substance use disorder.

To learn more about this topic, check out the video interview below with Signature Health Physician, Dr. Ajlouny, as he dives into our holistic approach to treating patients.

As Dr. Ajlouny notes in the video, oftentimes those dealing with mental health and substance concerns don’t take care of their physical health for a variety of reasons:

• Some people have a fear of doctors if it’s been a long time since they’ve seen one.
• Some worry they won’t have the means to pay for a physical or regular check-ups at the doctor.
• Others may not prioritize seeing a primary care doctor if they have had a negative experience in the past.

Regardless of past reasoning, we urge every patient that comes through our doors to see a primary care doctor as a part of their health care routine, whether it’s with us or another doctor’s office of their choice. An ideal routine is seeing a doctor once a year for a check-up. Dr. Ajlouny suggests appointments may be recommended more often by your doctor, depending on health factors. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., more frequent visits may be necessary to manage symptoms and keep you healthy.

At Signature Health, our goal is to treat each patient as a whole, mind and body. In primary care, our focus is preventing disease by catching concerns early. Making sure patients are getting regular well check-ups, in addition to the counseling or addiction recovery services that they may need, is key. Our team of counselors, case managers, nurses, and doctors work together to treat each patient comprehensively.

If you are currently receiving counseling or addiction recovery services at Signature Health, but are not seeing a primary care doctor, please let us know. We’ll connect you with the care you need. We accept Medicare and Medicaid for primary care, too.

If you are new to Signature Health or looking to see a primary care doctor only, walk-in today do one of the following to schedule a new patient appointment.

- Call 440-578-8200
- Live chat with a patient services representative

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Signature Health presents the information in this blog as a resource for our community. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, to establish a physician-patient relationship, or to endorse any particular entity or service.