Mental disorders such as depression and anxiety experienced in early childhood could be linked to chronic physical problems later in life, according to a new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand looked at survey data from ten different countries. They found that early-onset mental disorders were associated with three different kinds of chronic pain: osteoarthritis (the most common form of arthritis), chronic back or neck pain, and frequent or severe headaches.
They also discovered a link between physical abuse in early childhood and six disorders: heart disease, asthma, diabetes, osteoarthritis, chronic spinal pain and headaches.
The study additionally looked at other forms of childhood adversity, such as neglect, parental substance use, parental criminal behavior, loss of a parent through death or other means, divorce, family violence and family economic adversity.
According to the researchers, the more adversity faced during childhood, the greater the risk of developing one of these chronic conditions in later life.