Struggling with your mental health is a big enough burden, even when it has no impact on your physical wellbeing. But experts say there’s a surprising way that conditions like anxiety and depression can take a toll not only on our minds, but also on our bodies.

A growing wealth of research suggests that common mental health disorders—including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—can actually shorten a person’s lifespan by 10 to 20 years. A major driver of this alarming gap is the much higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people living with mental health conditions.

A Sept. 2025 study, published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe, highlights how deeply intertwined mental and cardiovascular health can be. It also expla

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