The American Heart Association reports that people who’ve experienced a heart attack are more likely to suffer from depression. Depression can adversely affect the quality of life and the general health outlook of people.

In a report released Monday, the American Heart Association reveals that depression is up to three times more common in patients who have suffered a heart attack or who suffered bypass surgery. In fact, they recommend that patients who have been hospitalized for these problems or for unstable angina or angioplasty, should be checked for signs of depression.

Depression can be identified by asking two questions: “Are you feeling depressed or hopeless?” and “Do you take pleasure in doing the things you like?” Depression affects people by making them feel worthless, generally a sentiment of hopelessness is invoked. Treatment involves meditation, regular exercise or medication.

Doctors don’t know for sure if the heart conditions are causing the depression or how the two are really connected. The fact is that our minds control our bodies and our bodies, when ill, can affect the mind in a negative way. Sigmund Freud was the first one to analyze the connection between the mind and the pathological, showing that between the two there is a strong connection. He believed that the connection is so strong that visible changes can be triggered in the mind or in the body if special circumstances occur.

With this in mind the fact that people who are sick get depressed might seem logical. The question is, in fact, why depression and heart problems? What is linking them together?