Mental distress as part of a feedback system for the soul

Pain in the physical body is a feedback system. Put your hand in fire
and it'll get burned without the burn pain sense immediately triggering
an autonomous reflex to withdraw from the flame. There is a physical
illness where children do not have the capability to feel pain and they
live very short lives because without that feedback system they can do
untold damage to themselves.

Mental distress may also be part of a feedback system. The symptoms are
in a sense a sign of an 'illness' (though not in the biomedical sense).

I don't know if this is fully recognoised by mental health practioners.
The diagnostic criteria for many illnesses often stipulates 2 weeks of
continuous symptoms as the minimum period. People are expected to bear
with their problems during that period (either because a bit of intense
misery is normal or the limitation of healthcare resources or something
else). I don't know if people are taught that this pain may be trying to
tell them something and that it has a purpose.

Someone must have written a book on this concept.