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Hidden Ways Anxiety Disorder Can Damage Your Health

April 22, 2015 Greg Weber

Anxiety disorder can damage your health in subtle, hidden ways that are not immediately apparent. While most of us are familiar with the more obvious health risks associated with anxiety disorder (sleep disorders and mental health, for example), anxiety can chip away at your physical health in little ways that can have a significant, cumulative impact over time. There are many hidden ways that anxiety disorder can damage your health.

Anxiety Disorder Can Damage Your Health in Hidden Ways

Anxiety disorder can damage your health in hidden ways you may not be aware of. Learn more about the unseen health risks associated with anxiety.The thing all anxiety disorders have in common is excessive fear, whether it's the fear of being humiliated that accompanies social anxiety disorder, or the fear of being physically harmed that can go with posttraumatic stress disorder. Living with anxiety disorder means living with fear, and fear is a primal, physiological response that impacts the body in lots of different ways. We aren't really biologically adapted for constant fear, and that's why chronic anxiety can damage our health. Along with obvious concerns like digestive problems or coronary disease, here are some hidden ways anxiety disorder can damage your health. It can cause:

  • A weakened immune system -- Chronic stress weakens the immune system, and, over time, increases the risk of contracting disease. Most of us think of our immune system in overly simplistic terms -- it's that thing that keeps us from "getting sick" with a cold or the flu. However, decreased immune response may also be a contributing factor in developing many other diseases as well.
  • An increased risk of suicide -- Because there's a strong relationship between depression and anxiety, most people who suffer from anxiety disorder will likely struggle with depression. And depression is major risk factor for suicide.
  • Addictive behaviors -- Many of us living with anxiety have used addictive behaviors to cope with it. Addictions, whether they involve substances or not, do one thing very well: they numb pain. And the pain of anxiety disorder can be very intense. The problem is, addiction can become its own huge health issue, and usually just makes anxiety disorder worse in the long term.
  • Dental problems -- While it's a struggle for most people to take good care of their teeth, it's especially hard for those with depression and anxiety. It can just feel like one more impossible task. And yet, poor dental care is linked with heart disease, dementia, and complications for diabetes. Anxious people also tend to grind their teeth. This is called bruxism, which damages tooth enamel and speeds up tooth decay.

Because anxiety disorder can damage your health in lots of small, hidden ways, it's very important to find out how to treat anxiety in a way that works for you. Fortunately, there are now many anxiety treatment options available to help undo the hidden ways that anxiety disorder damages your health.

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APA Reference
Weber, G. (2015, April 22). Hidden Ways Anxiety Disorder Can Damage Your Health, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, March 19 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/treatinganxiety/2015/04/hidden-ways-anxiety-disorder-can-damage-your-health



Author: Greg Weber

Karen Gale
April, 24 2015 at 1:35 pm

I have anxiety I've had it all my life .Due to growing up in a disfunction house hold .Me and my three siblings have it rely bad .I always live in fear .I don't really enjoy going out .I've tried Suicide twice .That scared me so I went always asked my doctor for help .So I have a wonderful psychiatrist that has put me on meds. I'm starting to feel a little better but I still have bad days.My anxiety is very crippling I and with everything else I have its really hard .But I just try to carry on every day for my family .Thank - you for your article it with as very good .

Dr Musli Ferati
April, 23 2015 at 7:12 pm

Anxiety disorders as common mental health burden in modern life can cause many health complications, with bad repercussion on global life functioning, as well. But your observation on immense ruin of dental health indicates great and unpredictable outcomes of anxiety. Like many others serious consequences of anxiety to global welfare damaging of dental health has got huge impact on functioning of many physiologic systems; as cardiovascular, digestive, immunologic etc. Therefore, it ought to known that anxiety is introductory agent to dangerous illnesses. The embarrassment is made up of chronic and slow action of anxiety to our whole organism. So, immanent and proper psychiatric treatment of these tiresome mental disorders indicates crucial and important undertaking of current health care system. Otherwise, we shall to face with many and serious illnesses through daily medical practice. This hopeless heath outlook can improve only an universal and prompt mental health service in community. As long as we neglect this psychiatric recommendation, the miserable condition on public heath would continue to play havoc.

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