Anxiety, Depression, and Chronic Disease

I’m about to make an entirely unscientific statement regarding anxiety – it wears me out! Makes me tired, snatches my mojo, makes my ass drag…insert your own favorite expression here.

What is scientific is the link between anxiety & depression and long-term, chronic diseases. And I think my earlier statement is just a layman’s view of what has been clinically proven.

An extract from a study detailed in the Medical Journal of Australia demonstrates this relationship. For example, it’s known that people with anxiety have a higher incidence of stroke, heart attack, and cancer compared to the general population. Great…one more thing for us to worry about!

There’s been lots written about how stress and anxiety affects the immune system, and for me, being tired and wiped out at times means I don’t get as much exercise as I should, my diet tends to suffer (especially if I’m stress-eating), and I’m just generally not in good shape. So I need to be proactive at all times with a regimen that includes nutrition, fitness, and relaxation to help buttress against the health challenges that typically result.

As always, the key message is that getting treatment for your anxiety-related condition can be beneficial in helping you combat chronic disease as well. Live long and prosper!

eMJA: Depression, anxiety, and their relationship with chronic disease