Which comes first: the anxiety or the autoimmune disease?

What is the link between anxiety and autoimmunity? This is an important question that many autoimmune researchers are tinkering with and probably one that any individual living with an autoimmune disease should ask themselves.

Research shows that a significant percentage (up to 80%) of patients diagnosed with autoimmune disease report unusually high emotional stress prior to disease onset (Stojanovich, 2008).

For anyone with an autoimmune disease reading this post, I recommend that you take some time to ponder your stress levels over time. Did you feel particularly stressed or anxious in the months or even years leading up to your diagnosis?

Interestingly enough, I did not feel that I was under great stress at the time that my first symptoms appeared. It took me a long time to realize that I had been so anxious and stressed for years on end that it had become my autopilot setting.

I honestly did not know how stressed I was or for how long until I started paying close attention to how I react to stressful situations, unmet expectations, change, and general daily frustrations.

Awareness plays a huge role here.

You must first become aware of your individual stress response and any signs of anxiety or nervous habits that you may display as a reaction to stressful stimuli. Your anxiety or stress reactions may be your current “normal” state, so it may take a bit of work to notice what is happening.

For example, when exploring my personal stress responses and anxious tics, I started noticing that I unknowingly tighten my muscles from time to time, especially in work meetings or crowded social situations.

Once I started paying close attention, I would suddenly realize that my legs were tense, my shoulders were hiked up to my ears, or my hands were clenched in fists.

Becoming aware of what makes you anxious or stressed and how your mind and body react is critical to reducing stress and healing yourself.

Take some time each day to pause your train of thought, take a deep breath, and survey what your mind and body are up to. Is there tension somewhere in the body? Does your heart start racing in traffic or when put on the spot at work? Is your thought process bombarded with criticism, judgement, or negativity?

Analysis of my stress levels led me to wonder: what exactly is the link (if any) between stress/ anxiety and autoimmunity? I did a bit of research to find out.

The Research

Negative emotions, such as those generated in periods of chronic stress, increase production of proinflammatory cytokines. This inflammatory response can contribute to dysregulation of the immune system (Anderson, 2004).

In fact, one study noted that psychological stress significantly impacts symptoms of chronic inflammatory diseases (Rosenkrantz, et. al., 2013).

A report in JAMA Psychiatry found that infection and autoimmune disease can trigger mental health issues, such as depression and other mood disorders (Skerrett, 2013). This study that found that, out of about 92,000 people with a mood disorder who were born between 1945 and 1995, 36,000 of them had an autoimmune disease or severe infection prior to the mood disorder diagnosis. Having an autoimmune disease increased the risk of developing a mood disorder by 45%.

So which comes first? Based on current research, it appears that anxiety and autoimmunity go hand in hand and may cause and/ or exacerbate one another.

In other words, stress triggers autoimmunity, and autoimmunity triggers stress. It is truly a constant cycle. This begs us to consider stress management strategies and even behavioral interventions as being critically necessary for treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Ultimately, when it comes to anxiety and autoimmunity, it is not necessarily a question about which came first — the chicken or the egg. The chicken and the egg are happening simultaneously, and they fuel one another in an aggressive battle.

Regardless of which came first for each individual, it is quite obvious that the mind and body are directly connected. We should all practice self-care and emotional regulation strategies on a daily basis in order to curb the stress response and ultimately heal our minds and bodies.

The Takeaway

What does all of this mean in the grand scheme of things, and what can we do about it? The major takeaway here is that stress contributes to (if not causes) autoimmune disease, and autoimmune disease causes undue stress, creating a vicious stress cycle.

With this in mind, it is important to incorporate stress management techniques into your healing protocol for autoimmunity.

Here are some general stress management tips & tricks:

First of all, it’s probably a good idea to survey how stressed you are currently. Take this free quiz to assess your stress levels. https://psychcentral.com/quizzes/stress-test/

Got an idea of how stressed you are? Great!

Next, try making a bullet list of coping skills and stress relieving strategies that have helped you out in the past.

Here is a basic list of ideas to get you started:

• Massage therapy: because you deserve a good massage!
• Deep breathing: at least five deep, focused belly breaths — hits the spot!
• Take a bubble bath: try Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt Bubble Bath. The milk & honey kind is fabulous!
• Meditation: try the Insight Timer app for free guided meditations as short as three minutes. Surely you can manage three minutes!
• Acupressure: there are various resources online for acupressure points. The most common one used for stress is a point in the webbing between your thumb and pointer finger.
• Essential oils/ aromatherapy: find out which essential oils make you feel relaxed, and try them out with a diffuser or a carrier oil (like fractionated coconut oil). Lavender and camomile are my favorites.
• Music: just make sure it is music that relaxes and calms you. I personally enjoy listening to Lindsey Stirling’s Song of a Caged Bird. So good!
• Exercise: two 15 minute walks a day will be enough to get you started!
• Rest: take a nap! You will feel so refreshed afterwards!

Finally, take at least 15 minutes out of every day to utilize the strategies that work best for you. Only YOU can manage your stress levels — not your doctor, your partner, your parents, or anyone else. You are in control, and you have to take initiative here in order to move forward and heal.

Comment below to let us know what works for you. We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

Cheers to happy healing!

Sources:

Anderson, R. A. (2004, May). Autoimmune disease and inflammation. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, (250), 44+. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com.proxy.osl.state.or.us/apps/doc/A116179928/AONE?u=sale38182&sid=AONE&xid=8d0b76ab

Rosenkranz, M. A., Davidson, R. J., MacCoon, D. G., Sheridan, J. F., Kalin, N. H., & Lutz, A. (2013). A comparison of mindfulness-based stress reduction and an active control in modulation of neurogenic inflammation. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 27, 174+. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com.proxy.osl.state.or.us/apps/doc/A311479190/AONE?u=sale38182&sid=AONE&xid=c37bd281

Skerrett, P. J. (2013, June 17). Infection, autoimmune disease linked to depression. Retrieved January 12, 2018, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/infection-autoimmune-disease-linked-to-depression-201306176397

Stojanovich, L., & Marisavljevich, D. (2008). Stress as a trigger of autoimmune disease. Autoimmunity Reviews,7(3), 209–213. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2007.11.007