Anxiety And Its Impact On Health

CAN ANXIETY MANAGEMENT IMPROVE OVERALL HEALTH?

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18% of the population” (1). To fully understand the extent of this wide-spread issue, one must first know what anxiety is. According to Harvard Medical School’s health publications, “Anxiety is a reaction to stress that has both psychological and physical features” (2). Chronic anxiety places a massive physical and mental toll on one’s body, which is why the management of such disorder is essential to healthy living (3). There are many factors that contribute to the successful treatment of anxiety,
In order to fully comprehend why prevention is so essential to anxiety management, one must first observe what kind of negative effects chronic anxiety can have on the human body. According to Harvard Medical School’s health publications, “Anxiety has now been implicated in several chronic physical illnesses, including heart disease, chronic respiratory disorders, and gastrointestinal conditions” (2). Not only does anxiety cause certain health complications to occur, but it also affects the effectiveness of vaccines and makes a person more susceptible to disease. The NIMH states, “People under chronic stress are prone to more frequent and severe viral infections, such as the flu or common cold, and vaccines, such as the flu shot, are less effective for them” (5). If person is able to manage their anxiety well enough, situations, such as the ones previously mentioned, can be avoided and prevented- which would cause an improvement the body’s overall health. There are four major keys to successful anxiety prevention: getting help early, keeping a journal, prioritizing one’s issues, and avoiding unhealthy substance use. Once a person has implemented these things into their daily life, anxiety prevention will be of no difficulty
A person of normal health does not have to worry about heart disease, chronic respiratory disorders, and gastrointestinal conditions. A person with anxiety does have to deal with these issues; however, anxiety management provides them with a way out. Anxiety management and treatment eliminate the effects of anxiety, which, in turn, allows for the body’s overall health to improve. Without anxiety management, the lives of people with this disorder would be dark and chaotic; Charles Spurgeon best depicts this idea by stating, “Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths”