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Title: Anxiety attacks & Cluster Post by Bob_Johnson on Sep 17th, 2004, 8:06am NEWSWEEK, 9/27/04: cover article is on the links between "Mind & Body", indicating how emotional distress harm physical health. ----------------------- Report of a study (from MEDSCAPE.COM):"Patients With Anxiety Disorders More Sensitive to Bodily Changes" Sept 16 - Patients who have anxiety disorders appear to be more sensitive to bodily changes, which in turn suggests that the perception of panic attacks is reflective of central rather than peripheral responses, according to the results of a study published in the September issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. "Physiologic responses of patients with anxiety disorders to everyday events are poorly understood," Dr. Rudolf Hoehn-Saric and colleagues from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, write. They compared self-reports and physiologic recordings in 26 patients with panic disorder, 40 patients with generalized anxiety disorder, and 24 nonanxious controls during daily activities. The subjects underwent four 6-hour recording sessions during daily activities while wearing an ambulatory monitoring device. The team collected physiologic and subjective data that were recorded every 30 minutes and during subject-signaled periods of increased anxiety, tension, or panic attacks. Primary outcome measures included recordings of heart inter-beat intervals, skin conductance levels, respirations, motion, and ratings of subjective somatic symptoms and tension or anxiety. Compared with controls, patients with anxiety disorders rated higher on psychic and somatic anxiety symptoms. Patients with anxiety disorders also rated themselves higher on disability scales and on sensitivity to body sensations. Both patients with panic disorder and those with generalized anxiety disorder experienced diminished autonomic flexibility and less precise perception of bodily states. Patients with panic disorder had a heightened sensitivity to body sensations compared with generalized anxiety disorder patients. Autonomic arousal levels were slightly higher in patients with panic disorder, and this manifested itself in faster heart rates throughout the day. "These findings suggest that, after having experienced anxiety attacks that are associated with strong bodily changes, patients become sensitized to such changes and may experience physiological symptoms of panic attacks..." [In effect, their bodies are acting as if there was a threatening condition even when this was not the case.] The investigators note that the diminished autonomic flexibility found in both panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder patients may result from dysfunctional information processing during heightened anxiety that does not discriminate between anxiety-related and neutral stimuli. "It is important to measure physiological responses and not rely on verbal reports," Dr. Hoehn-Saric added. "A demonstration that physiological responses during anxiety attacks are milder than perceived can be reassuring to patients," he said. "However, the long-term effect of diminished physiological flexibility is unknown." Arch Gen Psychiatry 2004;61:913-921. ________________________________________________ Imagine a person who is afraid of, for example, dogs and can experience an anxiety attack by thinking about meeting a dog or even seeing a picture of a dog. (Or, replace "dog" with your own feared thing/experience.) The anxiety is NOT being caused by a real life experience, in this situation (the thought or picture). The mental and body reactions which we call "anxiety" are a kind of habit response which are very real in their effects, however. Anxiety produces mind and body reactions which are measurable and have a real impact on how we function (and even on long term health of the body). The anxiety becomes an automatic response, beyond direct control of will. With this development, the person has experiences (anxiety) which are confusing or misleading--they cannot separate the real life threat from their body's automatic ("I'm in danger!") reactions. When dealing with cluster, for example, the effect of this anxiety reaction (and this is true for depression also) is that the person has increased sensitivity and reduced tolerance for pain; their sense of suffering is elevated and the capacity for effective self-treatment is reduced. Medication can dampen the experience of anxiety but it does not unlink the reaction from the underlying thoughts or misinterpretation about the situation. ("I'm in danger"; "this will never end"; "I can' bear the pain", etc.) Cognitive therapies have been very effective (especially when combined with short term meds use) in teaching folks how to break this link. |
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Title: Re: Anxiety attacks & Cluster Post by Bob_Johnson on Sep 23rd, 2004, 8:47am The NEWSWEEK article is a general overview of recent research on the links between physical health and emotional health. Over the last few years there has been a steady run of studies showing this link and describing how this link works. |
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Title: Re: Anxiety attacks & Cluster Post by yikes_another_one on Sep 23rd, 2004, 7:08pm yeah, the automatic fear.... there is no way to break the cycle by yourself. But sharing the experience, and trusting in your doctor.... knowing you have survived how ever many other really bad episodes.... well, it does decrease. In 1999 I was scared I was gonna die form these things. That it was an anyerisim...(spelling ugh...) and that my doctors were all quacks. But time has proven them right, so I have been able to ease off the fear factor, buckle up, and enjoy the rollercoaster rides.... But I am lucky. My rides are short. I recover pretty quickly and march on. I am in awe of the soldiers I am fighting this with. You guys and gals are true inspiration... Courage to us all, TJ |
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