Anxiety and depression’s role in autoimmune disease.
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The mind and body are deeply intertwined, and each has positive or negative effects on the other. As a person living with autoimmune, there are many ways in which your condition(s) can impact your mental health, and vice versa. It can be difficult to impossible to know which is driving your symptoms and experiences.
We now know that depression and anxiety affect more than 50% of patients with autoimmune conditions (and possibly more)1. Plus, it is believed that mental health numbers are underestimated and oftentimes, the conditions are not understood or addressed in traditional healthcare settings. Needless to say, your mental health has an impact on your overall well-being, and it matters!
Is my autoimmune condition causing anxiety and depression symptoms?
Research has shown that physiological changes – defined as changes to the functioning of your body based on external factors – associated with stress, depression, or anxiety, can in fact be triggered by chronic health conditions, including autoimmune2.
So yes, your autoimmune condition – and the mild to severe havoc it is causing to your body – can set off a stress, depression or anxiety response to your system.
That said, physiological changes associated with an autoimmune condition can also live alongside a separate diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety. So, sometimes feelings of anxiety or depression are a result of your autoimmune disease, and other times, they are separate conditions co-existing in your body due to separate condition triggers.
It’s hard to know which situation your body is in, because all that really matters is that you feel symptoms from your autoimmune condition, such as pain, fatigue, swelling… as well as the mental and emotional symptoms of anxiety, depression, and/or stress.
What are some of the ways anxiety and depression related to my condition might be showing up for me?
Common stress or anxiety feelings we hear include a fear that the pain will never end or general stress about their body, health, and quality of life. Some worry that they won’t be able to return to work, or will miss out on important life events, like friend’s weddings or playing with their grandchildren.
Common feelings of sadness or depression that we hear include sadness that the pain is holding them back from who they were before, and now blame this feeling on their diagnosis. Said sadness can result in various behaviors, such as changes in appetite and eating patterns, tiredness or fatigue, memory loss, and trouble concentrating.
Both autoimmune and mental health conditions are invisible to the outside eye. The symptoms and stress of managing these conditions is real and difficult to show to others. This can make one feel alone or misunderstood in their journey.
What are the reasons why my autoimmune condition is triggering the feelings of anxiety and/or depression?
The symptoms we associate with both stress and inflammation are found in patients with autoimmune conditions and patients with anxiety or depression3,4. So, your underlying mood and mental health symptoms as you cope with and make adjustments to your life because of your autoimmune condition are multiplied by your body also coping with all of the internal changes you’re experiencing.
In a previous post, we talked about how your thoughts, emotions, and behavior can impact the pain you experience. From research and clinical experience, we know that patients with autoimmune conditions may experience pain at one point, several points, or throughout their lives. That pain can impact one’s outlook on life and contribute to the development of anxiety and depression symptoms.
Pain isn’t the only driving force for autoimmune-related mood changes. The stress of managing a chronic condition and changes to one’s quality of life can also cause the development of mental health conditions or symptoms.
The stress caused or worsened by the diagnoses of an autoimmune condition is real AND difficult to show to others. The changes in mood can also make someone with an autoimmune condition more vulnerable to experiencing flares, or worsen the severity of flares.
Taking the time to check in with yourself and be aware of how you’re feeling today and the impact that your condition is having on your mental health can make a big difference in shifting your day to day mindset.
What are some ways I can use self care or other lifestyle changes to ease my negative thoughts and feelings?
First, while living with mental health and autoimmune conditions (or both!) can feel isolating, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Your mental health impacts your overall health and is extremely important for your treatment and healing. Therapy can help patients with inflammation-related conditions experience improvements in their mood, pain, and overall well-being.
In addition to therapy, social support can act as a buffer and can protect you from frequent mood changes. It can also help patients with depression and/or anxiety-related symptoms improve their mood5.
Social support can be as simple as talking to someone in the check-out line, joining a new group that meets in-person or online, volunteering with an organization dedicated to a cause that is important to you, or logging onto a zoom with like-minded people who care about similar issues to you.
How can Rheumission help me cope with stress and anxiety as a part of my overall autoimmune condition healthcare?
At Rheumission, we provide holistic, integrative care that addresses your mental health, with a focus on how your autoimmune condition impacts your mental health and vice versa. We employ techniques such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, and Mindfulness practices.
Therapy can help patients with inflammation-related conditions experience an improvement in their mood, pain, and overall well-being6,7.
In therapy, among other factors that are addressed, we want to learn about the triggers behind flares, the connection between thoughts-behaviors-emotions, and what alleviates or contributes to the depression and/or anxiety symptoms you may be experiencing.
As mentioned above, social support has also shown to improve one’s mental health. We can discuss different ways to stay connected and feel seen and heard by those around you. Our goal is to listen to you, learn from you and work with you as you navigate this journey and live a life that is meaningful to you.
About the Author
Lize Tibiriçá, PsyD, is a Clinical Psychologist who also holds a master’s degree in Ergonomics and Occupational Safety. Dr. Tibiriçá utilizes an integrative approach to psychology specifically designed to meet each person's needs and facilitate long-lasting change. She is dedicated to working with her clients to improve their quality of life and well-being. She listens to and invites her clients to actively participate in decisions related to their treatment.
Note: This information is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.