Fibromyalgia and anxiety
Most people have feelings of anxiety – a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe – at some point in their life. Anxiety is an illness from which people cannot ‘snap’ out of and it is thought that approximately 8 million people in the UK have some form of an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety is not the same as stress, and it can persist whether or not there are obvious external factors. The feelings associated with anxiety can be overwhelming, stopping the individual from doing things or making them behave in unusual way.
Fibromyalgia affects people physically, mentally, and socially. It is estimated that about 20% of people who live with this chronic pain also suffer from an anxiety disorder or depression. People with fibromyalgia can often feel isolated. If you have problems with sensory overload, which is common in fibromyalgia, you may fear certain situations and suffer from anxiety when you know you'll have to face one. A common symptom of fibromyalgia is also cognitive difficulties. A symptom commonly referred to as "fibro fog" impairs the ability to focus, pay attention and concentrate on mental tasks, and can cause anxiety.
Stress and fibromyalgia
The fight or flight response is an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening, and therefore stress overload is common for sufferers of fibromyalgia and chronic pain. Stress weakens your body. This can be a vicious circle as in a weakened state, you’re more vulnerable to fibromyalgia’s symptoms and stress can exacerbate the pain. In turn chronic pain can also cause an increase in stress.
Fibromyalgia and its connection to illnesses, such as stress and anxiety, should not be ignored. it is important to understand and make sense of the illness in the first place before working out how best to manage it.
If you are suffering from fibromyalgia, CRPS, or any chronic pain condition as a result of an accident that was not your fault, and even if you have an existing claim, get in touch with Brian Barr Solicitors to see if we can assist. It is simple and hassle free to move your claim to Brian Barr Solicitors who are experts in dealing with chronic pain litigation. Call us today on 0161 737 9248 or visit our website to find out more.
We do not endorse any research, studies or sources mentioned within our blogs and comments. The blog is for information purposes only as we are not medical professionals. We do not endorse any medical advice provided and would strongly recommend anyone seeking medical advice to contact their local healthcare provider before any changes to treatment and / or management of your condition is undertaken.