It’s a vicious cycle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: you have an exacerbation, which leads to fear and anxiety about having another exacerbation, which then causes one.
Many chronic illness sufferers deal with this cycle. In some cases the anxiety is a pre-existing condition, but in many cases it is brought on by the stress and pain of chronic illness.
There are many forms of anxiety, each affecting everyone differently. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America reports that generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the most common anxiety disorders.
Managing COPD is hard work. Managing it with anxiety on top of it is even harder. So, it’s incredibly important to gain control over your anxiety before it overwhelms you.
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