People with asthma can aggravate their condition terribly with anxiety. The University of Cincinnati reported, a new study has explored how asthma can be aggravated by anxiety. In this study asthma symptoms were mimicked in order to determine how asthma sufferers were affected by anxiety sensitivity.
In simple terms anxiety sensitivity has been defined as a “fear of fear.” It has been observed when people afflicted with anxiety sensitivity also suffer from asthma the suffering they experience may be far more debilitating and dangerous due to problems managing their asthma. This new study has explored this issue and has recommended treatment to help lower the symptoms of asthma.
In this study asthma symptoms were mimicked by having the study participants breathe in-and-out via a narrow straw. There were 101 college undergraduates recruited for the study who reported having asthma. As was anticipated the students who reported higher anxiety sensitivity reported both increased anxiety during the straw breathing task and greater asthma symptoms and lower lung function.
Alison McLeish, a University of Cincinnati associate professor of psychology, said anxiety sensitivity helps to explain why we see increased rates of anxiety disorders and why poorer asthma outcomes are associated with anxiety. It has been recommended by the researchers that interventions for anxiety sensitivity which have a goal of decreasing the anxiety be implemented.
This study has been published in the journal Behavior Modification. It has been determined that anxiety sensitivity has an association with more severe asthma symptoms and increased functional limitations. It has been suggested by the findings in this study that people with asthma who are afraid of physiological arousal are at particular risk for poor asthma outcomes due to increased reactivity. These people could benefit greatly from interventions which target anxiety sensitivity. Clearly people suffering from asthma should learn to relax more particularly when they also suffer from anxiety sensitivity.
