Medical disease and anxiety disorders

Chronic medical illness causes us to face our vulnerabilities and is a significant risk factor for the development of an anxiety disorder. The vulnerability could be associated with the stress of illness and coping with the limitations of illness. Anxiety disorders may also develop secondary to predisposing biological mechanisms (as in diabetes or thyroid disorders) or may be related to a patient's specific medications.

We need to explore the causes of an anxiety disorder and plan our treatment so that it will not interfere with the medical disease and its treatments. Drug interactions are very important in medical comorbidity cases. Every disorder comes with a new life style and necessity for new adaptations. The uncertainty and barriers to daily life worsen the situation. I will review the anxiety associated with medical diseases and the current treatments for it.