The Health Risks of Anxiety, and How to Avoid Them

Ignoring anxiety doesn’t help — and it could be harming your physical well-being. Long-term anxiety has serious health risks. Use these simple strategies to ease worry and protect your health. 
 
Everyone worries. “We can’t help worrying as a first response to unknowns, mistakes, or perceived threats or risks,” says Tamar E. Chansky, PhD. Chansky is the author of Freeing Yourself from Anxiety and founder of the Children’s and Adult Center for OCD and Anxiety. But what we do next is key.  

“Often, we know when we’re worrying, and we can catch ourselves,” says Chansky. “There’s a moment where we shake our heads and say, 'Enough!’ In that moment, we are ready to move into problem-solving mode.” 

But other times, we can’t get past the worry. Instead, it sticks around and gets worse over time. When fear and anxiety last for at least six months, and when you’re anxious about several things — like health, work, and relationships — it’s a sign of generalized anxiety disorder. 

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. About one in five American adults have had an anxiety disorder in the past year. And it’s not only a mental health issue. A study in the International Journal of General Medicine looked at middle-aged women who reported having regular or long-term stress. At least 28% of them also had physical symptoms. On the list: aches, pains, headaches, and gastrointestinal complaints. And another study found that people with both heart disease and anxiety have twice the risk of dying from any cause, compared to those without anxiety. These findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. 

“When we feel anxious, our body goes into fight-or-flight mode. It readies itself for survival,” Chansky says. “The heart starts racing and the lungs pump harder, all to make us run faster from the enemy. Which is great if there’s a tiger or woolly mammoth. But when it’s a first date or a job interview, this over-the-top response becomes a problem rather than protection.” 

That response comes from the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. “When this system remains activated chronically, it can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate, and diabetes,” says Lana Watkins, PhD. Watkins is a professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. She was the lead author of the study about anxiety and depression increasing the risk of death in heart disease patients.  

Here’s the good news: You have the power to dial down your anxiety. Anxiety disorders are typically caused by a combination of three things: about 50% genetics, 10% situational stress, and 40% the choices we make in response to stress, says Chansky. In other words, there’s a lot of room to take action that leads to less anxiety. Here are six steps to try.

If you try this advice and anxiety is still a regular part of your life, it’s important to talk to your doctor about getting it in check. Remember, anxiety isn’t all in your mind — it can harm your body too. Your doctor can help you find solutions, such as therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes, that can give you much-needed relief.  

If you’re struggling with anxiety, help is here. You have access to mental health support included with your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) health plan. To connect with a nurse, download the free Wellframe app, enter access code NECHAT and your BCBSNE member ID.