Dear Dr. Rain:
My 8-year-old son saw his doctor who said he definitely has asthma. He’s probably had it for a couple of years. Anyway, his doctor said that stress and anxiety can be a factor in an asthma attack. How could this be? I admit, we are pretty stressed out as a family and he does worry too much. Is it true that stress can be part of the picture?
Signed,
Breathing Problems in Palm Bay
Dear Breathing Problems:
Surprisingly enough, stress can affect not only the mind but also the body. In adults, chronic stress can lead to cardiac problems and diabetes. It has also been found to exacerbate arthritis, allergies and asthma. It’s a fascinating idea that something external to the body can affect the internal workings of the body, even though the body is never touched. It makes sense that if we bump into something we might get a bruise. But, it’s hard to comprehend that simply being in a stressful situation can have an impact on the body itself.
Scientists in the field of psychology have studied the body’s stress response for a long time. One particular effect of chronic stress is that the body will enter a state of chronic inflammation. We know from all of the TV ads and news shows that diet and exercise can have an effect on body inflammation. Perhaps, then, it’s not surprising to learn that stress can also increase inflammation in the body. With ongoing stress, the inflammation will increase our body’s reaction to allergens (e.g. pollen, dust mites). It also will affect our body’s ability to handle infection. The old wive’s tale that colds come from life stress, therefore, has some truth to it.
Let’s look at a fascinating new piece of research. Scientists had a group of allergic adults give an anxiety arousing speech to a small group. Afterwards, the adults were given an allergy skin test. Guess what? The stressed and anxious adults skin had much larger allergic welts after the test than did the unstressed adults! This is similar to past research that demonstrated that anxious people are more likely to have asthma and that stress can worsen their asthma attacks.
On a cellular level, researchers have found that stressed adults produce more interleukin-6, which promotes inflammation in the cells. This has a direct impact upon the immune system. It is no surprise then, that stressed adults also take longer to heal from wounds. So, rather than believing that “that which does not kill me will make me stronger,” I suggest that “that which does not kill me might make me sicker.”
This is a wake-up call for the family to begin to identify the triggers of stress in your home. Are the adults and children getting enough sleep on a daily basis (8-year-olds need 12 hours of sleep a night)? Is the family overscheduled with activities resulting in no time to relax and enjoy each others company?
Sometimes, even in well functioning families, a child suffers from anxiety problems. When the family changes do not result in relief from anxiety, it is probably time to ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional.
