More and more people in recent years declare that they suffer from anxiety and depression, two conditions that are often connected and decidedly unpleasant. Yet, in addition to making life difficult for people in general, these two conditions can aggravate other diseases.
For example, there is a pathology called COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which complicates the clinical picture when the patient also suffers from anxiety and / or depression. As we continue reading, we will see how this is possible.
Be careful because anxiety and depression can worsen the health of those suffering from this pathology
COPD is a disease that affects about 3 million people in Italy and that involves the respiratory tract, causing breathing difficulties. This disease affects the bronchi and therefore reduces the functionality of the lungs. It is chronic, so there is no definitive cure, but you learn to manage it in the long term by trying to limit the damage as much as possible. This pathology is often seen in smoking patients, in fact, smoking is one of the causes that can trigger COPD.
COPD sufferers experience cough, wheezing, weakness and shortness of breath and are more prone to severe damage such as emphysema and pneumonia. In addition, since oxygen is essential for every organ in the body, COPD could cause damage and problems to other organs as well, such as the heart and brain.
So, as we have seen, it is a pathology to be taken seriously. And it’s even more serious when it comes with anxiety and depression.
BPCO
COPD is a disease that causes breathing problems and more, which mainly affects smokers. Be careful, however, because anxiety and depression can worsen the health of those suffering from this pathology. In fact, about 1 in 2 people with COPD suffer from anxiety and / or depression. Plus, people with both anxiety and COPD would have a 54% better chance of getting worse. On the other hand, those who suffer from both depression and COPD appear to show a worsening of symptoms in 52% of cases.
In fact, depression and anxiety would seem to favor an unhealthy lifestyle, which certainly isn’t good for COPD patients. In fact, to keep the disease under control, experts often recommend exercising and eating healthy, as well as quitting smoking. Yet anxiety and depression often lead people to withdraw into themselves and adopt an unhealthy lifestyle.
Therefore, all those who suffer from COPD are strongly advised to consult their doctor in case of depression and / or anxiety. This is the only way to decide how best to manage these problems.
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